# Foods That Are Bad For Dogs



## GinaB (1 November 2007)

I'm going to see if I can get Admin to sticky this post so feel free to add anymore that aren't on this initital list (I found it online) 
	
	
		
		
	


	





* Onions and garlic
* Chocolate- Chocolate contains Theobromine, which can raise your dogs heart rate to beat abnormally. Can cause seizures that can lead to coma. Baking/dark chocolate has more of the chemical so it's more dangerous, but avoid all chocolate at all costs.
* Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts
* Pear pits, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pits which contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning
* Potato peels and green potatoes 
* Rhubarb leaves 
* Mouldy and Spoiled foods (I recently heard of a dog that died eating moldy cheese!Be very careful) 
* Alcohol 
* Yeast dough 
* Table scraps (high fat) and sweets 
* Coffee and tea (caffeine) 
* Hops (used in making beer) 
* Tomatoe leaves and the stems 
* Broccoli (in large quantities) 
* Raisins and grapes 
* Chicken and pork bones (can splinter and cause harm internally)
* Rawhide Chewies (a lot of people don't know this one..these are bleached with chemicals and can be unsafe)
* Wheat/grains- many dogs don't tolerate these well


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## severnmiles (1 November 2007)

You can take chicken off there's nothing wrong with chicken bones aslong as they're raw.  I feed Barf and mine get alot of legs/wings/carcasses e.t.c  Raw pork bones are fine for smaller dogs who don't have the power to break them but not for bigger dogs.

I know many breeders and show handlers who feed garlic puree to ward off fleas.

Other than that I agree with everything else.


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## GinaB (1 November 2007)

It won't let me edit it! I forgot all about the barf diet, maybe they mean cooked bones?

Garlic seems to appear on a lot of the lists I have read yet it doesn't state as to why it shouldn't be fed?

More...

*Avacado
* Products sweetened with xylitol


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## severnmiles (1 November 2007)

Must be, they can kill if cooked.  In my humble opinion you should never feed ANY cooked bones, beef or otherwise.  Too dangerous.  Hmmm, I wonder why, I don't feed garlic, frontline is easier  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Off topic but I always used to laugh when hounds crossed an onion field, the otherside they took about 5 mins to find any scent again, poor things must have had their noses blown off!


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## GinaB (1 November 2007)

Oh a garlicky update...

Onions and Garlic - onions, especially raw ones - sulphur in them causes the problems. This can cause damage to the red blood cells and cause anaemia. Garlic is less toxic than onions so if you wish to feed it to naturally repel feas, please check amounts with your vet.

Ahhh the poor hounds!


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## honeymum (1 November 2007)

Can't remember where I read it but a study I found on the internet said garlic can lead to haemolytic anaemia. However I know loads of people that have fed it as natural flea/worm repellant with no ill effects. 
Here's the link,
http://www.vetbase.co.uk/information/onions-garlic-are-poisonous-pets.php


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## edfin (1 November 2007)

I give my dogs liver cake and home made biscuits which all contain garlic and they love it.

As for feeding raw bones to dogs, check out this link from Ann Bedford of Mathanach Collies - http://www.collienet.com/health%20topics/bones%20and%20dogs.htm  - scary stuff.

Ann Bedford is the breeder of one of my dogs and at the time, she advised me to feed him raw chicken wings, but I was totally against this.  Not only as bones are harmful to dogs, but also from the salmonella point of view.  My vet agreed and now Ann refuses to give any of her dogs raw bones.

Another friend is into 'natural diet' for her dogs.  He staffy X had emergency surgery when a bone perforated his stomach.  Bones are now off her menu also.


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## severnmiles (1 November 2007)

How are they harmful to dogs?

Yes sure, I've heard of numerous foxes dying of Salmonella poisening from stealing chicken....not


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## severnmiles (1 November 2007)

Maral, what type of bone was it?  Chicken bones are soft which is why they don't get stuck.

I think Ann has to accept it was a freak accident.  My 2y.o jumped out of a field and impaled herself on a stake ripping out her intestines but it doesn't mean I should never turn another horse out into a field.


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## edfin (1 November 2007)

SevernMistletoe - Foxes are wild so how do you know that they don't die of Salmonella or from ruptured stomachs!

Even soft chicken bones can become stuck if they are not chewed properly and lots of dogs just swallow things whole.

Ann does accept that it was an accident - but one that she is not prepared to have happen again.  She, like lots of other dog owners, prefers to be safe than sorry.  My dogs are too precious to me to take the chance.

When my friend took her staffy X to the vet, she told him that dogs and foxes in the wild eat raw meat and bones.  The vet replied, and I quote, 'Yes they do but they don't live long', unquote.

Whether or not to feed bones is entirely your own decision.  I am only trying to point out the dangers.


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## sloulou (1 November 2007)

Maral - my Vet is in favour of people feeding raw bones to dogs...  So, I guess even amounst Vets there are differences of opinions on this.

I feed mine raw chicken wings.  They are soft bones...  The injury in the link was from a large bone wasn't it  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  Also agree with severmistletoe - it was probably a freak accident... but that is just MHO... I guess everyone has to make their own choices and feed what they think is best for their dogs.


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## edfin (1 November 2007)

WidgeTidings - there will always be differing opinion on this, and every other, subject and as I said it is up to the owner to decide what they think is best for their dogs.  I know lots of people whoc feed bones and think nothing of it but from hearing about Ann and my other friend's experiences, I am not taking any chances.


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## sloulou (1 November 2007)

Maral - yes - sorry we posted at the same time before - so hadn't seen your reply above mine.


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## severnmiles (1 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
SevernMistletoe - Foxes are wild so how do you know that they don't die of Salmonella or from ruptured stomachs!

Even soft chicken bones can become stuck if they are not chewed properly and lots of dogs just swallow things whole.

Ann does accept that it was an accident - but one that she is not prepared to have happen again.  She, like lots of other dog owners, prefers to be safe than sorry.  My dogs are too precious to me to take the chance.

When my friend took her staffy X to the vet, she told him that dogs and foxes in the wild eat raw meat and bones.  The vet replied, and I quote, 'Yes they do but they don't live long', unquote.

Whether or not to feed bones is entirely your own decision.  I am only trying to point out the dangers. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Because I think my ex OH would come across them seeing as he goes digging (protecting game birds) every weekend!

Yes they do thats utter twaddle, foxes live on average 8 years (if not caught/shot/snared).  Meat and bones are natural to dogs, wolves and foxes and I'm yet to see charlie dying mid dinner on a lamby or a chicken!  Wolves in parks are fed raw and have you ever heard of this happening?

You carry on feeding rubbish and I'll carry on feeding raw!


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## edfin (1 November 2007)

Severnmisletoe - No need getting nasty.

And by the way, I don't feed rubbish, I feed a balanced diet that my dogs like and thrive on.

Like I said above, people will always have differing opinions and if you think your's is best, then so be it.  That doesn't mean that what everyone does or thinks is wrong.


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## severnmiles (1 November 2007)

People are obsessed with thinking a dog needs a balanced diet.  Apart from eating fruit off of bushes, wild dogs purely eat meat/protein so what is balanced about their diet? The funny thing is the majority of mnufactured dog foods contain less than 30%.  I wouldn't feed my horses meat so I don't feed my dogs cereals.

We used to eat bones, hence many peoples appendixes bursting through lack of use, yet you never hear a nutritionalist saying we need bones as part of a so called  _balanced diet_.  What we orginally survived on is what our digestive systems are are built for, the Inuits and other tribes worldwide are fine examples.  We and dogs have not evolved quickly enough to cope with digesting cereals hence so many dogs having an intolerence to it.

As I said, I'm not saying to everyone don't turn your horses out because look what happened to my 2y.o.  Accidents are accidents and I doubt very much...that it was a chicken bone that got lodged.


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## sloulou (1 November 2007)

Talking of Foxes and bad foods....

I live in an urban area with lots of Foxes - we also have lots of chicken shops (yuk...)  And lots of litter with chicken bones in lying around...  So I guess the foxes eat the cooked chicken bones...  

Does anyone know if there is a problem with foxes dying in urban areas through eating these types of things?


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## sloulou (1 November 2007)

More helpfully (than my last post  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ) - there is a list of dangerous things for dogs:

here


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## severnmiles (1 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
More helpfully (than my last post  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ) - there is a list of dangerous things for dogs:

here 

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheers Widget, I didn't know about liver but have some in the freezer for the dogs...I'll be careful how much I feed!


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## sloulou (1 November 2007)

I feed liver too - and broccoli and garlic - just not loads of any of them...


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## milor (2 November 2007)

yep - feed my bunch raw including raw bones and a garlic capsule each every two weeks to prevent fleas - no ill effects yet !


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## edfin (2 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
People are obsessed with thinking a dog needs a balanced diet.  Apart from eating fruit off of bushes, wild dogs purely eat meat/protein so what is balanced about their diet? The funny thing is the majority of mnufactured dog foods contain less than 30%.  I wouldn't feed my horses meat so I don't feed my dogs cereals.

Why are you being so aggressive.  You have your point of view and I have mine.  We are each entitled to our own views.  There is no right and wrong way of feeding dogs - I feed mine what I know the like (they won't eat raw meat).  Millions feed raw, millions don't - it is up to the owner.

Now please go and take a chill pill.  I only registered for this site yesterday, and you have been nothing but nasty just because I don't agree with you.


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## Blackhawk (2 November 2007)

Can we expand on the pears a bit? Is it just the pits? We have a pear tree that is dropping in our garden. I try to rake most of it up but one of my dogs will on the odd occasion have a chew. Usually one or two bites and it is left discarded.


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## GinaB (2 November 2007)

I'll go and see what I can find out about pears!


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## sloulou (2 November 2007)

is only the seeds... I feed my dog pears (well - bits of them along with pumpkin seeds for his coat - i can expand on that if you like!)


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## GinaB (2 November 2007)

Peaches, Pears, Apricots, cherries, Apple: The seed pit contains cyanogenic glycosides which can cause cyanide poisoning.


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## severnmiles (2 November 2007)

There is a right and a wrong way.  Just as there is a right and wrong way to feed a horse.  

P.s  Welcome to the site


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## sloulou (2 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Peaches, Pears, Apricots, cherries, Apple: The seed pit contains cyanogenic glycosides which can cause cyanide poisoning. 

[/ QUOTE ]

true  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  but you'd have to eat alot of the seeds to be affected by it....  Not that I give them to Loki.


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## GinaB (2 November 2007)

Yep. or have a teeny doggie. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Which none of us do! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Beastie likes apple and a bit of pear, but only wee bits containing no seeds.


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## severnmiles (2 November 2007)

Beastie is healthy!!


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## GinaB (2 November 2007)

I'm sure I can think of more words to describe her than healthy 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Right now pain in the arse is a good one!


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## whippet (2 November 2007)

I read on a similar list online somewhere that Mushrooms are also poisonous to dogs.


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## Blackhawk (2 November 2007)

Good to know, Thanks! He never gets anywhere near the pits. Just takes a bite and leaves it.


