Can't get my head round that one, seems like advising an overweight person who eats fillet steak to change to mcdonalds & chips instead?

I think I will just give kibble for a while and see if it makes a difference, I'm not holding out much hope really, but i paid 250 quid to see the behaviourist so would be stupid not to take his advice and at least give it a go. I LOVE feeding my dogs raw, not just because it so cheap, (although that helps), but because they love it too.
With getting her to lose weight, it's easier said than done. She was on RMB rather than BARF diet so trying to get food whats the right weight for her is difficult. She's a gulper rather than a chewer so her food need's to be big or she almosts chokes on it.

I've probably got about 6 weeks of "normal food" and if it make no difference, I'll switch back, possibly trying BARF out.

Thanks for the replies

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We feed RMB/Prey Model however you want to call it. Benny and Emma are both on a slight diet. We have simply reduced the % fed, 2% instead of 2.5%-3% for instance and achieved results. both are losing weight, not rapidly but slowly and steadily. Simply reducing feeding quantities can make a huge difference as can obviously exercise levels. There should be no need to change the diet itself. For Emma and Benny I actually got the scales out again to measure quantities I was feeding them. Something I had stopped doing shortly after starting raw.

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You also have to remember a bit the calorie content of the raw you are feeding if trying to alter weight. As we feed by BW of dog, not by calories it would be easy to overfeed on things like butchers minces which are generally offcuts/fat etc so higher in calories than say a chicken carcass.

What I am trying to say is there is a HUGE calorie difference between 200g salad and 200g KFC

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www.RescueRemedies.co.uk
http://www.dogsinneedofspace.co.uk/

That makes perfect sense. I've just taken the overweight dog to her hydrotherapy and weighed her and she's lost nearly 2 kg in 11 weeks.
Maybe I was getting raw feeding right?

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I'm all for a raw based diet to be frank, but I just don't have the freezer space as I'd want to prepare their meals a week before hand and freeze them, so I was positive they had exactly what they needed.

As it is, mine get Skinners Museli mix every day with one of the following:

Raw bones, raw chicken thighs/drumsticks, raw mince, raw chicken fillets, raw heart/liver/kidney, Butchers Tripe.

Best I feel that I'm comfortable offering and this way I'm confident all the minerals and vitamins they need are there, and they love it.

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Sounds like you were to me.

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www.RescueRemedies.co.uk
http://www.dogsinneedofspace.co.uk/

]

I am assuming that the behaviourist you saw was via a vet referral? As of course no reputable behaviourist will see clients until medical conditions have been ruled out as it would be a waste of their time and your money to try and get a handle on something that was outside their scope.

The vast majority of reputable behaivourists in the UK belong to either the APBC, COAPE or UKRCB.

They SHOULD have a relevant degree to demonstrate their academic skills and empirical experience.

Unfortunately the term "behaviourist" is not a protected one and any old Tom Dick or Harry can call themselves one with no fear of redress.

I am not getting into the debate of what label you post on your raw feeding, to me feeding raw is a way of tailoring a diet to suit the individual rather than following a school of thought.

However being overweight is simply too much energy going in and not enough being expended, so up the exercise and reduce the food.

THere are plenty of overweight dogs on commercial diets.

As for percentages of protein there is not a minimum or maximum protein percentage requirement for dogs (as yet) and of course there are the issues of complete v incomplete, bio availability etc.

Finally a reputable behaviourist would not have advised you on diet IN THIS MANNER unless they had the relevant canine nutritional qualifications, very very few do.

Dogs do not chew, so it matters little the size of the food, but how you give it to her can help.

Dogs gnaw, slice, tear, rip, bite and swallow, they do not have the flat molars or lateral jaw action to chew........

I would not blame the diet itself for your problems but the amount and manner in which it is delivered.

I should think that allpreservatives in kibble..artificial colouring and so willexacerbate the hyperactivity..like it does in humans?
I think you just wasted 250 pounds...

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RIP Cheeky..07.10.09






GONE FISHING.....



after burning the old passport first

When I saw a behaviourist a few years ago now after ruling most things we got onto food and she advised me to go home, research BARF (as it was then) and swith TO raw

Turned out she was right, he was allergic to the additives and preservatives and it made him hyper Two weeks of feeding nothing but raw and he was like a different dog

Funnily enough Bailey shows a lot of similar symptoms and after lots of try outs I've found he can't have wheat.

I do still give them a small amount of dry for breakfast but a wheat free one, their main meal is raw. Just makes it easier when I go away or if I can't get out for meat it's a handy back up.

One thing I've noticed when I feed raw they seem fuller for longer and are not trying to mug me for our leftovers

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