Conditioning only on a Raw feed diet or a Kibble with Supplement added diet?

[gotap_d]

I think it's safe to say that dogs have performed on kibble based dog food for many years without any problems. I've used various kibbles throughout, and the dogs won and lost on their own merits, not on the merits of what they were fed. Now, do I think the raw food is better for them? Yes I do, even if you give the supplementation with the kibble food, it's still better food for them as they use more and waste less of what's actually going into the dog. I don't think feed makes any significant difference in how a dog performs during show time. I've never thought that simply because I've seen both ends of that spectrum, and the differences that are generally noticed are genetic more so than feed.

Either way, if someone feeds their dog kibble, and the dogs do well on it, who am I to say they're doing it wrong simply because I think differently. Kibble will always have a place, just as raw will.

You said that you dont think the feed has anything to do with performance during show time but my question to you and the other members is do you think with raw a lower pit weight can be called on a dog?

[FrostyPaws]

You said that you dont think the feed has anything to do with performance during show time but my question to you and the other members is do you think with raw a lower pit weight can be called on a dog?

I think that's true for most people, yes. The issue with that is most people are scared to go at a lower weight due to their, IMO, inability to manage a dog correctly at a lower weight. Your chance of error is greater as are the consequences for the dog if you miss at a lower weight. I've seen countless dogs over the years go at a weight that I figure is 1 to 2 lbs over their best weight, and that's on kibble. My take on weight is that most dogs are able to give up some amount of weight without any issues. We all see it during schooling, etc as rarely are both dogs of equal weight and equal size. Do I want to give up weight during a show? No. Would I? Yes, and I have, and the reasons vary.

I've always gotten dogs to lower weights on raw than kibble, and I think most people would also, but the convenience of kibble simply is too hard to give up for most people.