Today we took the plunge and decided to go ahead and give our three dogs the raw diet. I have done lots of research on the subject and feel this is the best for my dogs. As a base I decided to use "The Honest Kitchen - Preference" food and I will add meats daily to make up a complete meal. I have in the past had two dogs, a westie and a mutt and they did great on the raw diet. No more allergies, lost weight (it was needed, but coudn't get done with kibble, I tried everything out there at the time) as well as they stopped begging for our food at the table-huge plus.
I feel this is very close to if not perfect food for dogs, especially Basenjis being that close to as wild as you can get in a domesticated breed…if that makes sense? I will see how it goes but feel confident it will be a huge success, with the dogs and us. Pricey but we all want the best for our loves right? Otis, our 4 month old Bsaenji went with me to our local Raw Food store and was won over immediately, being that he was given a raw knuckle bone as soon as I said it was OK. I could barely get him out of that store, he was in B heaven. Our other non B dogs will do really well on it too...we hope.
I will keep y'all posted as to how it goes and how the transition was.
Basenjimamma
I'm getting a tri rescue next week and I'm researching the raw diet myself today. I never gave my other 3 Bs raw.
Ok so the first meal went well, well semiwell. (a lot of wells). They like the mix Ok, the meat, chicken necks were a huge hit. Unfortunately Otis woke up at about 5 this morning and threw up, I think is it was only bile, but it bummed me bigtime. I realize it is common when you change the diet but also if Basenjis are hungry. Thismorning they got the veggie mix (preference) and ground beef. They loved it and so far so good.
Basenjimamma
Did you introduce a little at a time? A fast change in diet and they'll wake up at 3am barfing. It's happened to me.
yes I did, but now in retrospect I really think he was starving…bile is all that came up. He took to breakfast like a champ.
Basenjimamma
They have now had the raw diet since friday and they seem to love it. I have been breaking Otis' chicken necks somewhat to help him along in the chewing. In the a.m they get the Honest Kitchen Preference according to their weight mixed with ground beef as well as a squirt of salmon oil, I have also been giving them a whole egg (we do have our own free range chickens so that will happen lots). In the p.m they get meaty bones, whether it is chicken necks, turkey necks or marrow bones. They seem very pleased and I feel confident they are eating as much as they need. Otis even leaves some in his bowl in the morning, he gets quite a bit, being that he is a growing puppy and all. They dachshund, Gus (15 lbs), is in need of a few lost pounds so he gets as much as the Schnorkie, Luna (11 lbs). She on the other hand could stand to gain some so it will all even out. Otis weighs about 19 lbs now (he was 4 mo on May 5th..cinco de mayo..) and he gets about 1 cup of ground meat mixed with 1/2 cup of Preference that has been rehydrated with about 2/3-1 cup warm water and a squirt of salmon oil. He hasn't been able to finish this yet, so I save what he can't finish and give it in the p.m with his 2-4 chicken necks. Gus and Luna do not get as much for breakfast and they get 2-3 chicken necks for dinner.
I guess I am leaving lots of info in case anybody else is wanting to try this. I searched on the forum and found very little to nothing on the subject. Lol..
Basenjimamma
Here are some pics of the dogs enjoying, no, loving their meaty shank bones they got today for lunch/snack.
basenjimamma
Got loads to digit about raw feeding Basenjimamma!! i've been raw feeding for 2 years now. just took the plunge and never looked back. My darlings are so healthy and happy. I'll tell you all soon as im in a rush. Just find something on the net about Tom Lonsdale, the Aussie veterinary surgeon. i learnet all i know from his 2 books.
Its AMAZING!!!!!!
In my opinion Basenjis are far better off on this natural diet.
When Basenjis were first introduced here it was the standard thing but over the years people seem to have gone on to complete feeds, each make of which claims to be the best. I suppose they find it easier but having once tried a complete food and lost a little bitch through it, I have never been tempted again. I am not fanatical about it (I always advise people to feed whatever suits their particular dog and life style) but am delighted when people choose the raw food diet for their Basenjis.
I agree with Kalima62 about Tom Lonsdale's books.
Thanks to both of you for your encouraging words. Otis, Gus and Luna are doing marvelous on the raw diet. They just as a matter of fact finished their dinner…chicken necks...yumm-o.
I will look into those books you recommended, more reading is a good thing.
I have even for the last almost five months done the RAW diet myself, not meat or anything, but loads of fruit, veggies and nuts. I feel like a million bucks, so needless to say I want my 4 legged kiddos to feel the same..
I have some concerns about the raw diet, but was thinking about giving once a week or so raw to give the dogs a treat but have decided against it. I had been giving them raw bones to chew, purchased from a local butcher, but then realized that every time I did that, Keoki got severe diarrhea for a day.
So…. I'm sticking with kibble and cans.
Usually if dogs are given raw foods only occacionally they go through detox very often as supposed to dogs going on raw once and staying on raw. But, that being said, some dogs have problems with the raw diet, especially raw meaty bones, because the marrow in the bones is very high fat and that can potentially give them diarrhea. So far we have had no problems and they have been on it for a month today. The really interesting thing I have noticed is that my older dog, Gus (dachshund, 4 yrs, so not old at all, but not a puppy anymore) his teeth were horrible, and the vet wanted to have some dental work done to remove the tartar, guess what? The tartar is almost all gone, after a month, because he has been using his teeth the way nature intended, chewing and gnawing on bones. I am exstatic, especially since I didn't feel comfortable with anesteshia. As a bonus, the dogs are loving their meals…they have had numerous ground meats, chickenwings, necks and turkey necks, as well as gizzards and hearts (eek) and the other day they had sardines ( I know it isn't raw but that is all I had and is a acceptable substitution for raw fish ..on occasion), they went to town, as a matter a fact, Otis was trying to lick the stainless steel off of his food bowl, of course they also eat veggies, kelp and fruits, no grains though...dogs never did eat grains in the wild..
I had over the years fed my other dogs raw for years and once I got pregnant with my 4 year old started giving them kibble again out of fear of foodborne illness contamination and lets face it, out of convinience, but I am glad I took the plunge again and I know the dogs are too.
I have some concerns about the raw diet, but was thinking about giving once a week or so raw to give the dogs a treat but have decided against it. I had been giving them raw bones to chew, purchased from a local butcher, but then realized that every time I did that, Keoki got severe diarrhea for a day.
So…. I'm sticking with kibble and cans.
As pointed out…. unless they are totally on raw.. it will make for problems in some dogs....
I have some concerns about the raw diet, but was thinking about giving once a week or so raw to give the dogs a treat but have decided against it. I had been giving them raw bones to chew, purchased from a local butcher, but then realized that every time I did that, Keoki got severe diarrhea for a day.
So…. I'm sticking with kibble and cans.
What really might be the problem is not the bones but the marrow, if you scrape out the marrow prior to giving them to your dogs then they should have no problems AT ALL with chewing on the raw bones and it will greatly help with cleaning their teeth and giving them something to do.
Good choices are like beef knuckle bones as there is very little marrow there (also can cut off excess meat too) and beef ribs are good too (again scrape out as much marrow as you can) the bone marrow is what can cause the looser stool not chewing on the bones themselves or anything to do with actual raw feeding. So go ahead and try it again, I'm sure Keoki would love having it again just takes a little prep she can have it 
