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Welcome to Keep the Tail Wagging!!!

This week, I have been enjoying a little bit of celebrity thanks to blogging about raw feeding for dogs.  I was featured in the 10/31/16 issue of First for Women magazine, I was interviewed by the Marysville Globe, and I will be interviewed by King 5 Television on Friday, 1021/16. I'm revisiting the basics of raw feeding for – fingers crossed – new visitors to Keep the Tail Wagging.

Welcome!

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Does Your Dog Have Allergies?

This is my dream.  I've been dreaming about being a voice in the raw feeding movement since I realized the value of the diet for Rodrigo.  After more than three years on a raw food diet, Rodrigo's health has improved by leaps and bounds.

Rodrigo is the reason I feed my dogs a raw food diet.  He had a laundry list of health issues that were driving him nuts, costing me a ton of money, and leaving me at a loss.  I didn't know what to do to help my baby.

• Rashes on his back and tummy.
• Digestive issues, chronic loose stool.
• Chronic ear infections (nearly every other month)
• Itchy paws (he'd lick them until they developed sores)

I knew my dog couldn't survive on antibiotics and no matter how many times I changed his food or added supplements, nothing helped.

Until I switched him to a raw food diet.

Darwin's Pet helped me to transition my dogs within my budget and I never looked back.  Within two days, Rodrigo's rashes were gone.  Within two weeks, I had a new dog.  Today, I can't remember the last time he had itchy paws and the rashes and ear infections never returned.

Rodrigo is a Border Collie / Blue Heeler Mix

What is Raw Feeding?

Raw feeding is a controversial diet in which pet parents feed their dogs a diet of raw muscle meat, raw bone, and raw organ meat because it is believed that this is a species-appropriate diet.  Raw feeders don't believe that dogs have evolved to eat a diet of processed food aka kibble.  We believe that we're seeing a rise in canine obesity, diabetes, joint issues, allergies, and cancer because we're feeding our dogs a highly inflammatory diet of processed food that is difficult to digest and taxing our dogs' immune system.

There are two main models of raw feeding: BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) Model and Prey Model.  The main difference is the addition of fruits and vegetables in the BARF model of raw feeding.

I feed my dogs a modified version of BARF that I call “FrankenBARF.”

Benefits of Raw Feeding

You can do a Google search to find the benefits of raw feeding; it doesn't vary.  I want to share the benefits I've seen with my dogs:

• Improved immune system, leading to fewer allergies
• Shiny, healthy coat
• White, clean teeth
• More energy and improved mobility
• Improved digestion and absorption of nutrients, leading to smaller, less smelly poop
• More excitement at mealtime
• Fewer vet visits and vet bills

What I Feed My Dogs

I order most of my dogs' food through a local raw food co-op and I have a small standing order with Darwin's Pet.  You can find more details of what I feed my dogs on my raw dog food recipe blog:

• Easy Raw Dog Food Recipes
• Supplements I Feed to My Dogs

How Much Does it Cost to Feed Raw?

The cost of raw feeding depends on the number of dogs you have, how big your dogs are, what resources you have access too, and how much storage space you have.

If you have three big dogs, have an extra freezer, and can buy meat from hunters (or hunt yourself) or raise your own meat, you'll find that raw feeding is very inexpensive.  If you find that feeding pre-made raw (aka Darwin's Pet or Raw Paws Pet Food), you may have to work harder on your monthly budget.

By making my own raw food and sourcing 95% of my food through a local co-op, I was able to cut my monthly budget by 50%.  Today, I spend $200-$300 a month, on average, on my dogs.  This includes raw food, supplements, treats, and supplies (beds, toys, shampoo, etc).

How To Start Raw Feeding

You can get started on raw feeding by making a call to one of the following two suppliers; they offer free consultations and can help you get set up.

• Darwin's Pet
• Raw Paws Pet Food

Working with these brands will allow you to transition your dogs now and take the time to learn what you need to know to start making raw meals yourself; if that's your goal.

DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING:

• Do not go the grocery store and pick up a bunch of raw meat and feed it to your dogs.  This is not a balanced diet and, over time, can lead to serious health issues brought about by malnutrition.  A balanced raw diet is 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ meat (half of which is liver).  I also add my vegetable mix and supplements for my dogs, but this is optional.

• Do not feed your dogs cooked bones.  And when feeding your dog raw bones, always supervise your dogs so that you can take the bone away if you feel that they are posing a hazard.

• Do not mix kibble and raw in the same meal.  For some dogs, this can lead to digestive upset and vomiting.  Some believe that kibble and raw digest at different rates; the kibble will hold the raw in your dog's system longer, allowing it to decompose in their gut, which leads to an upset tummy.

• Do not add every supplement you learn about to your dog's meals.  I did this in the beginning and it doesn't make your dog healthier; some supplements offset each other and eventually you won't know which is helping your dog and which is a dud.

• Do not be afraid to ask for help from your holistic veterinarian, a raw food brand, or your fellow raw feeders.  We account for 4% of the pet lover population and are here to support each other.

Books on Raw Feeding I Recommend

I love research and found the following books helpful.

• A Novice's Guide to Raw Feeding for Dogs
• Raw and Thriving: The Ultimate Guide to Getting (and Keeping!) Your Dog Healthy
• K9 Kitchen- Your Dogs' Diet: The Truth Behind the Hype

There is also a great Raw Feeding 101 online course that may be right up your alley.

Have More Questions About Raw Feeding?

Consider joining a Facebook group.  I used to Admin the group The Raw Feeders “Kicked Out” Club, but it wasn't my cup of tea and I realized that I'd rather be a member of a group.  Here are my favorites:

• Raw Feeding 101 – Learn to Feed Raw
• RFU – Raw Feeding University
• K9 Kitchen