# how to introduce raw feeding



## mg2012 (Dec 28, 2012)

Hi all,

Lola is now 13 weeks and had her second jabs all ok so I've decided to now introduce raw food. I've bought nutriment raw to start off with. I just need some advice on how to introduce it, do I just put her straight on it three meals a day or a bit at each meal. I'd read somewhere that you shouldn't mix their dried food with raw. Any help please would be great.

Thanks
Maria g


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I also have heard that it is not a good idea to mix each feed with raw and kibble... 
If I was you I'd try replacing one meal at a time - start with breakfast and I'd then do 3 days before introducing raw breakfast and lunch, then another 3 or so days before making each meal raw. Keep your left over kibble - it makes good training treats.
When I was changing Dot over she had some probiotic powder from the vets and I know that Natural Instinct have a probiotic paste of their website... I don't think it is essential, but if Lola ends up with an upset stomach during the change over it might help.
Good luck.


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## Critterluvr (Dec 8, 2013)

When I switched my puppy to raw I pretty much did it cold turkey.
I started with chicken, at first I gave him a chicken wing just to see how he would manage with it. (Seemed weird and scarey at first!). He did just fine.

You could start by giving one meal, such as breakfast, with just meaty bones....like a wing or a neck. Then continue the rest with kibble. This may make the transition easier for YOU, peace of mind knowing that your dog quite easily can manage raw food....believe me they LOVE it!!

My dogs are larger so they get chicken carcass in the morning, then a ground meat/veggie mix at night. I give them approx. 2 percent of their body weight total, split up between their 2 meals.
Where I live chicken seems to be the easiest to get, both ground and bones. 
I do try to add other organs (beef) and tripe in as much as I can. Salmon too when it's reasonably priced.


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## mg2012 (Dec 28, 2012)

Ok thanks I've got the pack out to defrost so I'll try a portion for breakfast tomorrow and see how that impacts you'd think as its their natural diet you wouldn't get any trouble! With the amount I feed Lola three times a day at the moment and it says 2-3% of ideal body weight does that mean their adult weight and how can I guess that at this stage she appears average size to me. And I'd that 2-3% split between the three meals??

Thanks

Maria g


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Check what it says on the nutriment packaging and use it as a guideline.
Puppies need more percentage wise than adults 5-6%of their actual body weight split over their 3 meals. Dot had a bit more- she was a skinny wee thing


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

I changed Fergus straight onto puppy Nutriment. He was soo interested in what Wilf and Mable were eating and he was slightly loose on kibble so just swapped him over he was fine and never looked back. 
Yeh Marzi is right don't mix kibble and raw in the same meal and 5-6 % of puppies weight, the 2-3 % is adult weight x


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

I did a straight swap. No probs!


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

I did a straight swap. Again, no problems. Think their guts are relieved to get the real deal. Don't need to filter out all the rubbish!


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

I have had to stop using raw food after only 2 weeks of using nutriment. I also started giving Peanut raw chicken wings and she had a bone stuck in her stomach for 2 days. She ended up vomiting, foaming and she had to me monitored at the vet surgery overnight as we had to wait to see if she would pass the bone. 

3 different vets and various nurses told us to stop using raw food as the quality of the available products in the UK is not good enough. They also commented on the dogs that they keep treating daily due to using raw. So, we took the decision to go back to high quality soft food. 

If anyone is in North London and wants about £30 worth of nutriment various flavours for free, send me a message. Otherwise I will give them to a charity. 

It is just my personal experience, so I am not suggesting that anybody should stop too.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Poor Peanut. 
Poor you. 
The whole raw thing is a minefield of differing opinions and everyone should speak out about their own experiences.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Glad peanut was ok. I must admit I am a little dubious about chicken wings as apart from the small bones and high chance of them being gobbled down in large pieces, I have also been told that a diet high in chicken (wings) contains too much phosphorous and causes kidney damage. I now do feed raw ( NI) but steer clear of wings of any sort. Weller has spines and ribs as an occasional treat but mainly has his ready mixed complete raw food.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Ps. Where abouts are you as I'm sure Weller would love the Nutriment.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Could you tell me where you got that info from Karen or who told you?


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

It was the manager of my local pet food supermarket. She is very knowledgeable and has visited the factory premises of most of the brands of food they stock. She's all for raw but not for wings.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

All the pet shops I have bought from have told me not to feed raw chicken wings to my dogs and I suspect that's because they want me to buy their pet food. Lots of us feed raw wings every day to our dogs and nothing yet has convinced me it's wrong. But I am always open to new facts and opinions.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

I am also suspicious of marketing motives usually but in this case the store stocks every brand of kibble, canned food, wet food and raw food so she really has nothing to gain. It's something that has just stuck in my head. I know lots of people feed wings with no issues.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Mine get one raw wing a day each. Not had any problems to date. They both enjoy their food. Their teeth are lovely and white, their coats are glossy and they are happy, healthy dogs. My vet whom I have known for years actually told her veterinary nurse ( when the nurse started to protest at the raw feeding regime) that raw feeding is the best way to feed a dog. I would never, ever go back to kibble or anything that I haven't prepared myself. As for quality....if it's fit for humans.......


