A MUST READ!!! for those who want healthy dogs

[Franklin Phil]

The following is part of the introduction in the book "Give your Dog a Bone" subtitled, "The practical commonsense way to feed dogs for a long healthy life" by Dr. Ian Billinghurst. As someone who feeds my dog this diet I can testify for everything this veterinarian talks about in this book. I am not speculating improvement but have seen it with my own two eyes. Very rapid obvious changes in my dogs health. I highly recommend you read this section of the introduction, and if so moved, seek out and find a copy of this book.

Thirty years ago this book would not have been necessary. Thirty years ago, Australian dogs were fed on bones and left-overs. Everybody knew how to do it. It was common sense. As a consequence, most Australian dogs were healthy.

That method of feeding dogs is now lost knowledge for many dog owners. It disappeared in the mid 60̢۪s when processed dog food dog food became popular in Australia. In America that knowledge had largely disappeared in the mid thirties.

When I commenced my veterinarian training in the early seventies, I did so with the background of feeding dogs on bones and scraps. However, my five years of professional training taught me that I should encourage my clients to use scientifically balanced commercial dog food. Apparently it was the best way to feed a dog.

This led to confusion. I had no personal experience with feeding dogs on processed foods. The result was, I was never quite sure what advice I should hand out to my clients. This was difficult because the question – “What should I feed my dog?â€Â – turned out to be the most common question I was asked.

However, l decided the best defense was attack, and turned the question around. I started to ask people what they fed THEIR dogs.

Meantime, I began to feed my dogs on commercial dog food. Something I had never done before.

Over a period of about two years, my formerly healthy dogs began to suffer numerous problems. Nothing major at first, but it was obvious that a big trouble was looming. At first it was minor skin problems, runny eyes, scurfy coats, annoying itches, sore ears, anal sac problems, smelly coats, smelly feces, smelly mouth, dental problems, the need for constant worming etc. However, with time it became reproductive problems and growth problems.

The embarrassing thing was that my own dogs for the first time ever, were suffering the same thing as my clients̢۪ dogs!

For me, this was a new experience. Before I became a vet I lived in the country where our dogs lived on a steady diet of rabbits, raw bones, and table scraps.

Back then my dogs were neither wormed nor vaccinated. They became pregnant with no problems and gave birth with ease to large litters. They were healthy dogs with a minimum of fuss.

However, all those health problems my dogs were developing, did tie in with the answers I was given when I questioned people concerning what they fed their dogs. I discovered that most people had exactly the same experience. Those who fed commercial dog food had dogs with problems. Those who fed mostly bones and scraps had healthy dogs.

Over a period of eighteen years in small animal practice I have continued to ask that same question. I have asked the owners of both sick and healthy dogs what those dogs eat. The answer remains the same. Most of the sick dogs are fed either commercial dog food or badly designed home cooked food, while the real healthy dogs eat raw meaty bones plus healthy food scraps.

Looking back on my experience with commercial dog food, I find it interesting it took me as long as it did to realize what was happening. However, when I did, it did not take me long to make changes.

In an attempt to do the very best for my dogs, and return them to a more common sense method of feeding, I began to read about so called ‘Natural diets’. It soon became obvious that the natural diets I was reading about were in essence, what I had always fed dogs. Bones and healthy food scraps.

The bulk of their diet became raw meaty bones including lamb and raw chicken. The rest was mainly table scraps including left over vegetables, gravy, scraps of meat, fruit and small amounts of cereals such as rice, mashed potatoes, and pasta. We added eggs, liver, kidneys, vegetable oils, honey, brewers yeast, kelp powder, cod liver oil, and occasionally vitamin supplements.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Franklin Phil

[Andy]

Yep. gets a +1 from me.

[davidjk]

i personally think that the complete dog foods are bad news, as to be listed as complete, the dogs only have to survive for six months on it, and not even be healthy.

we used to feed our GSD table scraps bones and meat and it never had a sick day in it life.

my 2 huskies get fed a mixed diet with some kibble, but mainly they either catch a rabbit a day and get bones and veg or they get some raw meat bones and veg.

every once in a while they may get a tin of something because they like it, but generally i try to avoid it.

a woman i meet while i am out sometimes who is a well known collie breeder gave my 2 a look over and said to me i can tell you dont feed them comercial garbage.

they have perfect teeth and are in fantastic condition.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

agree - mine like davids have an occasional kibble meal but are fed mainly on meat and bones

[Kissu & Aara]

If I could afford it and it didn't confuse me I would feed raw.