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## whippet (3 November 2007)

Does anyone know if bananas are ok?! My boys will occasionally share one, and my sister's labs love them and get one each once a week


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## suzysparkle (3 November 2007)

BARF is a big debate. We tried it and it didn't work (one had anal gland problems on it, first, and last time). We feed royal canin 4300 which is a v high energy food but we have working siberian huskies. We do add the odd bit of raw meat in winter, usually chicken wings. Bones are fine, so long as they are raw.

I read an interesting point in a book about BARF. In the wild, Wolves will go for the stomach of the animal first which will contain vegetation so I guess they do know how to balance their own diet. 

The collies at the farm next to me eat all manner of rubbish (whatever is leftover) and are very fit/healthy. What's worse is people who feed that tinned cr*p. Have you seen what comes out the other end?? Yuck.


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## pocomoto (3 November 2007)

Did you ask the vet how long their  CANINE nutritional training in their overall study period and who taught it to them?  Wouldn't mind betting it was about a day and taught by a nutritionalist from a major dog feed manufacturer oh and I bet your vet had a helpful diet already sitting on their shelf! 

A growing number of enlightened vets are supporting raw feeding wholeheartedly, even though it is costing them money because teeth are clean and dogs have less problems.

I cannot find a reference in that posting mentioning if the bone was raw and indeed exactly what bone it was.  I have been raw feeding for 10 years and never experienced a problem neither have others I know that have fed even longer.  For a bone to splinter in that manner described,  I would suggest it was at least partially cooked.  I regularly feed whole chicken carcases and lamb ribs RAW so called splinter bones and all, in fact the splinter bones raw bend they do not splinter.  I have always divided my bones into portions with an axe and have never seen a raw bone splinter in the manner described not even when I have half sawn then broken a large shin bone and deer bones, and they are just about as hard raw as you can get.  This kind of occurrence I have never heard of before and I know a lot of raw feeders who have been feeding raw 8 years plus.  I do occasionally feed cooked lamb bones and again no problems, mine leave the shards and lick out the marrow instinctively.  Perhaps that is not a good idea for a greedy dog.

Raw feeding was the best thing I ever did for my dogs, taking them off pesticide infested, wheat laden,  sub human grade meat flavoured,  overcooked but convenient rubbish in a tin or dried in a sack, that has been coloured  flavoured or preserved with carcinogens and chemicals linked to epilepsy,  liver and  Kidney problems allergies, behavioural problems and lowered immune response etc.  Cooking is often so intense as to necessitate artificial vitamins and minerals being added back to it. (I might add that bioavailability in some prepared foods is very questionable, cooking damages amino acids and destroys natural vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants and  it mutates trans fats, grains can be mouldy etc and contain Phytic Acid which may inhibit nutrient absorption, common dog food fibre can include beet or wood pulp, newspaper or  peanut shells!)    This is not my I idea of a safe diet!  Especially when life threatening bloat is a common side effect of sack food and cancer can be a direct result of this totally alien diet for dogs.  I did my research here too and pet food ingredients and additive declaration are very vague and have virtually no regulation.  Also note the meat content, or lack of it in most cases, thats right bulked out by cheaper grains.

Dogs fed on a natural diet with an uncompromised immune system from the rubbish in most cooked foods are fully capable of coping with salmonella and other bugs that would kill a human.  Dogs are scavengers and have a very short gut so that these bugs do not have time to take hold.  That's why they can bury their food and dig it up and eat it when very skanky without any problem (well mine can and do).  They eat road kill too without problems fur and all (that's a dogs natural fibre, not wheat or worse!).  

A dogs stomach is very acidic  and has evolved over 40 million years to dissolve the bones quickly, something it is not effective at doing to cement like cooked bones.   But now certain paid nutritionists will have you believe that your dogs are protein or even more laughably chicken intolerant, believe that and you believe that  after just 60 years of processed dog food availability our dogs can no longer tolerate the diet that took them 40 million years to perfect?   

Ask yourself this how can an animal that hugely relies on protein as a diet I.e. a carnivore can get diabetes?  Could it possibly be we are feeding an animal carbohydrates at levels nature never intended and creating a new debility for our dogs?   Skin problems and even mange are also commonly seen, ever seen a mangy fox who lives out in the country?  Probably because it eats raw and not cooked food containing unnatural foods from bins !

After a good bone meal mine strain to go to the loo (no sloppy sticky,  stick on you shoe huge smelly logs around here)  They use the contents of their Anal gland to help expel white, hard stools of calcium from those bones as their evolution intended it for.  It's not there for the vet to squeeze on a regular basis for £70!  My dogs teeth are VERY clean, thats another thing that happens when they eat the diet nature intended, I dont pay a vet nurse with meat flavoured toothpaste to do it under sedation!

My dogs dont itch constantly and are rarely bothered by fleas, could this be because they have no virtually no sugar in their blood, do the fleas choose to catch the next dog home whos blood is more attractive having been fed a carb and salt laden diet?  Oh and by the way excess simple carbs and salt such as that found in some commercial feeds have been linked to blood and heart conditions and cancer.

It is very easy to slate a diet because of one bad experience,  but I would never put anyone off feeding their dog in whatever  manner they choose providing that choice is made from an informed decision using all the facts available and not just as the result of one horror story or succumbing to advertising blurb without checking it.  I have done my research and am confident to say that my dogs will never be fed on commercial processed feed again.

Personally I prefer Kymythy Schultzes simple no no list
No Chocolate
No Dairy
No Grain
No Sugar
No Yeast.


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## Spot_the_Risk (3 November 2007)

Well, this is getting very inense and interesting.  Sounds like most people posting have strong informed viewson what's best for there dog, and so long as it works for the dog, so be it.

Personally, we feed high quality dry food, and have three very healthy dogs.

For those who may still be feeding tinned meat, check the ingredients, 4% meat and 79% moisture (water) is the norm.  And as a general guide, the more advertising you see for a product, the worse it is.  The law on animal feed (may just be dog and cat) states that if a food says it is for example chicken and rice, it has to have a minimum of 4% chicken and 4% rice in it.  Ask yourself what the other 92% is.  

If you need advice, nutritional advisors can give unbiased help, also a decent pet shop should be able to assist - if not, take your business elsewhere!


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## Fiona (4 November 2007)

My JRT loves grapes and raisins as a treat, and I thought they would be OK as are fruit and not high sugar etc.
Why are they bad????
She also likes rawhide bones (I think that's what they are).  Is there a healthier alternative??
Fiona


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## pocomoto (4 November 2007)

Grapes are fine for dogs like everything in moderation and better that as a treat than some dog treats!!!   
It is refined and complex sugars, such as those found in grains that should be avoided.  My own dogs love fruit and veg and one will pick his own blackberries.  Wild dogs will usually eat things like fruit in their diet when it is in season and will get some partly digested veg matter from the stomach content of their prey.  Raw feeding includes fruit and veg, I feed a limited amount of in season organic fruit/veg once a week put in a blender to break down the cells so they can digest the nutrients better.


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## prose (4 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
My JRT loves grapes and raisins as a treat, and I thought they would be OK as are fruit and not high sugar etc.
Why are they bad????


[/ QUOTE ]

Here's a page from the ASPCA's website on  why grapes should be avoided.


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## severnmiles (5 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
My JRT loves grapes and raisins as a treat, and I thought they would be OK as are fruit and not high sugar etc.
Why are they bad????
She also likes rawhide bones (I think that's what they are).  Is there a healthier alternative??
Fiona 

[/ QUOTE ]

They're poisonous Fiona!


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## sloulou (5 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know if bananas are ok?! My boys will occasionally share one, and my sister's labs love them and get one each once a week 
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

Bananas are good - my lab loves them.  I don't given them everyday, but a couple of times a week.   Supposed to be good for their coats  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Also echo what SM said about grape &amp; raisins - they are poisonous...   
	
	
		
		
	


	




  I have heard of a labrador that died from eating grapes  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  and not loads.


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## severnmiles (5 November 2007)

Mine LOVE chewing carrots!  Anyone who feeds raw make sure your dog has access to grass, its good for them if on BARF.


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## Fiona (5 November 2007)

Why so sarcastic, when I was asking a civilized question.  After all - if it was so well known that grapes and raisins were dangerous for dogs, then we wouldn't need Gina's helpful list would we??

Thank you prose for the link - I will go and read it now.

Fiona


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## GinaB (5 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Grapes are fine for dogs like everything in moderation and better that as a treat than some dog treats!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm afraid not Pocomoto, please see Prose's link in regard to this. Grapes and raisins should never be fed to dogs. I never knew of this either until recently as Beastie used to get one (once ina  blue moon mind you) but wouldn't let her near them now.


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## herbert (7 November 2007)

Given that most tinned dog food is 80 per cent water (expensive water) I would argue that because of the strain put on the kidneys this is a dangerous dog food. Any thoughts please.


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## simonepooter1 (7 November 2007)

pocomoto - I am a first time dog owner and have found this conversation very enlightening, could you please share with me a typical weeks diet for your dog.
Thank you


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## severnmiles (7 November 2007)

Suzysparkle that absolute rubbish.  Where the wolves first go for depends on the pack member, the alpha will always eat the liver first, the other pack members will then eat in order of heirarchy leaving the stomach and intestines to the lowest ranking wolf as its the 5hitty bit.

Native americans learnt alot from wolves about what plants they could use as medicines.  A wolf will consume 98% protein and 2% carbs in its diet, carbs consisting of berries/fruits/grasses and certain plants.  Not complex such as wheat or maize e.t.c

Shaun Ellis...google him, he actually knows what he's talking about regarding wolves.


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## severnmiles (7 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]


A growing number of enlightened vets are supporting raw feeding wholeheartedly, even though it is costing them money because teeth are clean and dogs have less problems. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm afraid to say that is more likely the reason a vet would be against BARF.  I always get advice off of more than one vet as I'm sorry to say that the majority think of their bank balance first.


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## pocomoto (13 November 2007)

Sorry for tardy reply day job and all.

Basically For a medium sized dog of mine

1  x Chicken Carcass with a bit of meat on it or 4-5 Chicken wings form the basis of the diet and I would feed probably on average 4 days a week.  Sometimes I buy a chicken for me, remove and roast the crown and they get the rest.

1 day I will feed mince of some kind a large packet between 2, to this I ad a couple of heaped tablespoons of blended veg, I like to use spinach quite a lot plus carrots and anything left in the fridge, fruit as well but in small quantities and blended so as to break down the cellulose and make it available to the dog,  like in a prey animals stomach.  I usually use an egg  as liquid.  I will also bung in a handful of pumpkin seeds to help remove worms, it irritates them, and a kelp tablet, my only supplement.

I get lamb bones, the big ribs 1 each if they dont have a lot of meat on them, and they will have those once or twice a week and one meal of offal, mine are not very keen on liver and kidneys but love hearts.  Sometimes I will lightly brown liver so that they at least get some.  The only concession I make to non human grade is here they have frozen raw tripe from the pet store and I rotate that as part of the offal meal.

