# What is your favorite outcome from RAW feeding?



## shepgirl (Oct 10, 2010)

When I was researching the raw diet, debating whether to start it or not, I heard all the benefits. Teeth, skin, shiny fur, little tiny poops, no stinky breath, etc. 

My favorite change that I've noticed is the HUGE decrease in shedding in my 8y/o German Shepherd! When she was kibble-fed, if you pet her, you'd end up with a handful of hair, plus 3 more pounds of hair on your clothes. Now, you can maybe stir up 10 hairs, if you try hard enough. :smile:

What is YOUR favorite part about feeding raw?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Tiny poos....I have 5 big dogs and the fact that they probably generate the same amount as one kibble fed dog makes it all worth it!


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Clean teeth is my number one. And, I'll have to get back to you on this one in a few years, but not having to worry about health problems related to tartar later on in life. 
I'm lazy, so it's lovely not having to remember to brush her teeth everynight.


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## Jodysmom (Jan 9, 2010)

My GSD did not do well on kibble. Her output was larger than her input and she wasn't gaining weight. Now on raw, her weight is perfect and she is no longer too thin. So my favorite outcome is not worrying about her:smile:

I also just have to say her shedding, 4 yr. old GSD, is so much less.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

If I had to pick one thing out of the many, probably the lack of doggy smell. I have two dogs in a not-too-big-apartment and admittedly am a bit of a neat freak. I love that I can live in these tight quarters and not feel like we're covered in dog smell. 
Saving all that money in would-be rentals is great too...as well as sleeping through the night because Annie doesn't need 5 petty breaks in the night!!!


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## deb9017 (Aug 31, 2010)

My Dane had a lot of skin/coat issues, so the huge improvement in his skin and coat is probably the biggest. His coat is much thicker than it was, and really really shiny! He just LOOKS healthy.

But there are so many really fantastic benefits, it is hard to pick just one! I love the small poos, his energy level, the lack of dog smell, and I could go on and on!! And I love the fact that I can just buy his food at any grocery store, while I am already shopping, and not have to go to special places to try to find high quality kibble!!!


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

DOes raw really reduce shedding? This is my first dog (Shetland sheepdog) which is a very high shedding breed, so I was a bit nervous about that. He is still a pup so probably won't shed much until spring. It would be awesome to know that feeding him a good diet will reduce that!  He has been raw fed since 8 weeks.

My kibbles n bits fed downstairs' neighbours dog is a pitbull/ridgeback mix and clouds of hard needle like fur come off her when you pet her. Do GSDs shed a lot?


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

I have not fully transitioned to raw but the things I am looking FORWARD to hopefully occurring are:

*Knowing their tummies are under less stress than with kibble
*I have heard their coat grows faster. I hope this occurs because Henry got shaved down pretty short and I want to grow his coat out a few inches. Millie's is growing too.
*Less itching. Henry nibbles at himself a lot and I can't help but wonder if it is something in his kibble. (Could be environmental. We will see!)

They already don't shed, don't have dog smell, have great teeth (but raw will keep their teeth in good condition)


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Clean pearly white teeth and less poop! :biggrin:

Bishop-I know that raw reduced the amount of shedding in my GSH Pointer...by a ton! She was always a shedder. White hair everywhere. Now that she's on raw you can pet her and not be covered. You actually really have to work at it to get any hair off her. :smile:


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## bumblegoat (May 12, 2010)

I have been feeding raw for over six months, and I really haven't noticed any change. He still poops a lot, maybe a tiny bit less but not by much. Since he just loves to spread it out on walks it doesn't really matter to me, since I have to use a couple of bags to pick it up during a 10 minute walk anyway. 

I can't notice any change in his coat, but his coat quality relies heavily on grooming, so it's my fault for not keeping him in perfect condition. He has a wiry coat and I handstrip him myself.

