Raw Diet is Best

This page is to be used only as a guide.  Reprint permission will be granted only with written request; contact Tari at chsweetsun@aol.com.

The German Shepherd Dog is a deep-chested breed. As such, they are prone to stomach twisting, called "bloat." Some dry food, or kibble, can increase the potential for bloat. Kibble is digested slowly - up to 12 hours - and therefore can cause increased gasses in the gut.

If the stomach has twisted, these gasses become deadly. At Kridler's, we feed our dogs a Raw Diet. I do not profess to being an expert, but I do feel I am feeding my dogs correctly. Many people ask what and how I feed. This page exists to explain how I feed, and can be printed and used as a recommendation only. Unfortunately, there are no 100% guarantees.

For professional guidance, we recommend www.aplaceforpaws.com, and speak to Dani. Another great site for Raw Diet is www.threecheersrawrawraw.com, which I also use. 

WE DO NOT FEED RAW DIET TO PUPPIES. We feel the need in pups for special vitamins and growth is a bit too difficult to monitor with Raw Diet. We feed Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy up to 6 months, then gradually add Raw Diet by the time the pup is 12 months old. 

Many people want to know how I switched my dogs over from kibble to Raw:

Day 1: 1/2 regular kibble and 2 raw chicken backs, yes, bone and all. Add Fastrack, a beneficial digestive bacteria similar to acidophilus in yogurt. Chicken Backs are best, as they have proper amounts of fat, bone and meat.  Each dog should be regulated on the amount depending on their metabolism and size. Feeling their sides, chest and belly daily will help you to know who needs more or less. Our 10 year old Nala, a spayed house dog, only needs 2 chicken backs daily now.

Day 2: 1/4 regular feed and 2 chicken backs. Fastrack again. This seems like a small amount even for the big boys here, but changing them over day 2 should be your most difficult adjustment day. A couple of my dogs did get diarrhea, a soupy yellow, but most were fine. Dani, from "A Place for Paws," helped me through this. She said some have a harder time with the raw chicken. The extra Fastrack helped these dogs.

Day 3: 3-4 chicken backs. The dogs had normal stools, which were small, round, very firm and were about 1/4 the size as when they ate kibble. Some even turned powdery white in minutes. 

Day 4 and on: From here forward, we use either vegetables or one cup kibble. The kibble I am currently using is Canidae. The puppies are given "Beef n' Bone," purchased from A Place for Paws, along with kibble. They do not start on solely raw feedings until 6 months old.  Veggies include carrots, zucchini, green beans, peas, broccoli, yams, garlic, apples, blueberries, parsley, romaine lettuce and spinach. You can use any combo of these.
We put all of it in the food processor until ground small. We will add tripe or Beef n' Bone to these meals. Tripe adds a lot of wonderful digestive enzymes. 

Our dogs are healthier, happier, and more energetic since feeding the Raw Way. Quno sired a litter through his 10th year. Angie whelped six pups easily and quickly at nine years old. My pregnant girls do get a lot of extra food along with plenty of tripe.

We really do not use any vitamin supplements. Occasionally, we add kelp and salmon oil. We also use Dogzymes CCM+, which is purchased from www.naturesfarmacy.com, a supplement given 2-3 times a week for the show dogs (coat improvement), and for the elderly/pregnant dogs (Glucosamine/Condroitin). Apple Cider vinegar and whole fresh eggs can be added, too. 

Don't make a fuss over exact amounts. Dogs' digestive system do better with occasional changes.  We give raw beef bones when we can get to the butcher. Those are given on a "fasting" day. We also use turkey necks, fish and venison. My dogs don't do well with pork, but yours may. Our dog food bill has dropped in half since changing to Raw. 

We sometimes feed one cup Canidae kibble 2X a week along with veggies, although it is recommended by most Raw Professionals to feed only Raw and do not combine the Raw and kibble. 

This page is to be used only as a guide.  Reprint permission will be granted only with written request; contact Tari at chsweetsun@aol.com.