# raw for itty bitty guys?



## tnwlkr (Oct 17, 2002)

I know this is a GSD site, but you guys have the BEST information here. Can anyone tell me what kind of raw (mainly the bone isse) would be acceptable for a little teeny dog, like one that is around 4 lbs.? He is a toy rat terrier (looks like chihuahuas). thank you


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

With regard to RMB, my beagle, whom I brought when she was a whopping 5 lb puppy, ate turkey necks for her RMB. She graduated to chicken wings pretty fast. Then as she got a bit bigger (and sassier), she'd snag a chicken drumstick that my GSD didn't finish for his dinner. Now, she weighs 15 lbs and has all of her adult teeth. She likes to chew on a pork or lamb neck or (very rarely) beef rib as a recreation bone.

With regard to muscle meat, she eats the same as my GSD, just tiny amounts. He eats 3.5 lbs. She eats just under 0.5 lbs (based on her adult weight). That's chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, bison, fish, etc. 

And I feed raw egg, veggies and a bit of dairy too, which is how I do my raw diet.

Everything is exactly the same. Just smaller amounts.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

My Chinese Crested was about 3 lbs when I got her. I used the premade. Now she can do chicken necks and wings and that's about it. Anything else ends up being more of a recreational bone - takes her so long to eat it!

So I use mostly the premades for her with a once or twice a week whole RMB.

Another thought - what about whole mice or pinkies (baby rabbits)? You can usually order those online (check out Mice on Ice).


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

Chinese cresteds must not have the voracious appetites of beagles!









Then again, who does?


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

you can order the whole mice, rats, guinea pigs etc from rodentpro.com

I feed my cats and my foster dogs raw as well as the GSDs. I foster Italian Greyhounds, and right now I have a chi/rat terrier foster thats probably around 4 lbs. He eats raw like a pro! In fact he often runs off with big pieces from the big guys. I feed in the yard a lot since theres no cleanup, and I have to feed him separately or he'll run up to my big guys and grab chunks to run off with. Most chicken is fine, cornish hen, fish. I'll give muscle meat from big prey like beef and balance it out with bones from small prey or ground up egg shells a lot. There's much more but suddenly the light in my brain went out, so I'll come back later


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## tnwlkr (Oct 17, 2002)

Thank you. I dont think I can do mice or rats. More because I am terrified of them than because he wouldnt eat it. I cant even look at them, dead or alive. I know it's dumb but... 

So would crushed egg shells deliver the same as bone? or what about bonemeal? I could try the neck bone and see how that would work. 

I havent done raw since I moved to TN because you cant find anything very reasonable like you can in MI (slaughter houses are not allowed to sell anything like they will in MI ie: recreational bones or chicken backs etc) but now that dog food is going so high, it may be just as economical as trying to find good food since my pet store closed down.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Thats not dumb, most people have some sort of phobia! And the definition is an unreasonable fear. I used to be very arachniphobic, I couldn't even look at a picture of them. 

Have you thought about ordering? If you have a big freezer it can be worth it in bulk. I've purchased from K9's naturally, they ship all over in the winter. I get most of my meat from the grocery store. Again its the bulk that helps. When I see whole chickens on sale for 99c/lb I'll buy everything they have left. Pork ribs of 10lb boxes for 10 bucks? How many boxes ya got? lol. I get some funny looks from the checkout lady sometimes buying stuff like vegetarian meals at the same time as a cart full of meat.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Crushed egg shells only have calcium - bonemeal has both calcium & phosphorus.

Check Yahoogroups to see if there is a raw feeding group in your area. They will know the best places to buy from.


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## The Stig (Oct 11, 2007)

Well you can try frozen pinkies, or even fuzzies, to see if your dog would take to them. They are baby mice, about the size of, say, a pistachio. Any store that sells reptiles would carry them, and they are relatively cheap. That might help you get over the ick-factor and perhaps transition to bigger rodents. 

I used to thaw them out in very warm water for my snake. Do not nuke them in the microwave, that is the rule of thumb. 

It's a suggestion. Besides, it's bad-a$$ feeding WPM.









Or you can invest in a grinder. Grind the RMBs and chunk the muscle meat, so your small dog is still working his jaws for his food. I did that for my cat when we had freezer space for his food. 

Hope that is useful. Good luck!


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## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

TN walker,

There is a tripe, RMB and beef blend contact in Murf. 

We get the trip, pre-ground, in 5 lbs packages. Easier to deal with.

Here is her contact: [email protected] 

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=771493&page=0#Post771493
Here is the link when I 1st posted.


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