[stajbs]

Hi,

Hubby and I have spent the last 16 years rescuing and caring for a total of 7 siberian huskies. We have been involved with reecreational mushing and done some pro-weight pulling.

Am a self-proclaimed input junkie when it comes to canine nutrition and health. We made the mistake of rescuing most of our sibes around the same age, so we lost one of our babies about 5 years ago when he was 12(we were his 4th owners) and in 2008-March of 2009 we lost 4 of our babies in a 9month period. We still have Blaze and Silva, who are approximately 11 and 10 respectively. We lost Sandi and Aurora both over age 14, Sandi to cancer, and Aurora to complications from Cushings. Jewel passed at age 12 from cancer and Ice who passed suddenly at age 6 is a mystery. He did have lots of digestive issues during his 4 years with us.

We have always fed holistic kibble, good quality canned on occasion mixed in, and we also lightly cook meat for the dogs. I am here to learn more, and perhaps get over my paranoia about raw feeding. lol

Look forward to learning a lot.

Thanks!

 

[DaneMama]

Hello and welcome! I hope you find all that you are looking for here! And it is definitely possible for you to get over your fears of raw feeding...we've helped a lot of people become knowledgeable, confident and even expert raw feeders :wink:

 

[stajbs]

Thanks Natalie, I truly look forward to learning more. My sort of mentor in the sled dog world just told me today how hard it was for her to switch from kibble as well. She works, shows and breeds her mals and they look absolutely wonderful.

Thanks again,
Jackie

 

[Khan]

Welcome!
From a newly converted kibble feeder to Raw (Jan 2010) you will find it easier to execute than you think. So many helpful and knowledgeable people on here that are happy to help really makes a HUGE difference!

 

[malluver1005]

Welcome, welcome!! Pics please LOL!!! :tongue:

 

[CorgiPaws]

Welcome to the forum, I'm confident you will find all the information you need to become confident in raw feeding. We have so many wonderful experienced raw feeders around here!
Oh, and we love doggie pics around here. :wink:

 

[xxshaelxx]

Welcome, welcome!! Pics please LOL!!! :tongue:

I agree!!! XD *total Siberian Husky fanatic.*

Welcome!

 

[stajbs]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. So many gorgeous dogs!! Obviously we are northern breed lovers so enjoyed seeing all the pics but loved the mal and sibes. I have to confess to being a bit computer challenged so it will take me a while to figure out how to post photos. Have plenty of photos of the furries on the computer and on photobucket but first need to figure out how this all works.

We have friends who work, show, and breed mals, and also run a professional team of Alaskann Huskies and she switched to raw months ago, so she is now "working" on me to switch. Both Blaze and Silva came to us from she and her husband when they switched to Alaskan Huskies for mushing.

I guess it is good we at least cook for the dogs, now it is time to get ready for the next step. Would the fact they are senior dogs deter any of you from feeding raw?

Thanks again everybody!!
Jackie

 

[xxshaelxx]

Wouldn't deter me! Though they may not take to it too well, being so used to kibble and all. XP Others here can tell you more. I only learned from them.

Anyways, as for the pictures, if you don't want the hassle of learning how to post the pictures, just copy and paste the urls, and the forum will turn them into links. Also, there are a bunch of buttons on the top of the text space thingy, and there's one with a picture of two mountains and a moon/sun, or something, and if you click on it, it'll pull up a thing that allows you to put picture urls in it, and it'll turn that into a picture when you post it, if that makes sense.

 

[stajbs]

Ahhh yes, I see what you mean about the icons to possibly post a picture. When I can keep my eyes open and think tomorrow night I will give it a try. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks again for the friendly welcome.

 

[malluver1005]

Would the fact they are senior dogs deter any of you from feeding raw?

Not at all.

 

[stajbs]

Apologies, I still can't figure out how to post pics. I am sure it is something so simple, but as stated, I am computer stupid. Will keep working at it. Last night I could not get photobucket to cooperate so who knows?

 

[DaneMama]

In the reply box there is a little icon (second from the right) at the top of the box. Its a little yellow square with what looks like a mountain in it. If you have a picture that is already posted on the internet somewhere (like photobucket) you can right click on the picture and copy the image URL. Then paste that URL into the pop up box that appears when you click on the yellow box picture icon. Then press ok. You will only see the link until you actually post your response, then you will see the picture. Let me know if this helps :wink:

 

[stajbs]

Thanks Natalie, I will give that a try. Someone else mentioned that icon too, but since you listed the steps I will give it a shot again this weekend. By the time I am online at night throughout the week I am so tired and nearly cross eyed. lol Would be happy to share photos of the furkids. I see that some of you have a photo with your log in names and also photos in the body of the message. It took me nearly 6 months to get it straight on this one dog game I play online, hopefully I can carry that over to here when I get time soon.

Jackie

 

[whiteleo]

Don't feel bad, it took me 1 1/2 yrs to post a picture into my avatar, I'm WAY computer illiterate. These young ones have all the advantages of being brought up through school with computers. LOL

 

[stajbs]

photos...maybe

Well about to give this a try. With a midlife crisis looming on the horizon I know what you mean about not having computers available when I was younger and in school. When I was in college we still had those cards with the little rectangular holes. lol I figure the avatar thing will take me two years.

Blaze picture by k9w8tpullr - Photobucket

If it works this is Blaze, 11 years old.

 

[stajbs]

Well now that didn't quite work did it? However, I think I know what i did wrong. lol will try again later. Sorry to waste space.

Jackie

 

[xxshaelxx]

Well, the link worked. haha. I hope you don't mind, but I went to your photobucket account and looked through your pictures. GORGEOUS dogs!!!! XDD

 

[stajbs]

Yeah, I know the link worked and perhaps folks could check out photobucket. I've got nothing to hide so no problem by me. lol Thanks, for the compliment on the dogs. They are our babies. With them all being rescues except one, we had to carefully pick them based on personalities, oddly they all looked very different. It's been rewarding to take shelter dogs, get the proper blend of temperament and then have them enjoy weight pulling and recreational mushing. However, like I mentioned earlier with 4 of them passing in less than one year and then the preemie grandson who came along(you may have seen him in photobucket album) life really did change a lot here.

Blaze and Silva do abslutely wonderful with the baby and my husband is retired and babysits 2-3 times a week. It is something we worried a great deal about, but all our earlier training with the dogs surely payed off. Also, oddly enough an 8/9 month old requires almost the same type of training our dogs did when they came along. lol All the "no's" and "good boys" take me back over the many years with the dogs.

Jackie

 

[Khan]

Great pics!!