Raw Feeding

All of our dogs undergo breed appropriate health testing and the results are available for public viewing on the OFA Website

From the OFA Website:

The Mission of the OFA

To promote the health and welfare of companion animals through a reduction in the incidence of genetic disease

The OFA is guided by the following four specific objectives:

To collate and disseminate information concerning orthopedic and genetic diseases of animals.
To advise, encourage and establish control programs to lower the incidence of orthopedic and genetic diseases.
To encourage and finance research in orthopedic and genetic disease in animals.
To receive funds and make grants to carry out these objectives.

The OFA Databases

The OFA databases are core to the organization’s objective of establishing control programs to lower the incidence of inherited disease. Responsible breeders have an inherent responsibility to breed healthy dogs. The OFA databases serve all breeds of dogs and cats, and provide breeders a means to respond to the challenge of improving the genetic health of their breed through better breeding practices. The testing methodology and the criteria for evaluating the test results for each database were independently established by veterinary scientists from their respective specialty areas, and the standards used are generally accepted throughout the world. The OFA databases are listed to the left of this page and are expanded as more tests become available.

Many of our dogs have undergone the health testing required to obtain a CHIC number

From the CHIC Website:

CHIC Goals

To work with parent clubs in the identification of health issues for which a central information system should be established.
To establish and maintain a central health information system in a manner that will support research into canine disease and provide health information to owners and breeders.
To establish scientifically valid diagnostic criteria for the acceptance of information into the database.
To base the availability of information on individually identified dogs at the consent of the owner.

CHIC Benefits

Once in place and accepted within the dog breeding community, the CHIC program offers benefits to breeders, buyers, parent clubs, and researchers.

For breeders, CHIC provides a reliable source of information regarding dogs they may use in their breeding programs. In the future, breeders can begin to analyze the pedigrees of a proposed breeding for health strengths and weaknesses as well the traditional analysis of conformation, type, and performance strengths and weaknesses.

For buyers, the CHIC program provides accurate information about the results of a breeder's health testing. For diseases that are limited to phenotypic evaluations, there are no guarantees. However, the probability that an animal will develop an inherited disease is reduced when its ancestry has been tested normal. Further, as more DNA tests become available and the results are entered into CHIC, the CHIC database will be able to establish whether progeny will be clear, carriers, or affected.

For parent clubs considering establishment of health databases on their own, CHIC provides the answer with no upfront investment required by the club. The CHIC infrastructure is supplied and maintained by the OFA. The data is maintained in a secure environment by trained staff. The services are not subject to the time, technology, and resource constraints that parent clubs might face on their own. This frees parent clubs to focus on their core strengths of identifying health concerns, educating their membership, and encouraging participation in the CHIC program.

For researchers, CHIC provides confidential and accurate aggregate information on multiple generations of dogs. CHIC information will also be useful for epidemiological studies enhancing our knowledge of health issues affecting all breeds of dogs.

For everyone interested in canine health issues, CHIC is a tool to monitor disease prevalence and measure progress.

CHIC Policies and Guidelines

The CHIC database is a tool that collects health information on individual animals from multiple sources. This centralized pool of data is maintained to assist breeders in making more informed breeding choices, and for scientists in conducting research. In order for data to be included in CHIC, test results must be based on scientifically valid diagnostic criteria.

Breed Specific

Core to the CHIC philosophy is the realization that each breed has different health concerns. Not all diseases have known modes of inheritance, nor do all diseases have screening tests. Some screening tests are based on phenotypic evaluation, others on genetic testing. With all these variables, a key element of CHIC is to customize or tailor the CHIC requirements to the needs of each breed. These unique requirements are established through input from the parent club prior to the breed's entry into the CHIC program. Breed specific requirements typically consist of the inherited diseases that are of the greatest concern and for which some screening test is available. Each parent club also drives specific screening protocols. As an example, one parent club may allow cardiac exams to be performed by a general practitioner. Another parent club may require the exam to be performed by a board certified cardiologist. A club may also use the CHIC program to maintain information on other health issues for anecdotal purposes. Later, as screening tests become available, the disease may be added to the breed specific requirements.

Identification

Regardless of breed, each dog must be permanently identified in order to have test results included in CHIC. Permanent identification may be in the form of microchip or tattoo.

Informed Consent

CHIC operates an informed consent database. All information regarding test results remains confidential unless the owner specifically authorizes release of the information into the public domain. Owners are encouraged to release all test results realizing it is in the ultimate health interests of the breed and the information greatly increases the depth and breadth of any resulting pedigree analysis. For those not quite ready to accept open sharing of information, there is still value in submitting their results. All test information entered into the database is available in aggregate for research and statistical reporting purposes, but does not disclose identification of individual dogs. This results in improved information on the prevalence of the disease, as well as information regarding progress in reducing the incidence of the disease.

CHIC Numbers and Reports

A CHIC number is issued when test results are entered into the database satisfying each breed specific requirement, and when the owner of the dog has opted to release the results into the public domain. The CHIC number itself does not imply normal test results, only that all the required breed specific tests were performed and the results made publicly available.

A CHIC report is issued at the same time as the CHIC number. The CHIC report is a consolidated listing of the tests performed, the age of the dog when the tests were performed, and the corresponding test results. As new results are recorded, updated CHIC reports reflecting the additional information will be generated. For example, if a breed requires annual CERF examinations, an updated CHIC report will be generated every time updated CERF results are entered. Another potential example is as new DNA tests are developed and added to the breed specific requirements, updated CHIC reports will be generated as the test results are entered.

