Dog Owner Chat V. 5

[Naeco]

Mmm So my mom has realized that the kibble we're feeding isn't meeting all of Thor and Lilly's nutritional needs and will be getting them berries, yogurt, and other fruit and veggies to add to their dinners next paycheck.

I would add meats rather than fruits and veggies. Unless you blend them, it is really hard for dogs to digest fruits and veggies. The yogurt *should* be fine. Also, raw eggs are good.

[ru.]

Mmm So my mom has realized that the kibble we're feeding isn't meeting all of Thor and Lilly's nutritional needs and will be getting them berries, yogurt, and other fruit and veggies to add to their dinners next paycheck.

I would add meats rather than fruits and veggies. Unless you blend them, it is really hard for dogs to digest fruits and veggies. The yogurt *should* be fine. Also, raw eggs are good.

My opinion differs a bit.
But I know that most people, and even veterinarians, have differing opinions regarding ideal domestic dog nutrition.

I subscribe to the camp that dogs have evolved alongside humans to become omnivores. What differs between the type of omnivore that a human is vs a dog is that meat is more important for dogs while plants are more important to humans.

That being said, I believe that while a balanced diet for a dog needs to be heavily meat/protein based, they benefit from vegetables/fruits, Omega-3 oils, whole grains and easy-to-digest dairy (such as plain Greek yogurt) to create a balanced diet.

So I agree in a sense that it never hurts to add more meat! But I wouldn't go as far as to say that vegetables and fruits won't be beneficial. You just have to select the right ones.

(I also don't think that feeding raw eggs or meat is right for every family. It's hard to create a balanced diet and it can be risky to expose the family to potentially harmful bacteria that resides in raw meats and sometimes in raw eggs through the dogs saliva and excrement after consuming.
At least that is a risk that needs to be taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis. (:
No hate on those that raw-feed! Just have to be sure that you are getting your dog all the proper nutrients and that you are getting your meat from safe sources & safeguarding against harmful bacteria.)

[Taiger Lilly]

Yep, you have to be really careful about nutrition/diet advice from the internet/non professionals too. It's also why I'm wary about this thread having "nutrition advice advisors" on the front page without listing any credentials. Discussing nutrition and opinions is all fine and you can certainly learn new things/improve your dogs diet, but always check their sources, and ideally consult a vet (or veterinary nutritionist if you don't trust your vet) before making major diet alterations.

Take raw Salmon for example. It can cause a disease known as Salmon poisoning, which kills 90% of dogs that are untreated after showing symptoms. Cooking eliminates the risk (and so can freezing, but it has to be frozen for weeks+ and the exact time needed is hard to determine).
But even looking at the raw food page for reddit, there are people reccomending salmon for its omega 3's etc. without any disclaimer/warning about salmon poisoning.

@Skysong
What nutritional needs weren't being met, and how do you know?
I give my dog lots of little treats of food (eg, some raw meat if I'm cutting it up for dinner, carrots, peas, blueberries, apple, cheese, lunchmeat, boiled egg... etc. basically anything I have that's not toxic to dogs) but these are very small amounts (mini training treat size) and I do it more as mental stimulation (new smells and tastes) than a diet supplement.

[.Middy.]

Puppy finally has a name! Please say hello to “Octavia” -‘Trinity’s I Am The Storm’

Those ears are going up tomorrow, they will be taped and tied to either a pricked or tipped set! Super excited to see my girl with nice ears! Few more weeks until I get to meet her! I can’t wait to squish her little face!

[Imzadi83]

We're thinking of maybe adopting a dog or a cat sometime in the coming years, so thought I'd fill this out ^^

