Hi everyone! I'm so excited, we're picking up our Chocolate Labrador at the end of next month. Naturally I have been doing plenty of research into training, what to feed her etc. and of course with plenty of information and opinions out there I'm overwhelmed and a little confused now. My main confusion comes with feeding. Obviously I will keep her diet similar to that of the breeder within the first month of bringing her home. I have however decided that eventually I would like to feed her a balanced diet of homemade food & kibble. Keeping kibble in her diet is mainly for the assurance that she's receiving the right balance of nutrients. Homemade food because it's more natural and less 'processed' than kibble. My homemade food will be balanced (from my research) with raw chicken necks/frames, meat, offal, raw eggs, fish, vegetables etc. My question is, do puppies need carbs in the form of cooked rice or oats for balanced homemade food? There's quite a bit of conflicting views, but I'm curious on everyone's opinion or suggestions or examples of what you feed your Labs. Thanks
Hello and welcome to the forum! Have you checked out the raw feeding boards? Plenty members are raw/mixed feeding and some from tiny puppies. I am just a recreational raw feeder so don't have a exact answer, but I am a fan of grain free feeding. I would be surprised if there was any need to add carbs in this way. Check out the advice in the other boards. Jac
BARF feeders, my Vet supports BARF, feed vegetable and fruit so carbs are part of the diet. Dogs can digest them if they are lightly cooked or mushed up. Same as us really. My Vet prefers a slow juicer for this, the slower you process the more nutrients are retained. I blend. Balance in raw or home cooked is obtained but providing a variety of foods over a week, a month a year. Because of kibble marketing we are led to think each meal must be balanced. With kibble maybe yes, but if you provide some nutrients in one meal and different nutrients in another meal a couple of days later it will balance out in the long run. If you feed only part kibble and then some raw or home cooked if you don;t balance what you make up yourself you are still in danger of upsetting the balance the kibble provides. Dogs Naturally just had a webinar on this and they are going to do it again. It was worthwhile taking it I know several people who feed kibble in the morning becasue it's faster and easier, raw at supper. It's also easier to travel with kibble and it's good to have a kibble you know works for your dog.
