# For those feeding raw/holistic or homemade diets...



## puppydogs (Dec 6, 2010)

How old is your dog (or how long did he live)? 

I guess my general question is - what did you feed your dog and how old did it live (hoping they are still vibrant and alive today!) 

Just curious which diets just might extend the life expectancy...(I know, wishful thinking)


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## Always51 (Feb 19, 2012)

I have only fed Napoleon totally raw for 5 months (hes only 8 months) but so far so good..I'm sure other members that have fed their dogs raw a lot longer than me will tell you about it! I find it no problem at all..you just have to be a bit more organised....


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

My dogs are 6 and almost 5 and have been on raw diets for the last 4+ years. I realize they are not seniors yet so I can't offer you that.. I will say that when my now 6 year old had surgery last year on his ear for a hematoma, and they did the pre-op blood panel on him, the vet remarked that he could not have had more perfect results from it. All his liver/kidney/etc values were spot on and great. They are both very active and fit as well.


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## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

Where can I find out more about "raw"? Jack has always eaten grocery store food (kibbles benefull stuff like that)but I have to switch brands & flavors every bag or he won't eat I'd love to find something good for him that he would love to eat. Never had a picky dog before so never asked


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

Capt Jack said:


> Where can I find out more about "raw"? Jack has always eaten grocery store food (kibbles benefull stuff like that)but I have to switch brands & flavors every bag or he won't eat I'd love to find something good for him that he would love to eat. Never had a picky dog before so never asked


 
Check out the raw sub forum here. Lots of good information.


www.goldenretrieverforum.com/raw-diets-homecooked-diets/


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

I've been feeding raw for over a dozen years. My oldest is 14-he was switched as a young adult. My others are 7 and 2-they have been on raw since 7 weeks. Would I really call the old man vibrant? Probably not. But he is healthy (blood work fine) and does OK with a little bit of meloxicam.


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## rhondas (Sep 10, 2010)

My 4.5 year old (will turn 5 in July) has been fed home cooked primarily ( will sometimes use Orijins) with supplements and is in great shape. He has never had allergies, ear infections or weight problems. His teeth are still white. He is athletic and is active - walk daily, swimming during the summer, competes in agility, tracks and is training for hunt tests. So many people who see him think he's under two - probably because of his trim body and he still has no white on his face.

Is it the food? Maybe. But I think it's the active lifestyle also and keeping a healthy weight.


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## MyBentley (May 5, 2009)

The OP's question is really 2 questions in one.

Raw is very different from home-cooked; but alike in that they are less processed than kibble.

You will not find a study that tracks the life span and health of raw-fed dogs; because, frankly, there is no one that's going to pay for a study of such long length. It's not in any company's interest to track it.

Home-cooked is a different matter. In essence, that's how most dogs were fed prior to the arrival of kibble on the scene in 1956. A minority of dogs may have been fed canned food like Alpo.

The point is that home-cooked was a very informal and unscientific way of feeding. Whatever the leftovers were from a family's dinner is what the dog was fed. There are all sorts of anecdotal reports that these dogs used to live longer than many of our current dogs. Is that solely due to feeding home-cooked and not kibble? Probably not, but I bet it played a contributing factor. Fewer vaccines and fewer environmental carcinogens most likely also played a role.

I've take a compromise route. I feed a good grade kibble (minus ingredients I don't have a comfort level with) as a base food. To that I regularly add fresh foods from my kitchen.


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## puppydogs (Dec 6, 2010)

thanks for the feedback so far! I know there won't likely be any official studies to raw or homemade diets life span, that's why I hope to get an idea from personal experiences here


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## morbidangel (Dec 19, 2011)

*well i feed my dog kibbles, my uncle has a gsd whose 7-8 yr old & is on home cooked food *..*& i know a few people who adopted strays here who visit my vet & they have always been feed home cooked food 1 of those Indian breed is like 14 yr old, there are many places in India ver they still don't get kibbles & in many cases the people can't aford kibbles *..


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## morbidangel (Dec 19, 2011)

*in India i think around 50% dogs eat home cooked food & that includes grains to *..


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

morbidangel said:


> *in India i think around 50% dogs eat home cooked food & that includes grains to *..


Not a bad way to go. Probably a lot better diet than what a lot of people feed.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

msdogs1976 said:


> Not a bad way to go. Probably a lot better diet than what a lot of people feed.



Probably a better diet then a lot of people feed themselves too! LOL


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## morbidangel (Dec 19, 2011)

*well it's just the way it works here ...
people who bring in Indian breeds are not the rich one's they just love a dog & so it becomes a family member rice whole wheat roti's frehly made vegetables steamed or boiled eggs & if the people are into non veg chicken or lamb ... 

but every house in India depends on home cooked food , from my knowledge 20- 25 yrs back kibbles were not even available here in India lol .

my mom had a mix of Samoyed & unknow 40 years back .. never touched kibbles ate only veg food & lived around 17 yrs ...
*


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

Th last Irish setter I had on a raw diet the last 8 years of his life. He lived to about 13 1/2- healthy up until his very last year. I wonder if I had know about raw earlier- and had had him on raw for the whole time if he would have gotten past 14. I have had two previous Irish Setters( just on dry) and all of them passed at age 13... but they also had skin and health issues along the way. With Lola, my new Golden- I am doing the whole raw and supplemental antioxidant thing with. She will be my measure as to what a really good diet and clean filtered water can do for health over a long life.:crossfing She is only 18 months right now..... and doing very well.


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