Raw Diet

[My2Frenchies]

We're ready to make the switch to raw. I just got the booklet in the mail from BRAVO which I have read and I have ordered some other books online that have not arrived yet. We were on vacation last week and I hoped to do some reading on raw ...stopped in every book store I saw and couldn't find anything :(

Anyhow, I have a few (hundred!) questions...

I understand I have to switch gradually, starting with a mix of 25% raw for the first few days. Should I mix the raw and kibble together or serve separately? I understand they are not digested the same and that the dry will cause the raw food to not digest as quickly... :confused:

Are these brands all similar...BRAVO, BARF, Nature's Variety?
Nature's Variety seems to have the most retailers available in my area.

Are there any brands I should avoid?

Should I add digestive enzymes to the food as recommended?

Thanks for your help!
Laurie

[franp]

Ok, from my perspective.

Don't mix raw with kibble; you will end up with dogs and BAD BELLIES evilicon
When I changed it was from wet to raw.. If you feed kibble, there should be about an 8 hour interval..

Some people do it cold turkey. I did not , I do not think an adult dog tolerates a sudden switch as well as a pup. But that is my opinion.

Are all brands similar? Nope! I like Bravo cause you can get it without veggies. And when you have a dog with allergies, you need the ability to add or subtract at will. Also Bravo is much more cost efficient. Look in Omas(www.omaspride.com) they are near you as well.
I don't know of any brands not to use.

I add Prozyme and Urban Wolf to Dari's food..

Good luck!

[GigiMcKeehan]

My Gigi has been on B.A.R.F raw diet for six months now. She does very well, better in every way on this diet. I like the BARF because it does have all the veggies, eggs, fruits and is complete so I am not trying to figure out what to add to her diet. I buy the food in bulk and they are a frozen pattie, very convenient to use. I did switch her gradually from a wet food to this diet but I put my 2 yr. old Skye Terrier on it cold turkey with no problems.
I recommend the diet, good luck to you.
Deb

[My2Frenchies]

I have been anxious to get started on raw. I found several pet stores listed on the internet that I went to yesterday only to be told, "we don't carry that anymore". :( One store I went to had a brand I haven't read about and the food looked like it had freezer burn, so I passed. I was able to find some bones which I bought. When I came home, I scooped out the marrow (I think I read marrow should initially be given in small amounts?) and I gave Allie & Baxter their first raw bones. OMG!!! I discovered that a raw bone to a dog is equivalent to what I would feel if I won the lottery! As for myself, I literally gagged and had to do all I could to keep from getting ill! I have a lump in my throat just thinking about it as I write. :eek: I'm sure I'll get over it in time...

I finally found a store near me today that sells Oma's Pride. :) I have it out, not to thaw, but just to get it to a point where I can cut it into portions. I bought chicken & vegetable and chicken & bone and thought I'd alternate. Were these good choices to start with? I'm still waiting for the books I ordered so I'm kinda winging it. I gave more bones tonight (ughhhh!!!). Can they have a bone every day? Should food portions be decreased if they've had a meaty bone? So many questions!!! Hope my books arrive tomorrow!

Laurie

[franp]

The Oma's you bought are great to start with.. And a bone a day is fine.
RELAX ;) the dogs will be fine and so will you..

Finding the right amount of food is the most difficult part of feeding..Take it slow and let your dogs guide you..If they throw up or have diarhea ,just back off a little..

And remember ,we are here..

They will LOVE the food. Just feed a small amount at a time..

fran

[pamelay2000]

When switching to raw for a 4-5 month old, should anything be different than doing it with an adult dog? I think I remember someone saying ont he board that pups should have a complete protein diet at this point - what would one use?

[My2Frenchies]

Day 2 of raw: Allie and Baxter absolutely love their new food!!! appicon We're doing a gradual switch so they've been getting raw and kibble. When they find kibble in their bowls, they look at us like, "what the heck?!" and walk away. I've been following the recommended percentages of raw/dry, but I'm going to adjust the time frame to speed up the switch. We've had no problems with vomiting or diarrhea.

Kinda gross, but I have to share. Allie vomited last week a few hours after eating her kibble. She left THREE piles of kibble, all pieces intact but swollen to at least 5 times the actual size. Ughhhh!!! I couldn't believe that what was originally about 3/4 cup could become at least 4 cups! :eek: I could not believe that amount of food had been in her tiny belly! All apprehension of starting raw was gone at that moment!!!

[franp]

DO NOT MIX RAW AND KIBBLE!!!!!!!

Did I read your post wrong? Are you putting raw and kibble in the same bowl? If you are please don't.....

fran

[JERMAINE]

im interested in doing the switch for porkchop any advice which one to get him, bravos website has so many choices, which one do you think is ideal for him? turkey chicken beef? any advice is appreciated.
thanks

[gmacleod]

Best thing to do is start with something simple - with just one meat/bone in it. After feeding that for a while, then start trying other foods. Ideally, you'd like him to get a good variety of different meats and vegetables. But at the beginning, it is better to feed one thing at a time. Try him on chicken, later on turkey, then on beef, etc. Once you know he tolerates all meats well (or which ones to avoid if he has any issues with something), you can give him any mix or combination.

[My2Frenchies]

DO NOT MIX RAW AND KIBBLE!!!!!!!

Did I read your post wrong? Are you putting raw and kibble in the same bowl? If you are please don't.....

fran

I've started 25% raw/ 75% kibble, NOT mixed...separate feedings. I understand the two digest at different rates and should not be mixed...
Thanks :)

[franp]

I've started 25% raw/ 75% kibble, NOT mixed...separate feedings. I understand the two digest at different rates and should not be mixed...
Thanks :)
PHEW!!

Sometimes I hit submit tooooo fast... :o


fran

[JERMAINE]

porkchops vet recommended natures variety, i tried 3 pieces for him this morning and he just goobled them up i gave him some dry food like 20% first then gave him the raw one, he absolutely loved it and he was still licking his bowl something i havent seen him do, im uessing his loving this food its been 3 hours now since i fed him and no upset stomach or vomitting well go for a walk after brunch and then see if he will be consistent on his Bowel movement. appicon

[My2Frenchies]

It has been a couple days since we've finished our gradual switch to raw. My dogs devour their food now as if they know it's their last meal! I know they're getting enough food, but they seem to still be hungry after eating. Do they just not feel as full as they did when they had kibble expanding in their stomachs and need time to adjust to the change? Have others experienced this?

[pamelay2000]

Definitely. Butters has been on the Nature's Variety raw diet for one week now and devours his food. He's more anticipatory of his meal and tends to sniff around and wait for more patties to be put in his bowl. We are feeding him 1 patty = 8 oz mixed in with 2-3 Tbs canned squash because his stools are hard and sometimes he is straining to make a BM. But, yeah, he really really loves his food and seems even hungrier than before!