Jane,

If you fed a raw diet, you would see a difference. I show my dogs at the same weight in conformation as I do performance events. You should be able to feel the ribs easily, but not see them. Dogs on raw have more muscling and less fat. Less 'jiggle' and more drive. The other benefit is better heads, from crunching and chewing bones.

I think keeping dogs too lean when working them is doing a disservice to their health. A fit dog should perform well AND look good. Muscle will do that, but fat won't.

JMO,

Lew

This is one of my past dogs at working weight. He had unlimited energy.

This is the same dog for show, weighing 15 lbs more. The extra weight clearly affected his performance on the field while he was heavier as he ran out of energy way faster than when he was at working weight.

My experience in showing and working is extra weight puts stress on the dog's joints, but in show, they do not like to see the dog tucked up so they need the extra weight to lose the tuck. When this dog was at working weight, he was SG rated. I put extra weight on him and he was V2 working males at the 2004 USRC National Sieger Show in New York.

I think diet is critical for any top performance - show or work and there is also a difference in weight on show and work as different requirements are being asked from the dog.

I keep my dogs lean but not boney (ie hips and ribs showing) and they are never, ever, ever at conformation "show weight"

They currently eat a 50/50 mix of Healthwise Adult Chicken and Evo chicken/turkey.

When I was doing a bit better financially I fed 50% Bravo frozen raw and 50% the above. I don't do whole bones because of a couple incidents when I did and I am just not comfortable with them

My dogs do very very well on the diet I feed and they tend to be quite healthy

I have to add I do NOT see a difference in my raw fed dog to my Avoderm fed dogs.... I still have them living into the teens! "dog on raw is only 2" I guess if they are living to 11-14 years of age i must be doing something right.I do see both sides to this debate. But i have yet to see a difference in dogs fed raw to dogs fed a quality kibble. I suppose the debate could go into environment. I will just have to see with te 2 years old where it goes. I will say she would prefer the kibble to the raw. I have a hard time getting her to eat although her weight is good...Which brings me to the weight part of this. I do feel a slighter lighter working dog is better too much weight can break them down as an athlete would. but it is not by much. and there is a definite difference between FAT and MUSCLE. i do bike my dogs and keep them not fat but well muscled! To my dogs on Avoderm I will add Yogurt and some cottage cheese but not all the time. They all get Marrow bones.... I do not supplement my dry fed dogs but I do my Girl on Raw!
Congrats on the book Lew! I look forward to reading it!
Francine and the whole Rotten crew!

I feed my dogs RAW

hi I am a new comer to here and I was wondering what exactly a raw diet is.