Why not?

[RawFedDogs]

I just think feeding dogs cooked meat is no worse than raw for me.

Any nutritionist, both human and animal, will tell you cooked food does not have the nutrition of raw food and that cooked food is more difficult to digest.

Think of it this way, What if wolves or wild dogs ate 2 or 3 meals a day of modern premium dog food or cooked homemade food. They would probably do just as well if not better.

As well if not better than what? Like they live now? Well now they don't have regular meals. They can and often do go days without eating. Even knowing that, I still think they would be better off with raw meat, bones, and organs.

A wolves life span is not any longer than a domestic dogs. 8-10 years, I looked it up. so on average a domestic dogs is a little longer, but I would assume that due to the enviornment.

The biggest killer of adult wild wolves is bullets. I think about 50% of wild wolves die before thier first birthday. That would bring average lifespan down A LOT. I could be wrong about the 50% but it's a lot.

Anyways can we even compare the two?

Not if all you are looking at is nutrition.

I grew up with a Golden Retriever who ate Skippy, Gravy Train, Rubber bands, (I had a paper route) wood, cans. He lived to be 16, healthy as a horse.

My Grandfather died at 91 and smoked until the day he died. Think the cigarettes are what caused him to have a long life?

Anyways, I enjoy the site and the friendly debates.

Me TOO!!

[Postal]

Wow, this thread is intense. I'm loving it. They don't have a popcorn smiley on here? heh

[hanksta13]

Any nutritionist, both human and animal, will tell you cooked food does not have the nutrition of raw food and that cooked food is more difficult to digest

.

Then why is it humans don't eat raw chicken? We all know cooking food diminishes the nutrients, But I have been eating cooked food all my life and
I'm fine. My dog eats cooked food and she is fine. We eat cooked food because it kills the bacteria, parasites and so on. It's SAFER. It also taste better.

Originally Posted by hanksta13
We will just have to agree to disagree.

I suppose so, if you believe none of our points are valid.

I believe your points are based on your own opinion. The title of this thread is "WHY NOT". I'm stateing my opinion why I don't feed raw.

Wolves probably only live that long because they are exposed to all sorts of environmental and human elements that drastically shorten their lifespan including: diseases, starvation, lack of medical care when injured, and of course aerial shootings.

I mentioned that when I said "wolves life span is probably a bit shorter due to enviornment". Anyways, I think that's a bad comparison(wolves and domestic dogs)My bad. Domestic dogs were engineered by humans to be pets, companions and so on. Wolves are the ancestors of the domestic dog. A Shit Tzu and a Wolf in my opinion wouldn't have the same Diet. My dog does great with cooked homemade food, the same food I would eat. I make sure that her food has the proper nutrients and she is great. I am not a Veterinary nutritionist, I don't know if you guys are, I just go by what works for me and what my Vet, and the Vet nutritionists at UC Davis say. I'm not telling you not to feed your dog Raw, obviously you have your beliefs. And yes, some Vets are unethical, sell Science Diet and don't know squat about dog nutrition, but UC Davis are full on nutritionists, professors and students that research dog nutrition everyday. If you believe it's a conspiracy theory and they don't care for the well being of our pets, just greed, well, then thats your belief. I have a greater opinion of them. Call me crazy.
It seems like you guys are trying to change my mind. I have looked into it, discussed it with my vet and raw is just not for me, or my dog.

[rannmiller]

.
Then why is it humans don't eat raw chicken? We all know cooking food diminishes the nutrients, But I have been eating cooked food all my life and
I'm fine. My dog eats cooked food and she is fine. We eat cooked food because it kills the bacteria, parasites and so on. It's SAFER. It also taste better.

I've actually heard of people who eat strictly raw foods including raw meat and they thrive as well. And dogs don't have a problem with bacteria in meat, so that's not really a valid excuse for why they cook their meat...oh no wait, they don't. Hmmmm

I believe your points are based on your own opinion. The title of this thread is "WHY NOT". I'm stateing my opinion why I don't feed raw.

I suppose if you count an opinion as something backed up by fact, then yes, I am stating my opinion

I mentioned that when I said "wolves life span is probably a bit shorter due to enviornment". Anyways, I think that's a bad comparison(wolves and domestic dogs)My bad. Domestic dogs were engineered by humans to be pets, companions and so on.

Wait, are we talking about dogs or robots now?

Wolves are the ancestors of the domestic dog. A Shit Tzu and a Wolf in my opinion wouldn't have the same Diet.

Why not? I mean, sure, you'd never see a pack of Shih Tzus take down an elk, but it doesn't mean they couldn't eat it just the same. I bet I eat a very similar diet to what my ancestors ate and I bet you do too: meat/protein, veggies, carbs. Why can't dogs? In fact, the main causes of health problems in humans these days is that they eat too much processed/modern food and not enough healthy and natural foods. It seems as though the same applies in dogs as well. Too much processed foods, not enough real foods.

My dog does great with cooked homemade food, the same food I would eat. I make sure that her food has the proper nutrients and she is great.

But why? Your dog is a carnivore, you are an omnivore (unless you think that's just an opinion too). If you agree with that then why would you think your dog should eat the same things you do? And if that's the case, why don't you just eat what you feed your dog every day? Mmmm a little Honest Kitchen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day.

