Feeding Guilt or Guilt Over Feeding

[bc4pack]

Confused? Yeah, me too...

 

I know this can be a hot topic on both sides of the aisle (be gentle with me )

 

I do want to do the right thing by my dogs. I know and understand that dogs are carnivores.

Raw feeding is the ideal, but I don't live in an ideal world.

 

I've been tongue-lashed by passionate raw feeders to the point of exhaustion. Essentially if I feed anything

BUT raw I'm sentencing my dogs to a slow and painful death... ok, not in so many words but the point is there.

 

Ah, so why don't I make the total switch? Several reasons: cost is a factor...availability of variety...time and

distance to 'hunt down' said variety...

Other reasons: life itself... e.g. DH may have any one of the dogs with him for 3 days or 3 weeks all at a

moments notice and no access to a fridge ... I work wacky hours with unexpected overtime... Then there is such a thing as the weather.

The weather? Yeah. I keep flashing back to 2 years ago and a hurricane called Rita. We had to evacuate,with

horses and dogs. 4 days with family, who thankfully had room enough for ALL of us, but... upon return no

water for a week, no power for 3 weeks and no frozen chicken to be seen for miles .

 

Is it SO terrible to incorporate some raw where you can? If your dogs are healthy and happy isn't that what

matters? So why do I feel so HORRIBLE about not going all raw/ all the time?

 

Sorry gang, I'm just all amuddle!! And I guess having a little vent... mad at myself for letting myself feel guilty

and having to justify (to myself), why I can't totally ditch kibble.

 

 

 

************** DISCLAIMER **************

 

Let me hasten to add this... I am in NO WAY referring to ANY raw feeder on this list. I know some of

you , and NO ONE at ANYTIME has ever said anything disparaging in any way! This guilt trip is TOTALLY

SELF-INDUCED!!!!!!

 

****************************************

 

 

 

 

Sigh... Thanks for hearing me out.

 

Tara

[sea4th]

Tara,

 

FWIW, my dogs have "raw" days and kibble days, and days when I cook up a pot of something for them. One way isn't necessarily right for all dogs all the time. Do the best you can. I do, and my dogs aren't exactly sickly. Nothing in their bowls comes as a surprise to them and they are used to eating quite a variety of things.

 

You can look for deals on raw stuff and buy them up when you can. That's what I'm doing and it works for me. Find what works for you.

[Guest WoobiesMom]

Don't feel bad. I'm in the same dilemma. I'm sure that when Woobs and I go to the vet on Monday, I'll probably get grief from him for feeding raw most of the time.

 

But here's what I know. Woobie is healthier. Yes, we're still dealing with loose stools and ear infections and anal gland issues, but his energy is up, he's gained 2 lbs. but looks leaner and you can actually see the muscle tone in his legs. He's also able to walk long distances with me without tiring and runs like the wind and outruns most of the dogs ('cept the greyhounds and other BCs) at the dog park.

 

I get grief for feeding ground and because I'm a big wuss for not feeding whole bones. Tough. If I have to actually brush his teeth once in a while, who cares? I know I won't be paying any vet bills for perforated insides either. I put my cats on partial raw as well and my overweight cat has FINALLY lost 2 lbs! The elderly cat has renewed energy and interest in life!

 

Do what you can and look to your dogs for reassurance that what you're doing is the right thing for both of you. To h*ll with the critics!

[toney]

The only guilt you should have over feeding is if you OVERFEED your dog. There are people on the open trial circuit who feed raw only, people who feed kibble only, people who feed a combination and you really can't tell which one is fed what when they are out there working. On the other hand, you can always tell an overweight dog- which is more unhealthy for the dog in the long run.

[bc4pack]

Thankfully I have never had an overweight dog... The sight of an overweight BC breaks my heart as much,

if not more, than a very underweight dog......

 

I'm just glad that I'm not the only one that can't seem to get everything lined up just right...

 

Guess I'm just having a cr*ppy week and letting things get to me.

[Root Beer]

Confused? Yeah, me too...

 

I know this can be a hot topic on both sides of the aisle (be gentle with me )

 

I do want to do the right thing by my dogs. I know and understand that dogs are carnivores.

Raw feeding is the ideal, but I don't live in an ideal world.

 

And in an ideal world all of us would get the correct amount of physical exercise, we would all eat super-healty food at least 90% of the time, and we would all be free from stress and illness.

