Site last updated November 2008.
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Bluegrace Portuguese Water Dogs(please note: the information contained in this page and on this site is copyrighted to Jane Anderson, and must not be replicated without permission, although, please feel free to link from your own site.)
There are some facts and myths about raising litters on a raw diet, and I will attempt to dispell some of these.
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| Modern dogs need to eat a commercial dog diet. | In order for pet food companies and most vets to stay in business, dogs need to eat a commercial dog diet. The truth is that dogs have evolved to eat a natural carnivorous diet. |
| It is not safe for bitches in whelp to eat raw meat. | Actually it is very safe to feed your dogs an appropriate raw diet. It is more dangerous to try and maintain the health of your bitch by feeding her an artifically created diet invariably resulting in obesity, malnutrition, allergies, and disease. |
| Bitches in whelp need to eat "puppy food" to prepare for their litter. | No, bitches in whelp need to eat an appropriate raw diet which contains all the nutrients they need to minimise birthing problems, maintain good puppy weight, and keep the bitch in good condition. |
| Bitches should be given calcium supplements. | Calcium supplements are akin to engaging trouble. Artificially provided calcium can bind with other minerals making both unusable. Sometimes the bitches will absorb too much calcium artificially, which interferes with their own ability to manage calcium naturally leading to all sorts of problems, sometimes resulting in death. Calcium is best provided naturally via raw meaty bones of different varieties, or whole raw carcasses (such as rabbit, fish, and chicken).
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| Most breeders raise their dogs on commercial pet diets. | Around the world, most people raise their dogs on a natural raw diet. Unfortunately artifical dog foods with their slick sales staff and puppet vets, particularly in north America and parts of Europe have led to a number of people using a commercial diet, to the detriment of the dogs and their puppies.
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| But the best breeders use commercial dog foods. | No, poorly educated breeders use commercial dog foods. With the advent of the internet and huge growth of such over the last 5 years, many breeders are discovering they have been considerably misled by both the pet food companies and their vets. An increasing number of breeders around the world are discovering considerable improvements in their breeding programs when moving to a raw diet. |
| Puppies shouldn't eat bones. | Bones are an essential part of the diet in puppies. The very physical act of chewing and ripping, develops a better digestive system, and muscular system, as well as providing the essential nutrients required by the puppy. |
| Salmonella and e-coli are on raw meat and are a huge risk to puppies. | Salmonella and e-coli as well as many other nasty bacteria can be found in commercial dog food, in addition to fungal growths. Additionally, a dog on a raw diet, has the best platform upon which to base their health, and to manage normal levels of bacteria. Attempts to provide a sterile environment for pups only serves to lead to an unchallenged immune system and leads to the proliferation of "super-bacteria". |
| My vet is very well educated in dog diet and he/she recommends a good kibble. | Unfortunately, vets, on average, receive less than 3 hours formal training in canine nutrition during their university degrees. They are wined and dined, and receive numerous monetary opportunities from pet food companies, from the moment they join the university, right through their career. At some universities, the "formal" lectures on canine nutrition are actually conducted by the pet food sales reps. The main reason vets are now reviewing raw foods as an option is because of the push from the owners of many of the very sick pets they see every day. Invariably, these pets' conditions are a direct result of feeding commercial dog foods. |
| Feeding puppies is very difficult, and impossible to get the balance right on a raw diet. | Feeding puppies a raw diet is very easy. Unfortunately many pet owners have succumbed to the belief that they are "too dumb" to feed their pets correctly. Whether you are feeding a puppy or an adult dog, they simply require plenty of raw meaty bones or raw carcasses, some meat and offal, and some eggs. The only allowances you will need to make is the younger pups will require their bones to be ground up or broken up, but by 7 weeks of age, they can manage some whole raw bones by themselves. |
Unfortunately, many breeders have been misled and lied to by their vets and the pet food companies. They see increasing numbers of problems at birth, malnourished puppies, and small litters. Some breeders have seen this so often, they have strangely accepted it as "normal", not realising the cause of their heartbreak. Many breeders today, can't even recognise that many of their "rolly-polly" fat puppies are actually malnourished. They have never seen what a truly healthy puppy looks like. And of course, all their mis-information is then passed on to new puppy people.
