# Raw switch this weekend



## mrezkill (Apr 9, 2010)

Ok, so I'm planning on starting the Raw diet this weekend and just want to make sure I have at least the basics down, for now.

I know which meats to do and the percentages, but other than just the 50%, 45%, 5% of meat (chicken at first), is there anything I need to feed before switching?

Like, he'll get an egg 3 times a week, but the supplements and tripe and digestive enzymes, etc... are all just too confusing for a beginner like me lol. Everyone has different opinions on them and I just want to know if it's something to worry about at the beginning.

Thanks!


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

Since your dogs is still a (somewhat) growing puppy I would use 3-4% of their current weight to calculate the amounts to feed each day. If the dog gets loose stools then you want to cut back the amounts a bit.

Unless your dog has any existing health issues I wouldn't worry about all the 'other stuff' in the beginning.

I would start with JUST the RMBs, MM and OM (skip the eggs for now) from one protein source until he's been on the diet for a couple weeks. Then you can add a new protein source and toss in an egg or two each week.

It's better to start slow and build gradually that to try throwing everything in the mix in the beginning.

If it makes you feel better you could add a basic multi-vitamin to the dogs meals. I like the B-Naturals products.


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## mrezkill (Apr 9, 2010)

Thanks! That is extremely helpful. I've been going crazy trying to read as much on going Raw as I could for a while now, so this is perfect 

He's gotten diarrhea from liver snacks before, so I'm a little worried about that. Still, I'm excited to get him started on Raw! Thanks again for your help!


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## mrezkill (Apr 9, 2010)

I have another question, do you put it all in the bowl at once? Does it matter what order he eats it?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I give the dogs their RMB's first(outside) and then they have the musclemeat/organmeat along with anything else I give them(vitamin supplements, yogurt, eggs,green tripe) in their bowl. Otherwise Kacie and Onyx take the bones and go away from the bowl to eat. 
Karlo just woofs his down whereever he is and will go to another vacated bowl for more
If you are feeding in a crate, then give all together, it doesn't matter the order.


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

mrezkill said:


> I have another question, do you put it all in the bowl at once? Does it matter what order he eats it?


No, it really doesn't matter what you feed when. 

My guys get thier RMBs in the am because they are less active during the day (while I'm at work).


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## mrezkill (Apr 9, 2010)

Lauri & The Gang said:


> No, it really doesn't matter what you feed when.
> 
> My guys get thier RMBs in the am because they are less active during the day (while I'm at work).


oh so you split up their meals? I wasn't sure how I'd go about doing that so I was just going to do one meal a day. Do you have a preference?


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## mrezkill (Apr 9, 2010)

onyx'girl said:


> I give the dogs their RMB's first(outside) and then they have the musclemeat/organmeat along with anything else I give them(vitamin supplements, yogurt, eggs,green tripe) in their bowl. Otherwise Kacie and Onyx take the bones and go away from the bowl to eat.
> Karlo just woofs his down whereever he is and will go to another vacated bowl for more
> If you are feeding in a crate, then give all together, it doesn't matter the order.


we're going to attempt crate feeding until we know he won't run off with a chicken leg somewhere lol.


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

mrezkill said:


> oh so you split up their meals? I wasn't sure how I'd go about doing that so I was just going to do one meal a day. Do you have a preference?


I prefer to feed twice a day just so that my guys aren't sitting there with a huge lump of food in their stomach. It also helps avoid the ETUs - Empty Tummy Urps (where they puke bile).




mrezkill said:


> we're going to attempt crate feeding until we know he won't run off with a chicken leg somewhere lol.


It's a simple training issue. Just stay by them as they eat and if they try to take something away from the bowl say *ACK/NO* and move them back to the bowl. You can put a leash on them to help keep control of them.


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## mrezkill (Apr 9, 2010)

Lauri & The Gang said:


> I prefer to feed twice a day just so that my guys aren't sitting there with a huge lump of food in their stomach. It also helps avoid the ETUs - Empty Tummy Urps (where they puke bile).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So I gave him the RMB this morning and it was interesting lol. The whole meal took him 30 min to finish - mostly because he wasnt sure what to do with it at first, which was cute haha. Thanks for the help!


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## mrezkill (Apr 9, 2010)

Just wanted to give an update, but didn't want to make a new thread 

Tater's first and second days' meals were so so. He was really confused about how to eat the chicken and took about 30 min to eat the RMB portions. His poops were pretty bad those first 2 days, very watery. I decided to feed him a little less food, cut the skin off the chicken, and have been giving him a spoonful of pumpkin after each meal and his poops are good now (once a day since the 3rd day of doing raw!). I'll stop the pumpkin after a week.

Since Monday, he's been insanely excited about his meal times! He used to get very excited for the Orijen, but now it's like ecstatic lol. Yesterday, he ate his MM in about a minute (or less!) so I am no longer cutting up the meat so that he chews it. He still licks the chicken like crazy before even attempting to bite at it. I gave all chicken necks the first day for RMB, but have been giving leg quarters since then. Chicken breast for MM. I'll start the OM once I know he can do this without pumpkin.

For a week's worth of meals (7 days), I spent $17. It would have been a less, but I forgot about a meat sale and bought slightly expensive chicken breast. I was amazed at how cheap it is! It's going to be less than buying Orijen and it's not that much work.

That's all. I just wanted to have it all down in case someone was wondering about how it went lol. Thanks for all your help with this! I can't believe I finally made the switch!


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