3rd day on raw, a few questions

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Wanted to ask a few questions to those who feed raw.

First, where/how do you feed them? We tried feeding her outside, but she kept burying it lol! So we've been feeding her in her crate, taking all her bedding out and putting it in with her. However, do I clean her crate every time she eats? She seems to be pretty clean with it and licks the bottom of the crate but is it unsafe not to disinfect the bottom of the crate? Especially when putting more raw food back onto the same surface? It seems...gross not to clean it lol! But it's annoying cleaning it twice a day. Which brings me to my next question...

Do you feed once or twice a day? We've been feeding her twice a day but I don't know which is better, really, or if it even matters.

Also, how much do you feed? Violet is 48lbs and we've been giving her a little over a pound a day probably more like a pound and a half (not really precisely measuring). I don't know if that's enough. It looks like it is but she seems hungry. Will it take a while to get used to it? She used to be free fed and get treats (cant have any treats now due to her allergies). Which brings me to my next question lol...

What treats do raw feeders give? She is having bad allergies that we are assuming at this point are food allergies (hoping at least that the raw diet will help) and is unable to have any treats really. I guess we could cut up some of her raw? Right now my moms giving her her medication with a teeny piece cut off of a chicken liver. Other than that she gets no treats and I can't even do any training with her. She thinks her fish oil pills are the best thing ever so we sparingly give her those as "treats" like when she gets up and goes to bed.

Any other tips? I'm crossing my fingers that this helps with her issues. She seems better but she's also taking Claritin, fish oil pills, and was taking steroids but is thankfully off of them. It's only been three days but I hope we see some progress in the weeks to come.

 

[JessLough]

As far as treats go, why not just get some freeze dried treats, or dehydrate some raw meat to use? Dehydrated duck or freeze dried liver shouldn't bother her allergies... It's just meat

 

[Linds]

I just feed them wherever to honest. Sometimes in the crate but a lot of times Traveler just eats it in the hallway on the hard floor. That gets mopped every week I would say. Yeah, I'm really not that worried to be honest.

I feed two-three times a day typically. I personally like spacing it out.

And for treats you could just bake/boil some chicken or cow liver (makes GREAT treats).

 

[elegy]

Steve eats in his crate and I, uh, generally don't clean up after him too much.

I feed twice a day. He gets about a pound a day, total. (He's 40 pounds.) I'd just keep your hands on your dog and adjust one way or the other depending on whether she feels too light or too heavy.

 

[Fran101]

It's usually about 2-3% of her body weight per day. So yea, 40ish pounds=1 pound of food per day.
As for the "I SO HUNGRY!" act. I wouldn't really buy it.. watch her body condition more than anything.

As for cleaning.. I would LIKE to say I clean Romeos dish after each raw feeding but erm.. lol probably not. If she is eating in her crate, I would just wash it down with a paper towel and child proof dis-infectant, then rinse. and rinse again. (you don't want her food to take like the stuff you are cleaning with) but honestly.. I wouldn't worry about it TOO much unless it gets pretty gross/she is leaving food behind.

We only did raw once a day. and fasted once a month. At first the dogs were like WTF WHERE IS MY DINNER?! but after a while they get used to it.. instead of dinner I usually save them a RMB or something to chew on, gives them something to do instead of actively eating.

As for treats, chicken hearts are great (and perfect bite size) but really, cut anything up into tiny pieces and it should work. I use freeze dried liver.

 

[Sweet72947]

Daisy and Rocky are fed outside. They both are foodaholics and eat right away, so we have no problems with them burying it. They both get fed twice a day. They eat so fast that we're much more comfortable giving them their food in two smaller portions rather than in one big portion. We don't fast them at all. Heh, if I tried fasting Daisy she'd probably call the SPCA on me! Lol

 

[Kimbers]

As far as treats go, I like to use bits of cooked salmon. (I do cook it because I like to handle raw meat as little as possible and I'm wary of some of the diseases it can carry.) I find it a nice addition to Kailey's diet, though.