Have you had dogs before? What breeds?
We currently own a five month old golden retriever! He's very active and a quick learner. He's very friendly to family, friends, strangers, and other animals, but he can get over-excited around other dogs. We're working on calming him down, but in the meantime his enthusiasm can be off-putting or intimidating to other dogs.
Are there any breeds that have already caught your eye? If so, why?
I love love love huskies and collies (especially border collies), but they're probably too high maintenance for us to support. I'm also a fan of hunting dogs in general. I'd prefer a dog that was fairly active, not too difficult to train, and at least somewhat affectionate. I also have a six year old sister, so that would have to be taken into account.
How much time a day do you have to devote to training your dog?
At the very least an hour and at most the entire day.
What kind of grooming needs are you prepared to handle?
I'd prefer a dog with a short or medium coat.
What kind of energy level are you looking for?
A fairly active dog would be nice. I can't go on 2 hour long walks every day, but I wouldn't want a completely sedentary dog either. With Charlie, we generally take a 30 minute walk in the morning, a 1-2 hour long walk in the afternoon, and then a 45 minute walk after dinner (as well as plenty of yard time). We also go hiking during the weekends sometimes.
What do you plan on doing with your dog?
For now I'd just prefer a companion dog. We might start agility or flyball training with Charlie in the future, but for now we don't really have the time to take up a sport.
What size dog are you wanting?
Medium would be the ideal size. I wouldn't really want to own a small dog, but it'd be difficult to support a larger dog
What age dog are you looking for?
Anywhere from a puppy to a young adult (2-3 years old).
What kind of lifestyle do you live?
We're fairly active as a family, and our golden gets more than enough exercise. We live in a two story suburban house with a fenced backyard (about six feet high) and plenty of parks nearby. It snows lightly 5-6 times a year and averages around 85-90°F in the summer.

Any help would be appreciated! <3

What about another breed of retriever such as a Chesapeake, Curly, or Flat Coated? A breed of setter might be a good choice as well.

[Skysong]

This isn't a major change for them, When we have them in the house I give them these thing anyway.

We don't have the funds to give them raw meat right now, the ways they're acting in general are changing and they're looking for alternative sources for these nutrients. They do this every time we change back to a cheaper kibble.

They eat all of these things we're adding normally without an issue, and if there's an issue with greens we have ice cube trays and I know how to blend it and what to blend it with to freeze it. My dogs absolutely love ice cubes and frozen berries as a treat already. Frozen Berries, Ice Cubes, Carrots, the only green thing they won't eat is spinach leaves.

We are not going into a full raw diet, we can't afford it for the size of dogs these two are, just adding things to their kibble they're already getting and probably changing kibble soon to a more meat based one soon.

We have to find kibble that all the dogs like, as we have two older dogs who won't eat most kibbles in the first place.
One is just picky as heck, the other has bad teeth and can only really eat softer kibble.
Kibble they will all eat?
Purina Dog Chow.
Kibbles N Bits.
Science Diet.
Pinnacle Peak.

We can't afford a $40 23 pound bag of kibble right now, so they're on Purina.
They don't get wet food, they do get people food though, so they're used to getting most of this stuff they're going to be getting.
If it comes down to them needing a meat supplement, then we can go buy a couple whole chickens and debone them for the terrible twosome.

These dogs aren't getting a vegetarian diet, they get meat.
They do actually get raw eggs too, both chicken and quail.
Quail when we can find them for cheap.

[Nyxeva]

I'm super curious to know what makes you say they're omnivores when everything about their physiology points to their being carnivores? Not trying to challenge you, I'm just curious.

As for your dog's kibble, what brand were you feeding? Kibble for the most part does contain everything nutritionally that a dog needs. It may not be the best quality of food, but it will be balanced.

[tea!]

@Skysong

the brands you are feeding them really aren't good aa
while you are paying less for the food, you need to feed
the dogs more and end up paying more for more food.

Try taste of the wild I've read good things about it and
it seems to be a good price. It's $48 for a 30lb bag.

If you think about it, once you get them food that meets their
nutritional needs, you won't have to buy fruits and vegetables and
other supplements, so you're saving money.

[juliall]

@Skysong

the brands you are feeding them really aren't good aa
while you are paying less for the food, you need to feed
the dogs more and end up paying more for more food.

Try taste of the wild I've read good things about it and
it seems to be a good price. It's $48 for a 30lb bag.

If you think about it, once you get them food that meets their
nutritional needs, you won't have to buy fruits and vegetables and
other supplements, so you're saving money.

Honestly, Purina isn't bad. I work at a vet clinic, and before my dog had to be switched to a prescription diet, all the vets I work with said Purina was just fine as dog food. I'm not saying it's great, but if it's all you can get, then it will have to do.

[Marley.&.Me]

Purina isn’t a good kibble at all. Even my own vet has said that.