It's too early to say anything about his teeth. He was in for a dental a short while after I started raw, and at least he hasn't gotten more tartar since.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

bishopthesheltie said:


> DOes raw really reduce shedding? This is my first dog (Shetland sheepdog) which is a very high shedding breed, so I was a bit nervous about that. He is still a pup so probably won't shed much until spring. It would be awesome to know that feeding him a good diet will reduce that!  He has been raw fed since 8 weeks.
> 
> My kibbles n bits fed downstairs' neighbours dog is a pitbull/ridgeback mix and clouds of hard needle like fur come off her when you pet her. Do GSDs shed a lot?


Let me just tell you...I own two Siberian Huskies, and they're NOTORIOUS shedders. They have two layers of fur: an undercoat and an overcoat. The overcoat is just like any normal dog's, and they shed that over the year, but not in great, copious amounts. The undercoat, however, they blow for two weeks, twice a year, and it's generally a flood of fur, sometimes feeling as though you've got just as much fur in your house as you do dog! Literally, I've seen Siberian Huskies with piles of fur as large as themselves after being brushed.

HOWEVER, since I've had my dogs on raw and they started blowing their coats, getting ready for winter, I have no seen a single tuft of fur hanging off of them, I can pet them and not be covered in fur, or even have them lay all over me and find about as much fur as I would my mother's cats. Actually, my mother's cats leave more fur on me than they do. I've brushed them a couple of times, and yes, I've got a good chunk of fur, but it definitely takes longer to get that much than it did when they first blew their coats, at the beginning of when I started them on raw. Their fur is so soft that I used Ryou as a pillow last night for about ten minutes before he wouldn't have it anymore, all because I wanted to rub my face against it for, like, ever.



AS FOR the favorite benefit of raw, I can't say that the shedding would be it, because I knew what I was in for and was prepared. It's a plus, yes, but definitely not my favorite. My favorite benefit is the fact that I've yet to take them to the vet for any illnesses since, and I'm looking forward to not having to do things like vaccinations, heartworm, and the fact that there will be less vet visits due to disease or ailments directly relating to diet.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Heh, well since Paps don't have a doggy-odor that was never a problem. As for their coats, Patchie's got way better, Sparky's and Popi's were nice and silky even before raw.

Gotta say my favorites so far are the white teeth/doggy-breath. They had horrible disgusting breath which is completely gone now, and their teeth are much whiter. Brushing their teeth never got rid of the tartar build-up as well, and they hated their toothbrush with a passion. Whenever I'd go to brush their teeth or cut their nails (which I still have to do, lol) they would start squirming and screeching as if I was torturing them.

And the shedding. They don't shed a lot, but between the three and living in a tiny place, there would always be little hairs all over and I'd have to clean the ac filter every week. Oh, and the little hairs all over my clothes, especially when wearing black or dark colors, that used to be pretty bad. Since on raw they are shedding considerably less and I'm not seeing tons of little hairs on my clothes when I carry them anymore. And the ac filter isn't clogged with hairs, and it's been two weeks so far o.o

Edit: Two weeks since cleaning the ac. Doggies have been on raw for almost a month now I think.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

My pups still shed, there's fur around their crates and on the carpet so I'm not seeing that benefit...I don't know if it's less since they have been eating raw almost as long as I've had them. It's only been two and a half months...maybe in time the shedding will decrease, I don't know.

But, I have to agree that my favorite is the "no dog" smell. I didn't realize how much of a difference there was in the typical smell of dogs and them until I sent them off to be spayed and neutered. I had a friend, who works in animal rescue, pick them up and drop them off. When they left me, there was no doggie odor. When they came back, Holy Guacamole, Batman! The doggie odor was horrifying! They had been in and around where other dogs have been and it rubbed off on them...it was over. powering.

When I was able to bathe them two weeks later, I did, and I cleaned the entire house, top to bottom. You walk in to my house, and unless the cats just used the litter box right before you walk in, you will never know I have dogs and cats around here because it does not smell. I never smell it and a friend came over some time after that and said the same thing, "You can't even tell you have pets." Most of the time, with dogs, you can tell someone has a dog because of the odor.

Now that I have a better idea what I'm doing, it's just as easy as kibble feeding, it's getting less expensive, (I way over estimated how much they were going to need per month), and it's fun to watch or even just listen to them chomp their meals. Clean up is a breeze, I don't have to buy as much water for their bowl, and their poo is a lot nicer looking than the other dog poos I see around here.

