# Sticky  Success Stories!



## DaneMama

Please share your story about switching your dog/cat over to a raw diet! No matter how short and uneventful or long and hard it might have been, we want to start adding these stories to our new raw feeding website! If you post up your story here, we will post it up on that website as well for other people to see (if you are ok with that of course, if not send us a PM)!

http://preymodelraw.com/raw-success-stories/

I will start with mine.

I always wanted to feed my dogs a raw diet, but didn't have the resources or the support to feed raw up until a little over a year ago. Emmy had chronic ear infections, but that is about it when it comes to issues that were directly related to diet. When I made the switch over to a raw diet, no more ear infections for Emmy. Also, neither one of them have any tartar on their teeth anymore. Both of them are thriving, and love it when we say "Dinner? Dinner?"


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## malluver1005

Here's mine:

For about a year now, I was always debating whether I should feed raw or not. The reason I kept holding back was because of the bacteria issue. I did my research on it, and it all made sense! If wolves eat like this in the wild, why not my dog? About 2 months ago, I tossed Aspen half of a tilapia, just to see what he would do, and he loved it!! He was a natural. He never had any diarrhea the next few days. I fully made the complete switch on January 18. It was a long battle with my family and boyfriend, but it was definitely worth every bit of it. Their main issue was the bacteria as well. But, I made them come to this forum and see the light!! What I'm happiest about raw is the amazing dental work that it has to offer. I have to admit, Aspen had a lot of tarter in the lower back molars when he was on kibble. There is barely any left now that he's on raw! I am very, VERY comfortable feeding raw. More comfortable than when I was feeding kibble. I'll never go back to kibble, and Aspen couldn't be happier and healthier. :smile:


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## Jem

I started Jemma on mid-grade kibble, which she constantly had loose stools on. I switched to a higher grain-free kibble, and she did better but still had an unpredictable stomach. By one year old, she was starting to get tartar built up on her back molars. Finally, after much research and support I took the plunge and switched her to Prey Model Raw. She NEVER once had loose stools during the transition. That was the biggest sign for me to know that I had done the right thing. Her teeth look like puppy teeth again, and she looks amazing and better utilizes her energy. I feel so good feeding my dog what she was meant to eat.


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## jdatwood

Keep 'em coming! Those are great :biggrin:


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## CorgiPaws

At only one year of age, my Pembroke Welsh Corgi was on month seven of constant diarrhea and misery. He was in and out of the vet's office multiple times a week during the whole thing, and nothing seemed to work. We tried antibiotics, probiotics, limited ingredient kibbles, isolation from other dogs, fecal exams, (a total of 8 actually) x ray, and the "rice and boiled chicken" approach. Nothing seemed to work for more than two or three days, and each time the diarrhea seemed to come back with an angrier vengence. It got so bad that he was having to go multiple times throughout the night, and could not hold his bowls for more than an hour or two. He had lost over four pounds, which for a dog that is lean and healthy at 20lbs, is one fifth of his body weight. 
After trying everything, my vet came to the conclusion that Grissom's body is unable to handle the carbs in his food. He recommended "steroid therapy" in which I would bring him in every two weeks for a steroid shot, as well as the highest does of antibiotics he could give a dog of his size, a dose so high I would have to watch for lack of coordination, ability to walk straight, and dragging of back legs. These treatments would be needed for the life of the dog. (a 1 year old PWC with a life expectency of about 14 years) He also wanted to put him on a VERY expensive, low quality Hills RX food. 
I was not comfortable with all of these chemicals and drugs being pumped into Grissom's little body, all for the sake of dealing with the high amount of carbohydrates found in all commercial kibble. I decided to put Grissom on a prey model raw diet, which he started on November 2nd, 2009. After 7 months of total liquid diarrhea and extreme weight loss, two days into raw feeding, Grissom had solid stools, and as of Feb. 2010, has NEVER had liquid stools, or even less than solid stools. Two days showed signs of great improvement for seven months of damage. 

I am happy to say that just three months into raw feeding, Grissom no longer has a doggy odor, has pearly white teeth, and has every bit of his enthusiasm for life back. His stools are solid, and tiny. His coat is so soft and shiney, and his body condition is amazing. He loves meal time and handles every kind of meat we give him just fine. I truely believe that a prey model diet saved my Corgi's quality of life, if not his life itself. 
I guess that's what happens when you stop pretending your dog is an omnivore, and feed him like the carnivore he was created to be. 



**sorry this is so long. whoops, I rambled**


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## rannmiller

My old lab/shepherd mix, Kati got hit by a car when she was 1 1/2 years old. She managed to pull through with three broken legs and the vets told us that she would have kidney problems her whole life and probably only live another 7 years. They put her on Hills Prescription Science Diet K/D to help with this. During the next several years, her quality of life dropped drastically. She limped horribly from the broken legs, which was to be expected. However, she also had random bouts of vomiting and diarrhea so her weight fluctuated every couple of months from being overweight to underweight, it never seemed to be at the healthy marker. Her fur started falling out in clumps, she had a raging yeast infection in her ears, her stools were always very soft, and her teeth were mostly yellow and brown by the time my mom put her into my full-time custody in February 2008. 

Miraculously, she had made it to be 10 years old by this point. 
I had done enough research on dog food by this point to determine that the prescription food she was on was total garbage and probably the cause of most (if not all) of her problems. I switched her to a mid-grade food and the only thing that got even slightly better was her stools, but not by much. 

I finally took the plunge and switched her to prey model raw in September of 2008 and boy did I notice a difference! Her fur got super soft and shiny, it stopped falling out all the time (though she still sheds seasonally, being a GSD mix). Her energy levels shot through the roof and she now loves to do the "Kati dance" whenever she sees her leash, she loves to go for walks and can even out-sprint me. Her stools are now consistently nice and firm and she hasn't had any vomiting or diarrhea since she was switched. Her ear yeast infection is finally starting to clear up, and her teeth are nearly pearly white again with no traces of brown and very little yellow. Prey model raw has literally saved her from a life of misery. She is now a happy, spunky old 12 year old gal!


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## lovinmylabs

I have 3 dogs...a 2 year old lab/hound mix, 6 month coonhound, and a 5 yr old english bulldog. 
I was feeding EVO red meat kibble. It was costing me a ton to feed 3 dogs twice a day. I always wanted to switch over to raw feeding but was afraid of them choking on bones, the bacteria in the raw meat was also scary seeing I have 4 children as well!
After lurking around different raw feeding websites trying to talk myself into making the break I found dogfoodchat.com. I lurked around for a while and decided to join in their chats. Best move I made!!
My dogs have been on raw for 3 weeks now. I can't even believe the difference in their energy level, their white white teeth, and the shiny coats you can almost see your reflection in!! Of course my dogs health is first and foremost but the other giant perk is the money I am saving by not buying kibble anymore!!!
Thanks to all my new friends who are always there to answer ALL my questions I feel very confident I did the right thing!


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## LindaP

For the first 8 months of Cali's life, that poor dog had virtually constant diarrhea. Even if we were lucky enough to have days where it would be a little more firm, she was still going 5-6x/day, and in large amounts. It was hard for her to gain weight. The vet kept telling me she needed at least two pounds--and she looked it. There's trim and athletic, and there's skinny and unwell looking. She was often the latter. Something was just not right with my dog.

While on kibble, she was on Wellness, Evo, California Naturals, and Orijen--using tiny little bits at a time to change from one food to another. NOTHING worked. She pooped constantly. Fecal sample after fecal sample--7 total--at $43/pop were adding up. We ended up on some crap Rx food not knowing where else to turn, and that did nothing.

After months of the pudding poop or looser, stench that would nearly knock me over (Orijen was the worst), and 5-6x/day voids, I switched to raw with the help of the wise people here. Her poops have been as perfect as can be from the second day after the switch to now--5 weeks into it. Raw-fed dogs have a certain look, an intangible "something" the people comment on. Cali now has it, with everyone commenting how incredible she looks, how her eyes and coat shine. I swear her jaw muscles and her shoulders are more built up. She looks buff! Her poops are small and formed. The quantity is a fraction of what it was, and she only goes 2-3x/day in much smaller amounts. Every time she goes I still tense up waiting for the mess. Finally, I'm starting to relax.

If people want to stay on kibble, certainly one has a right to do so. But, in the end, I am thankful her intestinal issues led me to raw feeding--and breaking me free from the corporate dog food marketing machine. I know I'm never looking back. It is so gratifying to feed your dog real food. And once you do so, and see how they respond, you know it's the right thing. I just wish Cali would not have had to endure those many months in intestinal, gurgling, discomfort.


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## DaneMama

I am so glad to see all of these!!! Would love to hear the rest from people on here...cuz I know that there are more of you on here that have been saved by raw feeding!!!

Keep em coming!!!


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## jdatwood

Anyone else wanna be famous? :biggrin:


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## Todd

jdatwood said:


> Anyone else wanna be famous? :biggrin:


i'll do one, but i haven't been using this diet for that long.


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## BGBY

Our Success Story starts with my girl Casey. Casey is the main reason why I decided to take the time and read up on RAW feeding. I knew she had to have an allergy to kibble. The vet was always saying, FLEA ALLERGY! I didn't buy it, not when she didn't have a flea on her. 

This is my girl Casey before reaping the benefits of RAW. 


As you can see, she is an abosolute mess. The poor girl dug herself raw every day, all day. It was horrible to watch her suffer as I continually fed her kibble. 

Then one day, I got sick of it and thought, there has to be a better way to feed this dog. I found this place and broke google trying to read everything I could. About 3 weeks later, I decided that I would go for it and feed Casey and her sis Ava a whole chicken fryer cut in two. Poor DH was devistated thinking he was going to get a stuffed chicken for dinner and here I am, feeding it to the dogs! lol

I waited, and waited and waited for her skin to heal. It was a long, slow recovery but well worth it! In the last few months, she has finally healed and now she looks healthy. She doesn't stink and her hair is so soft! I love touching her butt now and her energy level is through the roof! I love telling her what a pretty girl she is!

Well, see for yourself! 


She loves RAW and is patiently waiting for me to open her swimming pool so she can go swimming! :biggrin:


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## Chocx2

*just starting*

I am just starting raw, I don't have the access that everyone has I'm limited, but I have a store a small one that is working with me. 

So far my dogs have eaten sardines, buffallo, beef, lamb, turkey and cow stomach I forgot what they call it but the dogs love it. 

I have three, I have adopted dogs my whole life and now I train them, fun stuff. They love the neck bones, teeth are clean and bright. 

Its been since January 17th. I hope to continue with the progress. I have one dog in particular with problems and thats how this all started. But all of my dogs get the same food. Stomach bloating is gone, bad smelling gas everynight is gone. The dog was so bloated she wouldn't lay down at the end of the night I would have to burp her to get her stomach down, that issue was gone the first 10 days

All the stories and pics are great I hope in a few months I can post the same progress.


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## rawfeederr

I have been raw feeding since November 2008.
Before I started feeding raw, I was feeding Wellness. My dog, Tiger, was doing okay on that, but he was still shedding heavily, didn't have that much energy, and his coat was kinda dull. He was always like that on commercial foods.
Then, I heard about this thing called a raw diet. I thought it was crazy... your dog would choke on bones and get salmonella, right? But I was wrong. After doing some research, I found that many successful dog people feed this diet and their dogs thrive. So I looked into it some more. After awhile, I bought some raw chicken legs and started feeding!
A few weeks later, my dog's coat was shining, his teeth were MUCH whiter, he was hardly shedding, and he acted like he was only 2 years old! (He was 8, I think, when I switched to raw).
I love this diet, and what it has done for my dog!


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## Chocx2

*Getting Better*

I would just like to thank everyone for the support when I had questions. I would like to tell everyone that Kelsey is growing back hair. Short but nun the less hair.

