Riley started raw today

ks02

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#1
Today we started feeding raw. As of right now, we are just feeding one raw meal a day and 2 smaller kibble meals until the bag of food is gone. For his first meal he had chicken thigh, ground beef, and beef liver with around a spoonful of plain yogurt. He also had a fish oil capsule, a chewable multivitamin, and apple cider vinegar in his water. He handled the meal wonderfully. He downed the ground beef/liver/yogurt, but he wasn't quite sure what to do with the chicken thigh at first. He figured it out and didn't eat too fast. I watched him pretty closely since he has never had an edible bone, and I was very comfortable with the speed and size of bites he took.

I'm very surprised he hasn't had diarrhea at all...he seems to be one of those who gets it if you look at him wrong, but everything looked nice and firm tonight when he went out. :) I guess we'll see if this keeps up though.

I went to the store tonight and found some turkey necks and backs, whole tilapia, and ground turkey all for decent prices. When I got home I packaged up the meat into meals and have combos of chicken thigh/ground beef/liver for some meals, tilapia/ground turkey/liver for some, and chicken necks and backs/ground beef/liver for some. I just plop a spoonful of yogurt on top, and he eats it right with the meat. I was wondering if these combos look ok and when it is ok to offer him a different combination from my original one. Also, on days he gets tilapia, does he still need his fish oil capsule? Are 2 eggs/week a pretty decent amount? I also would like to give him some cottage cheese occasionally. How often would you recommend?

I know I have asked a lot of questions in the past few days and weeks about feeding raw, but I really want this to work out for us and want to avoid any mistakes I might make if they can be caught by someone who knows more than I do. Thanks to all of you who comment and offer your knowledge. I appreciate it so much! Thanks again!
 

doberkim

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#2
My suggestion is while some dogs can handle it ok, don't start out with multiple protein sources, much less mixed. I recommend feeding ONE protein source for a week (or 2) and then add them in ONE at a time.
 

DanL

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#3
My suggestion is while some dogs can handle it ok, don't start out with multiple protein sources, much less mixed. I recommend feeding ONE protein source for a week (or 2) and then add them in ONE at a time.
Agreed. That is way too much new food at once, especially the liver.
 

ks02

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#4
Ok, well I have already given him two meals with the different protein sources, and he seems fine with it. His poop looks better than it did before I even started the raw. He has actually only had chicken and beef so far...I just wanted to know when it was ok to switch it up and add the turkey and fish. Should I still change it back to just one protein source even though he seems to be handling it fine? Also, I guess I'm confused because the dog food he's on has four protein sources as the top ingredients, and this has never seemed to be a concern. Is it somehow different? I thought it would be ok because of the numerous protein sources in the dog food he eats. His dog food is chicken based, and I know beef is often used for dogs with GI upset. Anyway, thanks for the feedback...I will definitely switch to just one if this is a problem, but like I said, he seems to be handling it fine after 2 days...
 

juliefurry

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#5
I would always suggest starting on just one protein source just because it's easier for the dog to switch over to the raw diet. Some people don't but that's there choice. I always started my lab out on one thing, then started on another after a couple of weeks. She has been doing so good now though that she has had pheasant, duck, goose, and dove introduced to her diet this week with no problems at all. I think just getting them to adjust to the initial shock of feeding raw is the hardest part.
 
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#6
If it were me personally, I wouldn't start off with organ yet. Of course, I have a sensitive stomached gigantic beast who taught me this lesson well :eek:
 

mrsgrubby

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#7
i feed mine cottage cheese and yougart too, just switch on and off with those. don't give too much, some dogs are lactose intolerant.

Also, even though the protein source is the most important. Things such a veggies, and fruit are good to throw in a few times a week as well.

Mine love bananas, berries,.beans.

You can also buy canned tripe which is good to mix in, and sometimes I feed rice and pasta for a change.
 

ks02

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#8
Thanks for the great advice! I do give him pureed vegetables and cottage cheese sometimes. I will keep the fruit in mind as well. I wasn't sure about the grains...I guess I wasn't sure how to serve that to him. Should things like oatmeal be cooked? He is still doing great with the raw food, and I'm so happy with how he looks/feels/plays.
 

mrsgrubby

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#9
I've seen oatmeal fed both ways....my friend mixes it in with the raw buger, and her dogs eat it up.

I wouldnt' do the pasta a bunch, but I have used it for fillers. I just saw someone do brown whole grain rice, cooked with beans and burger in it, topped with liver and spinich.

I've also fed tuna out of a can, my dogs love that.
 

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