# Raw Food Question



## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

giggle giggle


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## rawdogs (Apr 30, 2011)

Hi Cleo,
YES we mean raw as in uncooked,the way nature intended,have you ever seen a wolf set up the barbie,after killing an elk.
Bone are fine raw,to a dog they are soft and pliable,cooked they become hard and brittle and easily splinter into sharp shards that can cause damage .
When dogs gnaw on meaty bones they are flossing and brushing ,bones are natures toothbrushes.
As well as bone if want to feed an all raw diet you also need to include a variety of meats and offal.here are a couple of sites you may find helpful.

www.dogfoodchat.com/forum/rawfeeding/
Jane Anderson's Raw Learning Site


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Yes, raw for dogs does mean plain ol' raw meat and organs. Raw chicken bones are spongy and digestible; it is only after they are cooked that they become dangerous for dogs. I know that is a HUGE mental hurdle to overcome--I had to do it as well, after a lifetime of hearing, "Never give your dog chicken bones! He'll die!"

Now, all four of my dogs devour raw chicken (and other meat) just as nature intended, and their teeth are very clean.

Check out the links from rawdogs' post, that's good stuff!

--Q


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## Cleo101 (Jun 3, 2011)

*Thanks!!!*

thanks everyone who replied...I know it must of been a funny question, but like I said everyone has told me chicken bones were bad for my dogs....what about pork chop bones?


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Pork is fine, so long as its raw. In fact, the bulk food I'm able to buy the most is "pork riblets." Pork neck bones are also very economical and often available at the supermarket; they are hard bones that dogs really have to work at, and thus have good teeth-cleaning properties.

--Q


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## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

rawdogs said:


> Hi Cleo,
> ... have you ever seen a wolf set up the barbie,after killing an elk.


lol !


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## Cleo101 (Jun 3, 2011)

Well I bought some chicken legs today just to try them out and see how my dog(s) do with raw...Well I have to say that my Border Collie will not eat it, he just carries it around everywhere he goes, so I will just wait and watch..My other dog Diamond who is a Chihuahua LOVES it..She ate hers up and is trying to steal Kovu's (my border collie)Its a sticky mess that is for sure....


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## kris6332 (May 14, 2011)

Okay -so let me add yet another dumb question..........
What about transferring harmful bacteria from the raw meat? I'm not talking about the mess they will make eating it - you can disinfect the area they eat in, BUT what about when they lick you after eating raw foods. How do you guys who feed raw keep from getting sick? Told ya' - another dumb question.


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## Cleo101 (Jun 3, 2011)

My dogs are "NOT" allowed to lick me, on the hand yes, but on the face "NO"..I always wash my hands..But this is the first time I fed raw to my dogs....and when they say that a dogs mouth is cleaner then a humans that is a myth...Yes a dog has less germs then a human in the mouth but its not cleaner...and its not a dumb questions, its actually something I have never thought of until now


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Ditto - I discourage my dogs from licking my face, and wash my hands before preparing food, eating, etc. When I think of some of the things my dogs sniff, lick or otherwise mouth, raw chicken is the least of my worries!


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## kris6332 (May 14, 2011)

I won't say I'm a germ freak, but I'm constantly cleaning and making the kids wash their hands/put germ-x on. My husband also complains that I over cook meats but it's only bc I'm scared I'm going to give someone food poisoning. Knocking on wood right now, but my kids are hardly ever sick. Don't know if it's bc of my efforts or if they just have strong immune systems.
That's my only problem with raw feeding. I know it is best, but it's icky to me. I did raw feed some with Buster, but always had reservations about him licking the kids in the face or possibly transferring bacteria elsewhere in the house to be picked up later by little hands. Blame that fear of germs on college Microbiology. I stopped eating out for over a year after we secretly swabbed local restaurants, grocery carts, gas pumps, and other frequently touched surfaces. Those cultures grew some really nasty bacteria! Guess I could feed outside, wash up the paws, and not let him/her lick us on the face. Any thoughts from you veteran raw feeders????

