Right!! I'm going to do raw

[AustinsMumma]

But I'm a simpleton


Bones? Yes?
Age? 8 mths, yes?
Best things to start on? hmmm?
Will the vet tell me off? Is it 'acceptable'?

Auz is so bored with his food, I think he needs something more natural and tasty
?

J x

[Ben]

Exciting.

My recommendations are....nurturingbynature, natural instinct and pawspantry.

I would start off with chicken wings from the supermarket, then work upto butchers bones.

Always supervise when eating bones and never feed cooked.

[AustinsMumma]

Do dogs thrive on this diet though?
I can't see definitive evidence either way?

And chicken bones? Don't they splinter?
Or is that just when they are cooked?

Gosh, it's all very complicated

[Doodle Dee]

Just saying - I decided to feed Lulu raw as she didn't eat well - ordered a starter pack, got chicken wings.....................

Ended up giving chicken wings away and cooking the food in the microwave as she didn't eat raw...........

Not even the marrow bones

Weird or not.....................

She is fed Natures Diet now and seems to like it thank goodness.

By the way on Thursday there is a programme on at 9pm regarding food that goes into your dog food.

[AustinsMumma]

I'm thinking of starting off with some chicken and raw veg mixed in? Is this right?
Then introduce something with small bones, like wings??

Are there any vitamin powders etc I should add or is this not necessary?

J x

[minkersmum]

I have experimented with raw too. I also found Jack wasn't overly keen on the raw. When it comes to chicken he definitely prefers his cooked!

He does like a big bone, likes to nurse the marrow out, but honestly when I first gave him a chicken wing I thought he would LOVE it but he just licked it gingerly

[suebedo]

Ended up giving chicken wings away

And Fozzie and Florence will love you forever Dee

I started with Nurturing by Nature - they are very helpful on the phone and will help you through the first few weeks when it's really scary. They are a bit pricey though.

We now feed a mixture of stuff from the butchers (chicken carcasses are really cheap from our butcher), from our local raw meat supplier and the supermarket. You don't need veg or fruit but our two love an apple - it's a real treat for them. When my great nephews come round I have to be really careful when they ask for an apple as they will be stared at by the pooches until they give it up

We started Fozzie on raw as he really didn't like kibble. I suspect if we tried him on kibble now he would eat it happily but they both enjoy their food and look to be in good condition. They are at an ideal weight for their size which is a miracle in my house as we are all (cats included) on the larger than expected side of "ideal"

[elmo75]

Jo,
There is a really good post in the nutrition section on the topics list that explains raw feeding in detail. Let us know how u get on!
Ellie & Bronte xxx

[AustinsMumma]

Sorry, I can't find it???

[elmo75]

Scroll down to the bottom of the food and nutrition section and it's called: so u want to feed raw? (I think) There's also one about feeding puppies raw.
E x

[AustinsMumma]

No, sorry
I think Im confused
I'm in feeding and nutrition and can't see it

edit: I searched for it and found it! (keeping a separate page open so I dont lose it)!

[elmo75]

I've just commented on it so now it should be on the recent posts if u refresh ur page xx

[Bid]

These are the threads ...

http://www.labradoodle.org.uk/forum/vie ... 30&t=29578

http://www.labradoodle.org.uk/forum/vie ... 30&t=29579

There are different ways of feeding raw. There are the pre-prepared complete meals such as those sold by Nutriment ... http://www.nutriment.co/dog-food/, or there is the DIY approach, where you buy minces and add bits and bobs to make a complete diet - this is what Nurturing by Nature help with. A lot of people will start with the complete raw food, and then work around to making their own combinations.

Yes - they can get all they need from a raw diet, and you can also make sure they don't have all the things they don't need that is added to dry food!

[Gracie's mums]

Hi Jo

We took the plunge of New Years Day!

We started with Nurturing my Nature, I agree with the pricey! But I think that's because bone wasn't introduced in their plan until week 3. I will be swapping when stocks have run down. They said about gradually introducing it over a few days, but tbh on the first day when we got the kibble meal, she was loving the mince so much we just went the whole hog. Starting with chicken as it's the gentlest on the tummy then after a week introducing other things one at a time. We didn't exactly follow those rules..we got over excited.

Bones still scare me, I've noticed that when Gracie has a chicken carcass for tea there is less poo...don't know why! Stood for an hour and a quarter until gone midnight last night trying to get her to 'go poo' so I'm not woken at death o clock. She really didn't need it and lasted until 7am .

Austin will love you for it. I had my brother tell me this weekend that all they need is a cheap basic biscuit because meat is too rich and they need the fibre the same way we do ( has two working dogs, I want to go sneak them in a RMB! Poor babies ). My grandad then told me I was playing with fire re the chicken and salmonella/splintering bones. Told me to go back to him in a year for an 'I told you so'. I haven't broached the vet, but in the end it's my dog and I don't need anyone's permission. But with the family I haven't bothered arguing, I know she looks good and isn't crazy and hyper active....we'll not all the time

Be brave, the support on here is amazing! Bid has put in one post about detox. I don't think it is mentioned enough. Gracie still gets quite a bit of eye bogies after sleeping/chewing and was super itchy for a while. I have noticed she tends to regurgitate now if she has eaten too quickly, which she didn't do on kibble, but she eats it again and seems fine after. Just wish she wouldn't do it on my shag pile rug

Becky xxx

[AustinsMumma]

Thanks very much all! I have read and re-read that topic numerous times, and have some good ideas
It sounds very exciting, and I'm sure Auz will love it as he is very bored eating the same junky kibble day after day after......

He had a raw egg for breakfast and loved it!
Going to the next town this afternoon so will have a peek in the butchers and see what necks etc they do

Do you think calcium powder is needed or not? Will wings now and then be enough?

J x