I started feeding her raw in January around the 17th. Its been three months I am starting to see improvement. I was crazy with worry about my dog I thought it was hopless. 

How does everyone feel about organic v non organic meat?


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## rawfeederr

Chocx2 said:


> How does everyone feel about organic v non organic meat?


I don't think it really matters. I mean, organic meat probably is better, but meat is meat. Plus, organic meat = $$.


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## RawFedDogs

Yes to what rawfeederr said.


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## Sarayu14

*Raw food saved my dogs Life*

I had tried raw food once before but was a little concerned when my dogs fur started to fall out (in hind sight it was only his under coat and I had not properly groomed him in months.) Then about 3 years ago he just completely stopped eating entirely, we were feeding him an Rx diet from our vet and then we went to Pedigree. We then started to feed him raw freezer burned chicken, our vet at the time was totally against us feeding raw but he started eating again and his eyes, skin, and coat improved within weeks. He is now 13 and still going pretty good he is slowing down a little due to age. We found another vet who not only agrees with feeding raw but she feeds her dogs (she is a Golden Retriever Breeder) raw and has been doing so for well over 20 years. :biggrin:


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## DaneMama

I'm glad that you have been so successful this time around! And I'm glad that you have found not only RFD helpful but all the other people on this board that have helped you through this transition :biggrin:


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## magicre

danemama08 said:


> I'm glad that you have been so successful this time around! And I'm glad that you have found not only RFD helpful but all the other people on this board that have helped you through this transition :biggrin:


everyone here has been awesome and i don't know what i would have done without all of you.....from the heart.....

rfd got me started again....privately before i joined this board....which is why i singled him out.

after that, i have all of you to thank and i do.....i am one happy raw feeder!


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## Lynn In Tenn

I started feeding my dogs raw Oct. 2009. I had tried all the expensive grain free foods, but Maks kept scratching and chewing his paws. So I switched "cold turkey" (no pun intended) to raw and they love it. My old dog had gotten so skinny I just new she wouldn't be around much longer. She has gained 10 lbs. since eating raw:smile: I know her days are numbered but at least she's eating and gaining weight and really enjoying her meals. She's 16 and still hanging in there.
Thanks so much for all the knowledge that I got on this forum. I couldn't have done it correctly without y'all.:biggrin:
I wish I had done this years ago. Clean teeth, breath, and their coats look like they just had a bath.


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## magicre

Lynn In Tenn said:


> I started feeding my dogs raw Oct. 2009. I had tried all the expensive grain free foods, but Maks kept scratching and chewing his paws. So I switched "cold turkey" (no pun intended) to raw and they love it. My old dog had gotten so skinny I just new she wouldn't be around much longer. She has gained 10 lbs. since eating raw:smile: I know her days are numbered but at least she's eating and gaining weight and really enjoying her meals. She's 16 and still hanging in there.
> Thanks so much for all the knowledge that I got on this forum. I couldn't have done it correctly without y'all.:biggrin:
> I wish I had done this years ago. Clean teeth, breath, and their coats look like they just had a bath.


16 and still goin'...how wonderful....now THAT'S a success story!!


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## DaneMama

Lynn In Tenn said:


> I started feeding my dogs raw Oct. 2009. I had tried all the expensive grain free foods, but Maks kept scratching and chewing his paws. So I switched "cold turkey" (no pun intended) to raw and they love it. My old dog had gotten so skinny I just new she wouldn't be around much longer. She has gained 10 lbs. since eating raw:smile: I know her days are numbered but at least she's eating and gaining weight and really enjoying her meals. She's 16 and still hanging in there.
> Thanks so much for all the knowledge that I got on this forum. I couldn't have done it correctly without y'all.:biggrin:
> I wish I had done this years ago. Clean teeth, breath, and their coats look like they just had a bath.


This is wonderful news. I'm so glad to hear that your girl is doing just great and hope her days aren't too numbered now that health is on her side! Thanks for the update and keep up the good work :wink:


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## dobesgalore

I have been feeding raw now for about a month(well, almost) and I just have to let everyone know all the changes I have noticed since starting. First off their coats. They started shedding all of a sudden like I have never seen, and the new coat underneith is so shiny, and they have all softened up so much! Just overall their coats are much healthier looking. The "hard keepers" are keeping weight much better with what seems like less food, but its really WAY better nutrition. We have two of the dobes who Have always had bad digestive problems, having huge cow patty type poops. Now, both have nice, little perfect "pretty" turds! I'm so thrilled with that! And, our dogs have always loved to eat the horses' poops. I mean gulping it down like they are starving to death. Now, (knocking on wood) I haven't even seem them so much as look at it. That just tells me poop eating is a nutritional thing. Commercial food is just lacking all a dog needs. That is such a huge relief to me! Now, I just have to be able to start buying in bulk but I think that will come with time. Wayne(my hubby) just keeps on comenting on the poops of our two with problems, so he is now sold as well. 
I want to thank Danemomma(Natalie) and Raw Fed Dogs for all their expert help!!!!! (and everyone else too)! I know I will have more questions, but I am learning sooo much from all ya'll!!! Thanks again!!


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## jdatwood

I'd love to feature a few more success stories on PreyModelRaw.com. Please let me know if you would like to contribute your story for publication as well as some photos of your dog(s)


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## rawfeederr

I also have a section on my site for raw feeding success stories, if anyone doesn't mind giving me permission to use theirs.


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## 1dobie_3yorkies

That is an awesome story dobesgalore_! How long on the raw before you noticed the itchys had gone?_


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## dobesgalore

1dobie_3yorkies said:


> That is an awesome story dobesgalore_! How long on the raw before you noticed the itchys had gone?_


We didn't have any real "itchy" problems, but if you do and judging on our results, I would say you will see a difference within a couple of weeks. We saw our first results in the first week. If you have food related allergies, sometimes they may take a tad longer to get out of their system. But I guarantee you, you would be amazed at all the changes you will see! Are you switching to raw? You are in the right place, I promise!:biggrin:


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## 1dobie_3yorkies

dobesgalore Thanks one minuet I want too, when I see all the wonderful reviews the next I'm like naaah I don't... too messy! So how much do you feed daily to just one dog? And where? I have Yorkies too I just don't know how to make RAW work...with the beards eck.


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## dobesgalore

1dobie_3yorkies said:


> dobesgalore Thanks one minuet I want too, when I see all the wonderful reviews the next I'm like naaah I don't... too messy! So how much do you feed daily to just one dog? And where? I have Yorkies too I just don't know how to make RAW work...with the beards eck.


I'm fairly new to raw myself, so I will let others tell you more of the details. But what I can tell you, is that its not hard to do to feed raw. Not at all. Just keep in mind, meat, bones, and organs. I get most of my meat on sale at walmart. Keep reading posts and you will find others asking the same questions you have plus some you haven't thaught of yet. What you will learn will amaze you! And its fun to feed raw too. Not as bad as you think.:smile:


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## GoldenGirl

I made the switch in late April and could not be happier with my decision. I actually did not have any intention of switching Koda's diet until I stumbled upon this forum.

Our first golden was on a BARF diet and it went really well but it was expensive so I was reluctant to do the same when we got Koda.

After reading everything here, all of my misconceptions about the prey model were dispelled and I'm thrilled to report that Koda is going great. He loves his food and eats EVERYTHING you give him. He even comes to the freezer with me, like he wants to pick out what he's going to have!

After the initial period of uncertainty, this method is easy and for the most part, inexpensive. I'm just now starting to track what's it's costing me.

Koda and I would like to thank everyone that has answered my questions and provided support along the way. This is the best forum!

Thanks,
Jean & Koda


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## DaneMama

Great to hear that Koda is doing fantastic! Keep up the good work :biggrin:


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## magicre

GoldenGirl said:


> I made the switch in late April and could not be happier with my decision. I actually did not have any intention of switching Koda's diet until I stumbled upon this forum.
> 
> Our first golden was on a BARF diet and it went really well but it was expensive so I was reluctant to do the same when we got Koda.
> 
> After reading everything here, all of my misconceptions about the prey model were dispelled and I'm thrilled to report that Koda is going great. He loves his food and eats EVERYTHING you give him. He even comes to the freezer with me, like he wants to pick out what he's going to have!
> 
> After the initial period of uncertainty, this method is easy and for the most part, inexpensive. I'm just now starting to track what's it's costing me.
> 
> Koda and I would like to thank everyone that has answered my questions and provided support along the way. This is the best forum!
> 
> Thanks,
> Jean & Koda


congratulations to both of you.....do you let him pick out his protein from the freezer? LOL

like here's a rump roast and here's a pork butt roast...which would you like today..?


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## GoldenGirl

magicre said:


> congratulations to both of you.....do you let him pick out his protein from the freezer? LOL
> 
> like here's a rump roast and here's a pork butt roast...which would you like today..?


I have to laugh because I did give him two choices and he picked with his nose!

I better be careful though- he might figure out how to get into the freezer and have a field day when I'm not home!

- Jean


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## magicre

GoldenGirl said:


> I have to laugh because I did give him two choices and he picked with his nose!
> 
> I better be careful though- he might figure out how to get into the freezer and have a field day when I'm not home!
> 
> - Jean


yeah, i wouldn't let him near the freezer anymore....

that's one smart dog...but wait...what were the choices and what did he choose? let's see just how smart he is LOL


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## Animal Quackers

*After only TWO raw meals...*

...both dogs are pooping NORMAL poops!

We got these Boxers on May 23rd - Hurley was 10 months old and Penny was 5.5 months old. They were being fed Beneful by their previous guardian. They both tested positive for giardia, which we treated and THOUGHT that would end the problem - no such luck! We tried adding plain boiled chicken and white rice with their Natural Balance kibble, and even added metamucil to their food at the vet's recommendation. That helped - maybe got their poops up to a 50-75 on "The Poop Chart" on a good day, but most of the time they were still pooping between 25-50. I KNEW that was not a long-term healthy diet, so came here to research.

Dinner last night was their FIRST raw meal, consisting of chicken leg quarters. They were a little perplexed at first, but finished their quarters in about 20 minutes. Hurley had the WORST diarrhea I have ever seen twice last night and once this morning. Penny was at about a 50 last night. They both had chicken leg quarters again this AM for breakfast. Now, as I write this at 2:00 PM, I just picked up the most beautifully formed poops these dogs have ever left me! I know it seems strange to want to celebrate POOP, but I tell you, I am so happy! I debated taking photos and attaching them here, but thought it might not be as exciting to everyone here as it is to me.

:biggrin: :biggrin: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH :biggrin: :biggrin: for all the experience and advice and suggestions you share here with people like me. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the "perfect poops!" continue!!

MANY THANKS!


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## schtuffy

Poop is definitely worth celebrating! Yay poop! :biggrin:


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## magicre

once you go raw, poop is much of what's discussed...AND, over dinner, at breakfast...it is the hallmark of our joy....

i can see the big grin on your face....

you may have some diarrhea the first few weeks, but it will even out....

you can always take the skin off....and then add it back in...

congrats!!!


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## Animal Quackers

magicre said:


> once you go raw, poop is much of what's discussed...!


It's that way with us Registered Nurses, too. We do LOTS of talking about poop - color, frequency, consistency, smell...You get to the point where it is as common and mundane as talking about the weather! :wink:


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## magicre

Animal Quackers said:


> It's that way with us Registered Nurses, too. We do LOTS of talking about poop - color, frequency, consistency, smell...You get to the point where it is as common and mundane as talking about the weather! :wink:


i had a professor who, on grand rounds, would blindfold one of us...and ask us what we smelled...

he taught us to rely on our senses....and to especially examine excrement and secretions and oozings and all those goodies....that come out...

on raw, it's 85 -95...when honey goes for the morning walk....course, that might be it for the day....

but what better barometer than poo to tell me what to feed the next day LOL


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## RawFedDogs

magicre said:


> but what better barometer than poo to tell me what to feed the next day LOL


We were all fascinated with poop when we began raw feeding. Luckily this attraction diminishes with time. I rarely see my dogs poop anymore. Sometimes they poop in the yard and I see it but usually they do it in the woods and I never see it. It's really not a big deal anymore. :smile:


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## 3RingCircus

*White Teeth*

Today I picked up my prescriptions at the local pharmacy. One of the clerks had to come out and see Bailey. He had been making his high-pitched bark. Here's this 135 dog sounding like a little puppy barking. Bailey is a very sociable and friendly dog who just turned two. 