 

It's definitely not an ideal world. So, when it comes to myself, and my dogs I do the best I can. That definitely isn't the idea most of the time!

 

I've been tongue-lashed by passionate raw feeders to the point of exhaustion. Essentially if I feed anything

BUT raw I'm sentencing my dogs to a slow and painful death... ok, not in so many words but the point is there.

 

Not defending tongue lashing here, but I do know that I tend to be very passionate about the things that I am passionate about!! I've learned to glean what I can from the words of people who are passionate about a given topic, but realize that it's OK if I can't live up to their standards.

 

Ah, so why don't I make the total switch? Several reasons: cost is a factor...availability of variety...time and

distance to 'hunt down' said variety...

 

I'm in that boat, too. That's why I only raw feed two of my four and the two raw fed dogs don't get a totally "ideal" diet. I do the best I can.

 

Is it SO terrible to incorporate some raw where you can?

 

I operate off the premise that it is good to incorporate raw where I can into a kibble fed dog's diet.

 

I feed Maddie raw chicken quarters two or three evenings a week for dental heath. It works great with her. She loves them and it doesn't throw her digestion off at all.

 

Yes, there are ideal dietary guidelines and meat to bone ratios and all. But it's not always an ideal world. She's better off with the bit that she gets than she would be without it.

 

I'll often give Maddie and Sammie (the two of mine who eat kibble) bits of raw meat. They love it.

[RaisingRiver]

My agility trainer has always feed her dogs the low cost kibble (equal to Ol' Roy) and they are very healthy and the seniors live to be quite comfortably old (late teens).

 

It can often really depend on the dog itself and how it responds to the food.

[pammyd]

I would have said if they are healthy and happy then feed em what keeps them that way

and also I would have thought a bit of something different should be better for them in the long run - rather than badly feed a raw diet or only feed one kibble every meal and have them missing out on possible nutrients they need then a bit of kibble, bit raw and a bit of leftovers - just so long as everything is healthy enough then there is less chance of missing out on something vital or overdosing on other nasties

[Bo Peep]

I'm a kibble feeder. Started with my first BC on nutro max natural choice, then changed to senior. They lived to be 17+ years. They youngest died at 15 1/2 due to cancer. So, I'm not changing. My fridge went out and I was glad that I had a pizza hut near by. Wouldn't have been good by the dog. So, I'll take the heat, too. I have a shiny coated, happy dog, not overweight. So, bash away. He's happy & healthy!!

[Laurae]

I used to be in exactly the same boat as you. I did my research, my friends fed their dogs a raw diet, I discussed things with a lot of people online. I felt very guilty about not feeding raw when I knew about the benefits and often felt like I needed to justify my dogs' diets to myself as well as others.

 

But the reality of my situation was that I lived in a 400-sq-ft condo with a 3/4-size fridge and no room for another freezer, even if I could get it up to my apartment (which was on the third floor of a walkup). I was pretty skint and simply could not afford to feed a raw diet where I could not buy anything in bulk. Buying things in bulk, at least in the area where I live, is the only way to make raw feeding affordable. So I felt I couldn't do it--not then anyway. In addition, I knew there was a likelihood of stomach upset during the switch, which might involve diarrhea, and I had just gotten my older dog's hypothyroidism under control (she had horrid GI upset and frequent bouts of diarrhea before diagnosis). I didn't relish going through another period of getting up two or three times a night to walk my dogs (apt--no yard) down two flights of stairs so they could be sick, and cleaning up rented carpets if we couldn't get out in time. My choice to continue with kibble nagged at me a bit because I know others feed raw while living in apartments, but at the same time it really wasn't the right choice for me then.

 

I bought a house last year and was here for about two weeks before I switched my dogs over to a raw diet. They actually never did have diarrhea (I was very careful about introducing variety very slowly and think I was also lucky), but now I have a doggy door and fully fenced yard so I was prepared just in case. I have two freezers in addition to my full-size fridge freezer. It is much, much easier to feed raw now than it would have been if I'd switched earlier, and who knows--maybe if I tried then and failed, I'd have concluded that it wasn't for me and my dogs ever. I'm glad I waited, because I can do it right now.

 

So, okay, the time is not right for you to completely switch now. Maybe down the road there will be a better time. In the meantime, I think it is fine to incorporate raw food into your dogs' diet. I would caution you to go slowly introducing new foods, though, just as if you were doing a complete switch. I've also heard that you should not feed raw and kibble in the same meal, or at the same time, because dogs take longer to digest kibble, and the raw food can sit in the gut behind the kibble, enabling dangerous bacteria to flourish.