[Franklin Phil]

@davidjk sort of reminds me of a story a lady told me. She had been feeding raw for 15 years. One of her many dogs was a standard size poodle that was fourteen years old. She took to the vet to get it's shots. The vet looked into the dog's mouth and said, "wow. You must brush this dog's teeth every day." She replied, "I've never brushed that dog's teeth it's whole life."

[Franklin Phil]

If I could afford it and it didn't confuse me I would feed raw.

Jaimie, if you're really interested do some research here on the forum or get a copy of the book. It's not really as hard or expensive as it seems. A little more time consuming than driving to the store and picking up a 40# bag of kibble though.

[Kissu & Aara]

We are going to food banks right now to feed ourselves unfortunately if we ever get out of this financial sink hole I plan to look more into it. Was about to start when my mom lost her job. Now we are living off my money and her unemployment.

Oops. Mini-rant over.

[Mistyrayn]

+1..i agree totaly .. i swapped over to raw feeding after seminar @ AMWA Salisbury last year and especially after reading the book "Raw Meaty Bones" by Tom Lonsdale..

If I could afford it and it didn't confuse me I would feed raw.

you would be surprised how much cheaper it is to feed raw. i think its cheaper than kibble etc .. feeding raw doesn't have to be confusing..

[Lisa (Fragglebabe)]

very interesting

[Kissu & Aara]

Really? Cause right now a 24lb of blue buffalo wilderness for around $30 is lasting about a month between 3 dogs.

Also I'm extremely bad at math. My math level is the same as an average 6 year old. Learning disability with numbers.

[sway]

If I could afford it and it didn't confuse me I would feed raw.

I have tried to figure it out, but god I do NOT wanna feed my babies the wrong thing-I think cooked bones period are bad, but I also don't want to escalate the prey drive due to having a cat that Misha gets along with, and well... it really is friggin confusing. I wish there were a raw or semi raw guide- like 'start feeding this' and how to serve/prepare it.... perhaps some raw feeders with enough extra time could help us? I know everyone's busy.... I do know. And we all love our dogs, or we wouldn't be on the forum! **wroo wroooo**

[Mistyrayn]

Really? Cause right now a 24lb of blue buffalo wilderness for around $30 is lasting about a month between 3 dogs.

Also I'm extremely bad at math. My math level is the same as an average 6 year old. Learning disability with numbers.

i dunno if what i said applies in other countries .. but certainly can work out cheaper in the UK..

i visit butchers about every 4/5 weelks and get about 30kg of carcasses , a couple of large bags of pigs trotters, beef rib bones with fair amount of meat left on,

nice large lump of liver , and normally grab about a dozen rabbits. and only pay about £25-30 as an average.. and on top i feed Pilchards and nature diet meat each month i spend prob about another £10 -20 per month. so i suppose in total i spend about £50 a month to feed 5 dogs.

only works out expensive when i treat my 3 with lamb shanks or something .. then thats a tenner gone easily on one meal..

[Mistyrayn]

I have tried to figure it out, but god I do NOT wanna feed my babies the wrong thing-I think cooked bones period are bad, but I also don't want to escalate the prey drive due to having a cat that Misha gets along with, and well... it really is friggin confusing. I wish there were a raw or semi raw guide- like 'start feeding this' and how to serve/prepare it.... perhaps some raw feeders with enough extra time could help us? I know everyone's busy.... I do know. And we all love our dogs, or we wouldn't be on the forum! **wroo wroooo**

feeding raw isnt liable to escalate the prey drive.. i have 3 that live with 2 cats. and i havnt seen any difference in prey drive since i started feeding raw. just healthier happier looking dogs.. if Misha gets along with your cat i can't see that changing because you change to raw feeding.

cooked bones are a big NO NO !! bones raw bones is fine.. they can crunch thru them and their body will easily digest them.

its worth reading the book i mentioned

"raw meaty bones" by Tom Londsale

and the one that brian mentioned

"give the dog a bone" by Ian Billinghurst

they are great books for those wanting to learn more about raw feeding,

i beleive some one did on this forum put like a load of posts about raw feeding.. sorry but cant remember who is was but have a look in the "food & Diet" section

there is a whole host of helpfull posts there ..that will give you a good idea of how to start and what to feed.

[Mistyrayn]

http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/threads/raw-feeding-thread-1.7800/

http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/threads/raw-feeding-thread-2.8184/

http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/threads/raw-feeding-thread-3.8452/

http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/threads/raw-feeding-thread-4.9238/

http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/threads/raw-feeding-thread-5.9257/

Thanks to Sid Wolf for taking the time to do these threads..

