What do you feed?

this is a good guide to start feeding raw.
http://www.snovali.com/other/rawfoodprimer.pdf

I started with chicken- thighs and drumsticks(this if stools were loose as it is more bone) then after they were on it for a couple weeks I started to add liver(slowly) and other protein sources. I worked up to meat sources to include chicken, turkey, beef, pork, venison, elk, pheasant, heart. tripe plus organ meat liver, kidney(beef,pork) spleen. Bones sources was mostly chicken or turkey, pork neck bones, ribs. eggs whole with shells. The key once they are fully on raw is variety.

I don't fed raw anymore, mostly because meat prices where going up and up and to find good sources that didn't break the bank was time consuming. Plus my dad wasn't hunting as much. My dogs did well on it but Justice had issues maintaining his weight and needed to eat 4-4.5% of his body weight. It is definitely more time intense to feed raw.
 
Thanks Dr. Shelli! I just printed up that webpage. Ok, all chicken and bones for a the first few weeks, got it! (I'm makeing a list:rolleyes2:)
 
A while back I gave the dogs some raw chicken to 'test the waters' a little bit. Ida ate part of the neck and a tiny bit of liver or gizzard (can't remember which) but that's it. She didn't seem to like it much. I know some dogs don't really know what to do with raw meat, but I'm thinking if in the event she doesn't eat the raw food would it be just as or almost as healthy to cook fo her? Because she ate the neck it does give me hope that she WILL learn to like the raw, but I'm not sure. Also how many chickens will one 20lb dog eat in a week?

It doesn't look like I'll be able to switch them to raw as soon as I would have liked though. We've been going through some finical difficulties but I don't think it will last too long, maybe 2-3 months if that. On the bright side I had said on the 19 last month that I have about 1 months worth of kibble left and I just opened the new bag yesterday on the 18! Haha! I'm a good guesser I guess!:rolleyes2:
 
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At 20 lbs, an inactive dog would eat approx 6.5 oz a day and an active dog about 9.5 oz so take the median to make it easy and call it half a lb a day. That's what I have both Koko and Fillion on right now. Koko should have a tad more but I'm trying to get some weight off him first.

Regarding the switching to raw, its been quite a challenge here with Koko. I switched my last two boys to raw at age 2. Gave them chicken wings to start and they never looked back. Wasn't a thing I put down for dinner they didn't eat their whole lives. Koko is 5. Don't know if age makes the difference but holy cow the boy can make some funny faces when he spits out food :) He loves yogurt, so if I offer him something and he doesn't like it, I smear some yogurt on it. Chicken necks are a big hit without yogurt, and he likes the ground meats I give him but chicken backs and organs get "the face":ick Got turkey necks on order. :fl
Fillion's been on raw from 8 weeks and he loves everything :smile2:
 
Margi said:
At 20 lbs, an inactive dog would eat approx 6.5 oz a day and an active dog about 9.5 oz so take the median to make it easy and call it half a lb a day. That's what I have both Koko and Fillion on right now. Koko should have a tad more but I'm trying to get some weight off him first.

Regarding the switching to raw, its been quite a challenge here with Koko. I switched my last two boys to raw at age 2. Gave them chicken wings to start and they never looked back. Wasn't a thing I put down for dinner they didn't eat their whole lives. Koko is 5. Don't know if age makes the difference but holy cow the boy can make some funny faces when he spits out food :) He loves yogurt, so if I offer him something and he doesn't like it, I smear some yogurt on it. Chicken necks are a big hit without yogurt, and he likes the ground meats I give him but chicken backs and organs get "the face":ick Got turkey necks on order. :fl
Fillion's been on raw from 8 weeks and he loves everything :smile2:
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I fed raw for awhile(2 yrs) all my dogs took to it like ducks to water. The oldest was 7-8yr(justice and the youngest Diva at 1) So I don't think it is age just individual dog.

My dogs were incredible active at required alot of food. Justice 20lbs at one point was eating 14.5oz to 1lb! a day and I still could not maintain his weight. Diva was eating 11-12oz and poor Ember(little spayed) only 6-7oz.
I frankly was going broke. Their grocery bill was 3x mine and when meat prices started to raise that was it.
 
My last dog turned his nose up at just about anything raw, but I got him at seven months and I believe he was fairly set in his ways. Dickens, on the other hand, was only three months when we got him, and he took to raw meats quite naturally, even though he loves his kibble just as much. Incidentally, the great thing about kibble, in my opinion (at least as regards the better grades) is that it's easy and nutritious and provides good quantity control. Dogs have been flourishing on the stuff for generations now.
 
Justicemom said:
I fed raw for awhile(2 yrs) all my dogs took to it like ducks to water. The oldest was 7-8yr(justice and the youngest Diva at 1) So I don't think it is age just individual dog.

My dogs were incredible active at required alot of food. Justice 20lbs at one point was eating 14.5oz to 1lb! a day and I still could not maintain his weight. Diva was eating 11-12oz and poor Ember(little spayed) only 6-7oz.
I frankly was going broke. Their grocery bill was 3x mine and when meat prices started to raise that was it.
Click to expand...

Holy cow! A lb a day?? Did he ever stop moving?? LOL

I don't know where people live and if they have the opportunity to participate in raw feeder co-ops like we have here in Tucson and Phoenix. Our case lot prices are pretty good. 40 lbs of chicken backs for 27 bucks. My step daughter in Dallas gets killer deals on raw--.30 lb for lots of stuff.
There are ladies here that went to the local wal-marts or safeways and got the rights to buy the expired meats. They sell them for 50 cents a lb. If I had to buy out of the grocery store for more than one dog I probably wouldn't do it either.
 
Hello there,

I feed a combination of raw and cooked foods. I do not feed kibble, or many carbs, other than what is in plain yogurt and cottage cheese. I try to feed 80% raw meat, 10% bone, 10% organ meat.

I've been raw/home-cooked feeding for close to 13 years now. Ever since making the change, I could not make myself go back to kibble, no matter how convenient it may be. To date, I am very pleased with the overall health of my dog.

Here's what seems to work for us:

-raw beef, pork, turkey, chicken
-canned sardines and pink salmon
-plain yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs
-fish oil capsules (sardine, anchovy, mackerel mix)

I think that's it!

Cheers,

Donna :smile2:
 
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