But the best thing I like about it? My dogs have done very well on it and it's educating those who told me I would kill my dogs. It's shutting them up and I have to tell you, that makes me very, very happy. :biggrin:


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## Muck (Nov 16, 2010)

My favorite thing about RAW is that they absolutly love their food. I get a lot of joy out of eating and I think they should to 

Other benefits: My lab/Weim doesnt leave little needle like hairs all over my couch (the kind you try to vacuum off but end up having to pull them out). Their poop shrunk by more than half. I was picking up bags full of poo every other day and now I pick up about a bag a week. They are EXTREMLY shiney, I get comments on it all the time). We also havent had any ear infections or as much gross gunk in them since they started it.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

Muck said:


> We also havent had any ear infections or as much gross gunk in them since they started it.


Oh! You just reminded me! This is about the cats, not dogs, but I have an older cat who is white and always had a problem with ear mites. Since feeding her raw, (September), I have not had to use the ear mite medicine and her ears are almost completely ear mite free! This is huge for her. Definitely because of raw.


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

I guess I am happiest about his strength. Max came here as an adolescent dog unable to run and took a year to be able to sit pretty. Eating raw through his eighth to tenth year he gained about 5 pounds of muscle and is much more athletic now. Sassy did fine on the moderate amount of protein in the kibble but not Max, he needs loads of protein apparently.

No change in shedding but his coat is much nicer. It won't come out with normal brushing but gets all over the place. His undercoat used to stick out and be sticky and nasty and now is like silk and stays mostly under except on his legs. He always was Mr. Velvetface and now is Mr. Velvet. His underside will grow several inches long where it never needed trimming before.

Poop? He is one medium sized dog, not really important to me. Nice that day old poop doesn't stick to my shoes though.

I am happy his teeth and gums are so healthy now.

He has calmed down and is more sensible on raw. Since he is a super nervous dog who has put himself into seizures guess that is good but his seizures stopped long before he started eating raw.


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

No itchiness; No more of that sound when they lick their paws; No more nasty smelly black yeast gunk in his ears. Last but not least, Khan was actually able to absorb the nutrients from his food.


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

Everything LMAO.:biggrin:


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

We're just a few weeks into it. Before raw, I cooked his food so he didn't have a lot of the ailments that other dogs do. However, he does have a completely bald bum and belly from scratching and biting the fur off. I'm hoping that was due to the brown rice I was cooking with his food and that it will finally go away with raw. He was already getting raw bones so his teeth have always been beautiful. What I am liking so far is that he doesn't stink! The poop thing is pretty cool too.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

I have lots of 'favorite' benefits 
1- No doggie odor Zoey & Ziva do not smell, my golden's ears don't stink like they did on kibble.
2- Softer coat, their coats are so soft & luxurious, I think my goldens coat is more radiant than it was on kibble, definitely noticed less shedding
3- Better health, granted Zoey's having issues at the moment, but this is NOTHING compared to her normally getting throat infections every other week, this is the first one in 4 months which isn't bad in my book.
4- Allergies, Zoey is no longer chewing/licking herself, the white on her front legs is coming back, she is also completely off of her antihistamines & urinary acidifier, and we've been able to drop her steroid down to every 4th day now, the steroid is for hydrocephalus
5- Ziva seems to respond better to training than most of the kibble fed pups I've trained in the past, she has more focus
6- Hyperactivity my golden is an obnoxious twit sometimes, but since feeding raw her energy levels are more stable, and she's not nearly as obnoxious or hyper
7- Teeth, while I haven't seen the completely clean teeth I have noticed a difference in the amount of tartar on Zoey's teeth. She just hasn't wanted to eat bones in a while so it's hard getting that benefit.
8- Zoey has had Fewer collapsed trachea episodes, they don't seem to be as severe either.


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## spookychick13 (Jan 26, 2010)

The teeth are definitely number one for me.

I do have one complaint though!
Flip has to be groomed, and I swear his hair grows twice as fast on raw!
Nails too.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Rye&Ted said:


> Everything LMAO.:biggrin:


BEST answer ever.


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