I started feeding my dogs a raw meat diet in 2005. I really enjoyed the differences that I saw in my dogs within days of switching them over. I had a dog that was skinny-gain some weight, dogs that were fat-loose the weight, and a dog that was just plain picky start eating like a champ! Recently there has been the "dog food scare" where they have found melamine (a substance that they make "plastic" plates out of) in dog kibble from imported feeds. I have sat back and thanked my lucky stars that my dogs have not been effected nor did I have to worry with the food that they were eating. I have really enjoyed feeding my dogs a raw diet. It is easy, relatively inexpensive compared to super premium dog foods, and the health benefits (shinier coats, clean teeth and fresh breath, less poop, less shedding, clear eyes, slower rate of growth in young animals, easier to maintain "proper" weight just to name a few) were enough to get me to change my dogs over from kibble diet to a raw diet. I consider myself a "lazy" raw feeder. I buy my food in bulk (I am currently feeding five healthy adult Chessies) and pack it in tubs that can hold 20# of food. I have the dogs all line up in front of me and I dole out food to each one of them. Some of them get a lot and some get a "maintenance" amount of food. Brier, my most "active" dog, going to agility classes, tracking, and obedience gets fed three times more then nine year old Sydney who is enjoying retirement and going on long strolls in the woods with me. I do not weigh how much food each of them are going to eat. I "feel" my dogs to see if they are "fat" or too "thin" and feed accordingly. There are "guides" that suggest that you feed 1 pound of meat per 50 pounds of dog. That might work in some cases, but like in people, everyone is different. I've got a friend that can pig out on anything she would like and is still rail thin...I, unfortunately, would be big as a house if I were to eat like that! "Feeling" your dogs on a daily basis is the BEST way to figure out if you are feeding too much or too little of food. Everyone feeds their dogs differently and like with most things, you will find people who are very passionate about how they feed their dogs. I am passionate about feeding my dogs a raw diet and I do not go around "chastising" people for feeding kibble to their dogs, I just would like to inform people on how "easy" and relatively "inexpensive" is it to feed a raw diet. I think a lot of people are afraid that their dogs might choke on the raw bones, or get salmonella poisoning, or the cost of feeding a raw meat diet. Hopefully the links below will help you get started or help you decide if feeding a raw meat diet to your dogs is something you might be interested in doing. And although I am not an "expert" by any means, if you have any questions on feeding a raw meat diet to your dogs, please feel free to drop me a line. I will be happy to talk with you and try to answer any of your concerns or questions.

Here is a list of books that might help get you started on feeding a raw diet... These are in NO particular order as to what I prefer or what I do not prefer. In feeding my dogs I have learned to take a little from many of the authors and compile my own way of feeding that works for myself and for my dogs. Raw Dog Food: Make it Easy for You and Your Dog Carina Beth MacDonald *This tongue in cheek book is a short and easy read. It explains the "basics" of feeding raw. Not the most detailed book I have read, but it is a very good "starter" book to get your feet wet before diving into a raw diet for your dogs. Give Your Dog a Bone: The Practical Commonsense Way to Feed Dogs for a Healthy Life And The BARF Diet: Raw Feeding for Dogs and Cats Using Evolutionary Principles And Grow Your Pups with Bones And The Barf Diet: For Cats and Dogs Dr. Ian Billinghurst *Billinghurst is what some would consider the "father" of the "BARF" (Bones And Raw Food or also known as Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods) diet. Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health And Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones Tom Lonsdale Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog And Back to basics: The natural diet, a guide to a balanced, home-made dog food Wendy Volhard *Wendy is known for being an exceptional dog trainer as well as nutritionist Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats Kymythy Schultze Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats Richard H Pitcairn Food Pets Die For Ann Martin *Not sure you are wanting to feed a raw meat diet...read this book to learn of some of the unusual and not to tempting or tasty "things" manufacturers are putting in your dogs and cats kibble.

Not wanting to buy books when you are still unsure if you are wanting to feed a raw meat diet? Here are some links to some educational sites that I found helpful when I first considered changing my dogs to raw. A Vet Clinic that supports a raw meat way of feeding dogs. Good basic information. < http://www.wilmingtonanimalhospital.com/rawdiets.html > One of my favorite sites. This is actually the site that got me telling myself that I could indeed easily feed my dogs a raw meat diet. < http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm >

Hate touching raw chicken, whole raw fish, and beef liver? The idea of your dog chomping down on a chicken leg make you queasy? Consider feeding one of the pre-packaged prepared raw diets that contains everything your dog needs. Just cut off a section of the food and put it in a bowl and ta-da! Dinner is served!

Whiskey Creek Chesapeakes

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