Kristy


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## Cleo101 (Jun 3, 2011)

This is off subject but not really...I fed both of my dogs raw chicken legs and guess what? I know what dog I have taught the best  my chihuahua ate it up but my border collie still will not eat it, we have never given our dogs table scraps that is just totally wrong..So this afternoon I decided to try it again with my border collie and he still refuses to eat it..I can leave food out on the stove( i have done this before) and he will not eat it, so what can I do to get him to eat it? My chihuahua has no problem just a little to big for her..and another thing, how long can I leave that chicken out before I have to trow it away its been out for 10 mins now, should I throw out what they dont eat?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Dogs will cheerfully eat stuff out of rubbish bins, or that has been quietly decaying and dessicating for days - not to be encouraged, perhaps, but I don't think you need to worry about chicken that has been out of the fridge for an hour or two.

I would try searing the meat for your BC - heat a pan, and give the meat just a few seconds on each side until it begins to colour - you want to be sure not to cook the bone at all. If in doubt, try cutting the meat off the bone, sear it, and feed just the meat. He will quickly get the idea! Don't feed just meat long term, of course - it needs balancing with calcium and offal - but a few meals to get him used to the idea won't do any harm.


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## Jessie's Mom (Mar 23, 2010)

well, i'm also contemplating changing over to raw because of jessie's sensitive stomach and because of her ear problems. *Chocolate Millie* recommended a book to me: Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs, author is Lew Olson. it is very informative and covers all the questions and concerns brought up here. i'm still in the beginning part of the book but i would recommend it to anyone who is interested in raw. i bought it on amazon. it's very inexpensive. maybe $7.99 US $ ? something like that.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Cleo101 said:


> My dogs are "NOT" allowed to lick me, on the hand yes, but on the face "NO"..I always wash my hands..But this is the first time I fed raw to my dogs....and when they say that a dogs mouth is cleaner then a humans that is a myth...Yes a dog has less germs then a human in the mouth but its not cleaner...and its not a dumb questions, its actually something I have never thought of until now


He he. My dogs lick me smack on the lips (whether I want it or not.  ) I guess I try to avoid kisses right after their meals, but I'm not sure if I am successful at that. 

I have decided that, for a healthy person, exposure to germs is less harmful than the constant use of Germ-X and other antibacterial substances. I try to avoid antibacterial soaps in general as I don't think that they are necessary for a healthy person. I think that the overuse of antibacterial _everything_ has caused more problems than actual exposure to germs, for a healthy person. (And my family makes Germ-X labels, so trust me, I went through a phase where I germ-x'ed my hands ridiculously often!)

I'll be perfectly honest with you, I do not pay any regard to germs from my pets. They eat raw, I handle raw - sometimes overripe raw  and haven't gotten sick. I am positive that I have been exposed to icky germs like campylobacter, salmonella and e-coli. But I haven't gotten sick. My theory is that us raw feeders probably have a higher natural immunity to those icky germs simply from repeated exposure.


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

I wipe Nickel's face after each meal. I wash my hands before and after handling raw. I am not particularly concerned about germs from my dog's raw food.


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## kris6332 (May 14, 2011)

Going to Amazon to order "Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs"!


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## FunkyPuppy (Jan 27, 2011)

Hey, the transfer of chicken germies from Bonzai's face and paws to my son's face and paws was.my first concern too! It took awhile to get over it, and because my house is currently ALL carpet, i currently feed the wings outside on the porch.

As for the fear of transfer, my breeder made an excellent point....she has been feeding whole litters of puppies raw chicken wings for years, and babysits her (now 3 year old) grandson often. So her grandson has been 'exposed' to MULTIPLE raw chicken-flavored puppy mouths on countless occasions and never been sick. Not to mention her adult spoos (who probably aren't as mouthy as puppies) but surely still drool occasionally. 

...i could be wrong though... maybe adult show spoos dont drool... to look at one you'd think they dont poo either...


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