Feeding Dogs!

[Squawkers]

I feed my dog half kibble in her diet for many reasons, one being price. She's very healthy. But I also do a lot of research on what kibble I chose

I wouldn't have a problem with half kibble half raw. I actually kind of like the idea better. For my dog at least, because he free feeds, so I would still be able to keep kibble out all the time.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I wouldn't have a problem with half kibble half raw. I actually kind of like the idea better. For my dog at least, because he free feeds, so I would still be able to keep kibble out all the time.

That's what I do, she gets either a raw or homemade cooked breakfast and then I put out half a normal serving if kibble for her to snack on for the day, she doesn't even finish her kibble normally but she's not a big eater. Thus way I also know she's getting any nutrients I missed in the kibble

 

[Bawkbok]

Wow, that's sad. I'm glad I trim my own dogs' nails. We too stop with most of those vaccines when they get old and mostly stay home. Amazing that your dog is 17 though!

I've always done our own dog nails until the Bassett Hound. He's super long and I cannot hold him and his feet and dremel all at the same time. I've not met a Bassett yet that likes a nail trim. Their nails are like meat cleavers they are so thick. For him, groomer - who he loves - gets him done in 10 minutes and I'm not the bad guy.

 

[Bawkbok]

We used to feed only raw meat 100% years ago. The dogs seemed more active, healthier, shinier coats, the whole nine yards. Even a dog we had at the time that was highly sensitive to most kibble foods and had high allergies, was a happier dog on raw. Then life happened and we can no longer afford to feed the dogs raw beef given todays' prices. Unless one knows of a cattle rancher and can swap eggs for beef, we're stuck paying exorbitant grocery store prices.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I don't like when any kind of diet is "villainized".
I'm currently studying basic nutrition. Yes, it's a little biased, but honestly everyone should know how to separate the bias from the information. Kibble is not evil. It helps a lot of dogs. But they're all certainly not equal, if feeding kibble you need to know how to separate the good from the horrible.
My dogs are on a mostly kibble diet, and my 11 yr old is still very healthy. Heck, she's also been on a mostly grain free diet which would probably horrify alot of people.
I actually have a rescue dog rn who the breeder was going on and on about how he was on a "raw" diet and insisting that I keep him on it. That dog came to me skin and bones, anemic with a horrible coat. I went through several brands of food before finding one he'd actually eat reliably and now he ever so slowly improving. Even on a "bad" mostly kibble diet. Raw is ONLY good when done correctly, otherwise it's far worse than any bad kibble.
I like raw as an more enriching diet, if I had the option my dogs would be on a combination

 

[Bawkbok]

True, you have to find the right amount of meat to serve for the breed, size, age, activity level, etc. They were all adults, I might add. I would not feed a growing puppy or special needs situation a raw diet.
We used to know someone who fed her tiny doxy raw meat but she over fed and that poor little thing was grotesquely overweight. Our dogs would skip meals as they just didn't need to consume heaps of meat every day.
We now feed kibble due to budget and time constraints. They get extras from what we eat, depending on what that is, i.e. tuna, eggs, fruit, etc. No pasta or sweets ever.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I dont feed raw because i cant its to expensive. Yes it could be healthier and id love to but its not possible.
My dogs are fed the highest quality kibble i can do with minimal ingredients added that arent needed. and not from a big pet food conpany. I dont bash the big food companies. But in my opinion i wont feed it do to the added foods that arent needed. I may not be a certified nutritionist but i know a lot about dogs and their diets.
Mine still get egg, fruits, veggies, raw duck feet, and raw marrow bones. But thats the best i can do right now if that changes in the future id feed a partial raw. Ive known many dogs to live past the age of 10 with being fed kibble.
My grandparents had a 18 or 19 year old (he coulda been older)German Shepherd x Husky that was fed kibble and scraps his whole life. He was the healthiest dog i knew. And in the end he acted as if he was ok to just so nobody would know.

 

[Nym]

Now that IS something I worry will shorten my dogs' lives. The sheer amount of vaccinations the vets recommend sure does seem like overkill.

My father grew up helping his father train and race greyhounds. He said the only dog vax was for distemper. The poodle I grew up with was vaxed for distemper and rabies. I didn't own a modern vaccinated dog until I bought a pure bred Weim in 2004. She developed epilepsy but lived on a raw diet til she was a week short of 16yrs, and this is after walking 6kms a day most days. My current two are both backyard cross breeds, born free of all vaccines, microchipping (law in australia) and Council registration.

 

[Squawkers]

born free of all vaccines, microchipping (law in australia) and Council registration.

It is illegal to vaccinate and microchip there? Sorry, I’m confused of what you mean by “born free of”

 

[Nym]

It is illegal to vaccinate and microchip there? Sorry, I’m confused of what you mean by “born free of”

Sorry I wasn't clear. All puppies sold in my state of NSW must be microchipped. Early vaccinations are also all the rage here, so I spent a long time finding puppies that were not chipped or vax'd. To me, they were born free of both these early man-made interventions just as puppies used to be back in the day when I was at school and over assembly it would be occassionaly announced that little johnny's / mary's foxie had pups if anyone wanted one. Seeing my early vaccinated Weim puppy have seizures so bad she had to be put under a general anesthetic to stop the seizure is something I'm not prepared to risk again.