RAW Diet

[5Bordercollies]

Does anybody on this forum feed their working dogs RAW? I've heard some people believe that feeding a working dogs raw meat will encourage them to potentially start nibbling on the sheep. I've been feeding my dogs raw meat on occasion and haven't noticed any tendency to bite. I'm looking for a good, affordable dog food to feed my dogs, but seems to have some serious trouble finding one that doesn't have as much cereal and corn and more meat, but seem to be unable to find an affordable one for sale here in South Africa. I can source Orijen, but at R1000 for 13 kg's I might as well feed them sheep.

[RoseAmy]

Totally untrue. A rumor that has been floating around for a long time, along with the "it will make them more aggressive" .

 

I've been feeding raw for 8 yrs. My youngest dogs have never even had kibble of any kind. Feeding raw in not way will encourage a dog to start nipping or killing. Honestly I really doubt if a dog makes the connection between the hunk of meat you throw on the floor and an animal walking around.

 

Like anything you feed you just need to make sure it is a balanced diet.

[Smalahundur]

Yeah, it is nonsense. My working stock dog has (seldom, but it has happened) found and eaten from dead sheep lying around (not mine!). Even this has not led to her seeing live sheep as dinner.

[waffles]

I cannot imagine a dog can make that kind of connection let alone a human. If you someone fed you chicken (or any meat) for the first time and did not tell you what it was, I doubt you would be able to figure out what it was if you had no knowledge of where meat comes from (remember dogs don't know that beef= cows or that kibble came from a factory with a long list of ingredients).

 

My dog eats mostly raw and nothing but positive changes have been seen. He occasionally finds a dead deer in the woods or what remains of them and has never tried to chase a deer. I doubt in the dog's mind that the dead flesh looks or smells the same as the live animal walking around.

 

If you cannot afford the type of kibble you want to feed then you can also feed some meat along with the kibble you do have. I have done it with my dog in the past and no ill effects were seen (diarrhea, vomiting, ect). I would feed one in the morning and the other at night. Now, I feed mostly muscle meat, organs and bone-in meat along with some of that 'fancy' dehydrated food that is in stores now. I only buy that because I can get it at cost from someone and it can be very convenient for camping trips.

[5Bordercollies]

Thanks Everyone. I've always thought it sounded a bit far fetched for even a dog as smart as a BC to make the connection between that chunk of meat from the freezer and the sheep in the veld. I feed the best "cheap" dry food I can find. It's a relatively good, no worse at least than some more expensive brands, South African made kibble called Montego. I have seen some positive things since changing to Montego. One of my bitches, for the first time in all her five years has a shiny coat and puppy has stopped eating dirt Depending on availability, I feed raw meat at least once a week. This week they score, they got meat on Sunday and since we're going to the nearest big town for some shopping they will be getting meat again tomorrow when we leave. Keeps them busy when we leave so they are busy and not under the wheels when we leave.