Feeding your dog raw food

[Dace]

I thought I would post an update on little fatty.

First of all he LOVES raw meat & bones! I was worried that he would not eat it but not only did he eat his first serving without much pause....but he is enthusiatic about mealtimes which he has not been in years. He usually just looks at the kibble and wanders off.

Now every morning as soon as I get up he is on me like stink on poo to get his breakfast

He has been getting a back in the morning and a wing in the evening, since the backs are not very big/complete and I can tell he is hungry.

Last night he got a baked yam, spinach and kefir blended until smooth with a little shredded cheese on top (left over from dinner).

I feel like I need to add in something else....but I don't want to make him sick as some said about the pork. Should I get him a beef bone for fun and variety? or somethign else?
For the record, he did wake me up last night to go out to go potty....which he never does....I think that kefir went right thru him!

 

[tortoise]

I like to start out slowly. Keep one main protein source for at least a week. Then try another for a week. Make sure everything is well tolerated and then mix it up however you want!

Wait... you're telling me that he suddenly LOVES his food, and NOW you want to add a recreational chew bone for fun?!



He's already having the time of his life!

 

[Dace]

I like to start out slowly. Keep one main protein source for at least a week. Then try another for a week. Make sure everything is well tolerated and then mix it up however you want!

Wait... you're telling me that he suddenly LOVES his food, and NOW you want to add a recreational chew bone for fun?!



He's already having the time of his life!

True! Hahaha....
Now that I have conquered step 1... I am thinking about what is next. I just want to make sure he has enough variety. Should I try out some chicken innards?

 

[tortoise]

Yup. Just stick with the same animal for a week or so. And don't be surprised if he turns up his nose and chicken liver. Or any liver. Some dogs don't like the slimy texture.

 

[freemotion]

My dogs will eat gizzards and hearts raw, but I have to cook livers, so I don't bother with them.

Did you mean a whole yam? Too much! One medium carrot, a good handful of something green, some kefir, and maybe a raw egg if you have access to good ones. I add some good peanut butter, too, just a little for flavor.

Beef bones are great, you can use one to replace one of the chicken meals, especially if it has a bit of meat on it.

Lucky dog!

 

[Dace]

Yep a whole yam, but it was small, a little bigger than the palm of my hand.

Apparently he had a poop problem and left some 'schmears' on the floor where he sat thank God for stone floors.

After an emergency bath, I learned that too much of a good thing is in fact NOT a good thing

 

[citylife]

Does anyone raise their own meats? Our dog has reactions to most foods, and has only done well on Beneful (eww!). We are limited to grocery store brands, as it's just not feasible to drive over an hour and a half away to pick up dog food, so it's really no wonder that she has issues. Anyways, I had thought about using quail and rabbits for her, since I plan to breed them for our consumption anyways. She already gets scraps while I'm cooking (raw meats). Would you feed them whole, to give the stomach contents as well? How many would be a good number in general for maintaining a 45lb dog? Would that be too much meat?

I raise meat rabbits for us and our dogs. I usually skin them whole and the and take it out to the back yard and give it to a dog. I have also given them whole chicken carcusses with the wings, breast meat and legs cut off, and whole mackerel and sardines. I have one cocker spaniel who will only eat fish frozen.
I do not mean to be graphic here but interestingly enough most of the time the dogs with eat the head or the intestines first. For my rottweiler..... so far I need to freeze the carcuss for a few weeks. Otherwise she looks at me like...... "your sick!!! That was Rose!" or soo and so......... "your testing me arent you?'
She is funny dog.
I started out feeding my dogs 2% of their body weight and adjust it from there. Less active or older dogs tend to need less. Some, need more. You will know by watching their body weight.
I have always started dogs on chicken as it is one of the mildest meats..... now I think rabbit is similiar. And I gradually add new items of food after about 3-4 weeks. I believe in taking my time switching meats. I do not recommend kibble and meat together as Kibble takes 12-14 hrs. to go from stomach to gut where raw takes about 7-8 hours. Can mess with their digestion.
I have been feeding raw to 4 dogs for 3 years now and love it! I also use things like canned pumpkin with no sugar or other seasonings as a probiotic and all around digestion helper. It also seems to help even out their bowel movements and all around health. I will also add some local honey from time to time which as helped with allergies.
I have a friend whose cocker has had a green runny nose for about 3 years. The vet says 1200.00 surgery. She said "put him on local honey" and the difference was overnight. She cut his food in half and used pumpkin to replace what she took away and he started loosing weight, acting young again and no longer needs to be on drugs for the dog groomer. WOW! One of my cockers has always seemed like he is older then he is and within a few days he was playing with the other dogs. I have not seen him do that in at least a year.
My dogs do get fresh eggs shell and all mixed with HB of any kind, from time to time. Again...... an item you want to introduce slowly as it is quite rich. You also want to feed the yoke and shell together as they balance each other out on calcium and phospherus.
Ooops.......... there I go again, talking to much about the RAW diet.
One more thing... many times if they get the runs it is because you over-fed them

the lady with 4 dogs, 4 city chickens, 5 meat rabbits, their kits and a lizard
oh..... and the STD poodle I am fostering

 

[freemotion]

Great info, citylife! My plan is rabbits if it ever comes to that. My concern, though, is that people, on a diet of just rabbit, will eventually die (there is a name for this....) from lack of fat. So I wonder if dogs are the same. But feeding other foods, like dairy and eggs, will correct this in people, so I imagine in dogs as well. And dogs are not people.

As for probios, just a quick correction (sorry! Gotta!) in that probiotics are live, good bacteria that aid in digestion, so they won't be present in pumpkin, especially canned pumpkin. The pumpkin has other benefits, but not as probios.

The dogs will get wonderful probios from the intestinal contents of the animals and the poop. For those without access to this, they can get plenty from yogurt and kefir.

 

[citylife]

Correction taken.
I know it sure helps digestion when switching from kibble to raw and it really helps with weight loose. I have 2 cocker spaniels who tend to put weight on easy. The rotty you can feed 1/2 a cow to I think and then the shepherd she just takes her good ole time as she has been on it since she was 6 weeks.

Her first raw meal... isn't she adorable. LOLOL

the lady w/4 dogs, 4 city chickens, 5 meat rabbits, their kits and a lizard
and the STD Poodle I am fostering

 

[Dace]

So when will little fatty stop stinking??