The first thing the clerk noticed was his teeth. She couldn't believe how white they were. I told her how they got so white. Raw feeding. She was impressed. What hooked her was the cost compared to kibble. The clerk was _very_ interested.

I told her to research raw feeding on the web.


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## DaneMama

I always tell people to come here :wink: 

Good for you with "converting" another person to raw LOL!


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## xxshaelxx

danemama08 said:


> I always tell people to come here :wink:


That's what I do. I refer Dedicated to proper carnivore nutrition - Prey Model Raw Feeding for Dogs & Cats and here. XDD They're the two places I learned everything I know! XD


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## Animal Quackers

RawFedDogs said:


> We were all fascinated with poop... It's really not a big deal anymore. :smile:


Oh, I don't know about that. I have birds, and have had them for YEARS, and I still know that monitoring their poop is _one_ of the best ways to monitor their health. I look at each bird's poop daily, still!


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## magicre

Animal Quackers said:


> Oh, I don't know about that. I have birds, and have had them for YEARS, and I still know that monitoring their poop is _one_ of the best ways to monitor their health. I look at each bird's poop daily, still!


and i can't change certain aspects of earlier medical training....poo is an essential diagnostic tool...


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## zipper123

*100% Raw, ok maybe sometimes dog biscuits*

We tried: Natural, Wellness and Kirkland. Always loose stools and often diarrhea, since Gus had it done in the park, we need to pick up and that is nasty. On top of that he walks really funny, maybe because he is a puppy. His front half is forward but the back half is sideways (well maybe 10% off).

Switched to raw chicken, bone and skin, uncooked.

he is more alert, walk and run with high energy, walk straight and solid stools.

We are so glad to feed him Raw.


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## magicre

zipper123 said:


> We tried: Natural, Wellness and Kirkland. Always loose stools and often diarrhea, since Gus had it done in the park, we need to pick up and that is nasty. On top of that he walks really funny, maybe because he is a puppy. His front half is forward but the back half is sideways (well maybe 10% off).
> 
> Switched to raw chicken, bone and skin, uncooked.
> 
> he is more alert, walk and run with high energy, walk straight and solid stools.
> 
> We are so glad to feed him Raw.


congratulations....man, those loose stools always occurred at the worst possible times...never did get them truly firm when we fed kibble or even home cooked....

how long ago did you switch him over?


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## k9capture_16

Before I head out I will type mine up.

Lincoln is a three year old Belgian Malinois. When he turned 1 year all these issues started. Over the course of the next 1.5 years he was itching like a maniac, slicing his skin open, scratching his ears, shaking his head constantly. On kibble even the best kibble he pooped 5-6 times a day and it was all soft. We had him tested for worms and everything in the book and all came back negative..even for mange and mites. He was on low doses of prednisone for months. It got so bad he couldnt hold in urine for more than 30 minutes and peed the Niagara River out every time he went outside. His teeth were gross and his breath. He had anal gland infections, his fur was thin, greasy, smelly and yeasty. Bald spots from where the hair fell out and moist spots from yeast. His ears were gross. In April he developed and ear hematoma from scratching his ear so much. After paying the $500 to fix that my vet wanted him on Science Diet Prescription. That is when I started researching, came across another forum (before I found this one) and posted my story there. They guided me into two types of raw..BARF (with veggies) and Prey Model. Since I believe dogs are primarily carnivores of choice and have no need for veggies to be anything other than the odd treat I read more on prey model. I leaped and started feeding it to him. He was also 10lbs overweight.

After a total of 5 months on raw, every thing has changed. His coat is nice, soft, not greasy or thin. Hes not shedding as bad. Teeth are great, breath is great. Poops twice a day and they are small and firm. No anal gland issues. Lost 10 lbs and is now a healthy 65lbs. He isnt itching anymore during off season etc. He still has seasonal allergies around this time of the year and the beginning of spring but not nearly as bad on raw now. He still gets the sniffles and sneezed with clear discharge but thats allergies. I would rather that then his scratch is brains out. Here are the pictures to prove what raw has done to him. My vet is against it, wont acknowledge the change (says its coincidence) but not one vet in my area is pro raw so I wont switch yet.


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## k9capture_16

Last two pics


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## deb9017

I switched my Great Dane, Ghosty to raw about 6 weeks ago. It has been so much easier than I anticipated. I did a lot of research before I did it, because I wanted to make sure it was right for me and that I would not switch to raw, dislike it, and switch back. He has done WONDERFULLY, and it has been really easy. He has had skin issues since I got him, and his coat was always really thin. But after just 6 weeks, it looks SO much better. The thin spots are filling in, and he is shiny and healthy looking. The biggest struggle for me has been finding reasonably priced stuff. I live in a small town and don't have a lot of resources. But I think it will get easier over time as I learn where to look!


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## chowder

I don't have any before and after pictures of Chelsy, but I have to talk about the difference in little Chelsy in only 7 days of eating raw chicken. She also has been eating Primal premade raw for 2 weeks prior but she refuses to eat that now that she has raw plain chicken....I put the two of them on the plate today for her mixed togther and she just stared at it. I ended up hand feeding her the raw chicken first and then sneaking the primal to her after the REAL chicken was gone! Once we've used up the Primal bag we won't buy it anymore.

Anyway, Chelsy has degerative disc disease in her back and severe colitis and skin allergies. She is 13 years old and was completely paralyzed at age 3. She had back surgery and had her disc's fused and recovered but in the last year had lost a lot of feeling in her back legs and was knuckling under significantly. She no longer could do steps, fell over backwards when she tried, and would fall over just trying to pee. She spent most of her days sleeping and we would carry her outside where she would just sit in one spot. We were actually looking at doggie wheelchairs for her and had her on daily Rimadyl. The vets has said she might have Cushings because of her hair loss, and inflamed red skin, and she'd have severe bloody diarhhea if she ate the wrong thing. The poor little dog was a mess. 

Fast forward after 7 days of raw chicken and amost 3 weeks total of raw food combined. Last night she RAN across the back yard after our last evening trip out!! Yesterday afternoon I was working in the yard and instead of sitting on the deck, she followed me all over the yard, sniffing like a dog and checking things out. She hops up and down the deck stairs, follows me all over the house from room to room all day long, squats like a dog to go to the bathroom, and sleeps like a rock at night. She also really loves her breakfast and dinner now! Her hair has grown back on her tail for the first time in over a year and my husband has even commented on how active the dog has suddenly become. He has become a complete convert to the diet after being a skeptic at first. 

Just wanted to post this for anyone who is hesitant about changing an older dog. Chelsy is 13 years and 7 months old and has very few teeth and a severe jaw malformation so right now we are grinding her food. We are going to make the pieces bigger and bigger as she builds up her jaw muscles. If she can switch at her age and with her problems and have such a drastic improvement so quickly, then any dog can. I never thought this would happen but she is living proof of a dramatic change that diet can make. If I can, I will post a video of her running across the yard.


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## DaneMama

Chowder...I'm truly moved by your story. Thank you for sharing!!!! It makes me so happy to know that she has a new lease on life!!!

I'd be really interested in knowing your vets reaction to her condition and WHY she's doing so much better. Maybe plant a hidden camera and get it on tape! I want to see the look of amazement on their face!!!

I think it's stories like this one (and many more on here) about dogs "coming back to life" when switched to a real diet that will eventually change the views in the dog world we know today. Even if it takes 50 years I won't stop spreading the word and supporting the raw movement!!!!


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## magicre

oh, chowder...i'm grinning from ear to ear....you must be so happy to see chelsy behave so...

i know it was a huge step for you to take and it was very courageous.....no matter what happens now.....you will have improved her life and made an old girl happy...not me, the dog LOL


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## chowder

danemama08 said:


> Chowder...I'm truly moved by your story. Thank you for sharing!!!! It makes me so happy to know that she has a new lease on life!!!
> 
> I'd be really interested in knowing your vets reaction to her condition and WHY she's doing so much better. Maybe plant a hidden camera and get it on tape! I want to see the look of amazement on their face!!!
> 
> I think it's stories like this one (and many more on here) about dogs "coming back to life" when switched to a real diet that will eventually change the views in the dog world we know today. Even if it takes 50 years I won't stop spreading the word and supporting the raw movement!!!!


I have been reading your website constantly and doing so much research that I literally have to put my computer down at night because I can't see any more. (Chelsy and I share the same eye problems!). I really appreciate all the information and time that everyone on the site devotes to educating everyone who asks. I know Rocky and Chelsy appreciate it! Rocky was going to town on his beef rib last night and when he had eaten half of it, he finally got tired and just rolled around on top of it with a big old grin on his face and his feet in the air! He never did that with a bully stick!


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## whiteleo

What a truly heartfelt story, the more people read about changes like these the more apt they are to switch, so thank you for posting your story.


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## DaneMama

I'm glad the website and this forum have been so helpful!!!

Does anyone who's posted a success story mind if we use it for our website as well?


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## deb9017

I don't mind. Heck, at this point I am so happy that Ghosty could be the poster dog for RAW!!


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## DaneMama

Deb, do you have before and after shots of Ghosty? We'd love to post those!!!


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## deb9017

Yes, I am pretty sure I do. Let me do a little digging!!


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## chowder

I gave Chelsy a bath tonight and tomorrow I will try and get a little video of her running around posted ( I wanted her to look good in the video :biggrin . She actually ran up to Rocky and nipped him on the nose tonight and started to play with him. She was acting so goofy and running all over the family room and doing this little 'dance' she does when she wants attention. Rocky was in shock and did a big jumping play bow at her and poked her a few times. It's the funniest thing to see all of a sudden, like I have a new dog in the house. You'd think the dog was on drugs when actually she hasn't had a Rimadyl in over a week. That alone is going to save me big money!


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## magicre

danemama08 said:


> I'm glad the website and this forum have been so helpful!!!
> 
> Does anyone who's posted a success story mind if we use it for our website as well?


if it helps convert someone to raw, use away with my blessing.


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## lozzibear

i am new here, but i thought i would add my success story too... hope thats ok.

My boy, Jake, was a happy healthy pup until he reached the age of 7 months. then, back in November 2009, he started to lose the fur around his eyes, and he developed a really bad ear infection. he was given ear drops which helped, but his eyes just got worse. he lost more fur, and started losing it around his muzzle too. he also developed sores around his eyes and muzzle, that would bleed and cause him loads of pain. this was what his eyes looked like...


















we spent 6 months going back and forth to the vets, achieving nothing. the vet was adamant it was a mite of some sort, but even after using stronghold it was still here! so she eventually admitted it was an allergy (i said thats what i thought it was back in November!). he went on an elimination diet, and we soon discovered he is allergic to wheat and grain. he was put on a hypoallergenic food, but i didnt want him to be on that one kind of food for the rest of his life, so i researched feeding him raw (i did back in December but it seemed so daunting so i didnt take the plunge). it seemed so great, so i decided to just go for it. and boy am i glad it did! he is doing great, his teeth are amazing, his coat is shiny and people are always commenting on how great he looks... and the best bit? this is how his eyes now look... 









he couldnt be happier with his diet, and gets excited when its dinner time (something he never did when he was on dry food)! and i love the benefits! i also thought it would be really expensive, but it isnt at all! 

so we are happy raw feeders :biggrin:


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## DaneMama

I'm so glad to hear that Jake is doing so much better! Thanks for sharing your story!!!!


