# How to start raw? Cold turkey or gradually?



## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

I would like to take your advice on how to start giving my 13 month old German Shepherd a balanced raw diet. He is 90 lbs and lately he was eating cooked chicken and a 1 or 2 raw chicken wings also I was giving him raw beef bones to chew on, When we got him we were told by the breeder to feed him raw ground beef with kibbles. So we did that for a long time untill he stopped eating for a few days and that was the reason we gave him cooked chicken. My question is how to start giving him raw, would it be cold turkey or give him cooked chicken one meal and then the next raw? or would that make him not wanting to eat raw? Also what is a balanced meal of your dog's daily routine? Do you put everything together? Thank you so much and sorry for the long message.


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## cci058 (Nov 18, 2011)

When we made the switch, it was cold turkey and we never looked back. Its not a good idea to mix kibble with raw, they digest at different rates. We feed prey model, a mix of meat, bone and organs only.


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## Pax8 (Apr 8, 2014)

I fasted mine for 24 hours then switched cold turkey.


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## PoukieBear (Mar 25, 2014)

You always want to make the switch cold turkey.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I switched cold turkey.

Good articles on this site:
Welcome to the Raw Dog Ranch


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## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

So to update you, I took your advice and gave him a chicken leg back attached, first he sniffed it and was surprised. He looked at me and started licking it. Then took it out of the bowl and on the floor. Went back licked the bowl and back to the chicken on the floor. Licked it, then started eating. Then took the chicken to a different spot and started eating again. It was completely finished.


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

AWESOME ... now, your next step is going to be training him to eat it ONE spot only! i.e. a towel on the floor or a mat or something ... or at least in ONE spot on the floor that is easy to clean up. 

I'm so NOT a germaphobe at all, and am pretty lackadaisical about feeding raw and all the fears that a lot of people have (e. coli, salmonella, etc.) I mean, I wipe it up, but I'm not disinfecting everything ever single time ... 

BUT, you don't want your dog carting his dinner all over the house ... and if you don't teach them from the get go that you eat HERE and ONLY HERE, you might end up with a wandering dog ... and it's messy! Or the dog might "bury" his supper somewhere and you won't find it right away. 

If I'm not reminding Ky to eat her bones on her "bed" she likes to bury her them in the couch, on my bed ... I've actually let her wander a couple of times to see where they would end up ... pretty icky! The last thing I would want to do at night is climb into bed and put my head next to a bloody raw meaty bone!


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## nivonice (Dec 3, 2014)

Thanks alot for your advice. I normally sit with him till he eats the last bit of food, so no hiding food or at least yet hahahh. I also feed him in the basement which is all made of tiles so it is easier to clean, but he won't give me a chance to clean, he does that and licks the floor.


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