Starting a Puppy on a Partly Raw Diet?

[tortoise]

I'm wondering, for those of you who feed raw, where you feed your dogs or how you make sure it is easy to clean up afterwords? I hear this is an important consideration.

With a bunch of dogs, I'd usually just drop it on the kitchen floor, and wash the floor afterwards.

For a puppy, I strongly recommend feeding in a travel kennel. You create a positive association between crate = good food. It's very easy to wipe out the crate.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Thanks for the info Dace and Tortoise.

I was thinking maybe a very large stainless steel bowl might contain most of the mess? I won't be able to feed the puppy outside until warmer weather prevails.

Do you buy the salmon oil and vitamin E at the drug store (packaged for human consumption)? Or are these dog specific and purchased in a pet store or somewhere of the like?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Thanks Tortoise. We purchased a metal cage to use for crate training. I am worried that feeding raw in that would be hard to clean.

 

[tortoise]

Thanks Tortoise. We purchased a metal cage to use for crate training. I am worried that feeding raw in that would be hard to clean.

It doesn't have a plastic tray in the bottom.

Don't bother with the bowl, the food won't stay in it!

Yes, human grade salmon oil and E are find. You can get liquid salmon oil for dogs/cats, but the smell is so awful...

 

[Dace]

Thanks Tortoise. We purchased a metal cage to use for crate training. I am worried that feeding raw in that would be hard to clean.

Don't bother with the bowl, the food won't stay in it!

Yes, human grade salmon oil and E are find. You can get liquid salmon oil for dogs/cats, but the smell is so awful...

x2!

The food will not stay in the bowl and yes on human grade fish oil & e.

By the way, what kind of pup are you getting?

Thanks, Tort for the explanation! I will probably continue with his normal raw breakfast and do kibble at dinner time. The main reason for switching my little guy over to raw was his odor and his weight. I am happy to say that his odor has been greatly reduced AND he has lost 5 lbs in the last last 4 mos! Only 5 more to go! Plus blood work confirmed that he does have very low thyroid and will be going on meds.....do you think I will need to alter his diet?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

It doesn't have a plastic tray in the bottom.

Don't bother with the bowl, the food won't stay in it!

Yes, human grade salmon oil and E are find. You can get liquid salmon oil for dogs/cats, but the smell is so awful...

Yes, it has a plastic tray in the bottom, but I'm thinking that the food juices will fly in all directions, yes? Cleaning the metal mesh isn't very easy. Maybe if I lined the inside with plastic?

Good info. Thanks.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

By the way, what kind of pup are you getting?

Great Pyrenees! It wasn't my first choice of dog. I've always wanted a German Shepherd or an Australian Shepherd, but it is the right dog for our situation right now. We need a dog that will protect our livestock and keep the resident bobcat away from our yard, since we now have a little person in the family who will want to play outside in the not too distant future.

 

[Dace]

Oh cool....can't wait to see pics! When do you get him or her?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

We get her on Friday! I'll be sure to share some photos.