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## lozzibear

thanks :smile: its great to see my boy free from pain, and looking so happy! i love raw feeding now, and im not planning on going back to kibble any time in the future.


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## magicre

now, THAT is a success story.....i'm so glad for both of you....he looks gaw-jus....


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## MollyWoppy

Gosh his eyes looked terrible, poor pup! Man that must have been so painful for him. You must have been beside yourself not being able to help him. Thank goodness you had the brains to do the research and find the cure.


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## lozzibear

danemama08 said:


> Does anyone who's posted a success story mind if we use it for our website as well?


you can use Jakes if you want :smile:


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## chickadee

do any of you include any raw vegies or fruit with the raw meat? also do you feed your dogs chicken?


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## jdatwood

No veggies here. You can look to a dogs mouth and digestive tract and see that they simply cannot digest vegetables without some sort of "processing"

If we feed our dogs carrots as a treat they poop out carrots the next day. Dogs simply cannot digest veggies in their natural state

We feed lots of chicken.


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## magicre

chickadee said:


> do any of you include any raw vegies or fruit with the raw meat? also do you feed your dogs chicken?


i don't include fruits and veggies. in my opinion, they are not useful to a dog who is a carnivore....

they are indigestible, unless pre masticated (food processed) or cooked, and they contribute sugar to a dog's diet which is harmful for their teeth and the balancing act of their digestive pH and flora.

my 2c

i do use chicken, mostly for the bones.


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## RawFedDogs

My dogs haven't eaten any fruits or veggies in over 8 years.


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## NatureLover

I only have the "after" part of my dog's story because I've been feeding him raw since I rescued him in February of 1994 at 1 year of age. Here's a video of him fetching at age 17 that I shot a couple months ago:
Coco the Amazing 17 year old raw fed dog - NaturalNews.tv

Btw he is not prey model fed. Not BARF either, but a simplified combination of the two that incudes other foods besides meat and specifically excludes foods often fed by BARF feeders, like veggies. Veggies are too cellulose dense for dogs to digest. However, the same cannot be said about fruit. It was found in one wolf study that their consumption of prey dropped by 25% when fruit is seasonally available. That's a lot when you consider how dilute fruit is compared to prey foods. My parents camp out in coyote territory where they find coyote poop full of grape seeds from the nearby vineyards in the Fall. 

Fruit reduces the cost of raw feeding for owners and also reduces the dog's digestive load by decreasing consumption of the harmful by-products of domestic animal agriculture. It enables effortless weight management and accelerates recovery from degenerative illness as well. Most dogs love fruit and will eat it willingly, without disguising it or combining it with other foods.


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## DaneMama

I visited and volunteered at an elephant sactuary in Thailand a few years ago and the huge pack of surrendered dogs there ate primarily fruit. Mainly the banana and papaya leftovers that would fall from feeding the elephants. From my recollection of my stay there the dogs were not in the best of shape. Whether that was due to poor nutrition or health care or just general stress who's to say for sure!


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## magicre

NatureLover said:


> Coco the Amazing 17 year old raw fed dog - NaturalNews.tv
> 
> It was found in one wolf study that their consumption of prey dropped by 25% when fruit is seasonally available.
> 
> Fruit reduces the cost of raw feeding for owners and also reduces the dog's digestive load by decreasing consumption of the harmful by-products of domestic animal agriculture. It enables effortless weight management and accelerates recovery from degenerative illness as well. Most dogs love fruit and will eat it willingly, without disguising it or combining it with other foods.


that's a wonderful video....thanks for sharing...could you also share the source of that study?


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## NatureLover

*here ya go...*

Foraging and Feeding Ecology of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus): Lessons from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA -- Stahler et al. 136 (7): 1923S -- Journal of Nutrition


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## NatureLover

Natalie,
Thanks for sharing that. Dogs can probably subsist healthfully on a diet of only fruit for much longer than we would think (just as they can go extended periods with no food at all), but not forever, since fruit is not their primary food. So if it continues indefinitely one may expect to see some degradation in their overall state of health at some point. That's not to say that fruit doesn't offer great benefits when it is part of a diet that also includes sufficient animal protein. I even hear anecdotes about vegan dogs that are persuasive, but the owners don't usually feed only fruits and veggies, they supplement the diet with high protein foods like cooked beans and legumes.


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## John Rambo

Awsome info on fruit if I ever decide to go RAW> I must admit, the more I hang out in the RAW sections of these forums, the more I get tempted.....


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## DaneMama

John Rambo said:


> Awsome info on fruit if I ever decide to go RAW> I must admit, the more I hang out in the RAW sections of these forums, the more I get tempted.....


Time is all it typically takes for the logic to sink in :wink:

Definitely let us know if you have any questions or doubts about it and we will do our best at clearing things up!


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## Lauryn2000

Interesting info on fruits...since we have a pear tree in the backyard,this past summer it was fight between "Max" and the squirrels for the pears that fell off the tree.

He'd eat them.....all the dogs that we've owned,never saw one eat a pear....


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## Tarielle

This is Abbey's story.
I first noticed that things weren't quite right with Abbey (Abs for short) when she was about a year old. She had been on normal puppy food until I changed her over to dried adult food and with it came endless bouts of sickness and diarrhea and her first seasonal allergy outbreak.

I took her to the vet and Abs was given a course of cortisone injections and I got some cortisone cream to use on her as well. As for the sickness, the vet said it was nothing serious and that I should change the brand of food I was feeding. Back then, I can't even remember what it was. All I can remember is that I bought it from the supermarket so it was probably Pal or My Dog or something like that.

Over the next couple of years Abs was always sick on and off. I can't even remember when she had normal poops, except when she was a baby pup and even then puppy poos is nothing to write home about.

She was in and out of the vets so many times. She moped around the house, wouldn't eat and sometimes she got so sick she would stop drinking too so off to the vet she would go and they put her on a drip so she wouldn't get too dehydrated. That was loads of fun.

When she was 3 going on 4 she was still sick and had many times where she had slimy, bloody poops and I had no idea why. She went off her food many times too.

2 years ago my sis and I started doing puppy raising for Guide Dogs so along came a beautiful little labrador pup to raise for a year. Her name is Patsie. She didn't pass as a guide dog so my sis bought her and she is now a permanent member of our doggie family.
About 6 months after having Patsie, she came back from a stint at the Guide Dog kennels with a not so healthy dose of giardia. Guess who picked that up straight away. Yep, little Abbey.
She was so sick I can't even begin to describe how bad it was. At one point I got really scared that I would lose her with her immune system already being so bad. She was at the vet for a week on and off a drip. She barely ate, she lost alot of weight and I nearly had a fight with the vet because they didn't think she had giardia at all. She had every test under the sun done and still they couldn't pick it up, saying that if it was giardia then it was a hit and miss to test for.

Well, finally Abs got a dose of antibiotics and she eventually came good but she was not right even when I got her home again. It took her a long time to get over that and put some weight back on again.

She went back to the vet not long after because of the bloody stools and throwing up and the vet put her on a prescription diet which helped a little bit but it was only short term. I think I bought every possible "high quality" dry food on the market but nothing made a difference.

In the last year I have been cooking for Abbey and my other dog. The throwing up mostly stopped but the yucky poos did not.

It has been 2 months now that Abs has been eating raw food. She had her first very normal looking poop almost immediately after the change over. I was overjoyed to say the least. I couldn't believe that I wasn't scraping it off the grass. I think I told everybody that would listen, lol.

The holistic vet I saw said that Abbey's stomach and intestines would have to be repaired and that she probably even had some small ulcers in there somewhere. She is on supplements to put the good flora back in and so far so good with that.

We still have the bad skin issues and allergies to clear up so hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later and after reading so many stories of other peoples dogs here I have some real hope and encouragement that we will get there no matter what.

I honestly can't believe that in Abbey's 5 year of her life she has been nothing but a sickly little dog. The fact that the vet never once mentioned that she might have a food allergy really makes my blood boil. At least now, I can give Abs a shot at being healthy and well. I only wish I had heard about raw feeding years ago. We are well and truly making up for lost time.

I thought I would attach a pic of how small Abs was when she was a pup. The pic was taken on the day I brought her home. I always smile when I look at this pic. She was so tiny.


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## Muck

My dog Coal had the worst gas on earth. He would fart outside and we would have to go inside. I liked the idea of RAW and was pretty convinced it was amazing so I started the switch. I dont know when it stopped but one day I relized I wasnt gagging everytime he stood up and looked out the window. 

There poop is also so small. I went out to clean up the yard and thought the neighbors mini pin must have excaped into our yard to pooped but it turns out it was from my 30lb dog and 65lb dog. Coal will even run around our yard now when before he was so scared of stepping in poop since its so easy to keep cleaned up. 

They went from TOTW to RAW without a hitch. 

'Im so shiney I cant open my eyes!'


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## Shamrockmommy

Here's mine.
I got Echo, my PWD (improperly coated, so similar to a border collie's coat) at 5 months. She was eating Nature's Balance food at the time. 
I was feeding my bichon girls The Honest Kitchen, which they do pretty well on. I switched Echo slowly over to THK, in the meantime, she had HUGE cow plops that stunk terribly. Scooping the yard of this muck was nauseating and I dry heaved a few times in the process.

I switched her to a barf style diet and she is doing much better. I tried her on PMR but she will then go out in the yard and graze and graze and graze on grass, pulling up and eating the roots as well. She would spend most of the day ripping up the lawn munchng away. Anyway, 30% of her daily food is pureed veggies and fruit and she does not graze. 

First thing was the struggle with soft poo stopped and her stools were firm and small. Next, her coat shed out and it is now so shiny and silky. All changes for the better. Also when we first got her, she already had brown plaque on her teeth (only 5 months old!). All the plaque is gone and she has wonderful white teeth and fresh breath.

It took me a while to really commit to feeding a natural diet, but now there's no looking back!


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## mike594

*Success Long live raw, oops oxymoron*

Hello all just wanted to share my story with you all. I have a male reverse brindle Boxer named Rosco. My wife kids and me looked for months to find a breeder that had a puppy left. Good breeders sell quick. So we finaley find one. Now starts the 8 weeks of prep. I read three books, research online for the best food out there, not realizing its all a hoax. So eight weeks go buy we are ready for the baby its no longer a puppy, to come home. We make the 4 hour round trip to pick him up, went of without a hitch. took him to vet to be checked all was good. We slowly start to switch to the best food (yea right) out ther. We took our time with the switch almost month, couple of kibbles at a time. Over kill, but the baby was worth it. Switch was made, he never really had a solid poop from day one. Then the shots started from the vet. The heart pills, the flee stuff poor baby was bombbarded with stuff. From that day on diareah!! Trainer said might be the food. Put him on better food yea right. Keep in mind I wanted to do raw from the start. My wife did not want to do it.Went back to the Vet, meds 10 days. Did not work poop still soft. Went to another Vet who is friend of friend, nice guy, but I ask about raw he said its not safe. So we try more meds 10 more days to no avail. Poop still bad even a little worse at this point. I asked my trainer what he thought about raw . He said its good but alot of work. That was so far from the truth. So months later and now much more educated I take the plung into the raw world. December 4th was the start date. Within on day of feeding chicken backs my boys poop started getting firm. Next day more chicken backs (oops left organs in slight hick up on my part) Little soft not to bad though. Third and fourth day he is pooping like a champ. Yahooo!!!!. Today is the fifth day going to give him a quarter chicken and the rest as they say is hitory.
My new motto is if it aint raw show it the door. 
Thanks to all on this site.


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## 300roses

I have been battling my dog's demodectic mange for over a year. Her hair fell out, leaving a big bald patch on her body. She was on kibbles, then later I switched her to homecooked. I also put her on supplement after supplement to help with her condition. But nothing helped, her bald patch remained with no signs of hair growth. My vet was even telling me that her hair follicles were dead and he did not think any hair was going to grow back. 