Then I will feed whatever comes my way from  the butcher, pork trotters (only occasionally makes them fart!) Rabbit, sometimes road kill that is not too smashed, and deer bones from a local game butcher, but they are very hard and I need to select them, the odd pheasant / partridge.  The only cooked they get is a tin of pilchards in tomato sauce, sometimes they get a raw fish mixed in from the reduced counter!  They will eat salmon heads as well.

They  sometimes have eggs as a treat or bits of fruit and veg and  the odd biscuit as a treat or freeze dried meat treats are much better.   They also get lamb spine bones as a treat to keep them quiet and occasionally a beef knuckle, but as they are inclined to squabble I have to take them away when Im not about.

All the food I feed is of human grade and  organic where possible, especially fruit and veg, which is probably why I  have never had problems with grapes, plus I get seedless.    Mine will scoff horse feed if given the chance, but I feed that as naturally as possible to so they have a mouth full of alalfa!  Basically you dont need to balance the diet on a daily basis and probably mine are balanced over a week or even two.  I dont stress out if I am running low on something and they get Chicken for a week as wild canines would do that, I.e. ground nesting birds for a month followed by a glut of baby rabbits.


I tend to think along the lines of what they would eat in the wild and will watch natural history progs to get ideas,  I dont feed a lot of veg having observed that the alpha animals dont eat intestines or  stomach and its content, that is usually left to subordinates.

What you should always bear in mind is not to mix the diets and never feed kibble with bones as the kibble moves very slowly through the dogs system and natural diet moves quickly so it can seriously impair the digestion and progress of bones and lead to bloat and blockages, its all or nothing for safety sake!

There are some good websites and books Billingshursts  Give Your Dog a Bone is a good start although I dont agree with all his suggestions and here is a couple  for the purist   http://home.earthlink.net/~affenbar/bookpage.html
http://members.aol.com/Brushbow/src/speciesmenu.htm


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## Oneofthepack (13 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Given that most tinned dog food is 80 per cent water (expensive water) I would argue that because of the strain put on the kidneys this is a dangerous dog food. Any thoughts please. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I'm right in saying that almost all food is largely water, including raw meat and bones, so to find tinned meat has 80% wouldn't surprise me.

I thought garlic was good for their digestion so does anyone know what quantities of garlic would be bad? I make a sardine cake (yummy!) with 3 cloves of crushed garlic and it lasts 3 dogs a week. Would this be too much and is it even beneficial or better just to leave it out altogether?


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## pocomoto (15 November 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
 Given that most tinned dog food is 80 per cent water (expensive water) I would argue that because of the strain put on the kidneys this is a dangerous dog food. Any thoughts please. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think it's the water content that is the real problem with most tinned feeds its how it is prepared and what is added to it.  There is a real horror story book if you have the stomach to read it!  Food your pets die for by Ann N. Martin, (although to me she lets the book down by cooking her own meals instead of going raw, but hey its a step in the right direction and she gives some recipes).  Though purists think it's raw or nothing I personally would rather people cooked their own than remained on commercial feeds, preferably using it as a stepping stone.

Most tinned meat is derived from meat cooked at high temperatures over a long period.  By the time the huge vats are cooled it is actually grey in colour with little feed value, so in goes colorants, which are not under any form of control so many are in fact carcinogens (cancer causers).  Also because it has been cooked like grandmas cabbage it has no vitamins left so artificial cheap ones are added, which are not necessarily actually available to the  animal, i.e. they cannot be absorbed.  There are very few regulations as to health implications on pet food.  They also poor in a load of overcooked gelatine to bind the pieces of coloured meat, if you cut into the chunks you will see what I mean!

I am not sure about Europe  but in the  US there are very few restrictions on what goes into dog food and  euthanized by injection animals complete with their barbiturate load , which does not break down with heat, end up in the tins!   

On   the flip side  most kibble feeds are largely bulked up by cereals which are cheap and can be made cheaper by buying up cereals too laden with pesticides to be of Human grade.  I think as little as 3% meat content is required and that does not have to be meat as such but can comprise of ground hooves, chicken heads and feet etc brains and offal.  It also is overly cooked and has vitamins added back into it.  The kibble can cause bloat as it moves very slowly through a carnivores digestive system swelling as it goes and sucking up all the digestive juices which nature designed  to quickly break down bones and skin which move through very quickly, this system evolved to avoid food poisoning from the carrion eaten which is often quite rank!  It means that in a healthy gut that salmonella and such have no time to linger and take hold.

Re the garlic, bananas etc I think it is like most things in life a little in moderation for a dog with a healthy diet, mine will eat garlic from horse feed in very small amounts but I dont add it to their feed as a rule.


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## Bedlam (21 November 2007)

Did you now that if rabbits eat peach leaves they suffer from cyanide poisoning?

My dogs love rabbits.


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## lucylemon (22 November 2007)

grapes are harmful to dogs too aparantly :O

this topic on dogpages explains alot of other things too.

http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=156473


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## pinkcatkin (23 November 2007)

Oh dear, my labradors should have died about a hundred times each judging by your list!


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## pocomoto (25 November 2007)

Hmm   Had a look at the alarmist list will say again I feed most things in moderation that a dog would come across in the wild and have never seen any ill effects.  But my dogs have a healthy raw natural diet and a good immune system as a result.  I would say that you would have to feed an exess of most things on that list to cause extreme reactions as described.

I would ask however how can any food be too high in protein for a carnivore?  I would desist from feeding cat food because of the Cr*p that is in it!   

Fish would have been a staple of dogs for thousands of years  especially so for Nordic origin breeds, mine are fed them regularly so I certainly would not discourage their use as part of a species appropriate diet.


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## SunshineTallulah (30 November 2007)

Never feed any cooked bones!  Cooking them makes them brittle and prone to splintering.

As a chum on another forum I use explains:

RAW meaty bones (eg chicken wings/drumsticks) are soft and pliable, they are simply crunched up and swallowed. Dogs teeth were designed to rip, tear and devour carcasses, they do not possess the flat molars needed to chew. 

What are the advantages when feeding RAW? Healthy, happy dogs! No nasty doggy odour, decreased waste production, raw fed dogs stools are small, hard and significantly less smelly. The ripping and tearing of raw food help to develop dogs muscles, the crunching of the raw meaty bones naturally cleans dogs teeth. Raw fed dogs have more constant energy levels as opposed to the carb highs dogs fed on commercial food often experience. Dogs eating a raw diet rarely suffer from food allergies. Raw fed dogs have beautiful shiny coats, clean bright eyes and a strong physique. Dogs enjoy their food so much more when eating raw, how would you like to eat the same boring food everyday? I could go on and on, I have never seen a RAW fed dog who wasnt in exceptional health! 

The main problem with feeding raw meat is the risk of Neospora Caninum which can be fatal; this risk can be avoided by freezing raw meat first.

My puppy loves bananas and has no ill effects from them.  Other good food for dogs, pilchards/sardines/mackerel in tom sauce once a week!

I would also suggest that kibble is made up of a lot of cereal which dogs can not digest properly.

Good foods for dogs if you dont like the idea of raw:
Naturediet
NatureMenu
Orijien - dry food from Zooplus

My cats are on Natures Menu - no rubbish in that!

Dogs love garlic - some BARFERs feed a clove a day.


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## pocomoto (1 December 2007)

Good foods for dogs if you dont like the idea of raw

[ QUOTE ]
Never feed any cooked bones!  
Good foods for dogs if you dont like the idea of raw:
Naturediet
NatureMenu
Orijien - dry food from Zooplus 

[/ QUOTE ]

Watch the content even in feeds like these, whilst the meat content is higher you need to know what quality it is and from what source, what the other x% content is and the amount of cooking it receives and if that is done at high temperatures.

For instance in one of the breakdowns of the meat products of the above there is an interesting comment various sugars .  In one kibble section they list the content of the complete dry food  as Wheatflour min 76%.   In another the bulk agent is brown rice, another form of rich carbohydrate (sugar), Brown sounds good though doesnt it?  Another interesting ingredient is Natural Ground Bone, presumably cooked and therefore not of good nutritional content, its just like feeding ground cement and effectively another form of bulk.  

I think probably the Orijen is the nearest to a natural diet with quality ingredients not overcooked, but it is cooked and probably very expensive, I pay on average £15 to feed two medium sized dogs a raw species appropriate diet for just over a month, a breeder I know feeds 8 on an average of £2 per day.   

One of the above also claims that its diet has been adapted to allow dogs to be fed more frequently without associated weight gain. Personally I do not agree with this, as a carnivore the dog is designed to eat less frequently because it does not rely on sugar for energy such as an omnivore or herbivore.  A carnivore cannot rely on sugar as its digestive system has bypassed this as a viable food source, shortening and adapting its digestive tract to deal with lees frequent big meals of protein, Wild dogs effectively eat raw Atkins induction diet so successful in obese humans!  
Most carnivorous hunts are unsuccessful, so on catching a prey item dogs binge and its not a good idea to run fast straight away on a full stomach.  

Once a day is plenty of feeding for a dog, some raw feeders even advocate a starvation day every now and again but personally I dont.  I feed after evening exercise give or take a few treats in the day.  

A more cost effective alternative to raw would be to home make their food then you know the content, how long it was cooked for, what temperature, what grade the food is etc, there are lots of recipes on the internet if that is the route you choose to take.  But then why not just give it too them and bypass the prep and cooking?

Cats are difficult on raw as they can be fussy, but years ago I persuaded a friend with a house cat to try raw, the expensive monthly vet visits for skin problems and diabetes stopped almost straight away and she had to fit a fridge lock or risk loosing all the raw meat in there, it also ate small Chicken wings.  That cat is now 19 years old and has only been to the vet for vaccinations!!!  I suppose you could feed frozen mice or rats from the pet store if you really wanted to go to the extreme!!!

Its of course up to the individual owner but Id like to think people reading this post will look closer and ask more questions of their feed of choice.


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## piebaldsparkle (11 December 2007)

Oh my..........my JRT has had a few fits, which I suspected may have been down to him stealing/finding chocolate up the yard, but now I suspect it more likely to be due to him stealing my coffee/tea (his little pointy nose fits nicely in a mug)!!!


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## Magicmillbrook (11 December 2007)

My dog has a lovely raw bone every saturday, I also feed her raw tripe/chicken/beef mince with her regualr dog biscuits.  She also has table scraps mixed in occasionaly.  Dogs would be scavenging and hunting in the wild and we should feed to mimic this.

It would be interesting to hear the staistics on how many dogs actualy die from bone related accidents, I bet its no where near as many as those who die from obesity from having 'processed' dogs food, or road accidents, or from getting wood stuck in their throats from catching sticks etc.


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## pocomoto (11 December 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
It would be interesting to hear the staistics on how many dogs actualy die from bone related accidents, I bet its no where near as many as those who die from obesity from having 'processed' dogs food, or road accidents, or from getting wood stuck in their throats from catching sticks etc. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Good for you, mine get table scraps to as a treat, usually chuck them in with the liquidised veg meal.

Here here!  Trouble is processed pet food is HUGE business with a massive turnover and sadly it's  unlikely that statistics like that would ever be allowed to surface.  But I think you are spot on and I bet most of those having problems with bones are from cooked!  