And as for pet stores, I have not ever seen one single healthy looking puppy in a pet store window!
As a prime example, many puppies are leaving a breeders house with periodontal disease, amongst other problems, already establishing themselves. The breeder will vehemently deny it. The vet won't have a clue either. And the new puppy person won't know either.
However, things are a changing! There is a growing number of people who are demanding their next pup is raw raised, so we have even established an email list to link raw breeders with people who want a raw raised puppy.
If you are looking for a raw raised puppy, and can't find yourself a breeder in your area, email me. , and at no cost to you, I will endeavour to help you locate a breeder who understands appropriate canine nutrition.
I allow a bitch in whelp to eat as much as she likes. She also must be kept physically in shape with appropriate levels of exercise each day. Naturally, the exercise gets less as she nears her whelping date. Her meals tend to get smaller, but more frequent during the last few days, and I tend to feed more raw liver and heart. As she whelps the puppies, I allow her to eat each placenta. This is essential step. If I've had to get a c-section done, I take the placentas home and give them to the bitch later to eat.
Average litter size is 10, and the bitches invariably manage to feed all 10 without supplementation, although I do keep a careful eye on the puppies. If I notice a problem, I will supplement the larger puppies with puppy formula, and keep them away from their mother, and allow the smaller puppies to feed well off their mothers. This system has worked very well for us, with no puppy losses.
Puppies are introduced to raw food from approximately 3.5 weeks of age, depending on how they are doing. I buy ground meaty bones from my butcher. Into that I mix a small amount of goat's milk, some water, eggs, and perhaps a small amount of fish and/or liver. I only feed a small amount of goat's milk, with no more provided after the age of 6 weeks. I will try and mix in 1 egg a day, which is then fed in the mix to all 10 puppies.
Pups are introduced to raw meaty bones from 4 weeks of age. They are invariably excited by the bones, and suck terrifically on them, but they don't eat the bones. I allow their mother to clean up what is left. By 7 weeks of age, the puppies are managing chicken necks fairly well. They are fed whole raw sardines 2-3 times weekly by this stage. I eliminate all ground food by 8 weeks of age.
If people pick up their puppy from me directly, I provide them with at least a week's supply of food, sometimes more, depending on their freezer space.
The puppies eat exactly the same as the adult dogs, but in smaller quantities, and in manageable sizes. Pups as they grow must have plenty of raw bones to eat. This is a critical part of their development.
And, with my dogs, puppies are only placed in homes which commit to feeding a raw diet.
Feel free to email me.
The truth needs to come out here - dog food companies are using dog show people to sell their own product. They don't do it because they are nice guys - but simply because it makes market sense. I recently spoke with a young sales rep in a somewhat senior position in a well known pet food company. (He didn't know who I was.) He let it slip that they were aiming at the "top" breeders so that they could simply sell down the chain to the average pet owners. He was also very despising of the same people that they sponsored with a few of show people being, "old fat women with little dogs on thin leads". (I should note, that many breeders who I would claim to be "top" in their field, refuse to be associated with pet food companies.)
But for the wholesale price of a bag of dog food, and sometimes an umbrella, or a jacket which has their company name on it, top breeders are selling out to companies who want you to feed your dog a diet that dogs have difficulty in eating, and is associated with numerous health issues.
So show people, breeders, and dog lovers - before you take that freebie, please work out the real cost - to your dog, yourself, and to your dignity.
Do you really want to wear a logo from a company that is laughing nastily at you behind your back?
To learn more about improving dog behaviour and how to be the leader of your pack using completely non aggressive methods, click here.
Site last updated November 2008.