Homemade diets
- Thread starter fletcher
- Start date
CollieMan
Experienced Member
Can't say that I have. When I initially learned what went into some cheaper dog foods, I was completely staggered and alarmed. It's little wonder that many dogs, particularly on cheaper diets, can become "hyper" in their behaviour.
These cheaper foods can have very high protein and carbohydrate ratios (esp.when you consider how much of the food is just water). The dog then has all this converted energy to burn off. Unless it is getting an incredibly large amount of daily exercise, it just develops behaviours through trying to burn off the excess energy. Then of course it snowballs, as the dog becomes so hyper (and often aggressive) that it can't be walked as it drags the owner around the block or terrorises the community, and so it gets worse and worse.
Always feed the best your pocket can afford. You'll reap the rewards in the long run. I personally feed Burns.
These cheaper foods can have very high protein and carbohydrate ratios (esp.when you consider how much of the food is just water). The dog then has all this converted energy to burn off. Unless it is getting an incredibly large amount of daily exercise, it just develops behaviours through trying to burn off the excess energy. Then of course it snowballs, as the dog becomes so hyper (and often aggressive) that it can't be walked as it drags the owner around the block or terrorises the community, and so it gets worse and worse.
Always feed the best your pocket can afford. You'll reap the rewards in the long run. I personally feed Burns.
chessiesrule
New Member
I have lost 3 dogs to cancer in the past and my vet suggested making my own food so I went to a holistic vet and they gave me a diet plan made for Chessies. When we got our rescue Golden I converted the diet for him. Goldens need taurine in their diet and not all dog foods have it. I raise chicken and turkeys, chemical free, just for dog food. They do get the natural beef raw and I also supplement the protein with eggs but the eggs must be cooked. Their veggies are raw ground up fine. When we got the BC, she was put on the home made diet right away. She had whipworm really bad which was not identified until we took a stool sample to our vet. Anyway, I fed her four times a day, now she is doing excellent and eats all her veggies. I wouldn't just follow a diet on the internet. I found that there were quite a few differences in the diet I received and the ones that are out there. Feeding home prepared food is expensive.
katz
Well-Known Member
I have been doing internet research on raw diets. It is interesting that you went to a holistic vet and got breed specific diets. I live in a small area and do not have access. Our vets generally are trying to sell commercial foods. How do I learn more about breed specific holistic diets?
snooks
Experienced Member
I've seen the site and thought it was interesting. What they do not say is that currently there are any board certified DVM's specializing in nutrition working with/for them, designing diets with current data, or exactly who is answering questions etc. It seemed very testimonial at first glance which always puts me off a bit. If I found out more about when these articles on the site were written by Dr Remillard I might be more apt to consider. But then I get irritated that i have to pay for the article to find out. :dogwacko:
Even 5 year old data is often incorrect or dated with all the research ongoing and the recent fervor over pet food purity. Her curriculum vitae seems very vauge after the mid 90's. Is she still in practice and does she still actually have anything to do with the site or designing the diet as it is NOW. I would want to be sure a current BCN was designing my dogs' diet. While she seems to have been quite prolific in publishing I would also like to hear other experts' opinion of her. There are a lot of docs that publish a lot of non-mainstream junk. If I got all my answers there I would feel more inclined to give my credit card number to somone that could be some lackey just doing copy work for $$. I would also like to know where they DO get their money from not just where not. Having to pay just to see their research and documentation gives it a disconnected feel.
Your ultimate expert would be a board certified canine nutritionist at a large teaching vetmed center such as at UC Davis. I have Goldens and was fortunate enough with this last puppy to get quite a wonderful education on nutrition, raw diets, and vaccine protocols. If I were feeding totally raw I would consult the UC Davis nutrition department. I have some physical limitations right now and cannot feed raw. I do believe there are a few very good quality commercial foods out there too that you can supplement with raw or home cooked. I I want a personalized consult with someone that actually sees my dog or can work with someone who does, like my local vet.
I think it's very difficult to balance all the vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients without a lot of research and guidance from and interactive vet or nutritionist. MHO, I wouldn't use a website recommendation unless I knew and respected the author's work and her peers did also and that I agreed her philosophy and purpose for diet. Remillard falls on the dog=carnivore side of the fence when I don't know that there is a professional consensus on that. My dogs do better with a little fiber and vege matter in their diet. While I agree that grain-free is a nice concept, in practice dried their skin out. No diet is a rubber stamp great deal for every dog.
Spaying and neutering at older ages is also very cancer protective as long as you are very very very responsible about unwanted litters.
All that said I think you really should investigate vaccine protocols and be very careful about over vaccinating. This IMHO causes as much disease and cancer as contaminants in diet, esp with Goldens who are cancer machines. Schultz and Dodds are the two top of the field in their research. Titers I send to Cornell with Dodd's Hemopet 2nd choice as long as you are consistent with one or the other. Just "food" for more thought and healthy dogs. :dogwink:
Even 5 year old data is often incorrect or dated with all the research ongoing and the recent fervor over pet food purity. Her curriculum vitae seems very vauge after the mid 90's. Is she still in practice and does she still actually have anything to do with the site or designing the diet as it is NOW. I would want to be sure a current BCN was designing my dogs' diet. While she seems to have been quite prolific in publishing I would also like to hear other experts' opinion of her. There are a lot of docs that publish a lot of non-mainstream junk. If I got all my answers there I would feel more inclined to give my credit card number to somone that could be some lackey just doing copy work for $$. I would also like to know where they DO get their money from not just where not. Having to pay just to see their research and documentation gives it a disconnected feel.
Your ultimate expert would be a board certified canine nutritionist at a large teaching vetmed center such as at UC Davis. I have Goldens and was fortunate enough with this last puppy to get quite a wonderful education on nutrition, raw diets, and vaccine protocols. If I were feeding totally raw I would consult the UC Davis nutrition department. I have some physical limitations right now and cannot feed raw. I do believe there are a few very good quality commercial foods out there too that you can supplement with raw or home cooked. I I want a personalized consult with someone that actually sees my dog or can work with someone who does, like my local vet.
I think it's very difficult to balance all the vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients without a lot of research and guidance from and interactive vet or nutritionist. MHO, I wouldn't use a website recommendation unless I knew and respected the author's work and her peers did also and that I agreed her philosophy and purpose for diet. Remillard falls on the dog=carnivore side of the fence when I don't know that there is a professional consensus on that. My dogs do better with a little fiber and vege matter in their diet. While I agree that grain-free is a nice concept, in practice dried their skin out. No diet is a rubber stamp great deal for every dog.
Spaying and neutering at older ages is also very cancer protective as long as you are very very very responsible about unwanted litters.
All that said I think you really should investigate vaccine protocols and be very careful about over vaccinating. This IMHO causes as much disease and cancer as contaminants in diet, esp with Goldens who are cancer machines. Schultz and Dodds are the two top of the field in their research. Titers I send to Cornell with Dodd's Hemopet 2nd choice as long as you are consistent with one or the other. Just "food" for more thought and healthy dogs. :dogwink:
katz
Well-Known Member
Many thanks. I currently feed a meat based commercial food. The things I do not see in the label are vegetables. I never trust research I have to pay for as the world is at my fingertips every day. It is truly sad that with all of us wanting what is best for the canine part of our families that the "right" solution can be so confusing. I suppose my dogs being happy and seemingly healthy should come as a comfort. We will continue with making homemade biscuits, the commercial food we have and may add veggies as a supplement.
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for your help.