Trouble is feed companies sponsor a lot of research projects and animal health care professionals don't tend to want to rock the boat, or have had their entire nutritional input from a feed company nutritionalist.  They are often horrified when you tell them you feed raw despite having just commented on how well the dog looks!

It's such a waste we throw all that lovely potential natural dog food into an incinerator to dispose of it as waste products! 

It makes my teeth itch when the ads harp on about special food for the immune system, added antioxidants and teeth cleaning bone substitutes!  Raw food does all that naturally!


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## madmav (14 December 2007)

Our dog raided Xmas pressies under tree the other year and devoured a Chocolate Orange(much to my son's dismay). Amazingly, he was fine. He also discovered a bag of chicken pieces that had accidentally been left in a beach bag for three weeks (after crabbing expedition) in baking hot summer. Again no ill effects. He also constantly scavenges rubbish  in parks and eats it before I can get to him.
He obviously has a constitution that defies medical science. Is a miracle he's still here. Stupid dog!


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## madmav (15 December 2007)

Hello Maral, Welcome. You seem to have stepped into the lions' den here! This post is a bit like new mothers asking the older generation how to look after a baby. Everyone will have a different opinion - and they're all correct!


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## edfin (16 January 2008)

Thanks for the warm welcome.


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## CazD (12 March 2008)

[ QUOTE ]


* Rawhide Chewies (a lot of people don't know this one..these are bleached with chemicals and can be unsafe)


[/ QUOTE ]

Do you mean the ones that are sold as dog chews??


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## Serenity087 (10 April 2008)

I'm surprised you've left cheese/milk off the list.

Dog are lactose intolerant, generally, so feeding milk based products will make them very sick!

Having said that, my old dog would do anything for cheese and grapes and lived over 10 years!


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## sloulou (10 April 2008)

You can feed dogs cheese as treats (ie. small amounts).   Some dogs can't tolerate it - but you'd soon find out!

mine is fine on cheese.  
	
	
		
		
	


	





info here too  web page 

I've read stuff about grapes and it seems that not all dogs are affected - but becuase of the severe health dangers if they are affected by them - is best not to risk it.


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## dennyboy (22 April 2008)

Chocolate is very bad for our dogs as it is MY chocolate 
	
	
		
		
	


	





We feed our dogs raw and complete,but not at the same time.
they have raw in the morning and a handful of complete in the eve.
All our dogs are in good condition and reguarly compete and do flyball and athletic events.
Each to their own and what works for mine might not work for another,all our dogs are fed different amounts and different complete.
We feed bones but not small ones, as we have canine hoovers, where everything gets vacumed up without touching the sides lol

I have found that if the bones are not eaten in the one sitting then they tend to go hard and thats when they splinter.

Mel


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## anim999 (21 June 2008)

I feed my dog anything except chocolate, he seems fine and healty, he's not over weight either


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## v1cky (23 June 2008)

i am v new to this forum but would just like to say i have always fed raw to my dogs  and over the years have had no probs with bones 
	
	
		
		
	


	




, thats not to say thay accidents wont happen, as with many subjects it is a controversial topic and people will always have an opinion. i work in a vets and the thoughts on this way of feeding are mixed but nobody says its wrong or right as its a personal choice for what u believe to be best for yoiur animals ( my dog is perfectly healthy on this diet therefore see no reason to change).


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## MikeTheDog (18 July 2008)

Interesting thread. The vet's comment about fox's/wild dogs not living long...lol no wild animal lives as long as domesticated stock. Most things are OK in moderation, my lurcher loves a drop of beer and she also gets a little chocolate once in a while. She gets fed the BARF diet and loves it, although I wouldn't give her a chicken drumstick as load bearing bones tend to be a little brittle.







Meg' will devour a complete rack in one sitting!


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## MikeTheDog (18 July 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
I'm surprised you've left cheese/milk off the list.

Dog are lactose intolerant, generally, so feeding milk based products will make them very sick!

Having said that, my old dog would do anything for cheese and grapes and lived over 10 years! 

[/ QUOTE ]Steady on guys!....Yes large quantities of milk would make your dog loose but to say "Dog are lactose intolerant, generally, so feeding milk based products will make them  <font color="red"> very sick! </font>  is a little out of order. It would seem that people are going overboard regarding their dogs diet. No offence and not intending to start a ruck but!, would the majority of parents control their siblings food intake with the same strictness!!


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## Nando (17 September 2008)

I would be inclined to say that reactions to certain 'no go' foods for dogs can depend on each individual.

Both of mine have had episodes with a very large box of lindt lindor (each wrapper perfectly laid out on the floor..the b****rs, I love those and didn't get to have one!) 500g of raisens stolen from my chinchilla's (yes they did have poops that resembled a fruit cake mixture but no lasting effects!) Oh and the contents of numerous bins before we had a work top bin installed - we may have been lucky but they are still fighting fit. 

However, that said we would never purposely feed them anything that could harm them- except the odd lump of cheese every so often

BTW, one of ours is a houdini master (opens doors, cupboards, bins) hence how they managed to get thier grubby mits on these particular items!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	





My point being that I agree with Mikethedog in that the majority of dogs are pretty tough and whilst us owners shouldn't feed with careless abandon, i don't think there should be too much panick if they do get their paws on 'forbidden fruits' every now and then


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## unicornleather (10 October 2008)

I feed my 3 dogs the barf diet, result, very happy healthy dogs and they love the raw meaty bones and marrow bones, I don't feed garlic or raisins.Do you other barf feeders use Landywoods?
That's who I use and I buy in bulk and freeze it, people come and buy off of me, their dogs are very healthy as a result.VERY cheap too, much cheaper than tinned or processed dry foods, no additives or preservatives in Landywoods meat.
Oz


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## TarrSteps (27 October 2008)

I'd agree you can't use the exceptions to prove the rules.  My old dog ate an entire Easter basket of chocolate (placed conveniently inside my back door by someone who thought the dog was out with me) and I didn't even notice except to wonder who had left me an empty, decorated basket until the giver asked why I hadn't thanked her!  But I do realise that was a lucky escape and giving dogs chocolate regularly is a bad idea.

To the teeth cleaning etc. value of raw meat/bones, my OH's cat was eating a "high end" store brand cat food and was starting to have problems with weight gain and teeth scaling.  I read the label one day and freaked out at the amount of sugar and filler so switched her on to a meat diet (prepared as she's used to it and screams if there's no wet food and I wasn't keen to be divorced over it! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ) and some bits of raw chicken left over from what the dog gets.  When she went to her next check the vet completely forgot she had recommended a teeth cleaning as the cat's teeth were perfect. 
	
	
		
		
	


	





But then again, I've had two dogs that self feed (not their raw meals, of course, but a high end kibble for "between meal snacking") and done wonderfully on it.  Both sighthounds though, and very active, so not exactly the average house dogs.

We all have to live in the real world and do the best with what we've got.  I do think people should read the labels on pet food though - even the stuff they DO tell you is scary enough!


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## vixann (25 November 2008)

grapes


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## ECRider (4 December 2008)

About the cheese being bad for dogs.. when we went to dog training and agility they recommended cheese for training treats, they even provided cut up cheese for us to use.
I have numerous training books that mention that either cooked chicken or cheese is a good training treat. I suppose its in relatively small quantities though.

My dogs love cheese, bit like their owner in that respect - like things that aren't very good for them, like chocolate!


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## unicornleather (5 December 2008)

I use a small piece of cheese warmed in the hands so you can mould it, like plasticine (if that's how you spell it?) and when I have to give worm tablets or anything like a tablet to the dogs I pop it side the warmed lump of cheese and down it goes without touching the sides!
The cheese covers any smell of the tablet thank goodness as there is no way I could get the tablets down otherwise, you think you have it down them and 10 mins later you find it spat out in a blob on the carpet, NOT funny when you have to buy more !
The cheese trick is great for fussy, lurchers, terriers and staffy x labs!
Even the cat will eat tablets in this way!
Oz


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## ScotPonio (22 January 2009)

by the way you missed out grapes


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## severnmiles (22 January 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
by the way you missed out grapes 

[/ QUOTE ]

I've mentioned them, 3 alone can kill an adult dog.


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## masterfrm (29 January 2009)

In general it's not recommended to feed the following things in excess to a *Dog*:- Sweets, Fat, Condiments, Spicy, Sauces, Bones and other Junk &amp; Colorful Products. These ingredients very bad for Dogs Health. There are many people that give their dogs their chicken or beef bones after having eaten dinner, however this is something that should be avoided. Bones can cause obstructions and they tend to splinter, which can be very harmful not only in your dogs throat but can even cause perforation to parts of his digestive system and this can be fatal.


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## lillith (15 February 2009)

I know this is a touch off topic but do people feel the same way about there horses? is there a topic on natural horse feeds because I'm very interested. I worked over the summer for someone who had 2 danes, a jack russel and a GSD all on raw food (chicken mainly i think, with bits extra) and they smelt so much better than usual, their poo was much less gross too and they were shiny and energetic.


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## ScotPonio (20 February 2009)

you know how said about chocolate well my friend gives her dog chocolate covered digestives and he loves them she gives him them instead of dog treats ass he won't eat them....

he's fine and the vet said it was ok to them to him


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## GinaB (20 February 2009)

Well considering the extensive research that has went into it and what can go wrong I don't think I'll take the ris thanks 
	
	
		
		
	


	





After all, a dog doesn't need to have treats, in fact two of mine don't get treats. Or, if they do it's a raw bone.


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## Storminateacup (28 February 2009)

Totally agree with Pocomoto long post here. 
A balance diet for a dog is composed mostly of plain old meat preferably raw and/or bones and various states of putrifaction  are of no problem to the dogs acid stomach.
My JRT has raw chicken wings (2-3 per day) and loads of exercise. He chooses to ask for raw carrots when I am preparing the vegetables, but I never offered them to start with. He is fit hard and gristly with loads of muscle and has lovely clean teeth.
 It makes me so sad when I see these fat weezing dogs limping round the park and when I enquire how old they are, turns out most are under 5 y.o!
I ve had friends who's dogs have had cancer and heart disease and diabetes. All of the poor creatures were fat and never got a decent long walk in their lives. Their breath was foul their coats manky and they were tit bit obsessed. My JRT is only hungry after a long walk and a day at the field 
Not hard to guess what muck the owners feed them.


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## jds (1 March 2009)

I feed my 2 daschunds real human food (rice, chicken, fish, vegetables, apples, cheese etc...). I used to give commercial food to my previous dogs but they were always overweight &amp; unhealthy.

Raw bones are ok. And also garlic in small quantities. Olive oil or fish oil does wonders for their coats.

Here's some information regarding natural food diets :DrPitcairn Natural Nutrition for dogs


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## Dizzyblonde99 (8 April 2009)

Grapes


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## kaza (10 April 2009)

Hi guys

Just joined the forum and what a delight to find so many enlightened people in regards to raw feeding.  

I am only on page 2 of this thread but will continue to read on.