 

[monkeys23]

Wanted to ask a few questions to those who feed raw.

First, where/how do you feed them? We tried feeding her outside, but she kept burying it lol! So we've been feeding her in her crate, taking all her bedding out and putting it in with her. However, do I clean her crate every time she eats? She seems to be pretty clean with it and licks the bottom of the crate but is it unsafe not to disinfect the bottom of the crate? Especially when putting more raw food back onto the same surface? It seems...gross not to clean it lol! But it's annoying cleaning it twice a day. Which brings me to my next question...

Do you feed once or twice a day? We've been feeding her twice a day but I don't know which is better, really, or if it even matters.

Also, how much do you feed? Violet is 48lbs and we've been giving her a little over a pound a day probably more like a pound and a half (not really precisely measuring). I don't know if that's enough. It looks like it is but she seems hungry. Will it take a while to get used to it? She used to be free fed and get treats (cant have any treats now due to her allergies). Which brings me to my next question lol...

What treats do raw feeders give? She is having bad allergies that we are assuming at this point are food allergies (hoping at least that the raw diet will help) and is unable to have any treats really. I guess we could cut up some of her raw? Right now my moms giving her her medication with a teeny piece cut off of a chicken liver. Other than that she gets no treats and I can't even do any training with her. She thinks her fish oil pills are the best thing ever so we sparingly give her those as "treats" like when she gets up and goes to bed.

Any other tips? I'm crossing my fingers that this helps with her issues. She seems better but she's also taking Claritin, fish oil pills, and was taking steroids but is thankfully off of them. It's only been three days but I hope we see some progress in the weeks to come.

They eat in their crates. Or at my mom's they eat on their seperate tie-outs. The door to everyone's crate except Lily's is closed because she'll keep it in the crate and doesn't like animal interference when she eats.

I never clean their crates. If it makes you feel better I guess you could. Meh, they lick up any mess so I guess I don't see the point to cleaning it further. Lily is my designated cutting board cleaner as well. Obviously I wash it after she cleans it, but it seems a waste not to let her lick up the blood and gore.

Lily is 47lbs and very fit. She eats 0.75-1lb a day. Don't take this the wrong way, but Violet is pretty ahem, soft for a Sibe. Stick right at 1lb and see where it takes you. In the begining its especially important to stick to the lower end of their normal food intake because its such a big shift for the system.

I feed twice a day, but many just feed once a day.

Free feeding and free treats (make the dog work for treats!) make a dog that knows how to work you.
Be tough and only feed her when and what she needs. Most dogs would eat until they popped, don't let them dictate the amount!

Most raw feeders either use dried liver or meat for treats. You can make your own or buy treats. The turkey Bravo training treats or Pure Bites chicken would be best for you at this stage. Or you could make your own chicken treats... I actually have been using hot dogs the past week or so because buying decent treats is expensive and I don't have time to dehydrate the volume of treats I need to train three dogs every day.

I would not be giving her any liver three days in!!!! Stab the chicken quarter and poke her meds in the hole! Its super easy and she won't even notice it.

Sounds like she knows how to work you guys. You guys need to toughen up and resist the cute stare for a while.... she doesn't need to get whatever she wants. These dogs will take it about 50 miles if you given an inch. That doesn't mean you can't spoil your dogs, mine are pretty gd spoiled, but they earn everything they get, (even if its just a sit!) and they don't dictate when I get out the treats. Dogs thrive on structure, especially intelligent northern breeds, give her some and be her leader instead of her slave....

 

[PWCorgi]

When Frodo eats PMR...

He eats on a towel. Of he takes it off the towel, I take it away. They learn pretty fast to keep it on the towel obviously don't do this with resource guardy dogs. And there are certain things like turkey necks that Frodo will guard from me so those are ony fed outside.

I feed once a day because he eats so little that it is hard to find things that are worth the hassle to feed twice a day. If he were larger I would feed twice a day.

