# Starting a puppy on raw diet



## Wolfy007 (Mar 20, 2008)

Hello everyone,

Yesterday we brought home a 7 ½ week old solid black GSD puppy (he is now 16 lbs.)








We made a decision that he will be raw fed from day one (in the past I converted two GSDs to raw)
Few days before we brought Ace home we bought a bunch of chicken necks/wings and grinded them.
My question is how much to feed?
How long should I keep him on just chicken before introducing other meats and supplements (and which ones)?
So far he loves his chicken and there are no stomach issues.

Thank You in advance for all your input


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## tracyc (Feb 23, 2005)

What a handsome pup! 

I'm going through this exact issue right now with a 13-week old. 

Chicken is ideal as a first raw food, and it's a good sign that you're not having any issues so far. So congrats! 

A breed-standard size GSD will eat approximately 2 pounds of food a day, regardless of age (puppies need far more food as a percentage of body size than adults). 

The amount is calculated at 2-3% of the dog's ideal adult weight. 

That's just a "guesstimate" because every dog has a different activity level and metabolism---but that should get you pretty close. Just watch the pup to make sure he doesn't look either too fat or too thin. 

I'd divide that amount into 3 feedings of 10 oz. each for now... then reduce it to 2 feedings of 16 oz. each in a month or two. 

Chicken only for a week should do it. If all is well, than add one new protein--say, turkey, or pork, or whatever. Then do chicken and the new thing together for a week. Then add one more. And continue adding things like that weekly until you build up a repertoire of many different foods. What you're watching for is any of these new foods that doesn't agree with the pup---causes runs, vomit, itching, etc. If you add one at a time, then you'll know which ingredient was the culprit. 

Along the way, you might add eggs which are easily tolerated by most dogs. Many of us also supplement raw diets with any of various oils (salmon body oil, olive oil, flax oil), plain yogurt, and small amounts of pureed or frozen veggies. 

If you want to continue grinding food, that's okay. But many dogs really enjoy the chewing they get to do with a raw diet---it's great for building jaw muscles, helping ears to stand, and is great for teething pups. At this age, he can handle chicken bones with no problem.


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## GSDTrain (Apr 21, 2008)

I agree with Tracy.
He is one handsome looking pup!


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## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

You know Tracy... while reading your post I couldn't help but think this is just the same thing we do with our skin kids when introducing them to solids. Start with one simple non allergenic food and add a one ingredient at a time to make sure they have no allergies. It really shouldn't be any different with our pups as you never know what they may be allergic to.


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## tracyc (Feb 23, 2005)

You're right, Danielle. Feeding a puppy/dog isn't any different, in theory or practice, than feeding a human child. The appropriate foods are different, obviously---just because something is healthy for a human doesn't mean it is for a dog. But the basics are the same: feed foods that are whole, unprocessed, species-appropriate, and in abundant variety. In appropriate meal sizes to maintain a healthy weight. 

Good nutrition isn't something that you can do once and forget about it---it's cumulative. It's also not something you can screw up in one or two meals. Neither a dog nor a kid has to get 100% of every possible nutrient every day, in every meal. As long as they are eating a variety of the foods nature designed them to eat, they'll get what they need.*

*but a multivitamin tablet never hurt anyone.


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Luca_stl
> a multivitamin tablet never hurt anyone.


Or rather (or in addition to) a multimineral tablet. All the deficiencies I find and supplement for are minerals- not vitamins.


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## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: natalie559
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: Luca_stl
> ...



ARGH!







You are making me go nuts! Multimineral tablets? Oh please explain.


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## tracyc (Feb 23, 2005)

Nutritional minerals like zinc, iron, copper, etc. 

Many "multivitamin" tablets will contain both vitamins and minerals. Look for one that is marked "multivitamin/multimineral" supplement.


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: KCandMace Multimineral tablets? Oh please explain.


LOL!









Not all diets need either- they aren't requirements to raw feeding by any means. Tracy was just saying you can play it safe so to speak with a multivitamin. 

I think that most of the foods we feed are plentiful in vitamins (especially if you feed red meats/beef), but sometimes lack in minerals. My own dogs need zinc, iodine, manganese and magnesium supplemented (they come close to needing potassium).

Just a thought because we are all so trained to think vitamins, vitamins when minerals are very important and often overlooked.


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

Beautiful pup Wolfy!


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