Haven't seen a 'newbies' area yet - is there one?  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Kaz


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## melnmoll (21 April 2009)

my aunties dog rags got badly poisoned from either grapes, raisins or a mixture of the two and it was touch and go as to whether he would survive.  poor thing 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 he's ok now though but we dont give our dogs either just incase!


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## jenny_adams (24 April 2009)

I've heard that raisins are really really bad!!


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## silverbreeze (28 April 2009)

I am horrified; I think I must be poisoning my dog every day!!  I can't find why mushrooms are bad for them; do they mean wild mushrooms or our mushrooms?
My dog always eats mushrooms, broccolli, grapes and raisins.  he also has cabbage and cauliflower and loves it all..

Obviously I will stop now but can anyone explain the mushrooms?  he will be most upset!


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## lauraandjack (1 May 2009)

With regard to preparing homemade/BARF diets for dogs, remember that a significant proportion of the UK population can't feed themselves properly, never mind their dogs!

If you can only be bothered to sling a crappy salt and fat laden ready meal in the microwave for your family you are hardly going to go to the butcher and buy chicken wings etc for the mutt?


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## Cedars (2 August 2009)

Hi, 

Stupid question alert!

Are apples good/bad for dogs? My puppy LOVES apples that have fallen off the trees in the garden and we can't stop her eating them lol. 

xxxx


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## JosieSmith (27 August 2009)

My dog has choked on a chicken bone twice now (after picking them up in the garden not after being fed them by us!)so personally I wouldn't feed them. Each to his own


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## JosieSmith (27 August 2009)

I've never heard of feeding dogs raw so I'm afraid mine gets pedigree, has done for 13 years and it's only since she got cushings disease in the last year that she's had any stomach problems.  Does anyone else have problems with cats bringing chicken bones into the garden?  They do it quite often in our garden and last time I tried to get a bone out of my dogs mouth she clamped her jaw on it and bit through my finger! Luckily she's small so not much damage done, though I needed a tetanus, boo! I'd be interested to hear how I could change onto a natural diet though, anything healthier is always welcome.  I also hate people who overfeed their dogs, my Mam used to give ours a full chicken dinner every sunday, complete with gravy and she got really fat, since she moved in with us she's lost 2kgs and is now a very healthy weight.  She begs for food when we're cooking or eating, but only tries once, as soon as we tell her no she goes away and gets one of her chews, my friends are amazed at how well trained she is but I see it as basic manners, no more than any dog should do every day


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## Vicki1986 (29 October 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
I feed my 2 daschunds real human food (rice, chicken, fish, vegetables, apples, cheese etc...). I used to give commercial food to my previous dogs but they were always overweight &amp; unhealthy.

Raw bones are ok. And also garlic in small quantities. Olive oil or fish oil does wonders for their coats.

Here's some information regarding natural food diets :DrPitcairn Natural Nutrition for dogs 

[/ QUOTE ]

I feed a similar diet to my chinese crested - but no raw bones.
he eats cheese, cooked garlic, cooked onion, and apples (no pips) in moderation and never has ill effects.
he doesnt ever have grapes, chocolate, raisins though - or ham/pork as this gives him a problem with bladder control.

My dog eats what i eat, which is a balanced diet, and looks well on it. I like to know what he's eating and in what quantity. i'd never feed processed or pre bought food again. his skin &amp; weight is in great condition now compared to when i fed him a shop bought (good quality) food.


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## lexiedhb (5 January 2010)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
by the way you missed out grapes 

[/ QUOTE ]

I've mentioned them, 3 alone can kill an adult dog. 

[/ QUOTE ]

REALLY?? an old cavalier king charles of mine suffered no ill effects having somehow managed to get onto the table and eat a whole bunch, plus 2 apples before I found him!!!


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## cheekymonkey24 (12 March 2010)

This topic needs to be made more aware in the media as many dog owners do not realise the extent of which some products have on their dogs but also what goes into their processed dog food packets. 

Many major companies do not do extensive research into what is good for the dog and therefore just look for cheaper alternatives just to make a profit. I believe that as with human food we should have the right to know what goes into the food we are feeding our animals!

Although many posts have said personally they have had no problems feeding some of these 'bad' foods it only takes one bad turn for the worse to end up ruining the animals life. Should we live like that risking the animals just for the sake of them having a 'treat'. Do dogs even know that it is classed as a treat or is it just for the sake of the owner and their needs to pamper their pets?

I know many people will disagree or dislike my comment but at the end of the day we have domesticated the dogs to such as extent they are not wild dogs anymore and therefore do not live like them, so they depend on humans to a large extent to realise what is 'good' and 'bad' for them.


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## vecthom (14 March 2010)

dont want to get in any heated discussion or anything i thought id just tell you my story.
I was a breeder of DOGUE DE BORDEAUX'S and i used to feed chicked wings RAW. They were a registered company made especially for dogs i used to buy them for my dogs and feed raw as treats in there meals. I was also told it was good for bitches in pup. I had a bitch in pup (estimated about 8 pups on the scan) and i fed her the chicken wings one night and a couple of days later i found her in one of the kennels really ill looking and slobbering, Her gums were white and she looked very ill. I rushed her to the vet and she died on the table. The vet had regually checked her throughout her pregnancy so he advised me to go for a autopsy. He found the bone of the chicken wing stuck in her throught but it had slid down perferating her whole throat and she blead to death but inside. I sued the company and the rest is history!


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## KarynK (2 April 2010)

I am really sorry to hear about your sad loss, I have been feeding wholly raw diet 80% of which is bone for 13 years and never experience any problems.  Mine are fed human grade food and are never fed complex carbohydrates which are common is commercial dog foods.

I know many raw feeders that combined have over 100 years raw feeding experience and have never heard of this in a properly fed species appropriate wholly raw diet.

Firstly you say they that the wings were "made" for dogs?  Does that mean they were treated in some way I wonder what the source of those wings was? 

Secondly you say that the wings were fed as treats in their meals?  
Anyone feeding raw meaty bones should be made aware that they should NEVER EVER feed raw bones anywhere near a commercial diet as the two feeds are totally incompatible.  A dog on raw swallows great chunks which go quickly into the stomach where they are quickly broken down by hydrochloric acid.  Commercial dried food travels slowly and is not chewed by the dog nor pre digested as it is in humans that slow travel can SERIOUSLY impede the passage of bones and cause serious complications.

Yes RAW diet is good for dogs especially bitches in whelp but raw meaty bones are not a mixer or supplement to an inadequate diet and the benefits are really only seen when it is adopted wholly and fed properly as a whole diet.  I know of 20 odd litters from raw fed bitches, with the pups themselves being fed raw from the get go and many of those bitches regurgitating partially digested meat and bone for the pups.  The benefits were obvious with some of the bitches feeding their pups to a natural weaning at 10-12 weeks and not loosing condition or experiencing diarrhoea with an increase in food.  The pups were well grown with healthy coat and bone development.

At the end of the day there are always exceptions which is sad but having seen the huge benefits to the dogs in feeding a species appropriate diet I feel a tiny risk is far outweighed by the health problems and risk to life (particularly bloat) associated with modern commercial feeds.


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## CorvusCorax (18 April 2010)

What, like cans of dog food?


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## KarynK (19 April 2010)

snipe67 said:



			sardines and any canned foods are bad for dogs ^^,
		
Click to expand...

Actually canned sardines in tomato sauce are very good for dogs more so than most dog foods!!!!   They contain all of the Omega three that dogs need in an appropriate form from a proper protein source and are the only cooked food that I feed on Raw diet as my current dogs do not like raw fish (indeed a lot of people feeding raw feed them along with some on commercial diets).  As we always feed human grade I cannot see why Sardines are "bad" for dogs?


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## KarynK (19 April 2010)

CaveCanem said:



			What, like cans of dog food? 

Click to expand...

Allegedly !!!  (Looks around for the pet food lawyer (Yes!))


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## Cinnamontoast (23 July 2010)

To answer someone earlier re mushrooms: they are obviously a fungus, we digest more slowly than dogs, allowing us to get rid of toxins, they digest quickly and they can be poisonous, therefore.


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## kimsie (20 August 2010)

Yes - this is the important point - "just not loads of them". 
A greatly varied diet is what dogs thrive on, just like us. I am dead against feeding the same food day in day out, from a packet or tin. Dogs can tolerate all sorts of horrors in their diet - they love poo - as long as their gut gets plenty of practice in dealing with a wide range of stuff, cooked or raw.


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## soloabe (20 August 2010)

vecthom said:



			dont want to get in any heated discussion or anything i thought id just tell you my story.
I was a breeder of DOGUE DE BORDEAUX'S and i used to feed chicked wings RAW. They were a registered company made especially for dogs i used to buy them for my dogs and feed raw as treats in there meals. I was also told it was good for bitches in pup. I had a bitch in pup (estimated about 8 pups on the scan) and i fed her the chicken wings one night and a couple of days later i found her in one of the kennels really ill looking and slobbering, Her gums were white and she looked very ill. I rushed her to the vet and she died on the table. The vet had regually checked her throughout her pregnancy so he advised me to go for a autopsy. He found the bone of the chicken wing stuck in her throught but it had slid down perferating her whole throat and she blead to death but inside. I sued the company and the rest is history!
		
Click to expand...

I don't buy this at all!


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## Andrea83 (1 September 2010)

OMG I've got such a funny story....a few years ago I went to stay with my boyfriend at his parents house in the South of France and i have a packet of fig biscuits on the side....

Not really thinking I left them on the side when we went to bed...

As you can imagine a certain Retrieverdor had a very poorly tummy all night long!!

And I was so embarrassed in the morning....


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## EAST KENT (4 October 2010)

REALLY?? an old cavalier king charles of mine suffered no ill effects having somehow managed to get onto the table and eat a whole bunch, plus 2 apples before I found him!!![/QUOTE]

Some dogs are just plain indestructable!!


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## Nicki85 (18 November 2010)

Wish my Spaneil would read this!  Her current love is socks... clean socks, dirty socks, wet socks.... She will quietly go upstairs find a sock and eat it whole.  She will then be fine (still eating etc) till a couple of days later till the sock is thrown up...  Needless to say we are very careful with socks now!

She has also made her way through a box of miniture heros- wrappers and all- with no problems.  Oh and a bar of dark chocolate.  

Oh and on walks she will find dead animals and eat them... and conkers, acorns and bracken are all fair game.  

She won't touch raw meat though... if it's not off a stinky dead animal carcass!


