# Alleviate my fears!



## Johnnycat (Jul 11, 2015)

Okay, forum friends - reassure me here. 

My 15-week-old GSD is a skinny puppy and a picky eater. With kibble he may eat a few bites but not terribly interested. With canned food (Science Diet) he slowly eats it but doesn't attack it. I'm not worried about his health because I know he eats when he wants and he is playful and growing. No parasites last visit to the vet, either. 

So...I've looked into raw. It just makes sense to me. I decided to give it a try. I got some chicken drumsticks, pork neck bones, and ground beef just to try out. I know I need a much more balanced diet if we're doing this going forward - this was just a test. 

Amazingly (to me) - he ate the ground beef with gusto. Then licked the chicken leg several times and tried to figure out what it was for before finally chewing on it for 30 minutes. He finally broke it down and ate it all. 

Then he took the port neck and buried it! 

I got pork neck bone out, washed it off, and gave it to him in the kitchen. Currently he's working on it and seems content. 

Now, those chicken bones looked awful sharp. Please reassure me that I didn't just shred his intestines!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Why don't you buy a commercial raw until you get the balanced diet figured out?


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## Amshru (Aug 7, 2015)

Elva is a couple of weeks older, born 19 May. I've always liked the idea of feeding raw, but I was a bit scared... perhaps like you? With the enthusiastic participation of my butcher, I started added raw toppings to her kibble. (I'm in the UK and using Pets at Home Evolution Naturally Evolution Puppy Food Chicken with Turkey and Fish 1.5kg | Pets At Home).

Today she had the kibble with scrambled egg for breakfast, a raw lamb shank for lunch and kibble with raw heart topping for dinner. She's chomping down on raw marrow bones in between and seems happier than ever.

I totally understand why it's scary though. We're conditioned to believe canned dog food is the "best we can do for our pets".


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

IMO pork neck might be to hard for a 15 weeks old puppy with baby teeth. Others will correct me if I'm wrong. 

NO the chicken bones aren't too sharp. That said: I would start with parts with smaller bones. Like necks or chicken frames or breast. Then move up to leg quarters when you know for sure pup can adequately chew the bones. 

Also, it is best to start with a single protein and continue with it for a week or two before you add a new protein to the diet to avoid digestive upset/diarrhea. 

There is an entire sub forum here dedicated to raw feeding. Lots of good information. I would start doing your research before jumping into full on raw feeding.

Some dogs like to bury (marinate) their meaty bones. He may also have been trying to tell he was full. 

Word of caution. Careful not to over feed per meal...doesn't end well, usually.

Raw feeding is great. But it has to be done correctly. Especially with a growing pup. Good luck and keep asking questions when in doubt.


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