Then finally during the last visit, he advised me to put her on a raw diet and see if it can help. Even before his advice, I have already been reading up on raw and its many benefits, but couldnt quite get started cos I'm concerned about the handling of raw meat, the choking of bones etc etc. But after my vet advised me to go raw, I decided I must overcome all my psychological barriers and start her on raw. 

So I went raw and so glad I did. When she was 2 months into raw, to my delight, her hair started to grow back where it had been totally bald. Then after 2 more months on raw, her hair has all grown back. After 4 months of being on raw, her bald patch is gone. To me, this is really amazing. 

Recently, I took her to the vet for a review and a blood test. He was pleased to see that her hair had grown back and commented that she was looking good. Her blood test results were good too. He advised me to continue her on raw. 

Now she is on raw for over 5 months. For me, it is most definitely raw all the way too and no turning back.


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## magicre

these success stories need to be published in a book....and sold....that way, the rest of us can carry the book around and show people the anecdotal evidence....

it occurs to me, all these people asking for scientific proof....isn't the proof in the dog?


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## RawFedDogs

magicre said:


> it occurs to me, all these people asking for scientific proof....isn't the proof in the dog?


What bothers the hell out of me is why no one asks for scientific proof about the doom nuggets they so confidently feed their dogs.


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## sheila-and billy

Hoping for a success story, but getting some results already. We switched our American Bullies about a month ago to full raw. We fed 50:50 raw kibble the month before, thinking we had to ween them off. Or female has suffered with allergies since she was about 1 year old, so about 3 years now. Ears with nasty odor, and brown crud in them, countless visits to the vet, vet dermatologist. Allergy shots, antibiotics, ear creams, lotions etc.....you get the picture. They told us she was allergic to grass!!! A dog allergic to grass, why my dog!! Then they said she might be allergic to to something in her kibble, so the dermatologist recommended rabbit or kangaroo kibble!! i was like what the hell?!?! So we put them on high end grain free kibble, and saw little improvement in her. So after much research I bumped into Raw diet feeding Q & A's and then this forum. I read probably every thread on this forum before joining. Then I decided what the hell, might as well try it, nothing to lose, and can always go back to kibble. The main reason I decided to switch, was because it just made sense to me. So I looked at their teeth, got a baseline on the tartar on there, did some non-scientific petting test to see how much shedding per stroke, and just looked at their over all build. So a month into nothing but raw I must say we have seen several improvements, all though I don't think we can say success just yet. Our male, he is shedding less, he looks a lot leaner and the tartar on his back teeth is almost completly gone!!! He is a success but he really had minor issues before the switch. His coat looks a bit shinier too. Can't wait to up his fat intake and see what that does to his coat! 

Now for our female Sheila, after swithcing to raw, the first thing we noticed was her new found enthusiasm for feeding time!! LIke a new dog, but can't blame her for getting bored of kibble. We would put it down, and she would take a few minutes to start eating, sometimes would eat half, sometimes not at all. Just depended on what mood she was in. Since going raw, needles to say the food don't last long, and she protests when her bowl is empty by flipping it around. Her ears while still an issue have gotten better. My wife says differently, but this is how I see it. Before her ears where full of nasty brown crud constantly, smelled bad and were always being scratched and irritated. She was good and scratching MUCH less for the past 3 weeks, and then over the last 2 days she had a flare up of the ears. Relentless scratching, red angry ears, wife freaking out "maybe the diet is not working" I looked at her ears, and while yes swollen,dry and red as usual I noticed THERE WAS NO BROWN CRUD AT ALL!!!!! I told my wife, that while the diet might not cure the symptoms, I am happy if it reduces them. Granted we stopped the allergy shots and antibiotics a month ago too. I did not want anything affecting the raw food. I wanted the raw food to speak for itself. Not second guess "oh maybe the shots are finally working" or "maybe the antibiotics have kicked in" Another improvement I have noticed is her paws. She is licking them alot less, and before the switch she had small sores/abcess between her toes, and they all seem to have dried up. Hair is growing on several areas on her feet she licked to death. So while not a success just yet, I feel she is DEFINETLY moving in the right direction. And hell, even if the allergies stay, the raw food stays because she seems SOOOOOO much happier eating!!! Hopefully in a few months I can post her story a success, but only time will tell.


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## mischiefgrrl

I thought I would share a friend's success story after I recommended raw for her cat. Her kitty has been going through chemo and has held on for 16 months after she ignored the death sentence from the vet. She started feeding him chicken wings, salmon and livers about a month ago after talking to me and took him in for a checkup and to get his paws cleaned. She was afraid to weigh him because he was at 5 lbs the last time he was weighed and had made the decision if he dropped to 3 lbs the best thing would be to put him down. Oscar GAINED 2 lbs and is now up to 7!!!

She was so happy on the way back from the vet she called me to share the news. She said he looked up at her as if to say "Don't give up on me, it's not my time!" 

Now if only I could get my cats to eat raw... still trying.


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## illuzionb18c1

My GSD was having bad stomach problems and had diarrhea. He had been on the same lamb based kibble for over a year. So I didn't think that was the problem. I later decided to change to another kibble that was chicken based. No luck. I brought him to the vet where they did a poop sample and gave him anti-diarrhea pills. They told me if that didn't work that I would have to come back and do some blood work. Well, it didn't work. I did some research and found this forum and never turned back. Poops were looking perfect within 2 days. To even think that the vet didn't first recommend a food change surprises me now that I think about it. They went straight to pills instead.

My wifes Pom always had this brownish-black stinky stuff in his ears. Coincidently that was also his lazy ear so we just thought not enough air was getting in to dry it out. We purchased all sorts of ear medication and cleaned it religiously. Well, when I made the switch to RAW for my GSD we did the same for the Pom and BAM, all the nasty ear stuff went away. 

Thanks again to all the helpful people on this forum that helped with all of my questions.:thumb:


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## tracydr

My chihuahua was in liver failure two years ago and the vet recommended a homemade diet, which I did. He fully recovered and I went back to a grain free kibble. This winter, he started losing a little weight ( he's never been overweight at all) and the weirdest thing, his back would crack when you picked him up. I was sure he had cancer or something. He also started having accidents in the house again,Including a night of diarrhea. He did this when he was in liver failure, too.
Anyway, he's older and I wondered if he just wasn't able to use his kibble anymore. So, I quickly switched him to a raw diet. His symptoms all went away, almost overnight! Even the strange back cracking! He's gotten spunkier and acts like a young dog again. He's also put on weight, which is a good thing for him as he was getting underweight. 
My papillon puppy, around the same time, started to drag poop of all kinds, into the house and eat it. Cat poop and horse poop were her favorites. I decided to switch her to raw as well and the poop eating stopped immediately.
I was feeding my Doberman a few ounces of raw at the little dog's mealtime but its a lot bigger commitment to feed an 80 lb dog raw than two 6-8 lb dogs. After three months, I've seen so much improvement on the little ones. The Doberman has always acted like she's starving on her kibble, probably because to keep her weight normal, she is starving. So finally, this week I took the plunge and she went cold turkey ( literally, lol) over to raw. She seems calmer and happier, probably because she's not starving and gets to eat more than a juice cup size glass of kibble twice a day. In 5 days I've noticed the fat pad on her chest is already decreasing and I haven't given her incontinence pill for about three days without any dribbling!


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## martye

We're just over one month into raw feeding. When we got our weim I did all the requisite research,
knew about the breed and also started reading about different foods. I was a constant browser of
any site rating dog food. We settled on Blue Buffalo large breed puppy, it had good reviews and was
available locally. Mouse (the weim) had room clearing gas, I mean absolutely foul, the air has gotten
darker kind of gas in huge quantities. Okay time for a switch in food. 
Went to Wellness large breed puppy,gas issue was better but poop consistency was worse. Picking up after him was nasty to say the least,and he always managed to poop in the worst possible places (outside the trainers, outside the vets. . .or on someones lawn during walks). About the same time Mouse started gnawing on his feet, whining and doing some serious flea chasing type biting on himself. He also developed a 2 inch raised patch on his stomach which the vet thought might be mange, the test for that was negative. In a panic due to his suffering 5 to 10 minutes after feeding I told my wife I wanted to try a raw diet. We started with Bravo chicken patties in the morning, quartered chicken for his noon and evening meals. 
The results were amazing. His gnawing and itching disappeared with the exception of the one time
he got 'Enhanced' chicken gizzards. The raised patch? gone in 2 weeks. The Vet, who had prescribed
anti-mange meds (just in case) and steroid cream, asked what changed. I mentioned switching to raw and her response was "maybe there is something about raw feeding, I'll have to look into that". 
Gas? what gas? if Mouse has gas we sure don't know it.
Oh and poop? there is one problem with that, yard cleanup is a snap but sometimes it's difficult to
find his poops in the grass since they're so small and compact.
Although I hadn't registered I did get a lot of information from this forum (okay I was
one of those 'guests'), and for that I'd like to say thanks from Mouse and me.

Marty


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## rannmiller

About two years ago, my mom's friend, Tammy (who had always been a Kibbles n'Bits kinda feeder), asked me about the raw food thing, I explained it to her nonchalantly not thinking for even a second that she was seriously interested, just sort of telling her why I do it, why it's good, and answering her questions about bones, balance, etc. I didn't really give it much thought after that. Months later, I was talking to my mom and she mentioned that Tammy had been feeding her dogs raw since I had talked to her about it! Now she has been feeding them raw for almost two years, just had some bloodwork done on her 12 year old JRT and the vet said it is absolutely perfect! Not only that, but she has gotten her whole family to switch their dogs to raw and she educates many of her patients (she's a dental hygienist) about raw as well!


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## chowder

*The Transformation of a Problem Dog thru Diet*


We have had Shade since October. He had been raised in someone backyard for the first 4 years of his life, eating who knows what, then spent a few months in my son's apartment before he arrived to me. His back legs were completely bowed (we think from bad diet as a backyard dog), he was hyper, totally untrained, pee'd everywhere, and was somewhat aggressive towards other dogs. He would steal ANYTHING off kitchen counters and eat it, ate socks, chewed furniture, and you couldn't leave him alone for a second or he'd eat something. He'd howled in his crate like you were killing him. But he was still very sweet and had these HUGE brown eyes that just begged you to love him.

I started him on partial raw food as soon as we got him in October. He ate raw in the morning and kibble at night. He is now eating almost all raw. He gets a half cup of kibble at night because we still have some left. The minute I say "breakfast" or "dinner" he goes absolutely bonkers. 

In the 6 months we've had him, his back legs have straightened up considerably, he is much calmer (although still very active), he can pay attention to me and he learns new behaviors pretty easily....I can even get him to stop trying to chase a cat on a walk and sit and 'watch Mama'. We can leave food on the counter and he totally ignores it now. He hasn't chewed anything up in months, and I can even leave a bag full of trash in the kitchen and he doesn't touch it. 

And most of all, he has bonded incredibly to me. He INSISTS on laying all 80 pounds on the couch next to me at night, with his head on my chest, staring up into my face until he falls asleep. I figure he thinks I'm the one that gives him all the yummy food so he'd better make sure I know he appreciates it! 

