Whole-Prey trouble

mac658 · 02-08-2013, 09:53 PM

Hello everyone,

I've started feeding my guy Fitz raw, he is adjusting very well. We are on month 4 or 5 now, and he is thriving. I am introducing now whole-prey to his diet to add more variety, and this week I got 20 pounds of whole rabbit. He's had whole chicken and nice slabs of pork, whole fish as well, but is relatively uninterested in the rabbit. I think the fur is what is freaking him out. Any advice for a picky eater? Do I play the classic you eat what I give you card? He usually wolfs his dinner down. (See what I did there?)

I've tried slicing the chest open for him, he sniffed, licked, and walked away. I'd really rather not waste the money on the rabbit if at all possible, just looking for advice to get him interested if I can. Should I try skinning it?

Thanks! Pic of my guy added for fun!

*** Pic removed by ADMIN - Max pic size allowed 800 X 600 ***

**Lauri & The Gang** · 02-08-2013, 09:55 PM

I would try skinning the rabbit and see if he likes it that way first.

mac658 · 02-08-2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauri & The Gang

I would try skinning the rabbit and see if he likes it that way first.

Since I'm an apartment dwelling Chicagoan who's never hunted in my life, tomorrow will be a squeamish experience I think.

**jocoyn** · 02-08-2013, 11:59 PM

Rabbit definitely has a different odor and flavor. My guys too right to it, but it was skinned and dressed ...but they were already used to eating venison which was also pretty gamey because it was from a buck.... I would say skinning it and offering a management piece like a leg may be a good start.

**lhczth** · 02-09-2013, 10:00 AM

Alexis and Deja will not eat rabbit. I quit bothering. The rabbit I get, though, is farm raised so not gamey. Deja, OTOH, will eat wild rabbit that she has caught. Go figure.

**lhczth** · 02-09-2013, 10:02 AM

BTW, great ad for VW.

KristiM · 02-09-2013, 10:46 AM

I have found that dogs either LOVE whole rabbits or hate them. Good luck!

volcano · 02-12-2013, 02:09 AM

tie a string to it and twitch it, that should get her going, if not then you bought too much.

**Lauri & The Gang** · 02-12-2013, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac658

Since I'm an apartment dwelling Chicagoan who's never hunted in my life, tomorrow will be a squeamish experience I think.

Hey - I was a suburb raised kid that never HEARD of hunting and yet I raise, kill and butcher my own rabbits.

My family tells people I'm adopted.

Ilee · 02-12-2013, 01:30 PM

A friend of mine raw feeds her gsd pretty much all the usual meats including rabbit (which she loves). One day she bought some rabbit meat from a different butcher and gave it to her dog. She took one sniff and walked away. Later she found out from the butcher that the rabbits were gassed. Which is strange because I always thought that gassing was only used as a method of pest control.

02-08-2013, 09:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
mac658 New Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 15	Whole-Prey trouble Hello everyone, I've started feeding my guy Fitz raw, he is adjusting very well. We are on month 4 or 5 now, and he is thriving. I am introducing now whole-prey to his diet to add more variety, and this week I got 20 pounds of whole rabbit. He's had whole chicken and nice slabs of pork, whole fish as well, but is relatively uninterested in the rabbit. I think the fur is what is freaking him out. Any advice for a picky eater? Do I play the classic you eat what I give you card? He usually wolfs his dinner down. (See what I did there?) I've tried slicing the chest open for him, he sniffed, licked, and walked away. I'd really rather not waste the money on the rabbit if at all possible, just looking for advice to get him interested if I can. Should I try skinning it? Thanks! Pic of my guy added for fun! * Pic removed by ADMIN - Max pic size allowed 800 X 600 * Last edited by Castlemaid; 03-01-2013 at 07:43 AM. Reason: Oversized picture.

02-08-2013, 09:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
Lauri & The Gang Moderator Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: SouthEastern WI Posts: 13,748	I would try skinning the rabbit and see if he likes it that way first. __________________ Lauri & The Raw Fed Gang Raw Dog Ranch Winnie CGC - Corgi Mix Chimanes Spice it Up Piquin (Kaynya) - Chinese Crested Nator von Triton HIC CGC (Mauser) - LC GSD Piquins Some Like it Hot (Spike) – Chinese Crested Piquins Too Hot To Handle - (Fuego) - Chinese Crested Piquins Wasabi (Sabi) - Chinese Crested Piquins Super Hot (Clark) - Chinese Crested Banzai, Cloe, Mocha - Felines Extraordinaire Neke, Tessa, Remi, Sadie, Riggs, Sasha, Tazer - DK, Mozart, Zoe - Gone but not forgotten

02-08-2013, 11:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
jocoyn Zombie Queen Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 11,835	Rabbit definitely has a different odor and flavor. My guys too right to it, but it was skinned and dressed ...but they were already used to eating venison which was also pretty gamey because it was from a buck.... I would say skinning it and offering a management piece like a leg may be a good start. __________________ Nancy www.scsarda.org Beau -NAPWDA Certified Cadaver Dog Waiting at the Bridge (italics=GSDs) (hemangiosarcoma=blue):Grim , Cyra, Toby, Rainbow, Linus, Oscar, Arlo & Waggles

02-09-2013, 10:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
lhczth Administrator & LOTR Addict Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 13,723	Alexis and Deja will not eat rabbit. I quit bothering. The rabbit I get, though, is farm raised so not gamey. Deja, OTOH, will eat wild rabbit that she has caught. Go figure. __________________ Lisa Clark Zu Treuen Händen Working German Shepherd Dogs *South Michigan SchH and Police Club*

02-09-2013, 10:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
lhczth Administrator & LOTR Addict Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 13,723	BTW, great ad for VW. __________________ Lisa Clark Zu Treuen Händen Working German Shepherd Dogs *South Michigan SchH and Police Club*

02-09-2013, 10:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
KristiM Master Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 602	I have found that dogs either LOVE whole rabbits or hate them. Good luck! __________________ Havoc ~ (aka "Super") GSD Odin ~ (aka "Dude") Bh, ADC, NAC, WV-N, TG-N, FDCh-S (GSD) Keeper (rest in peace little stinker) (Aussie) I live for the moments when there is nothing in the world but me and my dog.

02-12-2013, 02:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
volcano Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 420	tie a string to it and twitch it, that should get her going, if not then you bought too much.

02-12-2013, 01:30 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ilee New Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1	A friend of mine raw feeds her gsd pretty much all the usual meats including rabbit (which she loves). One day she bought some rabbit meat from a different butcher and gave it to her dog. She took one sniff and walked away. Later she found out from the butcher that the rabbits were gassed. Which is strange because I always thought that gassing was only used as a method of pest control.

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
German Shepherd Advertisement