starting RAW feeding

smithie · 09-25-2011, 04:42 PM

So today we decided to start Ranger on a raw diet. I've been looking for a good quality dry food for the last few weeks, and every single one of them had a high quantity of grains and cereals. Those that didn't were very expensive and prohibitive to long term feeding (on my budget anyway).

We started with good old chicken wings, he had one for lunch and another for tea followed by an egg lol. You'd have thought it was Christmas by how he reacted. Took it straight to his crate and spent a good 10 mins crunching and slurping to hi hearts content

hubby and I were rather green, and as for my vegetarian daughter

. We've decided to go cold turkey (no pun intended

) and switch straight over and bin the kibble. When my hubby took him for his evening walk a short time ago, he said his poo was the best it's been since we got him!! So looks like we may be onto a winner

Tomorrows breakfast is turkey strips

robk · 09-25-2011, 04:58 PM

Good luck! keep us posted on how it goes. I am switching my boy over slow, Right now 1/4 raw 3/4 kibble. So far so good. probably in a few days will switch to 50/50. My goal is to get to 100% raw with in a month. No problems yet. I am also still working out what I plan to feed once totally raw so that is another reason we are going slow.

smithie · 09-25-2011, 05:10 PM

Thanks

We were going to do it slowly, but tbh his stools haven't been so great since we got him at all, although they are better on the food we were giving him rather than the rubbish he was on when we got him. So we decided it wouldn't make much difference that way, and when he got his kibble he had finished it in less than 30 seconds, whereas with the chicken wing he took 10 mins and it was sheer enjoyment

I am currently looking at a couple of suppliers online as I have a spare freezer and can buy in bulk, so hopefully that should work out more cost effective.

onyx'girl · 09-25-2011, 05:29 PM

Look at www.rawdogranch for information on feeding raw correctly.
I switched my dogs over 'cold turkey' and it was fine. A few days where their stools had to adjust, but it was not a problem. I started with chicken leg 1/4's as they were perfectly balanced and portion size was right. Even my senior mix breed transferred over easily.
I read up as much as possible before changing them over and while I researched, put them on a grain free kibble~ their last bag.

dazedtrucker · 09-25-2011, 06:37 PM

I switched a 3 YO adult "cold turkey", no problems. He loves his food, and stools have been just as good, no problems

Wild Wolf · 09-25-2011, 07:45 PM

My pup was switched cold turkey at eight weeks, and does INCREDIBLE on raw!

sharkey19 · 09-25-2011, 07:58 PM

Please be sure to do your research and talk to a vet nutritionist to ensure you are feeding a balanced raw diet, not just whatever meat you can get your hands on. Remember dogs evolved along with humans, a few "grains and cereals" aren't that bad for them.

onyx'girl · 09-25-2011, 08:40 PM

Very few vets are versed in nutrition...far and few between. I would do my own research, of course, but to consult a vet on raw is usually a bad idea. Most of them are against it, and will recommend Hills products.

sharkey19 · 09-25-2011, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

Very few vets are versed in nutrition...far and few between. I would do my own research, of course, but to consult a vet on raw is usually a bad idea. Most of them are against it, and will recommend Hills products.

There are reasons they are against it. As vets, they have to be responsible for human health as well, and if they don't warn against the salmonellosis that humans can contract by being in contact with fecal matter associated with BARF diets, then I am sure many lawsuits will ensue. Diet drift is also an issue.

I understand that some vets aren't versed in nutrition, that is why I specified a vet nutritionist. Also I am sure not all the websites about raw diets are good sources of information. I think it would be best to get as much information from many sources as possible, including vets.

onyx'girl · 09-25-2011, 09:41 PM

How many vets are nutritionists? That was my point in the post above. I don't think I even have one in my area of about 80 vets. My vet is fine with the diet, because she knows I know what I am doing. My old vet was so against it without the knowledge to back up her opinion, I had to leave that practice...
Kibble can contain salmonella too

09-25-2011, 04:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
smithie Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Telford UK Posts: 29	starting RAW feeding So today we decided to start Ranger on a raw diet. I've been looking for a good quality dry food for the last few weeks, and every single one of them had a high quantity of grains and cereals. Those that didn't were very expensive and prohibitive to long term feeding (on my budget anyway). We started with good old chicken wings, he had one for lunch and another for tea followed by an egg lol. You'd have thought it was Christmas by how he reacted. Took it straight to his crate and spent a good 10 mins crunching and slurping to hi hearts content hubby and I were rather green, and as for my vegetarian daughter . We've decided to go cold turkey (no pun intended ) and switch straight over and bin the kibble. When my hubby took him for his evening walk a short time ago, he said his poo was the best it's been since we got him!! So looks like we may be onto a winner Tomorrows breakfast is turkey strips

09-25-2011, 06:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
dazedtrucker Master Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 587	I switched a 3 YO adult "cold turkey", no problems. He loves his food, and stools have been just as good, no problems __________________ I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. - Edward Everett Hale

09-25-2011, 07:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Wild Wolf Master Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 805	My pup was switched cold turkey at eight weeks, and does INCREDIBLE on raw! __________________ ~ Angel S-Hunter vom Geistwasser http://k9-instinct.blogspot.ca/

09-25-2011, 04:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
robk Master Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 571	Good luck! keep us posted on how it goes. I am switching my boy over slow, Right now 1/4 raw 3/4 kibble. So far so good. probably in a few days will switch to 50/50. My goal is to get to 100% raw with in a month. No problems yet. I am also still working out what I plan to feed once totally raw so that is another reason we are going slow.

09-25-2011, 05:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
smithie Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Telford UK Posts: 29	Thanks We were going to do it slowly, but tbh his stools haven't been so great since we got him at all, although they are better on the food we were giving him rather than the rubbish he was on when we got him. So we decided it wouldn't make much difference that way, and when he got his kibble he had finished it in less than 30 seconds, whereas with the chicken wing he took 10 mins and it was sheer enjoyment I am currently looking at a couple of suppliers online as I have a spare freezer and can buy in bulk, so hopefully that should work out more cost effective.

09-25-2011, 05:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 17,600	Look at www.rawdogranch for information on feeding raw correctly. I switched my dogs over 'cold turkey' and it was fine. A few days where their stools had to adjust, but it was not a problem. I started with chicken leg 1/4's as they were perfectly balanced and portion size was right. Even my senior mix breed transferred over easily. I read up as much as possible before changing them over and while I researched, put them on a grain free kibble~ their last bag.

09-25-2011, 07:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
sharkey19 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Guelph Posts: 321	Please be sure to do your research and talk to a vet nutritionist to ensure you are feeding a balanced raw diet, not just whatever meat you can get your hands on. Remember dogs evolved along with humans, a few "grains and cereals" aren't that bad for them.

09-25-2011, 08:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 17,600	Very few vets are versed in nutrition...far and few between. I would do my own research, of course, but to consult a vet on raw is usually a bad idea. Most of them are against it, and will recommend Hills products.

09-25-2011, 09:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 17,600	How many vets are nutritionists? That was my point in the post above. I don't think I even have one in my area of about 80 vets. My vet is fine with the diet, because she knows I know what I am doing. My old vet was so against it without the knowledge to back up her opinion, I had to leave that practice... Kibble can contain salmonella too

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
German Shepherd Advertisement