So, anyone who thinks that a dog will be fine on Ol' Roy, just has to look at the transformation of Shadey. From a bowlegged, hyperactive, aggressive yard dog to a well behaved, straight legged, loving house dog in only 6 months. I have to give a lot of the credit to his diet now. Of course, I've gotten him a little pudgy, but he LOVES his food so much that I give in and give him extra :becky:


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## magicre

that is a true success story. take the little bit of kibble that you have left over and feed the starving squirrels : )


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## chowder

magicre said:


> that is a true success story. take the little bit of kibble that you have left over and feed the starving squirrels : )


The squirrels will have to do without for now :smile: As an unemployed, full time student, the guilt over giving a half bag of EVO to the squirrels would just overwhelm me !! Of course, I could look at it as fattening up the squirrels for the dogs to catch and eat!! (Shadey really really really tries to catch those squirrels and has come awfully close :biggrin


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## magicre

chowder said:


> The squirrels will have to do without for now :smile: As an unemployed, full time student, the guilt over giving a half bag of EVO to the squirrels would just overwhelm me !! Of course, I could look at it as fattening up the squirrels for the dogs to catch and eat!! (Shadey really really really tries to catch those squirrels and has come awfully close :biggrin


see, and if you feed the squirrels the rest of the evo, shadey will catch the squirrel and have a combination raw AND kibble meal LOL


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## SerenityFL

I sit here, eating my dinner and watching my beloved felion, Serenity, (hence the s/n), as she plays and runs and climbs. And I thank those who talk about raw, share their stories and advice and for the patience with someone who was a bit fearful when getting started.

See, I got her when she was 6 mos old. She has been through so much with me, has traveled from Seattle to Miami with stops along the way, been through heartbreaks with me, been through down times, up times, good times, happy times....she is, really, my best bud. If I start to get too upset about something, she talks to me and comforts me. If something goes really well, she celebrates with me.

When I broke my ankle in 2004 and had to have surgery to put in pins and a metal plate, she did not leave my side the entire six weeks I was laid up.

I absolutely adore everything about this cat, every last little piece of fur on her head, everything. I will be an inconsolable mess when she passes.

Serenity has always been active. She's been extremely active. Until last January. That's when she started to slow down. As the months went by, it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to jump, climb and she appeared to have no interest in running around. 

She went from being a hyper active cat to a couch potato and though she had companions to play with, she was getting grumpy, too. This is not Serenity. She loves everything, every animal and every body. She's the one who used to lie down on top of my bed, allow my little rat to climb in between her outstretched paws and she would groom my rat, lovingly. She's the one who used to take turns tearing around the house, chasing my dog Pandora, that I had in Seattle. Pandora would chase her, she would chase Pandora. Have you ever watched a little, tiny white cat chase a 75 lb rott/german shepard/lab mix around? You haven't lived until you've seen that.

As I said, she's moved with me clear across the country. She's gone through everything with me for the last 12 years and she does not complain. She takes everything in stride and enjoys the ride through life.

So when I saw her, lying around, doing nothing, all day, every day, when I saw her, struggling, hard, to pull herself up on the bed to be near me, I started to get nervous. It was the first time I had seen any signs of aging in her. It got to the point that she couldn't get herself up on the bed, at all. She would sit, at the side of the bed and meow, meow, meow to be let up. Then she would meow to be let down. 

Her independence was fading and she wasn't happy about it at all. She started to take it out on the other cats. She even took it out on the new puppy hoodlums I found. Serenity LOVES dogs...so that's when I knew, I have got to find something, a solution, anything, to take away her pain and make her better again.

That's how I found myself on the internet, scouring around, looking for an answer, a remedy, a little extra time. And that's how I found raw. 

I started all of the pets on raw in mid-September, bashing myself for not getting it sooner, wondering how much damage I had done to my dear little friend and hoping that it would perform what I considered to be a miracle, at the time.

Almost 7 months later I can finally add my story here.

I sit here, looking at my beloved friend as she plays, runs and climbs. 

She no longer needs her pet stairs to get up on the bed. She tears around the house, like she used to. She throws herself at the dogs and begs them to mess with her. She chases the other cats. She's happy, purring and friendly again. Her independence is back and when I pick her up, she no longer cries in pain.

Granted, she doesn't do it the same as she did when she was a wee little lass, but it's a huge improvement to how she was a year ago at this time, before raw.

I look at her, with her little kitty smile, her shiny, delighted eyes, her mischievous little tail twitching as she climbs up the cat tree and I think, "Thank God for all of those people who talk about raw, share their stories and offer advice. My little friend, my little heart, is back."

With every last fiber of my being I thank all of you who helped me along the way with learning about raw. How you told me to transition the dogs, I did with the cats. I learned how much to give them from some other websites but I learned most everything I know, from this forum. I thank you totally and completely, from the depths of my soul, for making my best friend, Serenity, feel better and be better. You truly have no idea how much it means to me.

Edit: I forgot to add, she used to get ear mites all the time...since raw? NO ear mites. No more need for the medicine, no more drama with any of it. They are simply gone.

Here is a photo...taken before I got my new camera but at about 1 month on raw.


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## mischiefgrrl

I'm going to cross post from the pictures category HERE is our success story!


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## lmgakg

I have been raw feeding my two dogs and my cat now for 6 months. We love it!!!! It was a VERY hard switch, as I'm vegan and a member of PETA and don't believe animals are food. However....after lots of questions and research, I decided that it's the circle of life and while animals don't proivde me any beneficial health needs, that is the only way my dogs/cat should be fed. All of the allergy issues have gone away. I recently took my dogs to the vet, he is not a raw feeder and doesn't pormote it. He doesn't knock it either, but I waited until after the exam on my 1.5 y/o Rott and 10 y/o Maltese to say, so I decided to feed raw.... so that his opinion wouldn't be swayed by that information. He started by asking if I had my Maltese's teeth professional cleaned because they looked amazing. I said, nope, in fact, I haven't even tried brushing them since he was a year old. Then he said his muscle tone was great and asked if they dogs played together a lot. I said, nope...he doesn't really like the puppy. He commented that my Rott's coat was very shiny and he looked great as well. Soooo, I finally let him in on my secret. He said, wow, well, I don't know a whole lot about it, but whatever you doing is working like a charm and you should keep it up if you are happy because Jivago (Maltese) appears to be half his age and that is very uncommon in a small toy dog. They typically have broken teeth as well. 

I must say, I walked out of there feeling pretty tall!!!!!  Thanks to everyone here who is so wonderful and helpful!!!


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## magicre

to have the belief system you have firmly in place....and to still feed your dogs a raw diet.....well, i applaud you....that took a giant leap for you.....

i think somewhere it should be noted that you were able to separate what is best for you and what is best for your dogs....

i am in awe.....for real.


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## lucky

Such nice stories :biggrin1:

Here is ours ...

I got lucky when she was 8 weeks old, when I picked her up from the breeder I was given a bag of IAMS and was instructed by the breeder that this is what I should feed lucky ... I knew that I didn't want to keep her on IAMS so gradually changed her food to JWB, she ate this fine for a while but started to get bored of it, some days she wouldn't even touch it. This is when I started reading up on alternative diets, I did not want my dog to be miserable where her food was concerned because she was miserable on kibble. Came across BARF but didn't really like the idea of all the veg, when I found info on PMR I knew it was the right diet for her, if I am honest I was a bit worried about getting the balance right and whether or not she would eat organ meat but thought it was definately worth a go :happy:

Turned out to be the best decision ever 
She loved it from day 1 .. the only organ meat she isn't keen on is kidney but I found that she will eat it frozen .. I don't worry about the balance anymore, just go by the way her poop looks and try to vary the meat as often as I affordably can

She is absolutely thriving on this diet, her coat and eyes are amazing. Her shedding has drastically decreased, her eyes are always clean and shiny, her teeth are great .. basically everything has improved significantly :biggrin1:

I had her spayed about 8 weeks ago, the scar is barely visible now, she healed up quickly without any redness and barely any swelling ... I believe that this was due to her excellent body condition because of her diet 

I get some off comments but I don't care, she is my dog and I know that this diet is the best for her so this is the diet she will have for the rest of her life, if I ever have another dog then he/she will be fed PMR from the day they are brought home :biggrin:


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## lmgakg

magicre said:


> to have the belief system you have firmly in place....and to still feed your dogs a raw diet.....well, i applaud you....that took a giant leap for you.....
> 
> i think somewhere it should be noted that you were able to separate what is best for you and what is best for your dogs....
> 
> i am in awe.....for real.


You were a HUGE help in making that decision and I thank you so much...my babies are doing awesome and I'd never go back.


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## lmgakg

lucky said:


> Such nice stories :biggrin1:
> 
> I had her spayed about 8 weeks ago, the scar is barely visible now, she healed up quickly without any redness and barely any swelling ... I believe that this was due to her excellent body condition because of her diet
> 
> :biggrin:


Ya know, I hadn't really paid attention, I recently had Raja fixed and declined the cone, but he didn't seem bothered by his incision and it healed up really quick. In fact, he attempted playing that night, however the anesthesia wouldn't let him, haha, his legs were just too heavy for him!! But definitely by the next day, he was up and running around. I thought for sure he was going to open the incision, but he didn't. I never made the connection between his healing time and his overall health being he is raw-fed, but it certainly makes sense!!!! Thanks for pointing out yet another reason why "PMR just makes sense"....


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## magicre

lmgakg said:


> You were a HUGE help in making that decision and I thank you so much...my babies are doing awesome and I'd never go back.


aw, gee, whiz, thanks...but you did all the work...that was an incredible leap you made and i know what it took for you to get here...be proud. 

i'm just happy that i could be part of this with you.....


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## magicre

lucky said:


> Such nice stories :biggrin1:
> 
> Here is ours ...
> 
> I got lucky when she was 8 weeks old, when I picked her up from the breeder I was given a bag of IAMS and was instructed by the breeder that this is what I should feed lucky ... I knew that I didn't want to keep her on IAMS so gradually changed her food to JWB, she ate this fine for a while but started to get bored of it, some days she wouldn't even touch it. This is when I started reading up on alternative diets, I did not want my dog to be miserable where her food was concerned because she was miserable on kibble. Came across BARF but didn't really like the idea of all the veg, when I found info on PMR I knew it was the right diet for her, if I am honest I was a bit worried about getting the balance right and whether or not she would eat organ meat but thought it was definately worth a go :happy:
> 
> Turned out to be the best decision ever
> She loved it from day 1 .. the only organ meat she isn't keen on is kidney but I found that she will eat it frozen .. I don't worry about the balance anymore, just go by the way her poop looks and try to vary the meat as often as I affordably can
> 
> She is absolutely thriving on this diet, her coat and eyes are amazing. Her shedding has drastically decreased, her eyes are always clean and shiny, her teeth are great .. basically everything has improved significantly :biggrin1:
> 
> I had her spayed about 8 weeks ago, the scar is barely visible now, she healed up quickly without any redness and barely any swelling ... I believe that this was due to her excellent body condition because of her diet
> 
> I get some off comments but I don't care, she is my dog and I know that this diet is the best for her so this is the diet she will have for the rest of her life, if I ever have another dog then he/she will be fed PMR from the day they are brought home :biggrin:


these are my favourite stories....i am so glad that your turned out as wonderfully as you'd hoped for.....

but, let me ask you....did you KNOW this would happen? or was it a spectacular surprise as it was for me?


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## lucky

I have to admit that it was a spectacular suprise at how good it actually was, I was not banking on such drastic improvements :biggrin1:


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## NicoleSmith

Raw food is better than processed food because you're sure that you are supplying your dogs with the proper nutrients. Unlike other processed foods which lack the nutrients.


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## Hachi

So what did the vet say? Oops - years of vet school didn't teach me anything? Not likely I suppose.


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## lmgakg

Well - another success in my house! Miss Nahla came home a week ago at 8 weeks and has been raw fed since then 100%. For the first few weeks of life, she nursed, ate whatever mama killed and brought her (Mama is a stray), ate a little kibble, and ate raw when I would visit and bring treats for mama. But since she has been home, she has enjoyed chicken, cornish hens, pork, beef heart, and even some organs...she loves it! I gave her a chicken wing a few nights ago just for fun while I was getting all the boys dinner ready (2 dogs and a cat) and she really tried hard at that thing....it was very cute. She didn't get very far with it, but she certainly gave it a good shot! She's only maybe 3 pounds, but I swear she eats like 10 pounds a day, okay, maybe I'm exagerating, but it seems like she just eats and eats and eats!