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## dig2zax (19 November 2010)

i feed the barf diet to my dog he is as fit a lean. cool


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## Saby (20 December 2010)

HI 
I no i am fairly new to this forum but i have read all the posts in this thread.
I have done a lot of work and research into dog feeding and animal nutrition in general.
Grapes and raisins are incrediblely toxic to dogs, although some dogs may get away with eating the odd one, and some miricale dogs with many, the general feeling is to aviod feeding them at all costs.
Mushrooms are less of a problem, as they are naturally ground occuring they are something that in the wild dogs would have come across, therefore in small quantites are fine.
Chocolate is another one to avoid as the toxins in it build up very quickly in a dog and can in severe cases cause death, however again very small amount are unlikely to casue long term or fatal results.
As for raw against brand feeding, it is mainly up to your dog. If your dog is fit and healthy and recieveing all it needs nurtient-wise then the diet is appropriate. Raw feeding has advantages but so does commerical. It is balancing what is feesable over what is best. I have been in the veterianry world for some years and involved in dog breeding and i have never seen any major bone spliter related injuries, i personally feel it is like in humans, occassionally accidents happen, a bone is swallowed badly and so can cause damage but this is very rare like with humans and fish bones. Many brand diets now are far more aware of what goes into their feed and there are much tighter regulations over what products can be added. 
It is not adviseable to mix a complete diet with other products as it will lead to inbalances in nutirents and will most likely cause obesity. If fed in the correct quantities as stated by the brands then no dog should (with correct exercise) get obese, the major casue of obestiy in dogs is tit-bits and lack of exercise just like in humans.
In all it is about quantities and quality it doesn't really matter what type of feeding it is about what suits YOUR dog and YOUR lifestyle and trying to get the best that works for that. No one can say what is right or wrong, they can only say what may cause harm.


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## Cinnamontoast (10 January 2011)

Can't resist: _allegedly_ Bakers is bad for dogs! (In my opinion)


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## KarynK (18 January 2011)

Ooh you devil, can I add to that an awful lot of dog foods can be considered bad for your dog, until such time as all their makers fully declare ALL the ingredients and additives in their food, along with where they sourced them from both place and animal/veg/min or synthetic, how they cooked them oh and what part of the animal it came from, if indeed any of it actually came from an animal in some cases!!!!  

Does that about cover it do you think???


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## arwenplusone (21 February 2011)

Can I add one please?   Fluoride! 

For those of you who brush your dogs teeth (or are thinking of doing so), keep up the good work, but please make sure you use a toothpaste that is for pets.  More specifically, do not use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, as this is toxic.    (it IS toxic for humans as well, but mostly we spit it out.   If you can get your dog to rinse & spit then great - I'd like to see it!  )


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## floral (7 March 2011)

If anyone wants to feed a natural, additive and colourant free diet then you could look at feeding Fish4dogs diets like I do.  I have a Viszla, a border collie and a regular visiting GSD who are all fed on their Salmon and Potato and only have the Fish4dogs jerky treats which are essentially fish skins, totally natural.  I have been feeding this food for years with excellent results and ended up finding it simply because I had a dog with a very bad red meat intolerance.  Its amazing how many so called white meat diets are covered in red meat fats!!

I dont have the time to put together a raw diet for my dogs and wouldnt be confident that each dog was getting the correct amount of nutrients so Fish4dogs does it for us and for me.  Hope this helps anyone interested.  I got free samples from the company website when I first started as its a pain to shell out for expensive food when they may not like it isnt it ?!  Good to chat


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## melindaregner (22 March 2011)

From the list; maybe I can take out the chicken bones and mouldy foods.
Maybe the what he/she means about chicken bones were the wing part of the chicken, this portion is too pointy and sharp bones that can damage the intestines of your dogs.


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## CorvusCorax (22 March 2011)

My friends and I feed raw chicken wings for tracking as high reward food (doggy cocaine ) , no problems as yet  I have been cutting them up, but for size reasons rather than to eliminate sharp edges.


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## Cinnamontoast (22 March 2011)

Just bagged to 15kg of wings from the Dog Food Company. My three get lots and fingers crossed, no accidents so far. I only ever feed then raw and the brother-in-law, bless, us now saving all his wings for the dogs!


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## KarynK (22 March 2011)

melindaregner said:



			From the list; maybe I can take out the chicken bones and mouldy foods.
Maybe the what he/she means about chicken bones were the wing part of the chicken, this portion is too pointy and sharp bones that can damage the intestines of your dogs.
		
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Wings are fine as long as they are not cooked or fed anywhere near kibble.  I must have fed thousands over the last 13 years or so and no problems, though I always feed them stretched out and not folded like you get them from the shops as my greedy B's will try and swallow them whole instead of at least crunching the once!   My sister's 14 year old Husky still manages her wings with a bit of help, she has been fed them all her life.

My now turned GSD mafia sister,  when she started training her puppy could often be seen dragging a chicken wing across the forest on a piece of string and hiding it in a bush for the dog to track! Now she makes my brother in law run off and hide!!!


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## Foxhunter49 (25 March 2011)

I have always fed raw as have my parents with their dogs.

On average our family dogs (26 in total) have lived for 15 years 3 months. The only ones that have needed the vet for anything other than injuries, have been rescues. None, once adapted to raw, have need their anal glands emptying or teeth cleaned. Their faeces are firm and smell far less than prepared food fed dogs.

A dog's gut is not designed to digest grain.

I am always getting compliments on how well the dogs look and the shine on their coats and when told that they are raw fed I get comments of it being an unbalanced diet for them.

One elderly labrador I am feeding suffered from epilepsy and if he missed his medication for two days he would fit. In nearly four years of me feeding him and weaning him off his tablets,  he has only once had a fit and that was when he was dry food fed for two days whilst I was away. Surely that says something?

A research started by some vets in the Netherlands has already, after five years, found that dogs fed raw and or table scraps live an average of three years longer than processed feed fed dogs.


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## melindaregner (30 March 2011)

KarynK said:



			Wings are fine as long as they are not cooked or fed anywhere near kibble.  I must have fed thousands over the last 13 years or so and no problems, though I always feed them stretched out and not folded like you get them from the shops as my greedy B's will try and swallow them whole instead of at least crunching the once!   My sister's 14 year old Husky still manages her wings with a bit of help, she has been fed them all her life.

My now turned GSD mafia sister,  when she started training her puppy could often be seen dragging a chicken wing across the forest on a piece of string and hiding it in a bush for the dog to track! Now she makes my brother in law run off and hide!!!
		
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Nice!! thanks for the info(s). Maybe it was only me( or my dog) who experienced accident about the chicken wings. Anyway, the thread is not about the chicken wings. LOL!


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## Devonshire dumpling (8 May 2011)

After reading this thread ( well some of it, I got bored after page 3)  I have no idea how my dogs reached 16  and 14, and still going strong hahahaha... infact I am lucky all my doggies reached an old age... am sure ppl fuss too much!


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## rosies (29 May 2011)

Hello, everyone, I'm new on here and have been reading this huge post with interest as a few days ago I started my 2 springer spaniels on a raw diet. I'm basing it losely on the prey diet with a bit of BARF thrown in!

My reason for doing so was I've not had a lot of luck with dogs over the years having lost a 2 year old Golden Retriever with stomach cancer, and a 5 year old GSD with bloat (he survived the first time as I was there) the second time he was in boarding kennels and was found dead in the morning. Theres been a few other dogs with problems that I'm starting to think may have not been there if fed a better diet.

I've always fed good quality dry food and never had overweight dogs. At the moment, I have a healthy 10 year old ESS bitch and a not healthy 5 yr old ESS dog, who has hip displaysia and Rheumatoid Arthritis. He is on NSAIDs and Tramadol as well as joint supplement.

Since starting them on a raw diet on Wednesday, the male has stopped doing 5 or 6 huge smelly poos a day, he looks happier, is much livelier, the females smelly old dog breath went in 24 hours. Its very early days but they love it and as for choking, bones splintering etc I think it is important to feed the appropriate size for your dog and supervise to see that they are chewing them.  My female used to 'hoover' up her dry food but now chews her chicken pieces (probably why teeth clean!). I changed straight over to this and have had no sickness, diarrhoea or problems. Then again mine are typical horse owner dogs and eat anything they can, horse poos especially at the moment are great favourites.....don't think I need to worry about them not getting any vegetation!

Be interested for any opinions experience others have had.


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## Devonshire dumpling (31 May 2011)

rosies said:



			Hello, everyone, I'm new on here and have been reading this huge post with interest as a few days ago I started my 2 springer spaniels on a raw diet. I'm basing it losely on the prey diet with a bit of BARF thrown in!

My reason for doing so was I've not had a lot of luck with dogs over the years having lost a 2 year old Golden Retriever with stomach cancer, and a 5 year old GSD with bloat (he survived the first time as I was there) the second time he was in boarding kennels and was found dead in the morning. Theres been a few other dogs with problems that I'm starting to think may have not been there if fed a better diet.

I've always fed good quality dry food and never had overweight dogs. At the moment, I have a healthy 10 year old ESS bitch and a not healthy 5 yr old ESS dog, who has hip displaysia and Rheumatoid Arthritis. He is on NSAIDs and Tramadol as well as joint supplement.

Since starting them on a raw diet on Wednesday, the male has stopped doing 5 or 6 huge smelly poos a day, he looks happier, is much livelier, the females smelly old dog breath went in 24 hours. Its very early days but they love it and as for choking, bones splintering etc I think it is important to feed the appropriate size for your dog and supervise to see that they are chewing them.  My female used to 'hoover' up her dry food but now chews her chicken pieces (probably why teeth clean!). I changed straight over to this and have had no sickness, diarrhoea or problems. Then again mine are typical horse owner dogs and eat anything they can, horse poos especially at the moment are great favourites.....don't think I need to worry about them not getting any vegetation!

Be interested for any opinions experience others have had.
		
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Hey there, post this as a seperate thread (just copy and paste it)  then people will notice it, nobody reads this stick much xx


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## jenniejester1 (11 August 2011)

My naughty dog stole some macademia nuts unbeknown to me.  He lost the use of his back legs.  I thought he had had a stroke!!

He was fine by the next day phew

He also ate some rat poison and had to be rushed to the vet for a stomach pump.

He continually eats anything vile he can find and generally throws it back up again..........nice!!!

and a box of choccies one night......Roses so not much cocoa content!!

Luckily he has survived all these events and is very healthy!!!


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## onceuponatime (21 September 2011)

During the summer my dog eats the marigold  heads off the flowers that my dad has planted - does anyone know what these flowers have in them that makes them so attractive and of course whether they can cause any harm.  He will eat one after the other as if they are steak!


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## welshtyke (30 October 2011)

Bakers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## OakBarn (10 November 2011)

Can we remind dog owners, with Christmas coming up, that Brussel Sprouts are also a big no no. We have been recently been informed by the poisons agency to watch out for this.

We have also seen dogs for bulb (plant variety) poisoning this week, dogs will eat anything, especially those Labradors!


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## rucky (22 November 2011)

GinaB said:



			I'm going to see if I can get Admin to sticky this post so feel free to add anymore that aren't on this initital list (I found it online) 
	
	
		
		
	


	





* Onions and garlic
* Chocolate- Chocolate contains Theobromine, which can raise your dogs heart rate to beat abnormally. Can cause seizures that can lead to coma. Baking/dark chocolate has more of the chemical so it's more dangerous, but avoid all chocolate at all costs.
* Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts
* Pear pits, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pits which contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning
* Potato peels and green potatoes 
* Rhubarb leaves 
* Mouldy and Spoiled foods (I recently heard of a dog that died eating moldy cheese!Be very careful) 
* Alcohol 
* Yeast dough 
* Table scraps (high fat) and sweets 
* Coffee and tea (caffeine) 
* Hops (used in making beer) 
* Tomatoe leaves and the stems 
* Broccoli (in large quantities) 
* Raisins and grapes 
* Chicken and pork bones (can splinter and cause harm internally)
* Rawhide Chewies (a lot of people don't know this one..these are bleached with chemicals and can be unsafe)
* Wheat/grains- many dogs don't tolerate these well
		
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This must be considered sticky post! It's good to know all those Bad foods for dogs! I've known some cases that chocolate can cause death to dogs!


