# You all needed to tell me how much better raw is than kibble



## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Fed them the raw pre-made patties this morning and they ate it up, no problem. Actually, I have not seen tails swishing like that for meals since I can't even remember when. And that was their first time with the frozen (defrosted) patties, so they could smell the delicious coming their way. 

Daycare did not see any issues with their poops (noticed that it was firm this morning even though they had several of the freeze-dried patties yesterday) - so more good news. Tonight I gave them a mix of their old kibble and a bit of freeze-dried sprinkled (as Beemer won't eat out of the bowl otherwise). 

Now let's really talk about the poop. I am obsessed with their poop - timing, amount, consistency. I am now feeling guilt about what I must have been putting their GI tract through because the amount I usually pick up, well, let's just say I have always been amazed at the volume such tiny bodies can produce. Pretty much the amount in was the same as the amount out, so a lot of the kibble nutrients probably weren't getting digested or absorbed or it was mostly filler. I've always had to transition gradually or they had horrible experiences (or I did having to pick it up). But I gave them a full meal this morning, and no problems.

So it's only been one day, but Beemer and Lexi seem more calm than usual. When I picked him up from daycare, he wasn't yelping or screeching in their ears as they put his leash on. And rather than his all night long bark fest, he barked once and then just did his thing. Even with yucky neighbor lady talking really loudly, didn't react. Other than that he is normal playful and sweet self. Chasing bugs, running around with Lexi, telling me to go pick up the poop. I know it's only one day, but they haven't been itching themselves on the ground or scratching at their eyes. 

Updates for sure - but I am totally sold!


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

Seems like it's agreeing with them! Molly has small tiny poops all the time So can't say about size. She isn't on raw though. I am changing her to home made food right now but her poo's are still tiny

I am thinking the less comes out the more the body absorbs?? A firm poo is a good thing


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

It's wonderful isn't it? The other thing you will notice is how much less water they drink. It just feels better for them all round, and you know if you move anywhere in the world, the local butcher is there for your dog.


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Cat 53 said:


> It's wonderful isn't it? The other thing you will notice is how much less water they drink. It just feels better for them all round, and you know if you move anywhere in the world, the local butcher is there for your dog.



That's good to know. I've been concerned that they haven't drank as much water tonight so helpful knowing that. 


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

It amazed me the difference in water uptake. I thought 
Phoebe was never going to stop drinking when I gave her some kibble mid day. It made me feel that there must be a lot of salt in kibble.


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## Nellies mum (May 12, 2013)

I totally agree with the water and poop thing. Mine have been on raw for a couple of months now and can't believe how much little water they drink now compared to when they were on kibble. Wow, kibble must have been so drying for them! The 'new' poop is amazing  so little and so firm. Makes it almost a pleasure to pick up!! haha (well maybe not).

Nellie wouldn't touch her kibble and I was worried about her losing weight etc so a friend suggested Nutriment (complete raw food). She loves it soooo much. She has definitely become more calm on it. I'm a vegetarian so won't be giving them bones, necks, wings etc (too gross) but the food already contains bone so it isn't necessary. I'm glad yours love their raw food too!


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

I'm starting to get interested in the idea of switching to raw too, since I found out about the Honey's company which provide free-range/organic food. This is why up to now I'd had Gandhi on kibble because the happiness/natural environment of the animals he's eating is important to me and the kibble we give him was the best complete food I could find, both ethically and also the quality of the ingredients 

Now that I've found this I may make some enquiries. 

He's never had a problem with food and gobbles up the kibble and his poos are nice and firm, but you might imagine it might be a better experience than eating dry food.


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Presumably they eat the chicken wings etc on the floor.. Do you then have to wash the floor after every time they've eaten? Being raw meat and all that.. Could imagine it could be quite messy?


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Max eats his outside if it's nice, otherwise in the utility and Phoebe in the kitchen. Yes I do a quick mop of both floors. When Phoebe can hold her own with Max, they will both be outside! . Surprisingly, they are not messy. The dogs tend to eat them quickly and intently without moving from the spot! . I move because of bacteria not mess.


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Yes was thinking of bacteria. Would probably remove the absorbent door mat at dinner time as when given a chew he will run to the mat to eat it. 