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## Spoo&two

Love your cat's name. I have a human friend named Nihla. We've been raw feeding our three dogs since January 1,2011. We are getting a kitten today(Beeswax-B for short after Bumble Bee in Transformers) and will be feeding the new guy raw as well. We've been feeding canned/rinsed fish to the dogs(Jack Mackerel&Salmon). I recently gave the dogs fresh raw fish(actually bought it in anticipation of the kitten) and it seemed to upset them just a little. Hopefully they will adjust to fresh fish(I LOVE to fish) and the kitten will take to raw as well as yours has. We definitely feel raw is the best way to feed. It freaks you out a little at first but after a while it's great and leaves you feeling very soul satisfied with your decision to do it.


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## monkeys23

That is just about the most adorable kitten ever.


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## Thunder409

Hello everyone! I am new here and I would like to have my first post be about how much raw feeding has changed my dog's life!
When I first got my dog it was rough. Not only did she have parvo, but a few weeks after she ended up with a slipped disk. After she got better we noticed that not a day would go by without her having loose stools. Not only were the loose stools a problem, but she also had rashes all over her body that would become scratched and bloody because of her constant scratching. 

After spending nearly $700 on tests I found out that she had digestive issues and would need to be put on a prescription diet. The bag cost about $60 and it would be done within 3 weeks. The rashes didn't go away but they actually got worse. Everyone knew Thunder at the vet because we were there nearly every week. The only answer I got after I spent $300 on even more tests was that nothing was wrong and we would probably have to do allergy tests. I decided to put the allergy testing on hold and I did a lot of research on raw feeding. A few weeks later I decided to give Thunder her first raw chicken and after a few awkward moments of her not knowing what to do with it....she gobbled it right up!

I have been feeding her raw for about 7 months now. The rashes went away in about 1 month and her stools firmed up almost immediately! Since then Thunder has gone to the vet only once to get her vaccine. Her rashes are completely gone, she hasn't had any loose stools since, and she is healthier than ever!


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## lucky

I love reading all these success stories


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## Kat

Ruby has been on raw since August 19, 2011, here is her story:

I fed her high quality kibble (natural balance, taste of the wild) from the time I got her home as a puppy. Then last year when I took her in for vaccines she had a crazy allergic reaction to the lepto. vaccine and she started becoming allergic to random things, one of which was her food. I tried switching to different kibbles with different proteins, and still she would break out in hives all over. I knew kibble was no longer an option for her because it was making her sick. She had nothing but diarrhea for a month straight. The only thing that helped was to fast her for 24 hours, she would be ok for a day, but then after eating kibble, she would have stomach issues again. After spending a few hundred dollars on xrays and blood and fecal tests with everything coming back fine, and all my vet suggesting was vet prescription kibble, I knew I had to make a change.

In the beginning I was scared/nervous of trying raw because of what so many bad things people have said about it. I also have a friend who is strongly against raw so whenever I would bring it up she would say something about it to turn me away from wanting to try it.

I tried home cooking for a month, still with no success. All it did was cause plaque buildup on her teeth, and it took me forever to prepare her meals, so I knew it was not realistic to continue feeding that way.

Finally, I tried giving her a RMB and she LOVED it. From there I decided to buy some chicken wings and just see how it goes. Right from the start I noticed a difference. Now, 6 months later, she looks incredible. Raw is honestly the best thing I have ever done for Ruby, and I cant imagine feeding her anything else. I love watching her enjoy her fresh meals, and she goes crazy when she sees me picking up her bowl for meal time. With kibble, she would just eat it because it was there, there was no enthusiasm to it. With raw, she barks, whines, jumps, and cries until I put her dish down, she literally cant wait to eat.


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## Elaine

I'm new to the forum as of today and have been feeding raw for just a month. At first I was overzealous with adding too many new things too soon cause I was so excited but started over and have been making great progress since. Else & Sophie love their meal times now and Sophie's skin has really improved. My boyfriend was not on board at first and still hesitant but I continued on this path. Like so many others I was scared and didn't know where to start but after research and talking w/ others who raw feed I'm starting to get the hang of it. The main reason I decided to feed raw was after the recall of Scott's wild bird seed cause of poison in it, that pushed me over the edge.


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## Elliehanna

I figured it was time for me to post this since I am in for the long hall now that my boy is doing so good.

My boy is 3 years old, named Goren (after law and order CI) and I was going through a rough pregnancy (yes that is right lol) I was pregnant and my boy was losing weight, donno why, took him to the vet and he was healthy, vet found nothing wrong, I had him dewormed for everything including tapeworm just in case...well I swapped his food around for a few months trying too get him to gain some weight, he never did particularly bad on anything (was originally on TotW high prarie, swapped him to the other 2 flavors and no improvement, did orijen and still no improvement with his weight, fantastic coat though lol ended up on earthborn holistics because its super high cal per cup...still no weight gain change) he was down to about 57 lbs, I had been supplementing with all sorts of things to try to up the daily calorie intake, he was getting on top of the reccommended for a 80 lb dog kibble, olive oil, 2 eggs, fish oil and oatmeal daily but nothing doing he wouldn't gain weight.

(ignore my pregnant belly lol)

















well then I put him on raw and have not looked back, he has gained weight and muscle and is looking fantastic now compared to when I started working on his weight, he is up to I believe around 65 lbs and just needs to gain more muscle tone









I plan on putting my pup on raw as soon as I am finished with his kibble, he is almost 11 months now so he will be on it before his 1st birthday


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## I love my Great Dane/GSD!

I have always been someone to look out for my dogs nutrition. I love my dogs but I didn't have a job and seeing as how I am only 14, I can't get a job. My girl was raised on Purina Dog Chow until she was a little over two years old until I was able to get a paper job and start her on Taste of the Wild. At that time, we got another dog (last June) and he was a rescue. Scared of everything and his teeth were stained. The fosterer we got him from said he was locked in a cage outside in a shed for the first 6 months of his life (he was 7 months when we got him) so he had ZERO socialization and was and still is deathly afraid of the crate. He will shake and drool if he goes near it. ANYWAY, he loved all dog food and would eat whichever one you offered to him. My girl, on the other hand, only choked down the food when she was pretty much starving. She HATED dog food. 
In December 2012, I heard of the Prey Model Raw diet. It sounded great to me but like I said I had to no job and no money, so I didn't see it as possible. I finally managed to get some meat from hunting, other hunters, farmers, craigslist, and some from the store. I started my dogs and have never turned back! Their teeth are cleaner, their coats are shinier, they have more energy, their eyes are brighter, and my girl hasn't been getting as many ear infections! Yay for raw!


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## Herzo

Goodness for one so young. Good for you taking control of your dogs that way.


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## I love my Great Dane/GSD!

Herzo said:


> Goodness for one so young. Good for you taking control of your dogs that way.


Thanks so much! I really do love my dogs and want to do what's best for them. =)


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## RawPitbulls

Feel free to add this to your site.

I heard about raw the first day I bought a bag of high-quality dog food. He was talking about how good raw was for dogs, and how awful dog food was for them. I spent the next month researching on the subject, and was amazed. I decided to make the switch.
How to Get Started | Prey Model Raw is the article that taught me to start. 
My dog took to raw with absolutely no hesitation. She absolutely loved it! Within two weeks I noticed some big changes. Her teeth went from yellow to sparkling white, she had so much more energy while she was exercising. She went from 30 minutes a day to an hour a day, and then was able to do 1.5 hours a day within a month. she went from shedding a lot to absolutely nothing at all, and she also went from looking her age to looking younger. She is so much more vibrant and puppy-like now! The vet thought she was only two! She is 6-7! Raw is incredibly easy to do, and I fully reccomend it to anyone. Every dog I own for the rest of my life will be raw fed. The results are amazing!


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## DaneMama

Successes | Prey Model Raw

Success Stories page has been updated! Thank you all for sharing your awesome stories of success with the world. It's incredibly helpful for the people who are skeptical of the wonders of raw! 

Keep em coming!!!


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## DaneMama

Successes | Prey Model Raw

Success Stories page has been updated! Thank you all for sharing your awesome stories of success with the world. It's incredibly helpful for the people who are skeptical of the wonders of raw! 

Keep em coming!!!


----------



## Cu-Leone

*SUCCESS STORY - In a lot more ways than one*

We own, breed and show giant dogs (Irish Wolfhounds and Leonbergers).  Currently six of them. When one of my Irish Wolfhound puppies was just a little guy, he had a problem with chronic loose stool. We'd visit the vet weekly for tests and de-worming treatments and antibiotics, all to no avail. We tried everything and spent a small fortune in the process.

Was having lunch with another Irish Wolfhound owner who fed raw. Over the course of lunch, she told me that her girl's stool was so hard and dry, she sometimes had a hard time pushing it out. She tried adding a handful of premium kibble to the raw and that seemed to fix the problem. I got to thinking that perhaps I should try just the opposite. Left that lunch and went immediately to a local pet boutique that stocked lots of different commercial raw diets. Bought one, brought it home, and started mixing it in with our Irish Wolfhound's kibble. It worked! Tried mixing a bit more in with his kibble and it worked even better.

Heaven forbid I give one of my dogs something that the other dogs don't get to eat. So I started buying the commercially prepared raw food for all six of my giant dogs. After less than a month, my checkbook made it obvious I couldn't continue. It was breaking the bank. But my dogs were looking so great and they all loved the food.

So I sourced out the freshest meats, fish and produce I could find, bought myself a mega-grinder and went to work making the food myself. Friends caught onto what I was doing and offered to reimburse me for the products if I'd grind up food for their dogs while I was grinding for my own. Pretty soon, I was spending close to 30 hours per week grinding for everyone else's dogs. I was getting reimbursed for the products but not my labor.

Thus began my local raw food manufacturing and distribution business. I contacted some vets and nutritionists, got myself a business license and resale permit, set up a website, printed some business cards, and sent my foods into the laboratory for analysis and minor tweaking. Because I spend so much of my time with other breeders and conformation enthusiasts at shows, word about my new business began to spread quickly. One of my show dog owner clients also had a dog with countless food sensitivities. She asked her vet to work with me, devising a food for that dog. The dog thrived -- eyes cleared and coat grew in full and lustrous. No more ear infections or itchy, patchy skin. That vet started referring other clients to me. Pretty soon, my little niche business grew to the point that I could give up my other dull paycheck to paycheck job. I could spend my time with my dogs and the people I enjoy the most -- those who are as passionate about their dogs as I am about mine.

Two years later -- my Irish Wolfhound's stool is consistently firm. All of my dogs coats are lustrous and envied by other owners who compete with them in the ring, their eyes are clear, their energy level is untapped. All of their teeth are pearly white. We haven't visited the vet in the past two years for anything other than a routine visit. No ear infections and no more gaseous emissions that could clear us out of the house. My dog's water intake has gone from gulping until they vomit to taking small drinks whenever they feel a little parched. And, I'm now responsible for feeding close to 150 other local dogs whose owners are reporting the same results as me. I've created what's turning out to be a very successful niche business for myself that caters to some of the most enjoyable other dog owners in our county. Swtiching to raw has been a phenomenal success for my dogs as well as me.


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## Occa

Our story is very similar to LindaP and Cali. We have two German Shepherd Dogs - one a rescue (Occa) 3 years ago (she is now 12) and our new arrival last October 2012 at 8 weeks of age (Cajun). Cajun arrived with a brewing bladder infection and pudding like stool (the breeder had her on Kirkland Signature). We must have paid for our Vet's vacation last year after weeks of trying different Rx foods, pastes, antibiotics, fecal tests, urine tests (it goes on). Occa suffered with chronic hot spots. Frustrated, we decided to research feeding raw. We found a lot of information and resources including a book on raw which included recipes, information on what to feed and how much depending on the dog's size. We were a little intimidated at first, not knowing what to expect. We wouldn't change now for anything.

