# Ignorance!



## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

I went to a local dog boutique today to let Millie pick out some new toys for her birthday :smile: Anyway, the manager there knows me because I am a frequent customer. Somehow the discussion that I feed homemade raw came up and she kept making that look where you pull your lip back as if to say "yikes". She just kept doing it at everything I said and was asking if I am getting all of the nutrients and vitamins, etc. She was shaking her head too. :tape2: I told her I feed prey model : 80/10/10. She was clearly implying that I am not capable of feeding my dog a balanced diet. 

Her store does sell pre-made raw so I believe she must either A) not want to lose my business (though she seemed pretty genuinely concerned that I could only possibly screw this diet up) or B) she has been brainwashed by the pre-made raw companies that she buys from. (I think this is likely the case).

It frustrates me when people _assume_ that I don't have the knowledge or means to feed my dog properly. (Or do anything, for that matter). As if I don't spend an absurd amount of time to begin with researching how to properly feed a raw diet. I think people just _assume_, in general, that whoever they are speaking to must be dumb. I wish people would realize how much time and research I put into my dog's diet.

Off my soapbox now.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

The same thing happen to me yesterday. I went were I normally buy the food for my dogs to return the Natural Balance food. I told her not to worry, and let me know when she gets the credit from the company. Then, she asked me what I am going to feed my dogs now and I told her Prey raw. She looks at me like I was just crazy lol. Even my daughter think I am, and suggested me to check other places before start.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I don't even bring up the subject anymore unless someone asks me what I feed my dogs! They all seem to think they look amazing and their coats are soooo soft but after 2 yrs of the same old crap I've given up!

And give Millie a hug for her Birthday!:grouphug:


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

It amazes me at how close minded some people can be. I mean...I understand if your unsure because you don't know anything about it...but at least listen with an open mind without making faces!  Geezzzz.....

I have also gotten to the point where I just don't say anything unless directly asked. Too many close minded people that are quick to jump to conclusions.

Just know that you are doing to absolute best for your Millie! And, she loves you for it! Who cares what others think! :becky:


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks for letting me rant, everyone! Wouldn't ya think a lady who approves of and sells pre-made raw would at least be smart enough to know it is possible to feed homemade raw too?! Or at least be open minded enough to consider the possibility? :noidea:

What is so _SPECIAL_ about commercial dog products (whether raw or cooked)!? So many people make it seem like they are some special formulation that any other human being could not possibly improve upon by feeding a homemade diet..


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

BrownieM said:


> Thanks for letting me rant, everyone! Wouldn't ya think a lady who approves of and sells pre-made raw would at least be smart enough to know it is possible to feed homemade raw too?! Or at least be open minded enough to consider the possibility? :noidea:
> 
> What is so _SPECIAL_ about commercial dog products (whether raw or cooked)!? So many people make it seem like they are some special formulation that any other human being could not possibly improve upon by feeding a homemade diet..


LOL You are right. I think it has to do with the consuming society that we live in. Everything have to be commercialized to be good. My 90 years old mom every time that she see a commercial in the TV, she wants to buy it. LOL
Happy Birthday Millie!!arty:


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Advertising is a very powerful and corrupt industry...
Many people get brainwashed by it (heck I used to, now I think twice heheh)


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## candiceb (Jan 22, 2010)

BrownieM said:


> What is so _SPECIAL_ about commercial dog products (whether raw or cooked)!? So many people make it seem like they are some special formulation that any other human being could not possibly improve upon by feeding a homemade diet..


I have no idea, it really boggles my mind. I mean, come on, it's not rocket science, they're just dogs. 

A couple months ago I was talking to some friends (who don't know I feed raw) about feeding rats. A girl was getting a pet rat, and said how sorry she felt for it that all it could eat was the little pellets from the store. I interjected with some suggestions of things she could add to its diet, and casually mentioned that I home-make my dogs' food. Both girls, immediately, looked at me like I was insane, asking, "Really? You can make them their own food? Is it safe?" Etc. etc. I didn't even bring up the fact that it's raw.

I don't know what mystic qualities people think dogs' digestive systems have that they can only be fed a certain processed food or they will die. People manage to feed themselves just fine, often on very unbalanced diets. I really just don't, don't, don't get it at all.

*sigh*

/end rant


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

My answer to that is: "Yeah, because I totally watched the wolves running around chewing on a pack of multi-vitamins yesterday!"


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## SuriLove (Mar 28, 2010)

It is annoying and I too rarely say much about it unless I know the person is open minded. In your case, I would have expected the shop owner to be open minded but she was thinking about $$ too, I am sure.

Its the culture in which people are familiar with. People relate Raw and bones to humans or cooked chicken bones that people fear a dog getting into. Its sad what their dogs are really missing!