Treats, I use pure bites whitefish, Stella and chewy freeze dried, boiled chicken, etc.

 

[jenv101]

I agree with everything that has been said. Mine eat out of bowls, or on towels, occassionally in their crates. I prefer to feed outside but only in good weather so that's out right now. Mine have never tried to bury their food though lol I don't clean floors or bowls very often, for counters and such I use a vinegar/water 50/50 solution.

I like chopping up chicken hearts and baking on low until they are dehydrated for treats. I also use freeze dried stuff as well.

I'd stick to 1 to 1.5 lbs a day as well - she may lose weight the first few weeks during the transition but don't worry - it will come back as soon as you get to the red meat category!

 

[Southpaw]

When Juno was on raw I had to hold her food for her. So I can't help with that question lol. She think everything should just be swallowed without chewing, so it was easier for everyone involved for me to spend the 2 minutes to hold it for her. Therefore there was no cleanup.

I did twice a day feedings. Before she was on raw she was eating 3x a day, but for me it was easier to do raw when she was cut back to 2 meals. Took her a couple days to adjust to the schedule change but she got it. Personally I don't like once a day feedings, I feel like that's too long to go between meals, but I guess it depends on the dog. Mine lives to eat.

Juno is 50 pounds and was getting about 20 ounces a day. If I gave her more than that, she got diarrhea. You just have to observe her and see if it's working--if she's maintaining a good weight and her poop looks good, you're on the right track.

I continued using regular commercial treats but I wasn't feeding a raw diet to solve a problem. For an allergy dog I would stick to making your own treats (baked liver, baked/boiled chicken, whatever) or buy freeze dried raw.

 

[PWCorgi]

Personally I don't like once a day feedings, I feel like that's too long to go between meals, but I guess it depends on the dog. Mine lives to eat.

I think people feeding once a day should definitely give the dog SOMETHING in the evening. When I do once a day he'll still get something small in the evening (chicken heart, some buscuits, bully stick, some canned, etc.), it was just too hard to find something small enough to feed twice a dog. Frodo only eats between 4-6 ounces a day

 

[Southpaw]

I think people feeding once a day should definitely give the dog SOMETHING in the evening. When I do once a day he'll still get something small in the evening (chicken heart, some buscuits, bully stick, some canned, etc.), it was just too hard to find something small enough to feed twice a dog. Frodo only eats between 4-6 ounces a day

True that. My guys get a bedtime cookie anyway after they get their teeth brushed.

And I suppose when your daily portions are already that small, if you split it in half he'd probably feel like he wasn't getting anything to eat lol.

 

[Panzerotti]

I feed in crates sometimes, or just loose anywhere inside. I usually feed RMB in the morning and before bed, and use her ration of meat (beef heart, chicken heart, ground beef, etc.) as training treats throughout the day. If I don't do a lot of training with food on a particular day, I give her her meat as a third meal throughout the day. I feed more often than some because Panzer tends to puke if she has an empty stomach.

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Thanks for all the advice! I thought freeze dried treats would be a good idea but I wasn't sure.

Glad to hear it doesn't seem like a huge deal to clean her crate afterwards, too.

Just wanted to touch on this,

Don't take this the wrong way, but Violet is pretty ahem, soft for a Sibe. Stick right at 1lb and see where it takes you. In the begining its especially important to stick to the lower end of their normal food intake because its such a big shift for the system.

Not taking it the wrong way but actually she's pretty thin right now. Not sure what you're basing it on, but I can easily feel her ribs (and even her backbone which i was worried about) when I pet her and she has really thick fur. My vet says shes at a good weight though so I want to keep her where she is, but I wouldnt say she's "soft" by any means. If you're saying she's overweight. Also I wouldn't say I'm "her slave". Again not sure what you're basing this on, I never said I give her free treats. She gets treats for doing as I ask(sitting at the door, going to her crate when I tell her, etc), and for using the bathroom outside.

