Hillcrest Border Collies are raised on a natural, RAW diet. After much reading and research we found that we wanted to do more for our dogs than feed a commercial kibble. With "The Ultimate Diet" by Kymythy Schultz as our major reference our dogs were switched over to raw. I immediately saw improvements in our dogs. I, then, had a Keeshound that was allergic to almost everything and was on weekly allergy shots. I saw these allergy shots needed less and less and then not needed at all. This along with other signs in our dogs sold me and we have never looked back. Our dogs enjoy their meals and we truly enjoy watching them crunch down and eat their meals. It is very satisfying to know that we are feeding our dogs the very best food that we can provide for them and that we do not fill them up with fillers and bi-products.
The basic principals with feeding a raw diet is to give our dogs what wild dogs and wolves eat. One thing to remember is that this way of feeding is based over time, not on a daily basis. Feeding a RAW, natural diet consists of about 5 - 10% offal (liver, heart, kidneys), 10 - 15% raw meaty bones (we use chicken, turkey, duck, sheep, goat and pork necks, chicken leg quarters, wings, and backs and beef bones, 80 - 85% muscle meat. We do add canned mackerel to our dogs' diet a few times a month. We supplement with a probiotic and a veggie/vitamin capsule.
Benefits of a Properly Balanced Raw Diet:
- Increased resistance to degenerative diseases - e.g. arthritis.
- Naturally clean teeth - no need for toothbrushes, de-scaling jobs, or gum disease.
- Longer chewing time for raw meaty bones gives more time to stimulate digestive acids.
- Smaller, firmer stools which turn chalky after a couple of days.
- Calmer more centered temperaments.
- Ripping and chewing involved in eating raw meaty bones develops the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles for the animal. Commercial dog foods do not assist in this important muscle development.
- Better weight control.
- Longer life span.
- Easier pregnancy and whelping.
- More appropriate growth rates. Quick growth spurts are avoided.
"Biologists have yet to discover any wild carnivore that cooks it's food"
-Kymythy R. Shcultze, A.H.I
Feeding a completely raw diet is not a lifestyle that everyone is ready to accept. So, my goal is to find the best solution for all situations.
Raw Reading and Internet References:
