Updated 9/02/08
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Raw Fed Am Staffs! My dogs eat a mixture of raw food, or they eat Canidae dry dog food. On the days they eat raw, their menu is:
I no longer feed veggies or fruits. The dogs are iffy on eating them; and it's been 2 years since I stopped without any ill effects. I started to feed raw using this spreadsheet: Raw Dog Ranch I have noticed over the last seven years that Am Staffs, that are not altered (neutered/spayed) require more fat and protein than what is written in Schultz's or Billinghurst's books. I liken them to thoroughbreds. They really utilize their food well. I suggest joining a local raw-feeding list to get some help in finding local bargains and purveyors; it also helps to buy in bulk, so many times the list will get together and all order for one drop-off location. Salmonella, e.coli: Many vets have issues with the raw diet due to these two lovely bugs. Please note that a dog's digestive system is shorter than ours and they handle the bacteria well. I have started many litters off at 3.5 weeks old on chicken wings without ANY problems (except the pups felt there should be MORE MORE MORE of those). The biggest issue with these bacteria is YOU. You have to be careful to make sure you clean your work area and your hands. If you have a hangnail, I suggest using gloves, even though meats today are much cleaner. Vets: In all cases, vets exclaim how great my dogs look. My dogs have no allergies, no eye goop, no ear problems. The poop does not smell and it disintegrates into white powder in a day. Nice way to thwart flies! Their teeth never need regular cleaning. I spend a lot less money at the vets than I ever did. Some vets hate raw, some will grudgingly accept it, others love it. My advice to you is to remember that the dog food in your vet's office is usually not the best thing for your dog, especially if it is Science Diet. My dogs got very ill on SD, and their digestive tracts could not handle it. Matches anyone? A vet is a person who is trained in the workings of the dog, just like a Doctor is trained in the workings of the human. Your Doctor will send you to a Nutritionist if you have problems. Your vet can diagnose some food related issues but they are not Canine Nutritionists. Please remember this -- do your own research online. Your dog will thank you. As for kibble, I recommend Canidae and Purina ProPlan. Others that are good are Timberwolf Organics, Evo, Innova. My dogs had problems with all the corn in Science Diet and Eukanuba/IAMS. Both of these last two are branded and sold as very high quality but if you compare labels, you will find that you can buy Canidae for a few $$ more and your dog will reap greater benefits, you will have to feed less. It ends up being the same cost. Well, short term. Long term issues will tip the balance in favor of Canidae as your dog will have less coat, allergy, ear problems... Rule of thumb: read the label. If it contains corn, ask yourself how many times you've seen dogs EAT corn. If your dog does eat corn, how many times have you seen it come out looking the way it went in? Corn is a filler. Don't waste your money and your dog's health by feeding expensive filler. Same with Beet Pulp. I belong to the Yahoogroup, BarfingChicago. I also like the forum on www.purebredpuppy.com on Raw. Hope this helps!
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