 

Above all, have confidence that you know you are doing your best for your dogs right now. If you decide later to change things, fine. If your dogs are doing well now, fine. Your internal struggle just goes to show how much you care about your dogs. Your dogs are happy and healthy--you're a great dogmom!

[Tassie]

Nothing in their bowls comes as a surprise to them and they are used to eating quite a variety of things.

 

I love this, Vicki.

 

My two are mostly kibble fed, but they get other things too - meat and vegetables and fruit. In some ways, I'd think about feeding raw - but I guess bottom line is - I'm too slack to get it right consistently. I like the convenience of kibble when I'm traveling with the dogs.

 

They seem fine and healthy (knock on wood) - and definitely not overweight.

[Guest TheRuffMuttGang]

I fed raw for a while and for me it just became a PITA. Too many dogs. Too little time. Sorry doggies!

[Guest WoobiesMom]

I fed raw for a while and for me it just became a PITA. Too many dogs. Too little time. Sorry doggies!

 

Ha! Yeah Debbie, your dogs are SO neglected! Someone needs to make a call about you...... I wish I could be a dog at your place! Heaven!

[OurBoys]

Ha! Yeah Debbie, your dogs are SO neglected! Someone needs to make a call about you...... I wish I could be a dog at your place! Heaven!

Ditto!! But only if I don't have to go thru what they did to get there!

[kajarrel]

Repeat after me - THERE IS NO ONE CORRECT WAY TO RAISE A DOG.

 

Is your dog's coat shiny, are they active, are their eyes bright, are they in generally good health? These factors are what matter, not what "everyone says." Ignore them!

 

Kim

[OurBoys]

Kim's right. Learn to 'listen' to your dogs. They'll let you know if they aren't eating right.

[bc4pack]

THANKS GUYS!

 

Guess I needed a little reassurance...

 

I've never had to do more than yearly checkups with my guys, never had any major health issues. I've never even had one that needed teeth cleaning. The only worming I've ever had to do ( and very rarely at that ) has been for tapeworms. They always have nice,soft, shiny coats and are kept lean.

 

I guess I'm doing something right and I must admit I've never heard any complaints! <g>

[Shadows Mom]

We had 2 labs live to 17 on whatever dad got for them on sale at the grocery store But, they were happy and, for the most part, healthy (one had been squashed by a car when he was 5 or 6, so he was always stiff and sore, but otherwise healthy). Shadow will remain kibble fed, I don't trust the freshness of the meat at the stores here. She gets fruits and veggies as treats tho, and the rare piece of dill pickle she manages to steal from me She's healthy and active enough (shes a sleepy head a lot tho ) Her teeth are strong, her coat is as shiny as a fuzzy puppy coat gets, and Penny can atest that shes good and strong and loves to play for hours.. Penny is Shadows favorite toy Kibble can't be all that bad.

[Meg's mum]

I'm so glad you started this topic. I have migrated Meg from kibble and chub to canned and chub/ to canned + chub + supplementation with cooked and raw foods. In the process I have finally figured out that she doesn't digest chicken very well and would hunt down and kill a deer or cow if she even had 10 more pounds on her. She has to be in the mood for fish, lamb, eggs - loves turkey and rabbit- despises liver. I have had to migrate from Nutro to Natural Balance to Evangers and now to Instinct. Her tastes follow some vague internal sense of food fashion and if it weren't for my nudging she would not eat at all. Nevertheless my bouncing, leaping , bright eyed beauty is healthy and happy.

 

I still feel guilty.

 

Orthodoxy has that effect on people, right or wrong. 'Best practice' is contextual, dependent on the current suggestions delivered by scant research buoyed by popularity. Controversy is endemic to recommendations for anything involving long life cycles and limited sample populations. We look for experts that agree with us, but secretly hold ourselves accountable for such easy victory - suspecting that we are practicing wishful thinking. I know all this.

 

I still feel guilty.

 

It is almost easier to blindly follow words carved in stone by the long dead than to hover over the thick tangle of modern understanding looking for a place to put your foot down.

 

The answer to this...is we do the best we can across our field of influence with the information we have .. can't do no mo'.

[bc4pack]

AHA!!!!!!!! YOU DO UNDERSTAND!