We didn't ease into it once we decided. Just did the switch. We had a maybe 2-3 of days of looser stool as their bodies detoxed but after that -- perfect every time! They get a variety of raw, vegies, fruits, cooked fish and various supplements. Every day is different and they absolutely love it! They can't wait to eat and I know would eat their bowls if they could. I think sometimes they eat better than we do! 

The difference in their energy, eyes, coat and teeth has been very noticeable. The health issues are gone. Occa has not had one hot spot since being on raw and Cajun's UTIs and stool issues have resolved!


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## Jan Fred

> For about a year now, I was always debating whether I should feed raw or not. The reason I kept holding back was because of the bacteria issue. I did my research on it, and it all made sense! If wolves eat like this in the wild, why not my dog? About 2 months ago, I tossed Aspen half of a tilapia, just to see what he would do, and he loved it!! He was a natural. He never had any diarrhea the next few days. I fully made the complete switch on January 18. It was a long battle with my family and boyfriend, but it was definitely worth every bit of it. Their main issue was the bacteria as well. But, I made them come to this forum and see the light!! What I'm happiest about raw is the amazing dental work that it has to offer. I have to admit, Aspen had a lot of tarter in the lower back molars when he was on kibble. There is barely any left now that he's on raw! I am very, VERY comfortable feeding raw. More comfortable than when I was feeding kibble. I'll never go back to kibble, and Aspen couldn't be happier and healthier.


 This one is great


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## chrysilla

We had 2 rescue dogs, one 18 months old who Belgian Malinois mix, and a 9 months old Anatolian shepherd mix, both were on home made cooked meal, and we'd rescued both of them when they were about 10 to 12 weeks old.

At the age of 3 months old, our BM mix had been diagnosed with a heart malformation (PDA), and tested positive to leishmaniasis, a common problem, here in Greece. He was doing fine, but could not run for very long, and would get easily tired. We didn't have to do anything about his leishmaniasis, because his anti-bodies count was only 1/200. When he was a little over a year old, his count went up to 1/400 and he'd lost a little bit of weight. Nothing dramatic, but the vet wrote a prescription for Allopurinol for 3 months. After this lapse of time, his count was down to 1/200 again, but he had mild liver and kidney damage

That's when I found out about raw feeding, I researched it, and a week later, tried it on my 2 fur babies. They were not totally estranged to raw, as I gave them a meaty bone once a week. The transition was easy, and they loved it, especially Ramses who used to be picky. Four months later, Ramses tested negative to leishmaniasis, his liver was doing better, and his kidneys were back to normal. He has lots more energy, could play as long as our other dog, and even outran him when they raced on the beach.

He remained healthy, he just has slightly elevated urea levels, but it was to be expected with his heart. Our other big dog, Kheops, had no health issues, but he had a very greasy and smelly coat. The vet kept saying it had to do with his breed, Anatolian shepherd meant to guard sheep, they needed a waterproof coat. However, a little over 6 months later, he went through a bad shedding phase, and came out with a nice shiny coat, that no longer smelled bad.

Ramses left us last December, he had a heart attack while sleeping, one afternoon. Two months later, we took on another rescue, little Yulia, and though she is a totally different race, she reminds us of Ramses in many way, because of her personality. She too has some health issues, we are dealing with, but she has been on raw since day one, and has showed some major improvements.


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## Nina_W

At about 7/8 months old, I wanted better for my puggy. At the time, we were feeding a generally good grain free kibble. I switched her to a locally made frozen raw, with raw meaty bones and a fish here and there. She's never been very finicky about eating, but she's always happy to see her food, especially when the meal is a bone one! 

The first change, her coat, was nearly immediate. She has the softest, silkiest fur. The second change was the poopies. We use a litter box, so I know her poopies rather ... intimately. Despite the teeny portions on the grain free kibble, the raw poopies were so much smaller, more compact and so much easier to deal with. The third change I noticed at night. Now, a doggy fart may not seem like a big deal, but when she sleeps butt-to-cheek with you every night it is a massive relief that there are now pretty much no farts, ever. The fourth change was her eyes. She has marvelous, molten chocolate eyes, that on the raw, just sparkle. They're so clear! Her three-times-a-day eye goop has shrunk down to maybe one in the morning. Clustered with this is her ears. She's never had a problem, but there is less wax in general. 

My favourite change, however, is the fifth one - her absolutely glowing health. It's noticed by everyone. At training we hear weekly she's the healthiest pug they've ever seen. She has good, sustained energy. She's all fit, hard muscle (no doughy, pudgy pug here!). 

I was very, very skeptical about changing to raw. I figured that it's worth a try though, and I am very, very glad I did!


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## LeonilCraig

We feed our dogs with raw foods in the morning and evening and dog foods at noon. So far, they're eating good and in good shape. And they aren't showing dislike with it all.


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## CesarMillan56

Thanks for giving that inspired stories. Its really good one.

Thank you


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## jCrisp

*Thanks to raw feeding!*

I first heard of raw feeding from a friend. I never thought of it's benefits until I made some research. If you really love your dog, then give him raw!


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## wigglesandwagmore

I loved reading the raw feeding success stories. Here's ours:

Our journey into raw feeding started with a good friend and breeder who had been feeding raw for many years. *She encouraged us to make the change to raw and we did. *The early days of raw feeding were sort of scary for us. *I am a detail person and hoped to receive an instruction manual for raw feeding. There were many phone calls to our friend about how much to feed and whether or not the protein sources we were feeding were ok for our dogs. It all worked out and we were raw feeders for many years. **

It wasn't until we added another dog to our home that we were really reminded of*the true value of raw feeding. *Ernie came to us as a kibble fed dog. We tried to keep him on the food that his breeder recommended. *At this point, we had been feeding raw for 8 or 9 years so kibble feeding was something we had to relearn. As you know, kibble fed dogs drink a lot more water than raw fed dogs and their stool is much larger (and gross).**Well, Ernie was not completely potty trained when we got him. After weeks of trying to adjust to kibble feeding and all the accidents, we decided that we had had enough. *We switched Ernie to raw and his potty-training issues *were fixed overnight! *This experience*reminded us of just one of the true benefits of raw feeding. *

Our journey continues - 
After difficulty finding a company with a consistent source of food and quality customer service, we decided to help others learn about the benefits of raw feeding and began distributing quality products that we use in our own home every day under the name WigglesAndWagmore.com

Stephanie Johnson


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## nicoley2132

Im brand new to feeding raw, its only been 5 days. However the leaps and bounds my 7 year old heeler Anye has made is huge news! she suffered an injury two years ago where she broke her pelvis and ever since then she usually hops around not using that leg much. However in these past few days since shes been de toxing and got off that crummy ole dog food i was feeding, she is using that leg id say 80-90 percent of the time and her attitude is so happy and you can tell she just feels great! It was the corn and wheat causing inflammation and pain in her hip! Praise the Lord for showing me this new way of life for my animals!


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## Stuart Pelly

Our Bull Terrier was plagued with itchy skin when he was a pup so we switched both of ours dogs over to a raw prey model diet. Within weeks the itching stopped. Interestingly our american pitbull started having changes in her coat very quickly. She was raised on kibble and we always assumed her coat was just naturally very short and thin. However within a few weeks her coat actually got longer and much thicker. She was so much hairier that it became obvious that her kibble diet must haver really been lacking certain nutrients. We added 100g of mackeral to each dogs meals, instead of using fish oil, and both dogs coats got even better and are know glossy and shiny. Switching to raw was the best thing we did for thier health we've ever done.


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## lschauseil

I am new here - and not sure anyone comes to this site but have to put my two cents in. I have a toy poodle puppy (just turned one year old) and have spent the last 9 months fighting her eating habits. She started off on Farmina kibble (from the breeder) and within a week turned her nose up at it. I believe now that introducing those tasty training bits ruined her and she just wanted the tasty bits - not the kibble. I tried different kibble and the vet told me I was creating a picky dog. Leave the food and she will eat when she gets hungry enough. My puppy's solution to this was to go outside and eat sticks. I tried everything the vet advised - regular feedings and pick up the food after 15 minutes, constant feeding leaving the kibble out, tried different canned foods for puppies, spent a small fortune on bags of kibble (only the best brands), I tried freeze dried foods and frozen raw foods and they were ok with her but only once per some period of time. This puppy (Lucy is her name, a gorgeous toy red poodle with a lovable disposition) would go 3 days without eating - and then she would just pick at it. I found recipes on line and made those (the chicken one in the slow cooker was the most successful) but she would not eat the same thing twice. The vet told me not to worry as maybe she was just one of those dogs who did not like to eat. 

Needless to say - I worried a lot. So if I fed her homemade dog food she would eat it - but the next few days she would not and I introduced another recipe so now I had two, plus the packaged raw food that was frozen. Obviously the dog likes variety if I could only find enough choices of things she would eat. So I started feeding her people food because I thought the dog food I made contained people food. Turns out she likes peanuts, cashews, salmon, chicken and cheese. These are the only things she will eat constantly. So now I do realize this is not a balanced diet. She likes cooked carrots, peas, string beans, kidney beans and squash. Sometimes she is puppy energetic and sometimes somewhat lethargic. I would like to say this has a good ending, but so far it does not. Every evening I would give her appropriate leftovers as we eat mostly organic foods any way. Some mornings she will eat eggs and sometimes not. I have now begun researching the all raw food, which seemed to have the best results beating out the packaged, processed food.

I tried grinding up a chicken in the blender and that didn't work well - it came out a gooey mushy mess that she would not eat. The butcher told me no one grinds whole chickens with the bone. I could buy a grinder and do it myself but appliance room is at a premium in my house. I tried My Pet Carnivore - but I could not find where to enter shipping information and the first order was going to be delivered to Tulsa OK (I am in Houston, TX). Then I found some ideas that just gave the dog pieces of raw chicken (or other meat) that was skinned along with other things with no real preparation except cutting up the meat and having it on hand. 

So that is where I am now. I gave her a part of a chicken wing and she loved it, although I have to watch her very closely as she will try to sneak it off and bury it somewhere in the house. I bought some ground turkey and she loved it. This morning she ate 3 oz of the ground turkey (7 lb dog). She also likes cooked beef but not so much raw beef. Oh did I mention that she will not come back for seconds and I have to give her food in one shot. If she eats everything and seems to want more, I can divvy out some more but she will not go near it - one shot is all I get. I tried chicken livers but she would not eat them so I am thinking I will have to dice them and include them with some other things. I know what she is eating now is not a balanced diet for her but I am thinking at least she is eating something. 
Wondering if anyone else has had such extreme issues with a puppy eating or not eating. I am working hard to give her everything she needs for a balanced diet but have some learning to do with the raw foods. Any ideas from this group would be helpful.


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## vsl

You might want to try my feeding style which is to feed anything and everything. My pups almost never get the same thing twice in a month (sometimes not even twice in a week) I keep kibble down at all times. They, sometimes (use to be mostly, but finances), get something different for dinner. I've fed raw (all kinds), home cooked, canned, and dry. I, also, feed a variety of "quality" and styles of kibbles (usually what's on sale or seems interesting). Some dogs take a bit of time adjusting to eating this way, especially ones who are fed mostly 1 food exclusively. Feeding this way can help with getting a mostly balanced diet. If you are really worried, pick up some vitamins.
Some dogs prefer their liver frozen or freeze dried. 
I have 4 dogs. One who will eat her self sick if she sees an empty bowl. I think she's gone hungry before, but is better than she was. Another will eat almost anything placed in front of her. She'll eat as much as you put in front of her (except for kibble, she knows that won't ever run out). The third will eat up to 6oz. of non-kibble food. The fourth will eat exactly 4 oz of food. No more, no less whatever food it is. If he ate 2 oz. of kibble I can but his favorite food down and he will only eat 2 oz of it. Some dogs just self regulate better than others.


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