Originally Posted By: ram_man
Originally Posted By: ClutchDisc
Home made is fine IF you do it properly. You have to make sure the dog is getting the proper vitamins and minerals etc. Also feeding part home made + Purina dry isn't going to do any good. Eliminate the Purina, and go with a natural premium brand dog food. Blue Buffalo, Wellness, Canidae, Fromm, Merrick, are all good brands. Contrary to belief, don't feed raw, dogs don't need raw food. Just because that's what wolves eat doesn't make it the best for them. Dogs aren't wolves anyway. Plus if you feed raw, your not only putting your dogs heath in danger, but also your family's health, in particular small kids.
Dogs don't have issue with bacteria like you and I. Salmonella for example has little effect on a healthy dog. There intentional tract is short and very acidic. Feeding raw can be dangerous to you if you aren't careful. It's no more dangerous than preparing food for your self. Raw meat is raw no matter if you are cooking it for yourself or are leaving it raw.
When you prepare food for yourself it is raw. Tons of people are getting sick from handling raw chicken and beef to cool for their families. Why would it be more dangerous to prepare it for your dog? It's like most things if done correctly and with a reasonable level of common sense it's fine. The main word there was common sense.
My dogs did best on a raw diet I took them off because bag food is cheaper and they haven't done as well, coats not as shiny and good looking, breathe smells worse even with regular brushing and our one dog had terrible gas.
I will be switching back to raw when they are done with this bag of food.
Also the debate over omnivores vs carnivores comes to mind what is a dog?
Dogs can live without meat for a long time , dogs can eat vegetables and do ok. Most dogs can eat bagged food and do ok and most dogs can eat raw and d good to. My point is no a dog doesn't need raw food to survive but they don't require bagged food to survive either.
Also do not mix the two. A dogs body metabolizes dry food and raw meats totally different feeding both together can make them sick.
It's not dangerous to prepare....it's dangerous because the dog will transfer the bacteria around your home and small kids especially will be at great risk as they will be touching their faces and or mouth a lot. Here is a good article with some pros and cons for the raw diet:
http://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/raw-debate/756 Now read the risks, there is no way I'm going to take those risks for the dog or the people. Dogs don't need raw, so why bother with all the extra work, cost and risks? If you want to feed homemade, simply cook the food, and it will be heather for the dog and the humans. But better yet, if your going to spend all that money on food for your dog, why not use a natural premium dog food? Mines been on a high quality food for 4 yrs now and she is in great heath...shiny coat, teeth are great, breath is great, she doesn't have bad gas, etc.