Foods NOT to Feed Your Dog

[Smiling JOe]

When we were shopping for a standard poodle of show quality, many of the breeders whose dogs you see at Westminster asked that we sign a contract saying that we would only feed our dog the BARF (bones and raw food) diet. One of these breeders has great instructions at her website (a website that *really* needs updating). The URL is http://www.ridgewoodpoodles.com/raw_natural_diet - prep.htm, and it has six pages of instructions with photos. The last time I talked to Cathy, she had seven standards of her own and spent an hour a day preparing food for them. To keep a show coat on a standard takes thirty minutes of daily grooming plus four hours once a week. Obviously, she spends all of her free time with her dogs (which might explain why she hasn't had time to update her website). Her husband died, and they had no children, so her dogs are her family.

The BARF diet is what I was calling the RAW diet, and the key point is that the bones need to be raw. Cooking weakens the bones and may lead to splintering.

 

[Mango]

thanks darlene. very helpful! I guess I have to take away Lulu's tobacco products.. , I was surprised to see garlic and onion!

Toots, you'll have to get a Lulu patch. ;-) I didn't know about the garlic and onions either.

 

[Mango]

When we were shopping for a standard poodle of show quality, many of the breeders whose dogs you see at Westminster asked that we sign a contract saying that we would only feed our dog the BARF (bones and raw food) diet. One of these breeders has great instructions at her website (a website that *really* needs updating). The URL is http://www.ridgewoodpoodles.com/raw_natural_diet - prep.htm, .

My family dogs were on the BARK, BARF, or LICK protocol. Which means, depending on who walked in the door you would get one of the above.

When I do decide to get a doggie one day, it will be a pudgy loving mixed mutt (like past family pets who lived long lives and ate everything)

Signing waivers........WT*?

 

[iwishiwasthere]

:clap_1: :clap_1: Good list KD...thanks! It never hurts to learn something new.

I guess my girls will have to give up their Sun. am treat of gravy and dog food....DO NOT want pancretitis!!!

 

[Rudyjohn]

I will offer some backup from a personal experience with bones. My little dog that I used to have grabbed a chicken bone from a plate that was left in his reach. He ate it before I could get to it. The next day when he had his morning poop, I heard him scream out in pain. I immediately took him to the vet. The bone that he ate the night before had cause a huge tear in his rectum. It had to be stiched up. He was in pain for quit a long time. It could have torn his intestine, thankfully it did not. So, that is my backup.

Ohhhh, that is soooo sad!! This is exactly what I would imagine but to actually have this happen to your pet, how horrible.

I always had to watch our dog, John, because he always tried to snatch scraps off our plates or if something fell on the floor on the way to the sink, I was always so afraid this axact same thing would happen to him! Whew, that was a close call for your pup.

 

[NewfieGirl]

Great info. I used to feed my dogs frozen chicken wings because a true dog fanatic told me it was ok, so I think uncooked bones are ok. I stopped, it was too much of a hassle to break them apart frozen like that so they stick to Eukanuba for large breeds and only have human treats like carrots, celery and frozen green beans. What strings are they talking about... mine get those ropes from time to time and I see evidence that they must have chewed some off sometimes, is that bad or are they referring to something else?

On occasion I have given them what I cut away from a ribeye which has fat and some meat... I will stop that and I guess the beer too. J/K on the beer. I love my doggies and want them to be with me as long as they can. Thanks, KDW!

 

[Rudyjohn]

My dogs have always loved small pieces of fruits and veggies as treats. Otherwise, they only eat Iams. But their favorites are baby carrots, and the romaine lettuce spines after I've ripped off the leafy parts for our salads. I knew that onions and grapes/raisins were a no-no but didn't know that about 'shrooms. But it's weird because whenever I've tried to give Rudy one, he absolutely will not eat it, and neither did John.

 

[Teresa]

make extra, add the garlic and onion and give it to me!

okay, it's not half bad!

 

[Lady D]

I just viewed something online called Tips for buying safe pet food at Today.msnbc.com! It states that you should make sure there are no wheat or wheat gluten products in your pet food. Also, the first two or three ingredients should be some type of animal protein-chicken, beef, fish, lamb, or turkey. They shouldn't be vegetable, wheat or grain, or animal by-products. Also, generic-label or store-label brands because the food is probably from bulk suppliers. Don't pick products that have unidentified meat or bone meal. Also you need to avoid preservatives that are controversial: BHT, ethoxyquine, which was used many years back and determined to be a carcinogenic, and is no longer being used, BHA, and propolyneglycol. These things you do not want to see on the label. I need to check his cans for these things and his treats. They say no treats are affected but some of his treats have wheat gluten in them. I called the place I ordered them from and they told me their product is safe. But I feel, of course, they are going to say that to sell a product. But he has not had any of those treats yet.

 

[kathydwells]

I just viewed something online called Tips for buying safe pet food at Today.msnbc.com! It states that you should make sure there are no wheat or wheat gluten products in your pet food. Also, the first two or three ingredients should be some type of animal protein-chicken, beef, fish, lamb, or turkey. They shouldn't be vegetable, wheat or grain, or animal by-products. Also, generic-label or store-label brands because the food is probably from bulk suppliers. Don't pick products that have unidentified meat or bone meal. Also you need to avoid preservatives that are controversial: BHT, ethoxyquine, which was used many years back and determined to be a carcinogenic, and is no longer being used, BHA, and propolyneglycol. These things you do not want to see on the label. I need to check his cans for these things and his treats. They say no treats are affected but some of his treats have wheat gluten in them. I called the place I ordered them from and they told me their product is safe. But I feel, of course, they are going to say that to sell a product. But he has not had any of those treats yet.

But it wasn't just generic-label, or store label brands that were affected by this recall. There were Eukanuba, Iams, Nutro Max, etc on the list. So I don't think it is just about the off brands we should be worried about. I think we should be worried about ALL of it. IMHO.