Raw Feeding a Multiple Dog Household

Raw feeding can be a volatile subject in any circle. There are firm believers in the benefits and there are those who are equally firm about its drawbacks. I am in the benefits firm believer camp. What if you are in the middle? Maybe you are interested but terrified at what the cost or the logistics would be with a multiple dog household?

Two of the Author's dogs eating a raw breakfast

I am here to tell you that not only can it be done on a budget; it can be done with little challenge, provided you are a person who is willing to do a bit more than toss kibble in a bowl.

The pros are fewer vet visits, better coats, far less smelly poops, less doggy smell to the crew’s coats, whiter teeth, I could go on and on! The cons are more time to set aside at meal times, more stores to go to for a balanced diet and a supplement shelf that solely belongs to the dogs!

If you currently feed a premium kibble, then a raw diet is typically more affordable if you do not go the pre-made raw route. What does that mean exactly, you are wondering, right?

Well, I purchase whole meat parts in bulk and feed those for dinners. I feed pre-made ground raw for breakfasts. Typically, breakfast is when we are all more strapped for time so this is my solution and compromise. Of course, some raw feeders grind their own. That lowers the cost but increases the time commitment.

It does take some planning in the time department to get into a routine for this kind of feeding method in a multiple dog home. But once you get into a routine, it becomes second nature. It will never be as easy as tossing kibble into a bowl. But the rewards are well worth it.

If you have any resource guarding among your crew, you will need to separate their feeding areas a bit more than with kibble. But the drawbacks are such a small price to pay for the benefits.

Even if you choose to feed only pre-made raw, the benefits are sill so notable that you will never be sorry you went this route.

With my own crew, in the morning, they get pre-made raw fed in bowls in four different areas of my large kitchen. At dinner time, they eat from towels placed in the same four areas. Breakfast prep includes additions such as various dairy products such as yogurt, cottage cheese or kefir. This is also when I add any supplements that each dog gets. Dinner time seems like it would be easier because there are no supplements or dairy add ins but that is when the whole meat pieces sometimes need trimmed. My crew gets a low fat diet and I remove all obvious fat. So I allow for trimming time when I meal plan. It depends on what is on the menu that evening as far as how long it may take..

I would be lying if I said that it was always easy. Dinner time trimming can be a pain at times but I would never go back to kibble. As I said, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

If this is s lifestyle you are interested in, please do your research. Make sure that you understand the finer points of raw feeding before you take the plunge. It’s important that you learn why variety is important and how to achieve nutrient balance. There are a number of websites that can be of assistance to you. One of the best sources of information for al things dog is www.dogaware.com Avail yourself of it’s information. Seek out like minded people and accept support. You won’t be sorry that you made the change.

Responsible Multiple Dog Ownership

Recently in my hometown, there was a very disturbing incident involving three Pitbulls that jumped their fence and attacked a policewoman known for her animal rescue efforts, along with her five year old daughter (who was not harmed) and two of her dogs that they were walking. Everyone ended up okay physically after some minor cuts, bruises and bites, but mentally, they will remember this for a long time. This is not a commentary about Pibulls. I love Pitbulls. My Trent is a Pitbull mix. This incident could have happened with any breed but it’s always worse when it happens with a breed that some people find scary.

In addition, this incident happened in a good neighborhood and the owner appeared on the surface to be responsible. But appearances are deceiving at times as in this case.

The first problem here was that this occurred in a front yard situation with a four foot chain link fence when the owner was not supervising her dogs. There are several red flags here. Front yard, chain link see through fence, urban neighborhood, multiple reactive dogs, no supervision: take your pick which was the final trigger. They all contributed to this very scary incident.

The dogs in question were also not neutered. This makes a difference in some cases. I strongly believe in spaying and neutering, especially in breeds that are over bred such as Pitbulls. Responsible multiple dog owners alter their pets when they are pet homes. (I am not going to expand upon the exceptions but note that there are always exceptions.)

If you have multiple dogs that can be reactive, then you MUST supervise all outside visits, with no exceptions; especially when your outside environment offers a view to multiple stimuli. A front yard with a neighborhood view is a prime place for reactivity to occur. Life happens. You cannot stop people and animals from passing your yard unless you own the perimeter to it as well. It is unrealistic to expect your dogs to police themselves.

Training could have prevented this. Supervision could have either prevented or minimized this. A different venue such as a backyard, may have prevented this. Any number of things done differently can make a big difference in whether your dogs are declared dangerous and must be euthanized. It is a big responsibility to maintain a household with multiple dogs. Please respect that responsibility.

Training is even more important when you have breeds that others perceive as scary. You should not accept this responsibility lightly. Training can make the difference in how your neighbors view your dogs. Training can make a difference in whether your dogs are viewed as scary or not. Please be responsible and train your dogs. Be aware of what can happen in any circumstance and be pro-active. Your dogs’ lives may depend on it someday.