 

[naturalfeddogs]

Wanted to ask a few questions to those who feed raw.

First, where/how do you feed them? We tried feeding her outside, but she kept burying it lol! So we've been feeding her in her crate, taking all her bedding out and putting it in with her. However, do I clean her crate every time she eats? She seems to be pretty clean with it and licks the bottom of the crate but is it unsafe not to disinfect the bottom of the crate? Especially when putting more raw food back onto the same surface? It seems...gross not to clean it lol! But it's annoying cleaning it twice a day. Which brings me to my next question...

Do you feed once or twice a day? We've been feeding her twice a day but I don't know which is better, really, or if it even matters.

Also, how much do you feed? Violet is 48lbs and we've been giving her a little over a pound a day probably more like a pound and a half (not really precisely measuring). I don't know if that's enough. It looks like it is but she seems hungry. Will it take a while to get used to it? She used to be free fed and get treats (cant have any treats now due to her allergies). Which brings me to my next question lol...

What treats do raw feeders give? She is having bad allergies that we are assuming at this point are food allergies (hoping at least that the raw diet will help) and is unable to have any treats really. I guess we could cut up some of her raw? Right now my moms giving her her medication with a teeny piece cut off of a chicken liver. Other than that she gets no treats and I can't even do any training with her. She thinks her fish oil pills are the best thing ever so we sparingly give her those as "treats" like when she gets up and goes to bed.

Any other tips? I'm crossing my fingers that this helps with her issues. She seems better but she's also taking Claritin, fish oil pills, and was taking steroids but is thankfully off of them. It's only been three days but I hope we see some progress in the weeks to come.

The crate is fine to feed in. Get a routine of a specific place for eating each day. You don't have to clean the crate after unless you want to. They tend to clean up themselves pretty well. How old is your dog? We feed our adults once daily, and puppies three times daily. As far as how much, I just keep an eye on their body condition and go from there. I don't weigh anything.

For treats, I usually give chicken feet or dehydrated chicken pieces I do at home in our dehydrater.

Ours love their fish oil also. I give it after a meal as a "desert".

How long have you been feeding raw? What are you feeding?

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

She is 14 months old and this is her 4th day on raw. She is having chicken backs and turkey necks. She has had no problems with this.

 

[WackyJacki]

When I first started I trained them to eat on large, plastic mats for easy clean up. However, with some brave (or stupid?) cats continually edging in closer, I decided it was safer to feed in their crates.

They do a good job of licking them clean, then I follow it up with a spritz of white vinegar immediately followed with a spritz of peroxide. Wipe clean with a paper towel and that's it. Easy, safe, effective. Once or twice a week I let the spray just sit and dry in there. Apparently the two are more effective if kept in separate bottles instead of combined, so that's what I do.

Because Fiona likes to occasionally use her front paws to hold down her food I also wipe her paws off with a bit of vinegar. The smell goes away after it dries.

I've been a raw feeder for a few years but meat really kind of disgusts me, so I try to keep it clean! lol

I feed once a day (evening) with a treat in the morning and training treats on those days, too. This works well for my dogs but that is something you'll figure out over time.

 

[naturalfeddogs]

When starting raw, I don't know if you know this or not, but in the beginning remove all skin and organ that is still on the chicken backs/quarters. When the body is adjusting these can cause digestive problems. Then gradually add them in. If you are are already feeding them still on and everything is going OK, then keep on. Its just something to watch out for. Cannonbutt is no fun to clean up!

 

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

I mostly feed ground/premade, but they do get RMBs/recreational bones. I put a giant sheet in the living room for Missy, since she moves around while she chews. If she takes it off the sheet, I just put it back on - she got the picture quickly. I just put a small towel down for Jack - he keeps it on the towel.

Generally a recreational bone is just "extra" (I don't count it as part of their daily food intake), but if I give them RMBs, I'll cut their supper by half, or skip it entirely.