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## KarynK (22 November 2011)

Once again though for all those who don't feed raw, only cooked bones are likely to splinter, raw are fine!


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## Dotty123 (13 February 2012)

I think the garlic is wrong as my two dogs eat liver and garlic treats which i buy in, and i have never had a problem feeding them.


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## Cinnamontoast (28 February 2012)

Dotty123 said:



			I think the garlic is wrong as my two dogs eat liver and garlic treats which i buy in, and i have never had a problem feeding them.
		
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In moderation, is ok, but that and onion in large amounts can oxidise red blood cells in canines and is therefore very dangerous, *in large amounts.*

It may also exacerbate skin conditions in *some* dogs.


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## Spiritinthesky (6 June 2012)

Our Golden Retriever loves peanuts! He eats them very slowly.


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## Dotty123 (10 June 2012)

cinnamontoast said:



			In moderation, is ok, but that and onion in large amounts can oxidise red blood cells in canines and is therefore very dangerous, *in large amounts.*

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I asked the lady who makes the treats how much garlic she puts in the liver & garlic training treats and she said only a small amount, so that's ok then


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## moppett (7 January 2013)

Oops! my dog has eaten a fair few corn cobs before..... she's still alive and well


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## CorvusCorax (24 January 2013)

Richie, normally people pay to advertise


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## Richie (24 January 2013)

busted  bad me! 

Hopefully it isn't too blatant. No links though!


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## NothingVenture (28 January 2013)

On the whole garlic thing, yes it is safe in small doses, but I have it on good authority (from a very, very experienced and sensible sighthound-rescue lady over here in Ireland), that to be effective as a flea repellant, it would have to be administered in very much larger doses than that. So I really can't see the point in feeding it at all. It's either poisonous or useless.


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## Cinnamontoast (28 January 2013)

Garlic has been linked to thinning of the skin which made me stop using it on my very mudfever prone horse.


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## lab (9 April 2013)

Nice list and good information on this post. i saw some replies saying chicken bones are fine...my reply is its fine until your dog dies or has serious damage to his internal parts due to a bone that didnt went down right . bones are dengerus even to humens. dont feed your dog bones.


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## CorvusCorax (10 April 2013)

Lab, plenty of us feed bones (RAW bones) with no problem for many years without our dogs carking, and will continue to do so 
It's what they're designed to eat, meat and bone, not biscuits. Look at their teeth if you don't believe me.
Horses die from laminitis but nobody says DON'T FEED HORSES ON GRASS!


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## Cinnamontoast (13 April 2013)

lab said:



			Nice list and good information on this post. i saw some replies saying chicken bones are fine...my reply is its fine until your dog dies or has serious damage to his internal parts due to a bone that didnt went down right . bones are dengerus even to humens. dont feed your dog bones.
		
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Seriously?! My lot have been eating chicken carcasses for three years with zero issues. Obviously, don't feed cooked bones ever.


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## CorvusCorax (11 June 2013)

THIS IS THE RAW DIET (NO LONGER) STICKY!!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=408903

(Food which is good for dogs  )


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## Cyberchick (11 June 2013)

Chicken stir fry with soy sauce, Garlic and Ginger gives thieving Weims bad wind!


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## goldenretrieverfan (7 August 2013)

My dog eat onion (raw) out of the bin a few years ago and had very chronic diahorea(however you spell it) but he was fine. So yeah just to confirm onion is not good for dogs and always keep it out of reach!


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## Cinnamontoast (16 August 2013)

It oxidises their red blood cells. Lucky for you the only issue was diarrhoea!


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## Nicole87 (24 February 2014)

Great list! I would like to add xylitol, though. It's an artificial sweetener used to sweeten most of those "no sugar" foods, and it's extremely dangerous for dogs.

Source: http://aboutdoggies.net/10-most-dangerous-foods-your-dog-really-cannot-eat/


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## matt1984 (2 March 2014)

Hi,

I thought members of the forum would like to know about good food for dogs - luxury holistic dogfood brand Green Dog Food has launched a new try before you buy promotion called the Taste Test Challenge, offering a seven-day supply of dog food in return for customer feedback.

If interested, you can find out more information by visiting their Facebook page and clicking on the Taste Test Challenge tab: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Dog-Holistic-Health-Food-for-Dogs.


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## Arthur-Badger-And Me (29 May 2015)

The ones I know of are rhubarb, onions, garlic, chives, spinach, beetroot, mushrooms, macadamia nuts, caffeine, raisins and sultanas, grapes, chocolate, alcohol, avocado, yeast dough, bones, corn on the cob, milk and The artificial sweetener xylitol

Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine (a bit like caffeine) that is poisonous to dogs.  The amount of theobromine differs in the different types of chocolate (dark chocolate has the most in it).  Theobromine mainly affects the heart, central nervous system and kidneys.  Signs of theobromine poisoning will occur from 4-24hours following ingestion and will vary depending on the amount of chocolate (theobromine) your dog has eaten.  You may see vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, hyperactivity and seizures. Theobromine doses in the region of 100-150 mg/kg bodyweight are toxic to dogs. There is no antidote to theobromine. In most cases your vet will make your dog vomit. Other treatments will depend on the signs your dog is showing.  They may need intravenous fluids (a drip), medication to control heart rate, blood pressure and seizure activity (fits).

Caffeine
Like chocolate, caffeine also contains stimulants, as this substance is found in the fruit of the plant that is used to make coffee. Dogs are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than people. A couple of laps of tea or coffee will not do any harm, but the ingestion of moderate amounts of coffee grounds or tea bags can lead to serious problems. Signs are similar to chocolate toxicity and treatment is broadly similar. 

Onions, Garlic, Chives
These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal (stomach and gut) irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large enough amount is consumed.
Onions are particularly toxic and signs of poisoning occur a few days after your dog has eaten the onion. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and/or garlic. Left over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness.

Alcohol
Alcohol is significantly more toxic to dogs than to humans. When consumed, alcoholic beverages and alcoholic food products may cause vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death. So, remember to keep alcoholic beverages well out of reach of your dog! 

Avocado
A substance called Persin that is contained in the leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs. In addition birds and rodents are particularly sensitive and serious reactions such as the development of congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart can result.

Grapes & Raisins
The toxic substance that is contained within grapes and raisins is unknown; however these fruits can cause kidney failure. Dogs that already have certain health problems may have an even more serious reaction so this is certainly one to avoid.

Macadamia Nuts
Within 12 hours of ingestion macadamia nuts can cause dogs to experience weakness, depression, tremors, vomiting and hyperthermia (increased body temperature). These symptoms tend to last for approximately 12 to 48 hours, and as with all the other food groups mentioned if you suspect your dog has consumed macadamia nuts note the possible quantity consumed and contact your vet.

Yeast Dough
Ingestion of yeast dough can cause gas to accumulate in your dog's digestive system as a result of the dough rising. Not only can this be painful but if may also cause the stomach or intestines to become obstructed (blocked) or distended. So whilst small bits of bread can be given as a treat due to the fact that risks are diminished once the yeast has fully risen, it is advised to avoid giving your dog yeast dough.

Bones
Whilst feeding your dog bones may seem like a good idea in that it takes our dogs back to their 'roots', it is important to remember that domestic dogs may choke on the bones, or sustain injury as the splinters can become lodged in or puncture your dog's digestive tract, so if you choose to give your dog bones be sure to keep an eye on him while he tucks in, and avoid giving cooked bones (which splinter easily) or giving bones that are small enough to get stuck in their bowels. Eating large quantities of bone can often cause constipation, so try to monitor the amount your dog manages to consume.&#65279;

Corn on the cob
Corn on the cob may seem like a healthy table scrap to give your dog, but unlike most vegetables, it does not digest well in a dogs stomach. If your dog swallows large chunks of the cob, or even whole, it can cause an intestinal blockage due to it's size and shape. If your dog gobbled up corn on the cob watch for signs of trouble such as vomiting, loss of appetite or reduced appetite, absence of faeces or sometimes diarrhoea and signs of abdominal discomfort. In this case, have your dog see a vet immediately and be careful to never feed corn on the cob again.

Xylitol
The artificial sweetener xylitol found in many foods such as sugar free gum, diabetic cakes, diet foods etc. causes insulin release in many species leading to potentially fatal hypoglycaemia (lowered sugar levels). The initial symptoms include lethargy, vomiting and loss of coordination, following this recumbency (unable to stand) and seizures may occur. Xylitol has also been linked to fatal acute liver disease and blood clotting disorders in dogs. Even very small amounts can be extremely dangerous and if you think your dog has eaten any amount of xylitol then you should seek veterinary advice immediately.

Milk
As dogs do not have significant amounts of the enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose in milk, feeding your dog milk and other milk-based products can cause diarrhoea or other digestive upset.


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## Cinnamontoast (11 June 2015)

I think it's incorrect to mention bones. Cooked, yes, they're awful. Lots of us feed our dogs raw and after years of doing so, I have had no incidents. If you're careful, it can be fine. It's not as easy as chucking bones and hoping for the best, it needs thought and research, but lots of us do it successfully.


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## LD&S (23 January 2016)

dennyboy said:



			Chocolate is very bad for our dogs as it is MY chocolate 
	
	
		
		
	


	





We feed our dogs raw and complete,but not at the same time.
they have raw in the morning and a handful of complete in the eve.
All our dogs are in good condition and reguarly compete and do flyball and athletic events.
Each to their own and what works for mine might not work for another,all our dogs are fed different amounts and different complete.
We feed bones but not small ones, as we have canine hoovers, where everything gets vacumed up without touching the sides lol

I have found that if the bones are not eaten in the one sitting then they tend to go hard and thats when they splinter.

Mel
		
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I'm so pleased to see I'm not the only one feeding a mixed diet of raw and processed. The dogs are definitely healthy and happy and we have the best of both worlds, the benefits of raw and the ease of processed.


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## Lizziehorselover (8 March 2017)

We have discovered that jam and peanut butter doesn't agree with our dog. We found this out when my little sister fed her toast to him the other lunchtime...


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## Cinnamontoast (9 March 2017)

My lot love peanut butter on toast. I have to save them a piece from my breakfast. It always gets stuck to the roof of their mouths!


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## SpringArising (9 March 2017)

Mine is also fed on 'human' food (which is a strange term - food is food). 

