I have a picky 14 month old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog who was raised on a raw diet (she is a Big Country Kennel pup). She has always been difficult to wake up in the mornings to do farm chores with me and has no interest in eating. The breed has been known to have “lick fits”, digestive upset and empty stomach bile vomits if their stomachs are empty, so I know it’s very important for Harley to not skip any meals (thankfully she will eagerly eat her raw diet in the evenings, but that doesn’t help her for breakfast and to get her day going as she is a busy farm pup!). I have tried hand feeding her raw to get her interested in eating (even with her favourites on top like green tripe and some lactose free greek yogurt) to no avail. I tried some freeze dried “pucks” and some freeze dried “stews” and they were a total no go, not even a lick. I have tried some balanced home cooked meals which worked for a day or two and then back to no interest from her.
I have no interest in feeding her a kibble so I went on a hunt to see what I could find as a good quality raw alternative but still has the same great quality (we also travel across the border for horse shows and I wanted something besides raw that would travel well and not take up space in our small fridge). Then I tried some Chunky Chicken Smack (this ticked all of my boxes) and her eyes lit up! I add a cup of warm water and let it soak for 10 minutes to make a delicious smelling gravy and she is eagerly looking for it every morning now. As soon as she finishes her breakfast, she comes back to me to look for more. This has never happened in the 12 months that I have had her.
I think so many people stay away from raw or dehydrated food because of the cost. But it really doesn’t cost much more than a good quality kibble and they have so many more health benefits to feed this way. I have never seen such a shiny coat on a black dog (she gleams in the sun) and she now has so much energy every day. She must feel great!
Thank you Smack for making such a great quality product, and a Canadian product to boot! You have 2 more fans that you can add to your collection now!
Alison (& Harley)