# Mixing raw and kibble?



## Furry Feet (Jan 3, 2013)

I've been reading a lot on here lately about raw feeding which is something that I had never really considered for my dogs, and just have a couple of questions. It is something that I am now thinking about and doing a lot of research into to find out if it is the best option for my dogs.
So, is it ok to feed both kibble and raw? I know that you are not supposed to mix them in the same meal, but if I gave a kibble breakfast and a raw dinner would this be ok?
Secondly, if we go on holiday I would not expect others to feed them raw, so would it be ok if they were solely on the kibble for a week or 2?


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## GingerRogers (Sep 13, 2012)

I am no expert but I would say yes to your first question as long as there is a good break between meals although some say you can feed together  and TBF my parents and grandparents did  however I would keep them separate personally.

And yes to the second especially if they are being fed both anyway. The only problems if they were on full raw might be if they would turn their noses up at the kibble I would have thought.

The only thing I would say and I have no idea what you do feed but if you are going raw make sure you feed a decent quality kibble or it kind of defeats the object in my mind.


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## sianrees1979 (Feb 27, 2009)

yes it's ok to give both dry & raw but not the same meal, i give eden dry for brekkie (sometimes with cooked lambs heart or cooked liver) and on raw days (i don't fully feed raw only 2 days a week) they get ribs or chicken (wings or breast depends what is in the freezer for them)


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

Its what I did before I was brave enough to go all raw! Kibble in the morning and raw for tea....then when I was abit more confidant in what to feed them I swapped the morning meal to raw mince instead. As long as its a good quality kibble and you leave a nice long gap between meals I think its a good way to transition them onto raw.


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## 8tansox (Jan 29, 2010)

It's not advisable to feed kibble and raw, even different meals, because the digestion works at different speeds with raw and kibble, which might result in your dog having an upset stomach. 

I know lots of people do do it but the nutritionalists I know advise against it.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Furry Feet said:


> I've been reading a lot on here lately about raw feeding which is something that I had never really considered for my dogs, and just have a couple of questions. It is something that I am now thinking about and doing a lot of research into to find out if it is the best option for my dogs.
> So, is it ok to feed both kibble and raw? I know that you are not supposed to mix them in the same meal, but if I gave a kibble breakfast and a raw dinner would this be ok?
> Secondly, if we go on holiday I would not expect others to feed them raw, so would it be ok if they were solely on the kibble for a week or 2?


Yes it is perfectly fine to feed raw and kibble at separate meals, together or any combination you feel like as long as it suits the dog.

Lew Olson for one endorses this approach and thousands of people do it all the time. Dogs are like humans, they can eat cooked and raw at the same meal with no issues.

Mixing Fresh Food with Kibble | B-Naturals.Com Newsletter

You may have read her book?

She also has an EXCELLENT raw food group on Yahoo.


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## Furry Feet (Jan 3, 2013)

Thank you all for your replies


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## lotlot (Mar 28, 2011)

I would personally feed one or the other. They are digested at different rates so even fed at different meal times could upset the digestive system. Maybe if you're just slowly introducing raw then it would be ok, but not long term in my opinion.


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## essex spaniels (Jul 14, 2011)

I feed kibble in the morning & raw for tea, the beauty of this for us is as we are away alot at weekends in the caravan it means we don't have to change their diet while we are away, we did try to do the raw thing 100% one time but trying to keep raw meat for three dogs in a tiny caravan fridge was a waste of time!

when we are away we take enough frozen for fri eve & sat morning but then sat pm/all sunday is kibble, back to raw at home on the monday, or if I have forgotten they sometimes have kibble all weekend but because they are used to the kibble for one meal a day there is no upset stomachs, its worked for us for at least 8yrs


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## x clo x (Feb 24, 2012)

some people will say you can, some will say dont do it. i think at the end of the day its entirely down to you, what youre happy with and what works for your dog.

i have 2 dogs that are on just raw, and then one who is on a mix of raw and dry. she gets them mixed together in the same meal. always has (from before i took her on) and its done her no harm, she looks extremely healthy and shiny 

my OH feeds all of his 6 on a mix of dry and raw mixed together, as well as his 9 working foxhounds (although they do have more raw than dry)


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## 8tansox (Jan 29, 2010)

Well, if you weren't confused before, you certainly will be now!:biggrin::biggrin:


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

I only feed raw but if I fed both I'd give the raw for breakfast and kibble later. The raw would digest faster so not be in the gut when the kibble is fed and because of the slower digestion of the kibble it would settle them for the night. 

I find mine occasionally vomit yellow bile in the morning and I put this down to the stomach being empty with the last raw meal the previous night because of the fast digestion rate, so you may avoid this by feeding kibble last. I don't know if kibble fed dog have bile vomit sometimes and have always put it down to me not being quick off the mark with brekki. Doesn't bother the dogs though or put them off their breakfast. 

The way I look at it is it's better to have a few raw meals a week than none and understand it may not be convenient for everyone to feed all raw. 

