does anyone put meat with their food

[Springfield Pointers]

thankyou for all the comments, i take it not many people use a bit of tinned dog food then as not very good, please correct me if im wrong..? raw tripe from say countrywide in the frezzers looks like a good one or that natures menu..

also someone made a good point on putting cod liver oil tablets 1 with the evening meal, my parents always done this with their dogs for coat joints etc, not sure if it did really work..? maybe vicky would put her thoughs on it..

If you're going to feed a dry food. Get a good quality one. I have always gone with the thinking that dogs digestive systems are built to cope with the absorption of raw meat as a base to start off. Their bodies do well on it - funny that. It's a vast subject and there are varied opinions on it, I can only reflect on my experiences with dogs over the years and what works for me may not work for you, but you owe it to your dog(s) to give them the very best you can, so research, use common sense and don't be sidetracked by all the advertising of products that suggest they are the answer to all your problems. There is a lot of info on this site and all over the web, but at the end of the day the performance of your dog will be the proof of your decision.

[ryanpartridge1]

if anyone does fed raw where do you buy it from..?

[Judy]

thankyou for all the comments, i take it not many people use a bit of tinned dog food then as not very good, please correct me if im wrong..? raw tripe from say countrywide in the frezzers looks like a good one or that natures menu..

also someone made a good point on putting cod liver oil tablets 1 with the evening meal, my parents always done this with their dogs for coat joints etc, not sure if it did really work..? maybe vicky would put her thoughs on it..

Think it depends on the type, I use Butcher's Tripe or Chappie out of tins, wouldn't bother with Pal or Supermarket own brands. Also tinned sardines, pilchards or, very occasionally, tuna. Raw eggs if their coats are looking a bit less than perfect. Table scraps maybe or even, whisper it, raw meat!! Basically though the food is a half decent kibble with 33% lamb meat meal and 26% rice with small additions mostly to give them something different but also to ensure their guts can accommodate more than one food just in case I run out, can't buy it, whatever. Never had a problem with stamina picking up around 40 days a season, that's mid October to January, none of your August September stuff so pretty concentrated.

I used to add cod liver oil, Keeper's Mix, various other herb combinations, at different times, now don't bother as I saw little or no difference. The only supplement I use now is Joint Aid for the olds that did make an enormous difference to my old Flatcoat, wish I'd started her on it earlier. Feed the best you can afford and don't bother about additional stuff apart from meat / table scraps to give the dog a bit of variety.

From observation the dogs which tire quickly on the shoots are the ones fed cheaper food, I have only see a couple of raw fed dogs so can't really comment but those two were always knackered by lunchtime, slept like logs all lunchtime and all the way back to the cars in the evenings. Whether fed wrongly or not conditioned properly before the season I can't say but I was unimpressed!

As SP says there's a lot of info out there, do your own research, try foods and use which works for you and the dog, they aren't all the same and neither are our pockets!

[Stihl 090]

We used to use joint aid but after a while they had really upset stumachs.
Our lab is eleven and looks gr8 with cl tablets. The boys r on them too. Whilst i would xpect to see improvement now but hopefully in the future when older. Cheap as chips so why not

[Springfield Pointers]

Chaps. Ask your butcher to make you packs of minced lung, livers, kidney, giblets and the occasional raw egg.. Add it by half to whatever kibble you feed. You will stop all the supplements you add and you dogs will thank you for it (ok, me actually). Try it for a month and tell me you don't see a difference in condition and performance.

[canismajor]

Chaps. Ask your butcher to make you packs of minced lung, livers, kidney, giblets and the occasional raw egg.. Add it by half to whatever kibble you feed. You will stop all the supplements you add and you dogs will thank you for it (ok, me actually). Try it for a month and tell me you don't see a difference in condition and performance.

Thats just about what i do.

[Sgurr]

We nearly all do and I went to a KC Breeders Seminar last December that explained I should not do it as it interfered with the enzyme development for a pup to be able to metabolise wheat based products. Heard what they say and still wean onto meat and carry on with meat and fish for pups - along with other goodies.

"the enzyme development for a pup to be able to metabolise wheat based products."

Sorry, that's a load of bollocks.

Don't feed a dog it's natural diet or else we won't be able to sell you our artificial pet foods!

Megsdad, yes the seminar was sponsored by a major pet food manufacturer

We nearly all do and I went to a KC Breeders Seminar last December that explained I should not do it as it interfered with the enzyme development for a pup to be able to metabolise wheat based products.

Nonsense.

Springfield Pointers, it probably isn't nonsense but I don't want dogs with a digestive system geared to wheat based products as I feed raw as much as I can, so I heard what was said and ignored it.

Merlin yes, made me smile too.

[emg4458]

if anyone does fed raw where do you buy it from..?

My ESS is fed on raw food - one third meat, one third bone, one third veg. Get it from a local company called Honey's. They're based in Pewsey in Wiltshire. Changed from dry food after 3 bouts of campylobacter and weight loss. Been on it for 5 months. Fab!

Good luck on finding what suits your dog, pocket and lifestyle.

[Judy]

Research suggests that two thirds of all raw chickens in the UK carry campylobacter. Just thought you'd like to know that!