[Biggles]

Thanks for this. I have just started to feed chicken wings 3 times a week and found that the dodgy tum problems are so much better. I would suggest that if you are interested in reading this book check out your local library - I did and they have it on shelf, so it isn't even going to cost me to read it.

[Franklin Phil]

i dunno if what i said applies in other countries .. but certainly can work out cheaper in the UK..

Richard, I've been feeding raw for about four years now. Over the first year I learned how to shop effectively to make my dollar go as far as it can. I usually tell people that the out of pocket cost here in the US for all the ingredients to make a top notch raw food is about the equivalent of a high end kibble. This however does not necessarily account for some extra driving once a month to gather the ingredients. Nor does it take into account the approximately four hours a month spent preparing the food. This is a work of love though. Anytime I'm spending working on dog food just feels good as you know the benefit your dogs get from it.

[Biggles]

Richard, I've been feeding raw for about four years now. Over the first year I learned how to shop effectively to make my dollar go as far as it can. I usually tell people that the out of pocket cost here in the US for all the ingredients to make a top notch raw food is about the equivalent of a high end kibble. This however does not necessarily account for some extra driving once a month to gather the ingredients. Nor does it take into account the approximately four hours a month spent preparing the food. This is a work of love though. Anytime I'm spending working on dog food just feels good as you know the benefit your dogs get from it.

The long term costs may be lower if the vet bills are also lower. The time cost not counted. I am definitely considering taking this route and am going to research it more.

[Franklin Phil]

The long term costs may be lower if the vet bills are also lower. The time cost not counted. I am definitely considering taking this route and am going to research it more.

Also a good point! I didn't think of that. I haven't had a sick dog in four years since I started.

[miracle]

It's important to mention that this may not be the best route for ever person or dog. There are nutritionally complete high quality kibbles that serve the very same purpose as feeding raw, minus any sort of liability. Some dogs thrive on even low quality kibble. It is all a matter of personal preference combined with biological variance between animals. I've tried every single kind of food/diet imaginable and landed on kibble. Why? Because, personally, I find there are some aspects of feeding raw food that are just simply under - researched. I'd like to know more facts than simply hear - say. This applies to all diets, as a matter of fact. I find that there is far too much conflicting information all over the internet about every aspect of canine diets. This is definitely a result of lack of research, largely for the sake of the dog food industry. At the end of the day, just do what feels right and what your dogs does best on. Mine likes kibble. Expensive kibble at that. Some like cheap kibble. Others prefer raw. There is nothing wrong with any of them so long as adequate, non biased research has been conducted and the dog is healthy. That's all you can expect from a diet; health. Some dogs live and thrive for 16+ years on iams. Others have allergies, and may be on grain free kibbles. Yet again, some may only do well on raw. Just remember these key points when choosing what to feed your dog.

[AttilaVikingsDemon]

@davidjk sort of reminds me of a story a lady told me. She had been feeding raw for 15 years. One of her many dogs was a standard size poodle that was fourteen years old. She took to the vet to get it's shots. The vet looked into the dog's mouth and said, "wow. You must brush this dog's teeth every day." She replied, "I've never brushed that dog's teeth it's whole life."

That in and of itself would be a selling point in your presentation on feeding raw, as teeth/gum problems lead to heart problems. Now you have me thinking...

[Franklin Phil]

@miracle. I appreciate your opinion and you certainly have the right to feed your dogs the way you like.

[Franklin Phil]

The things I can guarantee you notice right away: Within a couple weeks you'll notice your dogs breath will be totally clean and un-offensive. Within a week you'll notice your dogs output (#2) will be a quarter of what it was. Also, standing right near it, you will not notice any smell whatsoever.

[Boondog]

I need read all this again, but looks like these books are gonna be on my list.

[Franklin Phil]

I need read all this again, but looks like these books are gonna be on my list.

Hey Paul. I'm happy you're thinking about. It's a lot of work, but well worth it. Check your library for the book. Don't rush yourself. It's not important that you start tomorrow. If after reading GIVE YOUR DOG A BONE you still feel like you want to keep reading before you make the leap, check out the book RAW MEATY BONES. just make sure your comfortable with what you're doing before you get started.

If you know someone in your area that feeds raw, perhaps they'd be willing to help you the first time. That would help. Either way, I guarantee, you'll see rapid continuous improvement in your dogs. THAT is fun!