When we put his kibble in a kong he will take it round the house. I had visions of raw meat being trailed around everywhere


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Much to my sadness, Hagee will not eat raw food.

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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

dmgalley said:


> Much to my sadness, Hagee will not eat raw food.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Hagee??? did you get a 4th?


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

So mine likes to take their food out of the bowl and eat it on the floor (kibble and raw). Luckily it is tile so I scrub that area as soon as they are done eating.


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

lady amanda said:


> Hagee??? did you get a 4th?


My phone has decided that is Jake's name so if everyone could commit it to memory  he is also occasionally haha. Swype is not my friend. 

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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Haha! Donna! This sort of thing happens frequently to me too. Infact I have told everyone that I type it in correctly and it gets changed somewhere in the strata spree! ( case in point right there) stratosphere!


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## RangerC (Jan 23, 2013)

Grove said:


> Presumably they eat the chicken wings etc on the floor.. Do you then have to wash the floor after every time they've eaten? Being raw meat and all that.. Could imagine it could be quite messy?


Barney has a skanky mat (it does get washed every week, honestly) that slides under the sofa in the kitchen. When it's tea time, he paws at the mat until it's out and then sits and waits for his food. Breakfast is in the bowl and gone in about 10 seconds but tea is often carcass, wings or a bone which he eats on the mat. He never moves off it. When he has finished, I slide it out of sight. If he has a particularly large bone, he might make a move to the door with a view to escaping to the garden to bury it but I head him off at the pass. Been there, done it once and don't want filthy bones being trailed around the house thank you.


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

Grove said:


> Yes was thinking of bacteria. Would probably remove the absorbent door mat at dinner time as when given a chew he will run to the mat to eat it.
> 
> When we put his kibble in a kong he will take it round the house. I had visions of raw meat being trailed around everywhere


I was thinking the same thing I'm a bit of a neat freak so wouldn't want food all over the place Molly usually will eat her treats on the carpet in front of the door she always has.


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

dio.ren said:


> I was thinking the same thing I'm a bit of a neat freak so wouldn't want food all over the place Molly usually will eat her treats on the carpet in front of the door she always has.


I don't think raw would work if you had, for example, an open plan kitchen/living area where part of it was carpeted. Would only work with a washable floor.

I like the idea of the mat, that makes sense. Although I'd still have to clean it after every meal!


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

So that's what I like about the Stella & Chewy's. I feel a bit more assured that it's not full of bacteria and parasites.


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Lexi&Beemer said:


> So that's what I like about the Stella & Chewy's. I feel a bit more assured that it's not full of bacteria and parasites.


Isn't raw by nature going to be prone to developing bacteria though?

If left out at room temperature etc, which is effectively what happens when there's traces on the floor


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Grove said:


> Isn't raw by nature going to be prone to developing bacteria though?
> 
> 
> 
> If left out at room temperature etc, which is effectively what happens when there's traces on the floor



Though not a microbiologist, I would think you would need organisms to grow in the food. Why irradiated food doesn't have the risk for food borne illness because it kills those bugs off. I don't trust the high pressured process 100% so I clean right away and wash their bowls in the dishwasher to sanitize. But I'm not as freaked out about handling it. I'm not ready to give them raw chicken wings or meat bones yet.


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## Grove (Oct 17, 2012)

Lexi&Beemer said:


> Though not a microbiologist, I would think you would need organisms to grow in the food. Why irradiated food doesn't have the risk for food borne illness because it kills those bugs off. I don't trust the high pressured process 100% so I clean right away and wash their bowls in the dishwasher to sanitize. But I'm not as freaked out about handling it. I'm not ready to give them raw chicken wings or meat bones yet.


Oh i see, i didn't realise there was a difference. So is the 'complete' raw food you buy processed in a way, so this is different from just opening a packet of raw chicken which we would cook for ourselves?


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

Yes. It comes in patty form frozen or freeze dried. Think hamburger. It includes bones and organ material too


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

Here you can buy them frozen too. Molly can't eat it but we did consider this at one point. Now we are doing http://www.caninecuisine.ca/ it's not raw it's home made and has no bad stuff in it. It's better than the Royal Canin she was on. Smells really good  We had planned to try this http://ryansraw.com/ but decided on the other one because of her stones


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