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## Love my lab (Dec 9, 2010)

I think for some people ignorance is bliss. Also, each has their own opinions about what is best to feed their dog or how you feed yours. lol. I have gotten slack from people about changing my dog over. My brother thinks I am going crazy, my daughter's friend thought I was doing the wrong thing by the dog that she even asked a vet about the diet.....the vet she asked said well that is a very good diet for dogs(yay point for that vet...lol), one of the butchers I started going to(obviously didnt know what I was ordering the backs for as I talked to a diff. person 1st time I ordered) when I picked up the backs other day said.....yeah some guy comes in here and buys a case a week for his dogs...he has them on some crazy diet.....I just smiled and said yes the raw diet prob.....he then goes on and says yeah he even starves them for a whole day( now I serioulsy almost busted a gut laughing at him--his face was pricesless) and I nicely smiled and said yup he prob. fasts them for a day(thinking hardley "starving" them ) He then repeats himself by saying yeah he feeds this crazy diet. I just smiled thinking to myself closed minded. I laughed on my way home just thinking of the converstation. I have some people who dont even bother to ask how the dog likes the new diet or when I talk about it they quickly change the subject. So I have just come to realize in these short 5 1/2 weeks that I dont give a S#@T what they think, I just do what we think is best for our dog and they can live in their happy closed minded worlds. While our dog flourishes i all aspects.

Happy Birthday Millie !!!!!


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

whiteleo said:


> I don't even bring up the subject anymore unless someone asks me what I feed my dogs! They all seem to think they look amazing and their coats are soooo soft but after 2 yrs of the same old crap I've given up!
> 
> And give Millie a hug for her Birthday!:grouphug:


I'm like you. I have gotten to where I just don't say anything to anyone. Even though I explain it, I get crazy looks. Unless someone asks, I just don't say.


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## harrkim120 (Feb 2, 2010)

Thankfully I don't get too many close-minded peopleto deal with. I ALWAYS talk about it in my classes...it's my favorite thing to do. :biggrin: I think that because I'm a trainer that I must know what I'm doing or something...little do they know. :heh:


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

My parents who totally didn't understand what I was doing or why are totally on board with it now (not that they would ever feed it to their dog) but they understand that raw is what I feed my dog and that its not gross and that he actually does really well on it. 

My FAVORITE question is: He eats the bones? Aren't chicken bones bad for dogs?

I try to explain it, but sometimes I just give up.........


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i think pet food stores used to hold a position of knowledge to the unknowing or the uncaring....after all, dogs were dogs and most of us were raised to feed kibble....i know i was...

then again, i was raised to never ever ever question what a doctor said....

times, they are a changin'...and thank the universe for it....

the raw feeders are growing....and they're coming out of the closet.....

i went to my vet the other day to get blood work on my dogs...their hair was thinning and i could not figure it out.....my vet's tech asked what i was feeding...my vet knows and he was laughing...so i told her raw...and her eyes got wide as saucers and she said 
'really? that's fascinating...i really want to learn more about it'...

my vet doesn't know nor does he really want to know....about raw...so my comment was....it would behoove this practise to begin learning about raw feeding in its various forms....because it's here and you're going to need this information to treat not just my dogs but every dog...if you don't know what they eat, then you can't effectively treat them.

my vet stopped laughing....

i don't go out of my way to tell people, brownie...i don't even wear the tee shirt, though i was tempted....but when asked, yes...i tell them...

especially in pet stores....i guess it's because i love the looks on their faces...and the more opposition and ignorance i face, the more i know i'm on the right track..it's kind of validating.....LOL

happy birthday, millie!


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

My grandma still thinks "my dogs will get anemia and die", my dad would tell me that "it wasn't a balanced diet" until I showed him nutritional information for organs and meats/bones. He hasn't said anything since so I'm sure he's been changing his mind, slowly.
Still, pet food industry makes big $$ making people think it's the only way to feed your pet (or it will die).


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

It is frustrating when talking to someone about PMR and they throw the usual negatives back and despite your explanations of why the germs won't kill them and the bones won't splinter - they still crinkle their nose and say "no way!"

Then I remember that before I switched Tanis to PMR I was almost the same. Almost - I was open to hearing the benefits I just had the same concerns. I did home cooked before the switch because kibble just never ever sounded good to me. I had thought about raw for a while and looked into it a few times. Then one night Tanis and I ran into a man walking his JRT. We'd run into each other before and talked a minute while the dogs played. On this night, Tanis had bald stripes down his sides, his hind legs were completely bald and so was his underside. The man told me I should really think about feeding raw as he does his JRT. He explained the benefits and how grains and vegetables could be causing the skin problems. My biggest concern was the mess and he said to put down a piece of cut carpet for Tanis to eat on. I could tell he was cautious thinking I probably wouldn't listen to a word he was saying - but it got me thinking. I started feeding Tanis raw meat right after that and then found this website. 

I ran into him about a month later and thanked him for the suggestions. He was shocked that someone actually listened to him and took his advice! 

I think of it this way when I talk to someone about PMR and they get disgusted, at least I've planted a seed. They may not be responsive to it now but later on when their dog starts having problems - they will remember that conversation.


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## hcdoxies (Sep 22, 2010)

As many of you guys know, I'm a mini dachshund breeder and feed PMR. Recently I was attached on my Facebook page by some ignorant people who were against PMR. No matter what anyone said to them, it was still "disgusting" and "unhealthy" because vets didn't approve of it (even though we showed them several vets who do).

But, for the very few who attack me because I feed PMR, there are SO many more who are interested in it and even switch. I've been feeding PMR since July 2009 and have always been very open about it... And there have been at least a dozen who have switched because they see my dogs.

All that to say - don't get discouraged by the negativity!


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