For those of you with dogs/cats on a raw diet, we found a wonderful product that stores and transports well, allowing you to maintain the diet while you travel or bug out.

We keep a 30 day supply on hand for our dogs. Here is a link if you are interested......

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/index.shtml

At $71 a bag, I know I won't be buying it for my pets!

We don't feed this everyday, only when we travel with the dogs.

Our everyday feeding program is almost identical to the following link:

http://www.leerburg.com/pdf/feedingrawdiet.pdf

Our dogs' raw diet is only slightly more expensive than buying premium off-the-shelf kibble for day-to-day feeding.

Maintaining a raw diet when you travel, however, is where the problem comes in. You need coolers or refrigeration to store the meat.

To get around this problem, the Honest Kitchen products are the perfect pre-packaged raw diet substitute if you have to go on the road.

At that price, I think I'll stick with Purina Pro Plan. Made in America and stays in the bowl about 30 seconds.

Craig.

Here is an alternate point of view about commercial dog food for your consideration.

http://www.resteddoginn.ca/api.php

Even if you ignore the information in the above article, consider this:

I work with top German Shepherd Breeders from all over US and a few from Germany on a regular basis.

Many are switching to raw diets for their dogs because the health benefits are hard to deny once they make the switch.

1. No "doggy" smell, even when the dogs are wet. No BS
2. Cleaner teeth
3. Smaller less stinky poop that is easily cleaned up because it holds together. (My observations of Purina One and Pro Plan is that it looks like more volume coming out than going in and it is messy to clean up, like a blob of yellow pudding.)
4. No hot spots
5. No hyperactivity after feeding
6. Less gas
7. No diarrhea
8. No puking
9. Luxurious fur, not just shiny.
10. Improved pigmentation in the fur.
11. Weight is easily managed.
12. No finicky eaters
13. Much less bad breath
14. Lower long-term vet bills.

When you have literally tens of thousands of dollars invested in a working animals and their training, the incremental cost of superior food is a no-brainer.

Some breeders won't even sell you a top working dog unless you sign a contract stating that you will raw feed the dog. Leerburg Kennel is one such breeder that comes to mind.

I will grant you that Honest Kitchen is a pricey way to feed raw. That is why we use it as a alternative food only for travel and an emergency supply.

I've got to admit that most dog and cat foods found in the stores are nothing but high-priced chicken feed. Look at the ingredient lists.

The Honest Kitchen food works out to be about $2/lb when reconstituted.

When you're buying dog food, keep in mind that the biggest makers/sellers/advertisers of dog food tend to be the bigger makers & sellers of human food. Their dog foods are the way they get paid big bucks for unloading their human food waste... and you're paying it. Read the ingredient lists.

Sue

If I had the money, I'd be eating raw food exclusively myself. Nevermind my beloved pup, I want sushi everyday!

I want to at least start making recipes based on Dr. Michael Fox's suggestions: http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id19.html, as a supplement/compliment to my dog's Natural Balance brand food. That way, in his BOB he can have some dry dog food that he's used to so his stomach won't get upset.

Someday, somewhere down the line, we may switch to totally raw food. Most commercial dog food is garbage.

The switch was scary at first. There are plenty who will tell you this is a bad idea. Hearing the dogs crunching on bones was a little unsettling at first.

But the benefits are obvious and become apparent within a few weeks. Other raw feeders report similar results.

I have found that mixing kibble with raw doesn't work so well. You have to go all in to get the benefits. Other raw feeders have confirmed this too.

Here is a one of the books that we used to get started...

http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Nutrition-...9544&sr=8-1

If you are can find a vet who supports raw feeding and isn't just an outlet for commercial pet food, they can be a great resource too. We are fortunate to have such a vet.

I am not a fan of kibble, but here is a tip if that is your feeding choice:

Soak it in warm water for 10 minutes or so before you feed it to the dog. It needs to expand to its full size before getting into the dog.

If you don't soak it, the food will expand in the dog's stomach. Some vets speculate that this can lead to a deadly condition called bloat, especially in large breed dogs. Bloat is fatal in most cases and is not that rare of a condition.

http://wawa.essortment.com/dogsbloatwhat_reyc.htm

Purina One & Pro Plan expands at least 2x when you let it soak.

Also, the cruchiness of the food doesn't really clean their teeth. That is marketing BS. When was the last time you cleaned your teeth with a cookie? Don't think that you are giving up something by soaking the food.

"Also, the cruchiness of the food doesn't really clean their teeth."

Esp when they swallow it whole, like my dog. But when I feed her raw, she settles down and chews, and seems to enjoy her food. Raw meaty bones DO clean her teeth... kibble doesn't.

Grain-based kibbles swell more and faster than meat-based kibbles, but they all swell.

My vet is into holistic treatments (as much as possible) and raw food. He says that he is coming more and more to believe commercial diets are the cause of many pet health problems. "You can pay now (with good food), or you can pay ME later (with high vet bills), but you ARE going to pay."

Sue

On the pay later program, the animals pay most of the price with an unhealthy and uncomfortable life....hot spots, allergies, weight problems, dental problems, that nasty "doggy" smell...

In the US, we have had two close calls (that we know about) in the past two years that killed many beloved pets.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10771943/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_pet_food_recalls

I believe the quest for ever cheaper ingredients by the pet food industry is root cause of this developing trend.

IMO it is only a matter of time before one of the large pet food manufacturers' carelessness or greed leads to larger accidental mass pet exterminations.

Oops. This is a more direct link to an example of a raw food diet using human-grade whole food that we use day-to-day.

http://leerburg.com/diet2.htm

Disclaimers:

I have the following relationships with this company:

We are their customer for supplies.

They have a link to our NOT-FOR-PROFIT training group on their website because we are lucky enough to have one of the top Schutzhund trainers and competitors in the U.S. in our training group.

Also, the business owner's son is helping to fight the war on terror for us. He is on his second tour of duty. We are in his debt too.