Wysong?

[lissa4622]

I've been battling with Scout to get her to eat her dry food.  I've tried many different brands and was having no luck.  She went 3 days without eating because she wouldn't eat anything I gave her.  I would mix it with canned food and she would suck the canned food off and spit out the kibble.  Weirdo.  I poured broth over it and she still didn't touch the kibble.  I've tried Innova, Chicken Soup, Canidae, California Natural, Merrick, Natural Balance, and Iams.  No luck.  Well then I started watching a dog that eats Wysong and Scout LOVES it.  But I've had mixed reviews about how great of a food it is.  I've heard that it never went through feeding trials.  I want Scout to eat something healthy.  How do I get her to eat a good quality food?  BTW, she can't be fed raw because she is a therapy dog and it is against the rules for them to eat raw if they are going into hospitals (due to bacteria or something?)

[Heather]

That is the most retarded thing I've ever heard! So because a dog eats raw means everyone around her gets sick? Preposterous! Dogs clean themselves very well and I suppose the people who made this rule have conveniently forgotten that samonella and much worse is everywhere around us. Some people are so stupid they cannot research and read correct info. But my rant will not change any rules. That said, Wysong looks good to me. It reminds me of Nature's Variety and Honest Kitchen combined. If you're wanting the nutritional benefits of raw (nothing will replace the benefits of teeth cleaning RMBs though) I would personally feed ZiwiPeak. Actually, I DO feed it occasionally because the price of raw lamb meat is outrageous. My next choice would probably be dehydrated Nature's Variety medallions/patties or Honest Kitchen.

[Ratwings]

That is so sad that therapy dogs aren't allowed to eat raw.   Is it one particular organization that has these rules? Or is it a hospital rule?  Guess all my dreams of having a therapy dog someday just got thrown out the window.  I mean, as much as I would like to bring joy and healing to people's live, I could not make the choice to compromise my dog's long-term health in order to do so.

My miniature poodle Rocky was constantly refusing his kibble and frequently came down with "mystery illnesses" of lethergy, vomiting, soreness and diarrhea that the vet could never identify. Once I switched him to raw he has never missed a meal, he has so much energy more energy (he's 11), and he hasn't been sick in the 6 or so months he's been on raw.

Oh, and feeding trials really don't tell you a whole lot about the "quality" of a food. They simply state that a certain number of animals stayed alive (alive, not necessarily healthy) for a certain period of time while being fed the food.  I've been to the "nutrition" lectures given by the major pet food companies at my school, and even hearing it from their side of the story, I still have a hard time understanding how these feeding trials are so special.  I would NEVER feed my pets Science Diet or any similar crap if for some bizarre reason I was forced to feed them kibble, and SD is supposedly hi-tech veterinary nutrition or some such nonsense.  I would stick with the stuff that uses whole, natural, and minimally processed ingredients. And I would supplement with canned food from several other brands so that the diet doesn't lack variety, because even with high-quality stuff, if you are feeding one thing and nothing else for a long time (like... for your dog's whole life) there is a definate risk of nutritional imbalance.

[lissa4622]

It is because dogs that eat raw meat are more likely to be carrying salmonella or other bacteria in their systems.

I don't know how AAFCO performs their feeding trials, but I've done feeding trials in school.  We tested the different contents (fat, protein, minerals, ash, etc) in the food and then in the feces, to compare what went in with what came out.  This would tell us what got digested and absorbed.  Vets would do regular exams and bloodwork on animals to make sure they were healthy.  It was a lot more than just seeing who stayed alive.

I personally don't think a raw food diet is better than a high quality dog food (key words: high quality.  I'm not talking about Kibbles and Bits or crap like that).  I've read a lot about the pros and cons of raw and commercial diets, while trying to decide what to feed my dog.  I've also talked to vets and animal nutritionists.  As in everything, there are a lot of contrasting views.  I've taken many animal nutrition classes for both small and large animals (and not any that were related to any dog food company), but I am certainly no expert.  I always ask for many opinions from people with different backgrounds before making a major decision about my animal (and I consider food being one of the most important decisions when it comes to pet ownership) because I want to get as many viewpoints as possible before deciding what I want for my dog.  It seems to me like both raw and kibble can be equally damaging.  Commercial diets are formulated to meet a dog's nutritional needs, but they contain additives and preservatives that can be dangerous.  Raw meat you find in a store is not the same as the raw meat a dog would get after a fresh kill.  It has been exposed (either directly or indirectly) to chemicals and bacteria while being processed.  It is more likely to contain salmonella, ecoli, etc.  Plus, domestic dogs are NOT wolves.  They've been eating cooked foods for many of their generations, so not all dogs can handle raw meat as their digestive systems have been adapted to cooked food. 

All I am trying to say is that it doesn't make me a bad pet owner because I don't wish to feed my dog raw meat for personal reasons that relate to my dog.  I'm not trying to argue because everyone is entitled to feed their pets what they wish and all diets have their strengths and weaknesses.  Plus, not all dogs are the same.  One dog can thrive on one diet while the same diet could make another dog sick.  Maybe the ideal diet is mixing kibble with some raw meat and some cooked, who knows?

[Heather]

Plus, domestic dogs are NOT wolves.  They've been eating cooked foods for many of their generations, so not all dogs can handle raw meat as their digestive systems have been adapted to cooked food.

Kibble has only been around for maybe 100 years. It takes hundreds and hundreds of years for an animal's basic makeup to evolve. Yes, physical traits are easy to change and breed for but a dog's digestive track has not been changed from their ancestors because of a commercial kibble diet. Salmonella has been found more frequently in kibble fed dog's stool than in raw fed dog's stool. The bacteria cannot survive in dogs because their stomach acid pH is too low, hence why they can eat fresh meat and/or rotting roadkill and not get sick from the bacteria. Are you aware that 80% of kibble fed dogs over 4 have some form of periodontal disease? Let's face facts- NO kibble cleans teeth. That's like a cereal company marketing a crunchy pelleted product saying "Never brush your teeth again when you eat our cereal based food every day!" That's why so many people have to brush their dog's teeth and get dentals every couple years. Amos's gum disease was reversed after 4-5 months on raw. I've never, ever met any raw feeder that gets dentals for their dog or brushes their teeth. Just that benefit right there had me hooked. I don't want Amos undergoing anesthesia every year for something that can easily be prevented by a diet change. Animals don't evolve towards a diet that causes them harm. The meat bought fresh from a grocery store and even a day before the date is still fresher than processed, cooked meats in dog foods. It's like comparing canned green beans and fresh. I don't want this to come across as an attack on your choice of what to feed your dogs. That's ultimately up to you but I wanted to post my own findings in case anyone else is researching raw diets and had the same concerns you do. I wish you all the luck in finding the best food choice for your pup.