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

But I'm guessing the store doesn't sell raw chicken wings so the store does actually have something to gain if the manager is saying its dangerous. That's my point really. I have researched feeding raw till I'm practically blue in the face and I have never heard that before.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

They do sell chicken wings. I would struggle to find something they don't sell.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

My understanding was that some people rely heavily on wings as they are cheap and filling, so perhaps some owners would be tempted to substitute a full daily serving of complete raw feed with wings, therefore the dog is not getting the correct balanced diet. Resulting in high phosphorous levels.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Could you tell me the name of the pet store then please I haven't found one that sells raw chicken wings I have to go to Tescos for mine! Mine do get wings every day like Cat for their tea. 
,


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

http://www.partnerspets.com/shop.html
Their website is being upgraded at the moment but I'm sure they will be happy to speak to you by telephone if you wish. I can't remember her name but just ask for the lady manager.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Thanks I am only interested in buying wings not talking to the manager although if she thinks that people who feed wings are doing it because they are cheap and filling she would be wrong, people do it because they prefer it to kibble and because they think its best for their dogs. After all it's far easier to pour out a bowlful of kibble! 
I would also think that a chicken wing has a good balance of calcium and phosphorous.


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## Peanut (Dec 1, 2013)

wellerfeller said:


> Ps. Where abouts are you as I'm sure Weller would love the Nutriment.


I am in Winchmore Hill. Feel free to let me know if you want them and we can arrange it from September 14th. Closest tube is Cockfosters. I see you are in Hertfordshire so it should be easy for you...


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

The balance of a chicken wing is 1:1 which is the ideal for feeding to your dogs. However, for a perfectly balanced meal, that gives your dog everything it needs then green tripe is the way to go.


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## Critterluvr (Dec 8, 2013)

I think wings would be just fine as long as your dog is actually chewing them up and not just wolfing them down whole. (Personally I think backs and necks would be more suitable, and you can usually get these pretty darn cheap). Also, wings should not be fed exclusively, they are not meaty enough. If you are feeding them they should be a small percentage of your dog's total diet - you need give them a good meat source as well plus a variety of other stuff such as organs, fruits, veggies etc. Tripe is great, incredibly stinky but boy do they love it!
As I said earlier, for brekky I give them parts of chicken carcass, then for supper I make up a mix which contains ground chicken, ground veggies and a small portion of organs - sometimes beef liver, sometimes heart or kidneys...just whatever. Once or twice a week I'll throw an egg or two on their dinner as well.

For example, my Goldendoodle weighs 45 lbs., for breakfast she gets a chicken back that weighs about half a pound. Then for dins she gets a good half pound of ground meat mixture. That's approx 2 percent of her body weight.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

A raw diet should have more calcium than phosphorous, the calcium comes from the bone and the phosphorous the meat, at a ratio of 1.2/1.5 :1 . An average chicken wing is 45% bone and a neck 75% ...but that really is an average as the wings I use vary greatly in size. 
I'd advocate holding the wing for a new raw feeder until they get used to eating the bone.....or still hold them like me as even though I'm an avid raw feeder I'm a neurotic wuss. 
Jolleys pet shop sell wings, but I've never bought them from there x


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Since starting my two on Nutriment I have fed less wings etc. I am happy that they are getting what they need and I've seen an improvement all round including poops, coat, teeth. I like to give my girls big bones for recreational use and my butcher is happy to give these away. Having said all of that, we've never had a problem with wings. They seem to eat them slowly and break them down really well. 

I think there is a lot of conflicting information and I can see where the vets come from when they see the day and daily issues but I don't think a complete raw ground food is harmful. Obviously with some bones and some dogs there may be risks. I don't think we can ignore all of the problems associated with low quality processed food - dental issues, diabetes, kidney problems, gastro problems, allergies etc. 

There is a wealth of info out there and unless a vet has a particular interest in nutrition they won't have all the answers or informed impartial evidence based information to give to dog owners. 

I'm so glad peanut is okay.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Yes mine eat green tripe quite often and love their fruit and veggies as well. As for choking- my new vet who is rare for a vet a keen raw feeder told me that in his experience more dogs choke on kibble than chicken wings which is an interesting thought! He also reckons the chewing and tearing on a chicken wing is very good for keeping teeth and gums healthy, something he is very keen on.


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