Raw Diet.

[moose is loose]

This is my first time posting in a forum, but i need help. I own two saint bernards and realy would like to switch them to the raw diet. Does anyone feed there dogs raw diet here, that could help me out. I have done a lot of research on the net, but i am still not sure how to do it. Oh also what about the supplements. which one's do you recomend.

[beeniesmom]

you could pm finnsmom. she gives finn a raw diet i think.

[AllAmericanPUP]

i feed 2 of my dogs a raw diet..cant say i'd be much help though lol i've only been doing it for about 2 weeks.

mine get one chicken leg quarter every day with one raw egg and plain yogurt. they get chicken liver about 2 maybe 3 times a week. they also get whatever else i pick up at the store like this week they got turkey necks everyday too.

[lv4dogs]

I feed my guys raw for dinner & kibble for breakfast. I was feeding raw all the time for about a month or so but my freezer space wouldn't agree with my pocket book. lol
My ferrets eat a LOT of raw & the cats eat about the same amount of raw as my dogs, every other meal or so.

You'll discover that everyones version of a raw diet is different, some feed veggies, some dont, some feed veggies but not with the meat, many don't feed any grains at all, some feed supplements some don't.
The possible ways & ingredients to feed raw seems never ending.
A lot of it depends on your dogs personal needs, what you are feeding your dogs & what your personal prefferences are.

Most believe that if you feed whole prey (the entire animal) you don't need to add anything to their diets at all.

When you do decide to switch switch cold turkey. Some say it is ok to feed kibble with raw (in the same meal) but most will disagree with that. I myself thinks it just depends on the dog but if you are unsure then I suggest just feeding one or the other.
Nanook & Raustyk can eat kibble & raw together & it doesn't phase him one bit. If I feed Kaige both together (only tried it a few times) but he vomits bile about 5 hours after a meal then.

Chicken is pretty easy on the digestive tract & most suggest when you first switch (especially if your dogs system is a little sensative) to feed just chicken or at least mainly chicken for the first 2-4 weeks. With a small amount of organs mixed in every 2-3 days. Gradually try other meats & a little more organs.
After a few weeks if you do decide to add veggies you can start to add them then as long as your dogs system is tollerating the raw all right. I personally think that if you can't feed whole prey that veggies should be fed too. I feed veggies about every other raw meal. If your dog is not too keen on veggies you may want to puree or blend them you can even add organ meat to the blender to make it more tasty to the dog.

Most will agree that if you do decide to add any supplements to the dogs diet that you wait 1-2 months before doing so.

I feed my dogs just about anything under the sun. Just remember to keep track of how your dogs system is handling the foods. But also keep in mind that since you are feeding different ingredients that their stools will not always look the same.

Some of the things that I feed:
Meats:
raw chicken, beef, veal, lamb, ox, deer, fish and other sea meats (shrimp, squid, scallops). I order whole prey from rodent pro, that includes quail, rabbit, mice, chicks. The only meats I limit are turkey & pork. They don't get too much of them, turkey because of the ingredient or whatever that causes sleepiness and pork because well pork is the dirtiest meat out there.

Veggies:
I don't feed my guys too many veggies I never feed them with give carbohydrates such as fruits & grains but I don't feed my guys any grains anyways.
I copied this from a web site as it sums up how I feed my veggies:
"10-20% of the diet can come from fruits and vegetables. These can be anything your dog will eat. Some dogs will eat raw carrots; others will only eat broccoli if it is steamed. Grating vegetables or putting them in a blender works for some dogs, but this is getting away from the simple concept. Frozen vegetables work. Avoid canned vegetables and fruits. Fruits should be very ripe- in the wild, the dog is most likely to eat the rotting apple that has fallen from the tree. Variety is also important for some fruits and vegetables. This is because certain fruits, like grapefruit, and certain vegetables, like spinach, can cause bladder stones in dogs that are predisposed to this problem. It is not harmful to feed these foods in small quantities from time to time. Avoid onions, grapes, and raisins, which have all been associated with toxicities in dogs and cats."

Supplements:
I only feed supplements because of health problems & what my breeder reccomends.
Nanook & Raustyk get the same supplements but Nanook gets more because he needs more.
MSN, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Vic C (from sodium ascorbate, NOT ascorbic acid) vit E and either missing link plus for joints or nupro with joint support).
Kaige only gets Vit C (again only from sodium ascorbate) and Vit E as that is what his breeder reccomends.


Once a week I feed a meal of only organs, and once every 7-10 days I feed an only fish meal.
But since I vary my ingredients & meals and am , my meals & times change sometimes.

I could go on & on. Sorry this is so long but like I said the raw diet is endless. lol

If I can be of more help let me know, here or pm me.