# Raw feeding



## Orangemax (Apr 12, 2013)

Hi all, I could really do with some advice please. I'm considering moving my 12 week old Standard Poodle and 11 year old Bichon Frise onto a raw food diet as everything I've read, makes sense from a health and welfare perspective. But I'm hearing horror stories too about raw poultry/ bones etc.... And now a bit stuck. I have a local provider who gets her meat from a butcher who supplies free range local produce and she makes up the correct mix of meat-bone, starting them on mince and working up to chunks etc.... Your views much appreciated. my poodle is currently on large puppy Omnipro, a complete kibble with very little grain, (barley, 5th ingredient listed), but his stools are a bit hit and miss and he gets quite gassy, so either he's eating too much, or it disagrees with him. Help?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Best information I have found is here: DogAware.com: Diet & Health Info for Man's Best Friend


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## Angl (Nov 9, 2012)

When Max was eating raw, his gas went away completely. I chickened out on it though- pardon the pun. I'm back to kibble-


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

My two toys have been on raw for about four weeks now and we all love it. I am lucky though I buy it ready processed, mixed in the right quantities with verges etc and frozen. When I stared the change over they had very stinky gas for about a week, but nothing since. Their stools are smaller and more solid. If left for a day they crumble. Note: I also give them a chicken neck about four times a week and they have dried smoked pigs ears to chew on. I intend watching their weights closely as they love their food and if I give them too much they will overeat.


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## pinkteaji (Dec 7, 2012)

I know the horror stories are pretty scary. 

I don't know if this helps but I was looking through a bunch of published research articles through my college's online library access and one of the articles stated that commercially processed raw meat brands for dogs contained the least amount of salmonella out of all the sources. 

so...that helps right? XD 

I'm not an expert on whether it's good or bad but I've generally heard really good experiences about Raw Food Diet from friends and other members here  

If RFD scares you and makes you constantly worried, then don't do it. It's really all about your comfort zone I think.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

It is scary at first. I buy commercial raw so I know it is balanced. You have to decide what works best for you and your dog. Swizzle loves his raw food and bones. Swizzle's poop is excellent, I have never noticed any gas and he has never had loose stools. He has only vomited three times. Twice from drinking pool water and once when I induced vomiting because I thought he are something he shouldn't (I was wrong.). I know a lot of people who feed raw and dogs always seem to thrive on it. What do you think is going to happen? Dogs are built to eat raw. Commercial dog food has not been around that long.


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## Orangemax (Apr 12, 2013)

Thanks everyone, really appreciate your help. I genuinely think its right for my dogs, am most concerned that I don't miss out any vital nutrients, particularly for my rapidly growing SPoo puppy, who's 12 weeks old and growing at a rate of 1kg a week. Everything I'm reading, and the lady who provides the correct ratios of bone/meat/offal to her customers all suggest a VARIED diet including raw meaty bones, a variety of meat and the correct proportion of offal will include everything they need.


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## Orangemax (Apr 12, 2013)

Wow. Max started raw feeding today, 1.5lbs of raw chicken minced with bone, spread over 4 meals. He was on kibble until last night, so his poop this morning and early afternoon were as usual. Tonight however we have a teaspoon sized amount but otherwise normal looking. I k ow people say they poop less but I wasn't expecting this! Is it right?


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## Qarza (Feb 23, 2013)

There might be more to come but his poo will be small crumbly ball not soft gooey dollops.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

Definitely more to come. I remember when I switched Swizzle's poop was way less than with kibble but at the start it seemed like he processed every mouthful with very little expelled. His poops are still much smaller than when he was on kibble but larger than when he first started raw. It sounds like you are off to a good start. Did he enjoy his meals?


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## Orangemax (Apr 12, 2013)

Oh thank you, didn't think he'd be constipated given he had so little bone but he has always deposited enough to fill numerous bags, so this little poop came as a surprise! Did he enjoy his meals???? Abso-blooming-lutely! So did my 11 year old Bichon, both devoured dinner/s with gusto, and the Bichon has never had anything raw in her life, she took to it immediately, hope it works out for her!


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

If when he poops it is too hard just cut back on bone until they transition and feed more muscle meat. I am happy to hear they both took to it so well. Swizzle adores feeding time and just quivers with delight.


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