I am not a Veterinary nutritionist, I don't know if you guys are, I just go by what works for me and what my Vet, and the Vet nutritionists at UC Davis say. I'm not telling you not to feed your dog Raw, obviously you have your beliefs. And yes, some Vets are unethical, sell Science Diet and don't know squat about dog nutrition, but UC Davis are full on nutritionists, professors and students that research dog nutrition everyday. If you believe it's a conspiracy theory and they don't care for the well being of our pets, just greed, well, then thats your belief. I have a greater opinion of them. Call me crazy.

I'm still pretty sure that Royal Canin sponsors most of the veterinary programs and vet nutritionist programs at UC Davis. Even if they don't push that brand every time in particular, their research will still all be based off of what RC has researched which his whatever they can to "prove" that dogs are onmivores and can survive on a diet filled with grains. Yes, they can survive, but it is appropriate? And should survival be your only goal? And does it count as survival if your dog dies 9 years before his/her normal life expectancy from cancer, kidney failure, etc.

And again, it's not a "conspiracy theory" if it's true!

It seems like you guys are trying to change my mind. I have looked into it, discussed it with my vet and raw is just not for me, or my dog.

It makes me sad too
I've met vets who make dogs worse going out than they were coming in. I've met vets who can't diagnose a dog overeating and assume it's either pancreatitis or salmonella. I've met vets who know so little about nutrition they think that Pedigree and Kibbles N Bits are great foods. I've met vets who poisoned my dog for 8 years and made her fall apart and have chronic yeast infections in her ears before they would finally admit to me that it was probably a food allergy caused by the SD prescription food they were telling us she had to have or she'd die. Guess what? It's been a year since she's been on SD and over 6 months since she's been on raw and she's the healthiest and happiest she's ever been since she was a puppy.

The bottom line is: you can probably trust your vet to operate on your dog and save it's life in cases of severe illness or injury, but when it comes to most other things, take it with a grain of salt.

[hanksta13]

And the beat goes on!

I've actually heard of people who eat strictly raw foods including raw meat and they thrive as well.

Don't tell me your gonna try and convince me to switch to raw now?
Sorry, I thrive on cooked food. And Sushi

And dogs don't have a problem with bacteria in meat, so that's not really a valid excuse for why they cook their meat...oh no wait, they don't. Hmmmm

It's not an excuse. I don't care because I cook my dogs meat.

I suppose if you count an opinion as something backed up by fact, then yes, I am stating my opinion

I have yet to see a fact that says feeding raw is better. I v'e only heard it from u guys. Are you guys Veterinary Nutritionists? And again, If it turns out it is better, I still will cook my dogs meat because thats what I choose to do.

Wait, are we talking about dogs or robots now?

No, we are talking dogs. Shi Tzu's, Boxers, Poodles, Dachshund and so on. They were all breed over hundreds of years to get certain traits and to make them domestic. A wolves bite and a German Sheperds bite, although similar are very different. A wolf is made for hunting and killing and has much more powerful teeth and bite. While a domestic German Sheperd was breed over hundreds of years to herd, and then to be a pet or work dog. I would think a wolves digestive system can tolerate what it was meant to eat in the wild, which is whatever it can find. A domestic dog has evolved. Sure, I guess some dogs do well on a raw diet, But a domesticated dog will do just as well on a cooked diet.

I mean, sure, you'd never see a pack of Shih Tzus take down an elk

,!
LOL, That would be very funny!

It makes me sad too
I've met vets who make dogs worse going out than they were coming in. I've met vets who can't diagnose a dog overeating and assume it's either pancreatitis or salmonella. I've met vets who know so little about nutrition they think that Pedigree and Kibbles N Bits are great foods. I've met vets who poisoned my dog for 8 years and made her fall apart and have chronic yeast infections in her ears before they would finally admit to me that it was probably a food allergy caused by the SD prescription

I'm sorry for that experience you had, but you can't judge all vets based on a couple bad one's. My Vet is an exellent Vet and I trust her with my dogs life.
They are just like any doctor or mechanic. You have to find the right one.
There are good people out there who care.

We can go on and on. This is quite the controversial subject.

[MandyPug]

What do vet's learn about nutrition


Pottenger Study

There's 2 articles i think you should look at before you say that vets are experts in nutrition and that there are no studies behind raw. I have more studies, but they're on my work computer and i don't have them bookmarked here, i'll see if i can find them later though.

[rockymtsweetie82]

I'm pretty sure that no one here has said vets are experts in nutrition or that there are no studies behind raw. This is a controversial thread on why or why not we feed our dogs raw. We have our differences of opinions. You think you're right, they think they're right. Does it really matter? I've seen dogs live healthy lives to age 15 and beyond so what does it matter what the heck these dogs are eating? With the right care, an animal could probably live to be friggin 30. Doesn't mean I'm switching to raw or staying with kibble or mixing and matching.

[hanksta13]

There's 2 articles i think you should look at before you say that vets are experts in nutrition and that there are no studies behind raw. I have more studies, but they're on my work computer and i don't have them bookmarked here, i'll see if i can find them later though.

Thanks. You can email if u want. I don't know if this forum shows emails.

I never said "all vets were experts in nutrition", I said the the veterinary nutritionists at UC Davis were experts. I know my vet knows a lot about nutrition, she's not an "expert" but I value her opinion. And she see's a lot of dogs.

[rannmiller]

What do vet's learn about nutrition


Pottenger Study

There's 2 articles i think you should look at before you say that vets are experts in nutrition and that there are no studies behind raw. I have more studies, but they're on my work computer and i don't have them bookmarked here, i'll see if i can find them later though.

Please post them on the forum somewhere, I'd love to read them!

[RawFedDogs]

Please post them on the forum somewhere, I'd love to read them!

Hehe, click them and you can read them.