# New to Raw



## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I feed Honest a Kitchen, it is dried raw. I don't know if it is available in the UK.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

CT Girl said:


> I feed Honest a Kitchen, it is dried raw. I don't know if it is available in the UK.


Honest Kitchen is not dried raw at all. It is fully cooked. I've asked the company myself and for those who don't want to they can view a video of a person eating it on their webpage. Sorry but I keep seeing people saying this and I'm not sure why this is a misconception, nowhere on the site does it say "raw". 

You could do freeze-dried raw foods like Stella & Chewys or Primal. They hold up well and you just smash the nugget with water to rehydrate.


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## Jammster (Jan 11, 2014)

CT Girl said:


> I feed Honest a Kitchen, it is dried raw. I don't know if it is available in the UK.


Unfortunately they do not ship or sell in the uk, i emailed them and got a fast reply, good customer service


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## Jammster (Jan 11, 2014)

Jamie Hein said:


> Honest Kitchen is not dried raw at all. It is fully cooked. I've asked the company myself and for those who don't want to they can view a video of a person eating it on their webpage. Sorry but I keep seeing people saying this and I'm not sure why this is a misconception, nowhere on the site does it say "raw".
> 
> You could do freeze-dried raw foods like Stella & Chewys or Primal. They hold up well and you just smash the nugget with water to rehydrate.


Again couldn't seem to find these on uk websites &#55357;&#56862;. I contacted natures menu, they said feed there wet food on these occasions which are exactly same ingredients but cooked. I have found that Orijen have started a freeze dry raw food which is brand new in uk. Would it be best to stick with ingredients the sake but cooked or freeze dried orijen? I'm afraid changing from raw to cooked my give her belly ache?? Is this likely does anyone know?


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## Spoos+Ponies (Mar 26, 2014)

I've been home feeding my dogs for about 18 years - many incarnations. Raw, cooked, grains, no grains, etc. It seems to be just like people food - the expert opinions constantly change. I've gone through many changes myself - vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan. One day I just looked around, and thought - look what all these different people eat, no one's measuring every thing in every meal. As long as you know what their nutritional requirements are, as long as you meet them 'over time' I don't think it's a problem. My dogs could be eating raw for weeks, and then just go off it - then I start making them casseroles, or scrambled eggs, then re-introduce it - never any tummy troubles. I think the only thing I would introduce more slowly is if I were changing from kibble to home-fed - the kibble is so processed, I think it would take time for the gut flora and digestion to adjust.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Spoos+Ponies said:


> I've been home feeding my dogs for about 18 years - many incarnations. Raw, cooked, grains, no grains, etc. It seems to be just like people food - the expert opinions constantly change. I've gone through many changes myself - vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan. One day I just looked around, and thought - look what all these different people eat, no one's measuring every thing in every meal. As long as you know what their nutritional requirements are, as long as you meet them 'over time' I don't think it's a problem. My dogs could be eating raw for weeks, and then just go off it - then I start making them casseroles, or scrambled eggs, then re-introduce it - never any tummy troubles. I think the only thing I would introduce more slowly is if I were changing from kibble to home-fed - the kibble is so processed, I think it would take time for the gut flora and digestion to adjust.


Interesting. Do you ever supplement with probiotics or bonemeal in your homecooking? Isn't there suppose to be a balance between meat and bones ( protein and calcium)? That is why people refer to meaty bones. I agree that any one meal is not as important as what you do in the long run.


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## Spoos+Ponies (Mar 26, 2014)

Yes, I do supplement - I make up a mixture of bonemeal, lecithin, kelp powder, and nutritional yeast. I mix this in with the veg. That's what I meant when I said you should be aware of the nutritional requirements and work within that. If I'm feeding less bones at some point, I make sure I have enough bonemeal added. If I'm not feeding 'whole animal' meat, I make sure to add offal. Sometimes I add raw, green tripe ( for as long as I can stand it : )). I don't mean that I don't take it seriously, just that I'm not quite as regimented as I once was...I'm more relaxed - as you say, its the nutritional balance over time that matters - I wouldn't be too concerned about the odd meal, or couple of days away. I also continue to read up on it, but I also have gotten to the point where I trust my own knowledge, and instincts.

When I was first looking into it, my vet at the time was vehement that it is just tooooo complicated, impossible to balance. And yet, we all manage to feed ourselves, and our families......and the coyotes that live in the woods behind me look extremely healthy - they must've found the kibble tree:ahhhhh:


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Sorry that I was incorrect about Honest Kitchen being raw. That is what I was told at the store I bought it. They are usually excellent with product knowledge.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

CT Girl said:


> Sorry that I was incorrect about Honest Kitchen being raw. That is what I was told at the store I bought it. They are usually excellent with product knowledge.


Its okay a lot of people think it is. Same with Ziwipeak, but their advertising is really misleading.


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

Jammster said:


> Again couldn't seem to find these on uk websites ��. I contacted natures menu, they said feed there wet food on these occasions which are exactly same ingredients but cooked. I have found that Orijen have started a freeze dry raw food which is brand new in uk. Would it be best to stick with ingredients the sake but cooked or freeze dried orijen? I'm afraid changing from raw to cooked my give her belly ache?? Is this likely does anyone know?


I found this and it looks fine to me :

K9 Natural UK :: K9 Natural Freeze Dried

Same with the Orijen. I've always heard that their kibble is great so I assume the freeze dried raw is too.


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## Wild Kitten (Mar 13, 2014)

There is an article in the May issue of Dogs Today magazine titled "Feeding Barf without a freezer" they mentioned two companies which you could check out: 

PLATINUM - Startpage
Gentle Dog Food, Natural Dog Food


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Jamie Hein said:


> Its okay a lot of people think it is. Same with Ziwipeak, but their advertising is really misleading.



I thought ziwi peak was air dried raw, no?


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

Tiny Poodles said:


> I thought ziwi peak was air dried raw, no?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I thought so too but after emailing the company I received a different answer. They really need to change the way they market it because I think they actually say "raw" but in the email the sent me they said it was not raw.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Jamie Hein said:


> I thought so too but after emailing the company I received a different answer. They really need to change the way they market it because I think they actually say "raw" but in the email the sent me they said it was not raw.



It is cooked?! It says air dried raw everywhere!


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

Tiny Poodles said:


> It is cooked?! It says air dried raw everywhere!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I looked up the email and this is what they said 

"Our food is not raw, but air-dried and a very close equivalent to feeding raw with no water added". 

I know it says raw everywhere and I complained since they contradict themselves in the email. My friend works at a store that sells the food and she asked a rep in person about it and they also said that it was cooked during the drying stage.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Jamie Hein said:


> I looked up the email and this is what they said
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks for letting me know - not that I am one that thinks all of my dog's food had to be raw anyhow, but misrepresentation of any sort, always makes me trust a company a little bit less....


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## Jamie Hein (Aug 17, 2013)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Thanks for letting me know - not that I am one that thinks all of my dog's food had to be raw anyhow, but misrepresentation of any sort, always makes me trust a company a little bit less....
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Me too. I received a large sample of their food in the mail and used it for Kennedy's treats. He wouldn't eat a meal of it anyway and it is quite pricey.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

I think it makes a better treat too. Too much of it, and the poops get too large and soft.


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