# Kibble and Raw



## oshagcj914 (Jun 12, 2016)

Most of my raw feeding friends put down a mat or towel and train their dog to keep their food there. I usually just feed outside in all but the worst weather, then I feed Asaah in her crate. I have a Primo Pad in it, so I just wipe it down. My cats I fed on a placemat and they also learned to keep their food on the mat. If a cat can do it, so can a poodle  Bella would even occasionally steal food and she would take it right to her mat to eat it. Here's the remnants of something I had on the counter that she stole when I had my back turned for 2 seconds.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

My breeder suggested staying with her feeding regimen until the puppy settled in. 'Transition to your preferred kibble slowly. Our suggested diet was AM kibble, amended with a small amount of a topping to keep it interesting. Your Chi's home cooking would be perfect for that. I feed raw at night, 3-4 chicken necks, which I order in bulk from a local grocery store. I put down a towel inside the crate and the raw is on a small metal platter on top of a mat. Nothing drips usually and the necks are consumed in a NY minute. I don't have any meat sources other than the grocery store. Not sure where your breeder suggests you source it. I did order from Hare to Go, online and it was excellent quality but the shipping made it prohibitively expensive for day to day. I have to say as I was switching around kibble when Buck was a puppy and he was eating none of it, that raw was a comfort they he wouldn't starve. Great for the teeth too! Good luck


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## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

I have no idea why your breeder wouldn't want you to feed meat from the grocery store! I have 4 dogs, 3 elderly Scotties and a 6 months old spoo. Here's what I do. AM, they all get kibble with some broth on it and either a little cultured yogurt or a small amount of powdered probiotic. Kibble is Taste of the Wild Salmon...Scots get 1/3 cup each and Mackey the spoo gets 1 and a half cups.

During the day, (especially if he's been driving me crazy), Mackey gets some crate time with a food stuffed toy, so he usually gets another cup or 2 of kibble that way, and as training treats.

In the evening, each Scot gets a chicken wing, Mackey gets 2. Or they get a small portion of a prepared raw food (right now I have Darwin's). Sometimes I include a little bit of beef heart or kidney, occasionally liver. Or some green tripe, when I have it. The chicken and beef all come from the grocery store. The prepared food is mail order. I live in a semi-rural area and that's my only near source. Otherwise, it's a 30 mile drive into Olympia.

All my dogs seem very healthy (except the 13 yr old Scot who has recently developed a problem with urinary crystals and UTIs...we are working on this, and her 10 yr old daughter with a liver tumor...not food related. It's hell getting old!) and the spoo pup is growing great.

All the dogs are fed in their crates. It really helps with crate training, and keeps the terriers from squabbling or trying to steal Mackey's food. He is a slow eater, sometimes he finishes off his breakfast right away and sometimes he just doesn't seem to be hungry for it. But the raw gets scarfed so fast they never even make a mess in their crates!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I also feed a kibble, raw, and canned food diet with an occasional home cooked meal thrown in there now and again! My Molly is trained to eat her raw food on a hand towel that is tossed in the wash when she is done. (I have several that are designated 'hers' LOL!) I buy my meat at the grocery store ....if it is meant for human consumption I don't know what your breeder is worried about, unless she is concerned about 'color enhancers or salt solutions' that I have heard about that are used on meats to make them look good to buyers? I buy mine from a local ethnic market that also sells some meats that you don't find in 'American' grocery store meat depts.........mainly the organ meats like brains kidneys livers etc. but also Goat, which Molly LOVES! LOL! 
You should feed whatever works for you AND your new pup as long as you know it is healthy and nutritious!

P.S. As far as 'when'.........I feed Molly her raw in the a.m.(which she gobbles up immediately) and then put a measured amount of kibble in her bowl. She is a 'grazer' when it comes to kibble, and self regulates, so it can be free fed. 
While Molly eats her 'breakfast' I have my coffee!


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## TheBestPoowasMoo (Aug 8, 2016)

What a cute kitty! I don't know how you trained your cat! 

Will probably get some towels to put down. Thanks for the suggestion.


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## TheBestPoowasMoo (Aug 8, 2016)

Thanks everyone! I'm not sure what the concern is- I figured it must be more contaminants? Like salmonella at the grocery store? 

I appreciate all the suggestions! Do most of you feed raw once a day? or both meals? and how do you decide on the amount to give?

Maggie's a standard, in case you didn't read my other thread.

 I went to the dog show today and watched her half sister show and win some points. I also got some supplies.