Once included in the CHIC program, the breed specific requirements are dynamic. As health priorities within a breed change, or as new screening tests become available, the breed specific requirements can be modified to reflect the current environment. If the breed specific requirements are modified, existing CHIC numbers are not revoked. Again, the CHIC number is issued to a dog that completed all required tests at a given point in time.

CHIC will provide the parent club quarterly reports consisting of both aggregate numbers and specific dogs who have been issued CHIC numbers.

Ibizan Hounds

Hip Dysplasia
Eye Clearance
Congenital Deafness
Autoimmune Thyroiditis

Italian Greyhounds

Hip Dysplasia/Legg-Calve Perthes

Eye Clearance

Autoimmune Thyroiditis

Patella Luxation

All of our dogs undergo regular CERF testing. These results are available for public viewing on the CERF Website.

From the CERF Website:

WHAT IS CERF?

The Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) is an organization that was founded by a group of concerned, purebred owner/breeders who recognized that the quality of their dog's lives were being affected by heritable eye disease. CERF was then established in conjunction with cooperating, board certified, veterinary ophthalmologists, as a means to accomplish the goal of elimination of heritable eye disease in all purebred and recently hybrid dogs by forming a centralized, national registry.

The CERF Registry not only registers those dog's certified free of heritable eye disease by board certified Veterinary Ophthalmologists (A.C.V.O. ), but also collects data on all dogs examined by A.C.V.O. Diplomates. These data are used to form the CERF research database which is useful in researching trends in eye disease and breed susceptibility. Not only are these data useful to clinicians and students of ophthalmology, but to interested breed clubs and individual breeders and owners of specific breeds.

HOW DOES CERF WORK?

After the painless examination of the dogs eyes, the A.C.V.O. Diplomate will complete the CERF form and indicate any specific disease(s) found. Breeding advice will be offered based on guidelines established for that particular breed by the genetics Committee of the A.C.V.O. Bear in mind that CERF and the A.C.V.O. are separate, but cooperating entities. The A.C.V.O only provides their professional services and expertise to ensure that uniform standards are upheld for the certification of dog's eyes with the CERF organization.

If your dog is certified to be free of heritable eye disease, you can then send in the completed owner's copy of the CERF form with the appropriate fee

CERF certificate numbers of dogs without permanent identification, in the form of microchip, tattoo or DNA profile, will be appended with an "N"

Certification is good for 12 months from the date of the eye exam. Annual re-examination is recommended.

Regardless of the outcome of the dog's exam, the research copy of the CERF form will be sent to the CERF office at V.M.D.B (Veterinary Medical Database) where its information will be entered into the research database. This information will be used in generating research reports, but the individual dog's identities will become confidential and will never be released.

We have been raw feeding our dogs for about 5 years now. We have had great success feeding raw and would like to offer encouragement to anyone wishing to do so.

We would also encourage those of you who are new to raw feeding to do your research. What we do works for us and our dogs. This does not mean it will work for your dogs, even if they are the same breed.

Normally, we do not include grain as a part of their daily diet, although they do get "cookies" and other grain based treats.

There are several books on the subject, including : Grow Your Pups With Bones, The BARF Diet, Give Your Dog a Bone, Raw Meaty Bones and Raw Dog Food: Make it Easy for Yourself and Your Dog

FAQ - Is it expensive? - Yes and no. We have found with multiple dogs, it is not much more than feeding a premium kibble. Plus, we have saved by not needing to visit the vet as often, needing fewer dentals, etc.

Won't my dog get salmonella? - Again, yes and no. A healthy dog with a good immune system should do fine. Some dogs DO get sick. We have never had a case of salmonella, though we know someone whose dog has. We have had dogs who were unable to tolerate the fat from the chicken skin. Monitor your dog during any change in diet. Raw works for us. Only you know your dogs.

Where do you get the food? - Here's where you can get creative. Find a local butcher. He should be able to get you cases of chicken necks for around $0.47 per lb. or so depending on where you live. Try ethnic markets. We found whole rabbits for under $2.00 per lb. We can sometimes find goat. We also buy from a raw dog food company that sells green tripe, ground rabbit, ground duck and other meats in two pound chubs which are really convenient. Because we buy in bulk we spend an average of less than $200.00 per year per dog. Considering we have not had to take any of our dogs in for annual dentals (more than $140.00), that's not too shabby.

Isn't it messy? - Our dogs eat in their crates. It avoids chicken being dragged about the house. Recreational bones are also enjoyed in crates to avoid fighting.

Raw chicken BONES?!?!? I thought dogs weren't supposed to eat chicken bones! - The raw bones are quite soft. It's the cooked splintery ones you need to worry about.

Green Tripe? Everything you've heard about the smell is true, It is foul. But the dogs LOVE it. There are several sources on the internet. This is NOT what you find in the grocery store. It is unwashed, unbleached and still has the partially digested vegetable matter in it. It also contains a lot of natural probiotics. And did I mention it smells awful?

All they get is meat? While there are some people who feed exclusively meat, we find our dogs do well with some fruits and vegetables in their diet as well as dairy (usually yogurt or cottage cheese).

Please feel free to email us is you want to "talk raw".