Let's Talk about FOOD!

 A must read (and reprint) for ALL potential puppy homes.  :)

The 'Let's talk about Food!' Post

 This is a repost of some of the ins & outs of raw feeding - what it entails, and why we do it with all of our dogs, now ages 5 weeks to 14 years old...

So - let's talk about FOOD!  

As some of you may already know, we switched our entire pack to a raw, natural diet about 8 years ago - and they are THRIVING.  

Our decision was based on lots of research, and also the knowledge that many of our pack are aging and we wanted to extend their lives as long as we can.  After all, who wouldn't want their whippet to be as healthy and long-lived as possible?

Our matriarch, Penelope (great-grandma to both of our current litters of pups), was 9.5 years old when we switched - she passed away peacefully at Thanksgiving of 2022 at nearly 16 years old!

The da Vinci pups are the 10th litter we've fed 100% raw (both parents eat an all raw, biologically appropriate diet, and the pups are weaning directly to raw).

This means we've got some reading/homework for our potential puppy homes.  This updated page on the website is just the tip of the iceberg, but it gives some of the reasons we switched to raw, and hopefully encourages you to investigate this option:  https://horsetoothwhippets.com/raw-diet-info.html

Jen currently does all of our pack's meal prep and raw diet on a 'do-it-yourself' plan - but this is a LOT of work (much harder than pouring some dry kibble into a bowl), and it takes a lot of understanding of canine nutrition - not something we expect our puppy owners to have to work so hard at!  

Because of this, we've helped lots of our puppy owners make the switch to raw with premade diets (some of these are ridiculously expensive...so we've done a lot of homework and found quality companies that supply great raw food affordably) - already balanced, and premade, so you don't have to work at it.

The most important thing to know right now about raw feeding is that a dog's natural ph balance in their gut is perfect for raw foods - but kibble takes a different ph level to digest, making them work harder to get nutrition and taxing them over the years they eat it.  

All of the da Vinci pups will be eating a biologically natural diet when they go to their new homes - so if you do choose to change them to kibble (Jen now calls these 'death nuggets' after all her scary research into the dog food industry), just know that you will need to go very slowly and results might not be optimal - in both the short, and long term.

Those of you who know us well know we're utterly passionate about our whippets, and we've become passionate about feeding them right, too!

The info. on this post and on the website is really just the tip of the iceberg - so don't be afraid to ask questions about feeding raw, it really is Jen's passion - even after 6+ years!

Raw Feeding RESOURCES:

Where to Buy Raw Food:

There are several different options for buying raw directly in Colorado - including co-ops, pick-ups, and deliveries.

1. Raw Dog Food & Co (RDFC):  https://rawdogfoodandco.com/  Almost everyone I know who feeds raw in CO uses Raw Dog Food & Company (this is the company I buy from to feed our puppies).  

You can pick up at their warehouse, have delivery to your house (for a fee), or use their drop-off locations and schedule to pick up on their refrigerated truck.

They have a really convenient 'Puppy Power Box' that has a variety of protein blends - balanced especially for growing pups.  I recommend this for all first-time raw feeders, as I know that anything else can get overwhelming, trying to figure out how and what to feed.  RDFC makes it easy!  Cost is around $4/lb for the puppy box.  The foods are pre-ground, and come in rolls or 'chubs' - just like how you buy ground beef at the grocery store, but with bone included along with organs, etc.

UPDATE:  AND - RDFC now ships nationwide!!!!  I love this company!

2. Raw Four Paws:  http://rawfourpaws.com/index.html  This one is new to me, but they're local to Denver, and they deliver, and they carry well-known, reputable premade raw foods!  Looks like they run around $3 to $6/lb

3.  My Pet Carnivore:  https://www.mypetcarnivore.com/  While not a Colorado company, this company does ship nationwide.  I've purchased from them several times and have been really happy with them.  They do have grinds and blends, but nothing specific to puppies...so would be a resource for older dogs, or you'd need to supplement a bit of extra bone (chicken wings, necks, or feet) with their grinds.  They DO have some really wild things (beaver tails, muskrat, other weird proteins) that would be helpful for dogs with allergies/special needs, etc.

UPDATE 07/19/24:  My Pet Carnivore DOES now have puppy grinds!  https://www.mypetcarnivore.com/collections/for-cats-kittens-puppies

3.  Simply Rawsome:  https://simplyrawsomeus.com/  Another non-local company, but they DO ship nationwide and run about $3.50 to $5.50/lb.  They have some good discounts, and have premade, balanced grinds - again, they'd need extra bone for pups, but the price is nice!

 4.  Darwin's:  https://www.darwinspet.com/dog-food/ Darwin's is a larger company than those listed above.  They have several different formulas, and I do know of quite a few people who feed Darwin's - cost is a little higher on their recipes than RDFC listed above - closer to $6 to $7/lb. 

5.  Air Dried Raw: For those who want the health benefits of raw, but the convenience of kibble - air dried raw is a complete, balanced diet that has been air dried and can be fed like kibble. 

There are 2 companies we like:  Sundays for Dogs:  https://sundaysfordogs.com/    This food was developed by a veterinarian, and is a small, start up company.  Currently, they only have a beef formula (I've ordered some of this to try with the puppies!), but will be adding a chicken recipe soon.  The thing I like best about this food is that unlike other air-, freeze-, or dehydrated raw diets, there are no synthetics (synthetic vitamins) and no anti-foods (peas, lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.) that can actually rob your dog of the benefits of raw, not to mention contributing to the possibility of diet-related DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy - a deadly nutritional deficiency associated with grain-free kibbles and anti-foods).  They have a nifty little 'comparison' feature on the website where you can compare your current food to Sundays, as well.  Thanks goes out to my friend Robyn for recommending I check them out.

In the same category, but at a much lower price point, we also really like The Real Meat Company:   https://www.realmeatpet.com/  We often add this to our regular raw as a 'topper', and also use it for treats.  (Our cats love it, too!)

6.  Facebook has a Denver Raw Feeding Co-op:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1938235239603676  

7.  DIY (Do It Yourself):  For those who interested in a DIY raw diet (again, while we wouldn't necessarily recommend trying to balance a raw diet for puppies, once they are adults, we can help guide those interested in DIY)...this is the most economical method of feeding raw, especially if you have freezer space and can buy in bulk.  By example, when we were feeding kibble to our pack, Jen was spending around $700/month in dog food.  Now that we do it all ourselves on raw, and buy in bulk, we spend around $300 to $500/month.  That's a big difference!!!

Raw Feeding Information & Resources:

Jen's all-time go-to resource for Raw Feeding is the book, Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs, by Lou Olson, Phd.  This book has great, easy to follow recipes.  Lou has been feeding raw and breeding and raising Rottweilers for 40+ years.

Give Your Dog a Bone, by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, is another highly recommended reading resource.  Dr. Billinghurst is an Australian veterinarian who pioneered raw feeding when he saw the damage that feeding kibble was doing to his patients.  This book explains why raw food is so much healthier than kibble and just how easy it can be to feed it!

Another great book (and in print, and a quick, easy read) from yet another vet from down under is Dr. Clare Middle's book, Real Food for Dogs and Cats.

And, last but not least, 2 of our all-time favorite sites with great FAQ's and articles on feeding raw:

Raw Learning

The Raw Feeding Community  

There you have it!  This is a lot of info. to consume (no pun intended), so take your time, and as always - don't be afraid to ask questions!