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## oshagcj914 (Jun 12, 2016)

Meat from the grocery store often contains high levels of sodium and/or enhancements that can cause cannon butt in dogs - I imagine that's what your breeder is talking about. The suggested level for sodium is under 100 mg/4 oz serving, but some dogs can't even handle that. Asaah does fine with chicken from my co-op or those 10 lb bags of leg quarters, but the chicken in the foam containers that we eat almost always has solution injected in it and she will get loose stools if not actual diarrhea from that stuff. Just check labels before you buy. You can also look for co-ops to buy in bulk or see what you might be able to order from the grocery store meat dept or a butcher, look for organs or odd stuff at ethnic markets, put adds on Craigslist for freezer cleanouts (just be careful of the food and people!), or check with anyone who hunts if you are in an area where people hunt.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I feed my dogs raw and also feed outside when weather permits. They eat in their crates otherwise. If it's a bone that will take them a long time to chew or if it's fish, I put a towel in the crate that I remove when they're finished. If it's something they'll probably eat pretty fast from their bowls, I just put it in the crate because they don't spread it around but hang over their bowls. I wash their bowls and so forth afterwards, clean up all the cutting boards and utensils. I've been feeding raw for about a year and haven't had any sickness yet from salmonella. There are so many recalls on commercial food that I don't know what the difference is. Use reasonable care in cleanliness and supervise their eating in case they have trouble with a bone or something. 

Some years ago, I dabbled in feeding raw and I didn't use crates at the time with my older Chihuahuas. I fed them on a towel and taught them to keep it on the towel. They catch on quickly when they find out it doesn't work to NOT keep it on the towel...the food goes away for a few seconds if they don't and they get to keep it if they do. lol.

Here's one place I get some of my stuff: https://hare-today.com/

Good luck.


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

I feed Hans both kibble and raw. Most of the time, the raw is a grind I make myself. I just feed the grind in his bowl and then wash the bowl. I have done kibble in the morning and raw at night. I've also fed meals of 1/2 kibble and 1/2 raw. It doesn't seem to make a difference to Hans. He has been fine either way. For the times I feed him raw that's not ground up, I just feed him outside. He carries it off to his favorite spot in the shade and eats it there. If it's bad weather he eats on the porch.

We just came back from vacation, so I'm out of the usual raw grind (didn't want anything in the freezer while we were gone). Hans is eating grocery store meat now until our meat delivery gets here on Wednesday. Just, as oshagcj914 says, watch the sodium.


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## TheBestPoowasMoo (Aug 8, 2016)

I ended up driving 45 minutes to a large international farmers market in Decateur and buying a ton of meat for my little one.

when I picked up my puppy, I was told that she hasn't been fed bones because of fear of choking. 

At what point can I use the meat without the bones that I bought? 

Thanks!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I would stick to whatever the breeder was feeding for a week or two, then either introduce a very little meat on top of her kibble (not more than 10-20%, or consider making up a balanced mix (80% muscle, 10% organs, 10% bone, perhaps a few ground or cooked vegetables) and feeding rather more of that. Big bones should be fine for supervised recreational chewing, as long as they are not the dangerous weight-bearing-from-large-animals kind. I found this site very useful DogAware.com: Diet & Health Info for Man's Best Friend


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## TheBestPoowasMoo (Aug 8, 2016)

My breeder has been feeding 50% raw, 50% kibble- more of soft meat (ground beef) for the meat source. It came in this tube that I can order online or get at some fancy shipping service. He gave me a tube to go home with. The thing is she eats all the meat and leaves the kibble! 
I have my vet appointment tomorrow so I'll ask- IDK what I can do to get her to eat the kibble. I bought Orijen puppy. Can't get much better than that?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Sounds as if it may be time to move her to all raw - if you are not using a premix it does need research to ensure the diet is complete and balanced.  Getting the calcium levels right is particularly important for a puppy.


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

I think even if the raw is just 50% of the diet the calcium and phosphorus ratios need to be balanced. Especially since she's growing. Does the raw you are feeding have bone ground in? Personally I would add chicken necks or something if what you are feeding doesn't have bone, and just supervise her while she eats them.

If she won't eat the kibble, have you tried feeding the kibble first and then giving her the raw after she's eaten the kibble? Either give her kibble for breakfast or just offer the kibble at each meal, but before the raw. She might eat it better if she's hungrier. You could also try using her kibble ration as training treats. Hans will eat things he isn't as crazy about if he has to work for it. I don't know why, but it works on him.


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