# Ziwi Peak



## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

I have been doing a lot of research on dog food lately. I notice quite a few people here, feed raw. I don't know that I could do that. But I am confused about ZiwiPeak. Is it dehydrated raw? If so, I don't get it! It seems like the raw food diets require assembly just the right ingredients in the right proportions. But, if it's dehydrated, is it just as good as raw? I read that you can't just buy meat from the grocery store and call it "raw food diet!"-which I understand. Is dehydrated good because it doesn't have to have all the preservatives?? Then, what about home cooked? Are there any benefits to it?
If I were to switch to raw, what differences would I notice, if any?
A lot of questions, I know - but I have tons of them! Just trying to sort it all out!


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## Natti (Jun 24, 2010)

I dont personally feed Ziwipeak, but Ive fed raw for a few days off 6 months now... and the results are just amazing. In just these 6 months the differences in my dogs are - 

- No more "doggy smell" and far less shedding
- lovely soft, shiny coats, even with my cross who until now had a rather harsh, wiry coat.
- Shining white teeth - Ive had both my vet and judges at shows comment on how lovely and white Maisies teeth are.
- Calmer personalities, but more energy on walks
- Far happier at mealtimes! Neither dog was a big eater but now they get very very excited when they realise its dinner time!
- SOOOOOOOOOO much less poop, and it doesnt smell!!!! 
- They're both in excellent condition physically (vets comment, not my own)!
- Pip no longer has problems with her allergys

I have to say after the first few days which was a little time consuming weighting things and doing calculations, but within a week It was as if i'd been doing it for years. A raw diet is roughly 80% meat, 10% bone, 5% liver and 5% other organ, and I can honestly say its the best descision ive ever made for my dogs. I order a lot of my dogs food in bulk and portion it up before freezing it, ready to feed. 

Cooking destroys some of the nutrients in the food, which of course means a home-cooked diet would need to be fed with different supliments, to make sure that you dont cause your dog to get a vitamin deficiancy - Its a really hard to make a safe, balanced meal if its cooked - raws actually a really easy food to feed once you get the hang of it!


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## widogmom (Mar 23, 2011)

I tried a home-cooked diet for my Dobe, Dary, at the direction of a holistic vet years ago - it was a crash-and-burn. Expensive, time (and fridge space) consuming, hard to balance nutritionally...and most of all he hated it (he was a poor eater, though). I hated it, too - it called for mackerel which was gross!


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## SharaAngel<3 (Nov 14, 2010)

what exactly is a raw food diet?


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

SharaAngel<3 said:


> what exactly is a raw food diet?


Here's a post that should give you a good overview. 

http://www.chihuahua-people.com/raw-food/49576-you-considering-raw-diet.html


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## SharaAngel<3 (Nov 14, 2010)

omg wow, i would love to do this. specially because laylas coat is pretty rough and gives my mom a bit of allergies. but where do you get the meat from, its not like the frozen meat at the super market that people eat is it?


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

SharaAngel<3 said:


> omg wow, i would love to do this. specially because laylas coat is pretty rough and gives my mom a bit of allergies. but where do you get the meat from, its not like the frozen meat at the super market that people eat is it?


Yes, it is the same meat you feed your family. Luckily our chis are small. Brody eats between 3-4 ounces of meat a day. Hardly noticeable. I've been known to cut off a chicken wing when making chicken for our family, or a corner off a roast, or a chunk off a pork chop - and voila - he's had dinner. It turns out to be less expensive than premium dog foods for us. And the health benefits are outstanding. :hello1:


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## SharaAngel<3 (Nov 14, 2010)

ugh im so exciting to try this! the only thing im worried about is chicken bone? because ive always been told that they are very sharp or something, and that is bad for them, is that true or just a rumor?


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## Natti (Jun 24, 2010)

COOKED chicken bones are dangerous and can splinter, uncooked bones are soft and more like cartalige - Feeding cooked bones is dangerous, but uncooked ones are no more dangerous than feeding any other type of food. 

If you take a raw chicken bone, try bending it - it flexes a bit without any problems. Then try the same with a cooked one, its hard and brittle, and will break before it bends - which is what causes the splintering (which is obviously dangerous).


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## Natti (Jun 24, 2010)

Put it this way - A good friend of mine has been feeding her Agility dogs raw for over 10 years and has never had one problem with it!


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

As Nat pointed out, raw bones are fine. It is cooked bones that cause problems. Never feed cooked bones. If raw bones caused problems, the wolf/coyote/fox population would be extinct, as would every other wild carnivore. Dogs have 99% of the DNA of the grey wolf. Their digestive systems are very acidic. Raw bones are no problem for them.


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## pmum (Oct 17, 2010)

Hello Angel
I used to feet a siamese mix a raw diet for a while.
It wasn't bad once you get use to it and get the hang of
it. Thou it did prove to be too expensive for me,so quit doing it.
At one time, I was doing my own home cooked dog food for two
chi's. They loved it/ did Great on it. Very please with it all except
that as the economy got worse it proved to be too expensive to do
the whole list of ingredients I used. Came up with it myself.
If had it my way would still be doing my own dog food.
Now my Chi. get the Honest Kitchen which is dehydrated. Been on
it for about 3-4 months. Decent results/okay.
Quite a few on here feed THK.
Blessings.


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