ETA - Whether it affects the dog to mix kibble and raw is irrelevant really - I just don't see the point of ruining a decent, natural raw meal by adding a commercial, manufactured food with it. Rather throw in some raw crunchy veg than mix the two, wouldn't sit well with me anyway.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

Malmum said:


> I find mine occasionally vomit yellow bile in the morning and I put this down to the stomach being empty with the last raw meal the previous night because of the fast digestion rate, so you may avoid this by feeding kibble last. I don't know if kibble fed dog have bile vomit sometimes and have always put it down to me not being quick off the mark with brekki. Doesn't bother the dogs though or put them off their breakfast.


Spencer is actually worse for throwing up bile on kibble. It's very rare he does it on raw unless I'm really late with his breakfast but on kibble it was an almost daily thing.

I feed raw but often use kibble as training treats. I also used to feed kibble and give raw a couple of times a week. I've yet to have any problems from it.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Yes kibble fed dogs ALSO vomit bile if there stomach is empty for a period as you have said Sarah.

Food fascism is ugly and unecessary and there is absolutely no need to make other feel unecessarily guilty because a method they use very successfully does not sit well with an individual.

It is unkind at best and at worst is pointless scaremongering unsupported by any peer reviewed evidence to support that a) kibble and raw are digested at different rates (after all not all raw and not all kibble are the same) or b) that dogs will then suffer for this. It has certainly not been the experience of the thousands of people that do.

Why not go onto Lew Olson Raw Food group and ask someone who actually has some kowledge on the subject (she has a PhD)? I am sure she can put your mind at rest re the alleged "dangers" of feeding raw and kibble together?

HTH


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## Pinkchi (Feb 5, 2011)

I know alot of people don't agree with it, and say it digests at different rates etc. But I personally do it with no ill effects and know of others who also do without problems.

Feeding raw with kibble can be no worse than feeding wet and dry together, because surely following the above 'logic' wet & dry will digest at different rates also, and how many people feed their dog a combination of wet & dry food?

I used to feed full raw but had to swap to kibble (Eden) as will be moving house soon and just will not have space for a raw freezer and too expensive to buy pre-made long term as we plan on getting a boxer puppy later in the year so just not feasible.

Since switching to Eden I like to give him meat with it sometimes for a bit of variety, so some days he will have raw and other days he will have a bit of leftover cooked chicken etc. Its easier for me to add a bit of raw as if I bought tins or pouches they would go off before we would have time to use them as Louie is only 3kgs so only eats a tiny amount.

What works for one dog may not work for another. My dog has no trouble with it and it mixes great with the Eden so I shall continue to do so

I would also like to point out that if I had the means I would feed full raw, but I have such a hectic lifestyle its become pretty much impossible for many many reasons and talking it through with my partner we both agreed that a high quality dry food would suit us best and add raw/wet and feed bones for dental hygiene. I don't necessarily agree with kibble, but i fully understand the need for convenience and I can at least feel comfortable feeding a high quality kibble.

I don't partake in bashing people over their opinions as dogs are all different as are peoples circumstances.


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## Tillymint (Nov 2, 2010)

I did know that raw & kibble digest at different rates, but I often feed a chicken wing "on the side" with kibble
Is this wrong? She has a chicken wing about 2 - 3 times a week & because I freeze them in pairs she has one with breakfast & one with dinner.


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

I dont think there is anything wrong with feeding raw and kibble. Personally even if Im eating healthy foods I still like a treat now and again and I think the dogs are the same!! Nothing wrong with abit of variety.
Mine eat mainly raw however sometimes they get a tin of Applaws, tinned fish, or cooked chicken and veggies....I have even been known to shut them out of a room and hide kibble everywhere as a fun game!!


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Tillymint said:


> I did know that raw & kibble digest at different rates, but I often feed a chicken wing "on the side" with kibble
> Is this wrong? She has a chicken wing about 2 - 3 times a week & because I freeze them in pairs she has one with breakfast & one with dinner.


I have never had a problem eating processed food with a raw salad; and my dogs have never had a problem eating kibble and raw;

There really is no need to get so nickety pickety about some imagined issue which is not life threatening.

I am sure dogs have died eating kibble and raw at the same meal
I am sure dogs have died eating wet and dry at the same meal
I am sure dogs have died eating JUST (insert raw/kibble/wet/dry)

but dogs also have problems eating if their owners are in a constant state of anxiety............................


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## lotlot (Mar 28, 2011)

smokeybear said:


> I have never had a problem eating processed food with a raw salad; and my dogs have never had a problem eating kibble and raw;
> 
> There really is no need to get so nickety pickety about some imagined issue which is not life threatening.
> 
> ...


Well said


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## Tillymint (Nov 2, 2010)

I bravely came out of the butcher todays with a bag of lambs liver & ox kidney
Can't get over how cheap it was, under £2 for a bag full.
Now I can't decide whether to cook it or not!
It is quite rich isn't it? Tilly has had raw liver before & it gave her the squits but she was ok on livercake & also I don't know whether to mix the kidney & liver or feed them on separate days
Every time I start reading about feeding raw I tend to glaze over after 5 minutes so am happy to do part raw but maybe add these other tasty morsels now she is well established on raw chicken wings & beef.


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