Can anyone reccommend a good site for starting the raw diet for my dogs?

I'm seriously considering doing the raw diet for my dogs. I've read many a web page on the topic and I think I get the basic idea of how to go about it, but unfortunately, most of the sites were raw food retailers who sell in bulk and were pushing me to use their product and only gave me guidelines for the use of their product- nothing about how to do it on my own. I have a wonderful Italian market in my locale that sells every part of the animal you can think of, and at low prices. I think the average cost of a whole lamb liver is $1.50, and about the same price for gizzards and other body parts such as pigs feet and snouts. They also sell their meats at a great price (chicken is usually around $1 per pound). So the tools are there, I just need to implement them. Can anyone reccommend a good online resource for a homemade raw diet? Or perhaps you prepare homemade raw foods for your pets and have valuable recipes/advice? I also have questions about feeding veggies- which ones are acceptable and do they have to be steamed before consumption (some sites say yes because steaming them brings out all the nutrients, but other sites say no because technically it's no longer raw)? And is mixing in rice a good idea, and if so, which type of rice is best to use? And I'm kind of worried about feeding bones because while all the raw sites say it's good to do that, many of my friends who have worked in a vet clinic before say that most of the dogs on a raw diet came in with torn intestines from the bones peices. Logic tells me they should be OK, but I've been scared by one to many people to just let this go without asking someone who has had succes with the raw diet. As always, any help is much appreciated and links are wonderful!Can anyone reccommend a good site for starting the raw diet for my dogs?
I know this isn't exactly what you have asked for in terms of raw meat diet websites but I personally have seen this diet work very successfully for many dogs. I do actually work for a veterinary clinic that primarily sells dry and wet vet prescribed dog foods BUT my vet is very open to other feeding methods and we even sell this in our clinic along side the kibble. I have seen many pets with food allergies or medical conditions that haven't benefited from a dry/canned diet flourish on this diet. The website doesn't include actual recipes (the book is fairly inexpensive though!) but it has a lot of great information about home-cooked and raw diets and is very informative.

Edit: oh! and I forgot to mention a lot of the diets can be modified to feed RAW :)

http://www.completeandbalanced.com/Can anyone reccommend a good site for starting the raw diet for my dogs?
These are a good place to start:

http://rawdiettruth.blogspot.com/

http://www.mypetcarnivore.com/rawfeeding

http://www.rawfeddogs.net/

http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfe鈥?/a>
dogfoodchat.comCan anyone reccommend a good site for starting the raw diet for my dogs?
our first dog lost all but 1 of her teeth, due to plaque, when we got our second dog,I asked the vet about brushing her teeth, the vet advised me to feed her some raw meat,therefor I feed her dry for 5 days then 2 days of raw meat, raw meat cleans the dogs teeth, it is amassing how it works,I buy steak for myself and for my dog, the vet also would not recommend bones for a dog, because a shard of bone may break off and stick into the dogs jaw and infect it,if the meat is raw from a butcher, there will not be bones in it, as its for human consumption and it is acceptable for dog consumption, also my dog hunts for mice, plays with them, then eats them, raw meat and bones.
Jennifer gave you some nice links, I'd also recommend checking out the Dogster raw forum as well.



You don't need rice or veggies. Dogs aren't designed to process plant matter, sure they'll eat it, but it comes out pretty much the same way it went in. For the dog to get any benefit from veggies they need to pureed, but then all that work for not much benefit, save your time and money.



Here's a chart that shows your dog doesn't need fruits or veggies to get all the nutrients it needs http://dogtrainingbyjess.web.officelive.鈥?/a>







I don't really use a recipe. I shoot for 80% meat 10% bone, 5% liver and 5% other secreting organs. This isn't met every day, but over a couple week time frame. I feed as much variety as possible as well.



Most vet clinics aren't going to be very supportive of raw as most of what they learn about nutrition comes from the companies trying to sell them food.



The dog's acidic digestive system takes care of the bones, it was designed for this. We've been told for years and years "Bones are bad" and "You're not smart enough to feed your dog properly on your own" So starting raw can be scary when these messages are all around us. But once you see how your dogs handle it, and that they are enjoying their meals and doing well, you'll shake your head at that advice.



As for the friends, either the dogs were fed inappropriate bones, or they're doing as most do and lump all bones together. So many sites against raw show bones that are cooked or inappropriate.



Cooked bones of any kind should not be fed, ever.Can anyone reccommend a good site for starting the raw diet for my dogs?
You're best bet is to ask a Vet that's into raw food diets (not vets that just want to sell you kibble) and join a couple raw food diet forums online. As far as I know there isn't a site dedicated to how you should get your dog on a raw food diet.
Firstly. NO RICE.



Think about what a wolf would eat!



You are able to offer a varied diet given your circumstances.



So, just go for it.

You don't need any recipes.

Don't steam or part cook, It defeats the object.



Just throughout the week, offer different things.

You can freeze things and then defrost for the next day.



You don't need anything else.



And raw bones are fine and keep their teeth healthy, even chicken bones.



I changed all 3 of my dogs to raw and have had no problems at all.



You will soon get to know if your dog doesn't like something!!



Good Luck. You are doing the best for your dog by changing over.
I learnt everything I needed to know about raw feeding from the raw section on www.dogfoodchat.com

Go to the forum and sign up. There is a section there just on feeding raw and you can ask all the questions you like. The people there are very nice and will do everything they can to help you.



I also strongly suggest that you check out the archives because there is a tonne of information there that will relate to the stuff you need to know.



There are also areas for beginners and also feeding ratios which is what you clearly need to research.



No rice in the raw food diet so ditch that idea.



Veges should include broccoli, spinach, celery, carrot and cayenne pepper (red peppers are excellent).

Fruit should include apple, pear, grapefruit and orange.

Don't forget fish, eggs, garlic, kelp and alfalfa.



On the protein side you need meat, bones and organs and the web site I listed has many good ideas on what to feed.



Best of luck. Your dog will be super healthy on a great diet like this one.

carrabas