A typical meal for him is cooked liver/chicken/beef, with either wholegrain rice/pasta, (cooked) carrots and green beans. He also gets tuna, tinned fish in oil, raw/scrambled eggs (and shell), cottage cheese and oats. His 'snacks' or 'puddings' are things like plain natural yoghurt with bran flakes.  

It's sad that some dogs are given the same thing day in, day out. 

I have not yet had any issues with an upset stomach and his breath never smells either.


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## Lizziehorselover (12 March 2017)

cinnamontoast said:



			My lot love peanut butter on toast. I have to save them a piece from my breakfast. It always gets stuck to the roof of their mouths!
		
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We are now wondering if she fed him some grapes as he never previously had a problem with peanut butter or toast


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## Cinnamontoast (12 March 2017)

I'm sure you know that grapes are incredibly dangerous for dogs, even just one. I hope he hasn't been given any.


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## MotherOfChickens (13 March 2017)

Lizziehorselover said:



			We have discovered that jam and peanut butter doesn't agree with our dog. We found this out when my little sister fed her toast to him the other lunchtime...

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in case you don't know some brands of peanut butter now contain xylitol which is toxic for dogs. 


as an aside, my setter as a youngster jumped up 5 ft and got down the peanut feeder in the garden. ate a couple of kilos. the vet described the outcome as 'hose-piping' -which was very apt


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## Lizziehorselover (23 April 2017)

MotherOfChickens said:



			in case you don't know some brands of peanut butter now contain xylitol which is toxic for dogs. 


as an aside, my setter as a youngster jumped up 5 ft and got down the peanut feeder in the garden. ate a couple of kilos. the vet described the outcome as 'hose-piping' -which was very apt 

Click to expand...

Thanks for the head's up! So far we have kept my sister's lunch away from the dog and have encouraged her to give him some treats from his treat tin!


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## onliner (7 November 2017)

Can't resist: allegedly Bakers is bad for dogs! (In my opinion)


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## Cinnamontoast (8 November 2017)

onliner said:



			Can't resist: allegedly Bakers is bad for dogs! (In my opinion)
		
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I agree. IMO, it's floor sweepings with added sugar.


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## lesliemoore (9 November 2017)

What about horses? I usually use this food - http://www.wowfreestuff.co.uk/free-baileys-horse-feed/


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## Cinnamontoast (9 November 2017)

Maybe post in the horse care and feeding section......?


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## Cinnamontoast (8 February 2018)

Please don&#8217;t say such sweeping statements. Only the ones contains xylitol have been mentioned as dangerous. I use peanut butter regularly in kongs, I&#8217;m just careful to choose the right one.


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## ryanolivas (20 April 2018)

My dog eats chicken bones twice a week since I'm near from a restaurant so everytime I went home I am making sure that I'm bringing chicken bones. So far my dog has no health issues so i think it's not included.


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## Cinnamontoast (20 April 2018)

As long as they&#8217;re raw, they&#8217;re fine. Never feed cooked bones, they splinter.


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## ryanj (8 October 2018)

Rawhides. They are bad for your dog. I've stopped feeding mine rawhides after reading this article.


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## JorgeD (12 January 2020)

severnmiles said:



			People are obsessed with thinking a dog needs a balanced diet.  Apart from eating fruit off of bushes, wild dogs purely eat meat/protein so what is balanced about their diet? The funny thing is the majority of mnufactured dog foods contain less than 30%.  I wouldn't feed my horses meat so I don't feed my dogs cereals.

We used to eat bones, hence many peoples appendixes bursting through lack of use, yet you never hear a nutritionalist saying we need bones as part of a so called  _balanced diet_.  What we orginally survived on is what our digestive systems are are built for, the Inuits and other tribes worldwide are fine examples.  We and dogs have not evolved quickly enough to cope with digesting cereals hence so many dogs having an intolerence to it.

As I said, I'm not saying to everyone don't turn your horses out because look what happened to my 2y.o.  Accidents are accidents and I doubt very much...that it was a chicken bone that got lodged.
		
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If a dog in the wild eats it prey  say Rabbit they will eat the contents of the stomach of the rabbits what do Rabbits eat


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## lookingforadvice (29 August 2020)

I’ve heard to be careful with peanut butter even though dogs love it - apparently some forms of it have a chemical that’s dangerous to dogs


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## Cinnamontoast (30 August 2020)

lookingforadvice said:



			I’ve heard to be careful with peanut butter even though dogs love it - apparently some forms of it have a chemical that’s dangerous to dogs
		
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Xylotil. Hopefully pretty well known now.


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## Kay Burton (14 September 2020)

I have had neighbors who fed the dog with boiled peelings from vegetables and other waste. It was terrible. The dog must have good nutrition, then the animal will be healthy and strong. Vitamins should be given as needed. I feed my dog natural food. I give bones to keep my jaws strong.


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## T_Zam (15 September 2020)

Kay Burton said:



			I have had neighbors who fed the dog with boiled peelings from vegetables and other waste. It was terrible. The dog must have good nutrition, then the animal will be healthy and strong. Vitamins should be given as needed. I feed my dog natural food. I give bones to keep my jaws strong.
		
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My St. Bernard had been eating potatoes with skin for a while. I guess my daughter was just tired of peeling that amount of potatoes for this beast every day. Hopefully, I was told that it may cause kidney problems. It only looks like  St. Bernards are invincible because of the size. Just checked the information, though. Apparently, " if your dog gets a lot of oxalates (like if he eats half his weight in skin-on potatoes–which is a lot!) that might cause some kidney problems. "


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## CorvusCorax (15 September 2020)

I often give my dog leftover vegetables and can't see what the problem is to be honest? What do people think is in the stomachs of the animals that canids prey on and eat?


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## Kay Burton (15 September 2020)

T_Zam said:



			My St. Bernard had been eating potatoes with skin for a while. I guess my daughter was just tired of peeling that amount of potatoes for this beast every day. Hopefully, I was told that it may cause kidney problems. It only looks like  St. Bernards are invincible because of the size. Just checked the information, though. Apparently, " if your dog gets a lot of oxalates (like if he eats half his weight in skin-on potatoes–which is a lot!) that might cause some kidney problems. "
		
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They only fed the dog cleansers. He ate all this very badly, was skinny. Attempts to reason with the neighbors were unsuccessful. We ourselves give the dogs vegetables, but they also have meat in their diet.


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## Cinnamontoast (15 September 2020)

Only vegetables? Really not good, obviously.


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## Kay Burton (16 September 2020)

Cinnamontoast said:



			Only vegetables? Really not good, obviously.
		
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I agree that this is terrible. My cat loves melon, my dog loves plums. But this does not mean that these products should be their main food and nothing more. Not to mention feeding the animal with waste and keeping the animal so that there is where to put this waste.


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## horseman1985 (2 October 2020)

GinaB said:



			I'm going to see if I can get Admin to sticky this post so feel free to add anymore that aren't on this initital list (I found it online) 
	
	
		
		
	


	





* Onions and garlic
* Chocolate- Chocolate contains Theobromine, which can raise your dogs heart rate to beat abnormally. Can cause seizures that can lead to coma. Baking/dark chocolate has more of the chemical so it's more dangerous, but avoid all chocolate at all costs.
* Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts
* Pear pits, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pits which contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning
* Potato peels and green potatoes
* Rhubarb leaves
* Mouldy and Spoiled foods (I recently heard of a dog that died eating moldy cheese!Be very careful)
* Alcohol
* Yeast dough
* Table scraps (high fat) and sweets
* Coffee and tea (caffeine)
* Hops (used in making beer)
* Tomatoe leaves and the stems
* Broccoli (in large quantities)
* Raisins and grapes
* Chicken and pork bones (can splinter and cause harm internally)
* Rawhide Chewies (a lot of people don't know this one..these are bleached with chemicals and can be unsafe)
* Wheat/grains- many dogs don't tolerate these well
		
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Fish is bad for dogs because of parasites in it.


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## {97702} (3 October 2020)

horseman1985 said:



			Fish is bad for dogs because of parasites in it.
		
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Fish is fine for dogs and can form a regular part of a raw diet if your dog can tolerate it?

Having said that, mine all are sick whenever I feed them fish so I’ve given up 😳


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## Cinnamontoast (4 October 2020)

Puss car has started refusing fish unless it’s tinned sardines/mackerel in tomato sauce. Fussy little git. We had an epic puke fest when I overfed raw salmón one day, Bear gets little and often.


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## chrisp85 (10 October 2020)

Glad I found this. I am currently considering trying my dog on Taste Toppers from a company called Applaws. Here are the ingredients within the Toppers. Are these all safe for my dog? She is a very delicate soul when it comes to her food but has recently gone off her usual diet. Tried other such food in the past including Raw but if I am honest I got spooked by some horror stories and didn't stick at it. On the topic of real food, I had a Jack Russell when I was just a kid who actually got pretty sick eating some human foods so worth taking extra caution. Thanks for advice in advance


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## Cinnamontoast (10 October 2020)

Applaws is generally good quality, I think.


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## chrisp85 (11 October 2020)

Good to know. I’ll see how it goes. Thanks for the reply


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## skinnydipper (26 October 2020)

horseman1985 said:



			Fish is bad for dogs because of parasites in it.
		
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and why I don't eat sushi.  There's also a risk of bacterial infection, salmonella being just one.

I feed raw but not raw fish.  It would have to have been frozen to a low enough temperature to kill the parasites (worms & flukes).

Cooking fish properly kills the parasites.

I give my dog sardines in spring water, dried sprats, dried capelin and dehydrated herring.


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## lesliemoore (10 December 2020)

I got a free sample of this  - https://www.freebierush.com/free-artemis-pet-food/ and he hated it, threw up. Never again!


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## melodyth (28 January 2021)

My dog doesn't like apples.


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## Mary T (17 February 2021)

I been feeding my dogs, 2 Yorkies, boiled white fish for 14 years when they have an upset stomach. It settles them down immediately.


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## Mary T (17 February 2021)

severnmiles said:



			You can take chicken off there's nothing wrong with chicken bones aslong as they're raw.  I feed Barf and mine get alot of legs/wings/carcasses e.t.c  Raw pork bones are fine for smaller dogs who don't have the power to break them but not for bigger dogs.

I know many breeders and show handlers who feed garlic puree to ward off fleas.

Other than that I agree with everything else.
		
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Totally agree re Chicken bones. My dogs each raw chicken bones daily


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## Jangle65 (6 June 2021)

My Dog had Pancreatitis and was so ill so did a complete change of diet. The Veterinary recommended Chappie and the change in my Pooch is so wonderful to see, and on another plus side, he loves it


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## Jangle65 (6 June 2021)

GinaB said:



			Yep. or have a teeny doggie. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Which none of us do! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Beastie likes apple and a bit of pear, but only wee bits containing no seeds.
		
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My Bentley likes apple too x


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## Coco’s Dad (6 June 2021)

Jangle65 said:



			My Dog had Pancreatitis and was so ill so did a complete change of diet. The Veterinary recommended Chappie and the change in my Pooch is so wonderful to see, and on another plus side, he loves it
		
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We have put our boxer girl onto Chappie, again recommended by our vet, she loves it and the oils are great for her skin 😊


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