Anyone get slightly fed up?

[PollySpaull]

With people making you over worry about your dogs health?

I have switched Ernest to raw food today, and he has been a little more sleepy than usual. I wondered if it was just due to the diet change and he wasn't getting as much energy from the raw as he was from the kibble. So I asked on a raw feeding Facebook group...

It's now been suggested that because I vaccinated him with lepto 4 (there's a whole lot of controversy going on about this at the moment!) it's probably a delayed reaction from the jab and I need to keep a careful eye on him. (His last one was 2 weeks ago and he has been totally fine) I like to do my research and do the best possible for my pups but it does seem in this day and age that nothing is ever simple. Anyone else?

My boyfriend always says "I'm sure when I had dogs growing up they were never this complicated to look after!!"

[Redked]

It's definitely harder now days to do anything without a million different opinions and stories and that's due to the amount of information available. It's so confusing as everyone has an opinion and they THINK their opinion is correct. You get 2 opposite opinions, backed up by 2 very different experiences/outcomes/research and both are adamant they are correct  Very confusing now that we can ask hundreds of peoples' opinions on social media! 

We can only do our best and we can't listen to every judgement made on every subject or we would never dare do anything. Nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes but they aren't done with the intention of making a mistake. I am sure you are doing the very best for Ernest and he will be just fine. You know your boy best and if you thought there was something wrong, you would know. Don't doubt your choices because someone else has put that doubt there xx

[Joules]

I saw that post 

Honestly, some people like to point out all the negatives 

I would give it a week or two and see how he is.  He may just want a quiet day or feel less lively for any number of reasons. It may be that he is just less hyped up from eating a natural food rather than kibble (even the best ones have some additives). If he is being fed the right amount, he should have more energy, not less - although if he is usually a bit hyper, that might settle down.  If he is eating, drinking, peeing and pooing OK I would just relax and give him a chance to get used to his new diet 

I would just beware of asking too many questions on those groups - there are far too many keyboard experts and amateur vets on them 

(I will move this thread to the feeding board as it is more relevant to that)

[Mari]

I got fed up years ago! Trying to be the perfect dog owner is exhausting for both owner and dog. Perfect diet, perfect training method, perfect amount of exercise and mental stimulation. Both me and my cocker have had better lives since I stopped listening to fanatics on the internet and started using common sense

If I am worried about health issues (including vaccinations) or nutrition I ask a professional, meaning a veterinarian or a veterinary nurse. If I was worried about serious behaviour problems I would ask a behaviour expert. Other than that I just try to make sure that my dog and I are both happy in our day to day lives.

I'm not saying everyone on the internet are fanatics, I still find useful advice on sites like this one. But self proclaimed experts without any formal educations scare me. Too many seek information without applying critical thinking and they present theories as indisputable facts. I'm sure it is with the best intentions, but there is a reason why vets and doctors go to school for a million years. The internet does not replace properly educated and experienced professionals in any field.

Nah, enjoy life with your dog, use common sense and call a vets office if you are worried about something The internet will scare the life out of you if you give it half a chance.

[PollySpaull]

Thanks for the reassurance! Am glad I'm not the only one... definitely will be sticking to COL in the future, we seem a more sane bunch on here! (And that's saying something [emoji6])

[Mudmagnets]

Thanks for the reassurance! Am glad I'm not the only one... definitely will be sticking to COL in the future, we seem a more sane bunch on here! (And that's saying something [emoji6])

As if there was any doubt - COL'Rs are the BEST 

[lescef]

I saw that post too and thought some of the replies strange! I'd have said it was the change in diet! I gave my two pureed sprouts just after Xmas, ( in an attempt to help anal gland issues) they never moved out of their beds all evening -just snored away! (No rude comments re sprouts thank you! Lol) 

With so much advice being given on fb it is hard, you can learn alot, but common sense, gut instinct and know your dog has to be the best way forward.

[Markr64]

Polly, all our little beauties are different and different things affect them in different ways, (that's a lot of different's in one sentence), as already said if all his normal doggy functions are working fine then I would not worry to much and I would give it a few days.

Looking at the pictures you posted he looks in pretty good health at the moment and is far too cute and is competition for Monty for being Mr Cutie.

[PollySpaull]

Pleased to report he seems to be back to his lively trouble causing self today! His favourite thing at the moment is hanging on to Montys tail whilst Monty runs up and down the hallway! [emoji23]

Thankyou all as always for the advice and reassurance!

[bizzylizzy]

I'm with Mudmagnets!! The great thing about the COL'ers is that you'll often get discussions, that's the whole point, but I've rarely come across the know-all attitudes you find on some other sites and, thanks to the wonderful job our moderators do, the tone is always polite and the opinions are based on long experience.  I've found so many fb and similar sites (even more so here in Germany), that seem to encourage some rather sad people who appear to want to use their anonymity to pretend to be knowledgeable about things they know nothing about. Raw food is something a lot of them seem to percieve as a religion. It is all very off putting, causes confusion and takes away all the confidence in your own common sense - at least it does me!!
With regards to raw food - I feed Humphrey raw but to be honest, after feeding my last two dogs successfully on Pedigree (they both lives til nearly 15), I started to look things up on the net, convinced myself Pedigree was rubbish and started looking for alternatives. In the end, my head started to smoke so I reckoned if I took it into my own hands, I'd know what went into it!!! Humphrey likes it and I'm happy. The internet's good but sometimes too much information isn't! !!(unless its COL!! 

[ejp]

Like us, our dogs are all individual, and what suits your dog is just that. Enjoy your doggie and if we are the sane folk then heaven help us 

[Blueberry]

30 years ago, I fed my previous dog on pedigree chum and mixer biscuits.  She lived to a grand old age.  We knew nothing different in those days, and it seemed to work!

[Patp]

30 years ago, I fed my previous dog on pedigree chum and mixer biscuits.  She lived to a grand old age.  We knew nothing different in those days, and it seemed to work!

And Minced Morsels were the closest thing to food  that looked raw!

[Mudmagnets]

Just for fun, I wonder if it were possible how many stars the dogs would give the different foods, would it go something like this:

I eat it cos that's what I'm fed, it fills me up *

I eat it cos mum/dad says it's good for me ? but taste is not great **

I enjoy the food and it does not upset my tummy, taste is ok ***

I love the food, the taste is great and altho not hungry look forward to my next meal ****

[Mari]

Just for fun, I wonder if it were possible how many stars the dogs would give the different foods

That would be interesting! I think my dogs star rating of food would start at:
***** Salad is my least favourite food, but it's edible and therefore awesome and I love it! 

I sometimes feel bad that she eats the same kibble every day (especially when I see the raw diets some of the lucky dogs on here eat) so I often add some raw meat or egg yolk or vegetables or fish to her kibble. A taste of whatever we're having without the spices, just to mix it up. But she eats so fast I don't think she has time to taste any of it, I think she mostly goes by smell and texture. Which makes sense since dogs don't have anywhere near as many taste buds as we do