How do I know if raw food is a good idea for my dog?

[loulahwood]

I've just started feeding nutriment to my small terrier cross.  He loves it but I'm worried it's making him a little bit loopy with energy.  I just did a search on allaboutdogfood site to see what alternatives there might be for him (he was on Eden before, he wasn't a fan of it) but was a bit surprised that Nutriment was not one of the suggestions based on his details - I'm wondering why that might be - is it not recommended for a small terrier for some reason?

[Eden Holistic Pet Foods]

Nutriment should be fine for him, no reason why not. I'm surprised its making him loopy, how long had he been on Eden? And what food before that. Sometimes there is a period of a few days after a few weeks on higher protein food where there is a sudden bout of hyperness. It soon passes and then calmness will return, so don't give up too soon

[Dottie]

Hello and welcome to the forum.  Towards the latter part of last year I had a spell feeding my small terriers Nutriment.  I did not see any alteration in their behaviour.  Prior to the change mine had been fed on a good quality food, Gentle (cold pressed).  Please could you let us know what you were feeding before going on to Nutriment?  I am wondering if this makes a difference. 

It used to be thought that high protein equals hyperactivity but this notion has all but been dispelled now.  Mind you, that is not to say it doesn't exist.  As you say, Nutriment scores high on this website but all dogs are different and what suits one, doesn't suit another.  My own dogs are now back on their Gentle and it seems better for us all.  BTW are you feeding it in the correct quantity?  It is two to three percent of the body weight of the dog.  I agree with David - give it a little bit longer and see how you go.  If it persists then maybe consider something different. 

[Tinyplanets]

Hello and welcome to the forum,

My terrier is fed a mix of nutriment, the naturediet (still old packaging) She also has cold pressed in the form of kong treats but not as her main meals. I haven't seen any noticeable changes. She has calmed down if anything but she could just be maturing!

[JTunni]

Hi I have been feeding mine Natures Menu for about 5 months now. I have been very pleased with it and both my cairns enjoy it. With regards to behaviour, my older cairn, he is 13, ive not really noticed any change, but my 2 year old, who is already quite feisty, has started picking on the 13 year old to the point we have had to separate them and had a few nasty bites from them ourselves! Now I don't know if it is anything to do with the food, but, my husband suggested it could be and we have just taken the 2 year old off it yesterday to see if she calms down a bit. We are also booked into the vets on Monday to see the behaviourist there. 

[Love Dogs]

Raw dog food diets are controversial in recent times. Whatever food it may be, packed or raw, each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Potential benefits of the raw dog food diet may be listed as:
1. Shinier coats
2. Healthier skin
3. Cleaner teeth
4. Higher energy levels
5. Smaller stools

Potential risks include:

1. Threats to human and dog health from bacteria in raw meat
2. An unbalanced diet that may damage the health of dogs if given for an extended period
3. Potential for whole bones to choke an animal, break teeth or cause an internal puncture

[Dottie]

Hello Lovedogs - welcome to the forum.  Thank you for your post - it raises some interesting points.  Do you have dogs yourself and if so, what do you feed them? 

Regarding your list, I feel that of the potential benefits, some can apply to a good quality commercial product and are not exclusive to raw fed dogs.  My experience is that dogs can have shiny coats, clear skin and clean teeth and not necessarily be fed on raw food.  Energy level (in my experience) is no different; in fact some people would say that dogs who have a lot of physical hard work to do can use some carbohydrate for an extra boost of energy.  I don't agree that smaller stools is a benefit.  In fact I understand that small, hard 'kickable' stools are incorrect - link.  Sure, it is much nicer for the owner to pick up but I don't know why it should be better for the dog.

Of the potential risks, I agree with all three although the first one (bacteria in raw meat) can be minimised if the food is sourced, and handled properly.