# Next best to raw?



## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

I had a place to board my pup that was happy to feed raw. Unfortunately they have not turned out to be that good a place for the pup and I have severe misgivings about placing her with them again.

I have another place that I trust that will take her but they are very much a 40 year veteran show dog veteran who is stuck in her way of feeding (another royal cannin feeder).

If she won't feed raw what is the next best thing I can put my pup on to for the times she is in boarding?


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## bdb5853 (May 21, 2010)

If you can afford it, I would do ZiwiPeak for boarding. 

Second best would be a dehydrated pre-made like the Stella and Chewy's freeze dried lamb patties. 

Or find another place to board that is more in line with your food choices.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I definitely have done the Ziwipeak when I left the dogs at the kennel, its the only sure way of knowing they will eat their food. 

As most of you know dogs when left at the kennel alot of times will go off their normal food, and this means for my dogs raw too. (they miss their parents) the ziwipeak was such a different enticement that they couldn't resist not eating it and they didn't seem to get any stomach upset as they had eaten it a few times in the past. 

I'm all for the ziwipeak, its expensive, but worth it.


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

We have never had to board Ania, but if we did, I'd be concerned that she wouldn't eat the kibble. Any kibble. She didn't really like it the first time around. Would canned food be a good alternative?


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Well, ziwipeak isn't kibble! but canned definitely is an alternatetive!


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

Just looked up Ziwipeak. Holy cow! That stuff looks awesome! For sure try that for boarding if it's in your budget.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i think if raw weren't an option offered by the boarding place, i'd home cook and bag their meals to be fed.....at least that way, they aren't on kibble...


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## ubershann (Jul 29, 2010)

Why won't they feed raw? I've never boarded before so I'm just curious. I figured they'd feed whatever you gave them to feed.

If it's because of the mess maybe you could try feeding like I do, with cut up meats, no bone. I know it's not a long term solution for you but if you can put a whole meal in a ziploc, then that gets fed neatly in a dish, I don't see why they would have a problem with it.

Honest Kitchen is another alternative, though Ziwipeak and Stella and Chewy's are also excellent choices


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Some boarding facilities don't have the freezer space or refrigeration for raw services, and I'd suspect there are other reasons too, maybe personal to the owners.


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## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

The boarding has been a bit of mess, and the one that my pup will go to next is only small and run almost exclusively for Rotti's by someone I trust! The down side is she has 4 decades of producing some of the best show dogs and therapy dogs and none of them are fed on raw.

I have found a large resistance to raw in the show dog world with most of there arguments stemming from "I know this kibble gives me good dogs so I won't change it"

Ziwipeak is expensive and by the feeding guides I could find I need to feed 3-4 cans of the wet food per day!!

But the care of my pup is the most important and to be honest she would eat anything at the moment. Even if as we speak she is tucking in tot the remains of a rib-eye steak!!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

are you going to be gone for a long time?

if not....sometimes the trade off is trust for the people who care for your dogs....

can you home cook for the time you're away? would they feed that?

certainly, i'd much rather have my dogs fed raw, but i have also heard stories about boarding that aren't positive, so i'd rather my dog be safe...i can always feed raw again when i get home.....if i had to make the choice...


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## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

I shall go for the home cooked meats for the first weekend.

Initially it is only for short breaks where realistically I could use a dog walker but because of the area I live in there is a high chance of having my dog nicked. When she is older it won't be the same problem but they are highly valued puppies .


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

eternalstudent said:


> I shall go for the home cooked meats for the first weekend.
> 
> Initially it is only for short breaks where realistically I could use a dog walker but because of the area I live in there is a high chance of having my dog nicked. When she is older it won't be the same problem but they are highly valued puppies .



i've had a dog stolen from me...right out of my own backyard....and it's a devastating feeling....even now, i sometimes see a dog who looks like him...'course, he'd be 300 years old in dog years by now, but still....

cook a chicken, remove the bones....after cooking....roast some beef heart or whatever meats you can get....add a little organ and there you go.

actually, any protein will do....i like combinations, simply because each protein offers something different, but that's me.

and some egg shell for the calcium and stools....and they should be all right for a bit...

i think it's 900 mg per pound of meat for the egg shell.... or approximately 1/2 teaspoon of ground egg shell per pound of meat.

let the shells air dry and then grind them.....throw the egg into the roaster and cook them too...


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