# Considering taking the plunge!



## Katie (Jul 7, 2011)

I am considering moving Ruff to raw food. We have K9 raw easily available as I can visit the factory shop, so if we get another earthquake or anything and cannot get real food then we have a fall back. I can get a big box (keeps for 2 years) and stick it in the emergency cupboard and that will last a month. 

However I would like to give him fresh raw food on a day to day basis. I have read a lot of things and there seem to be the raw meaty bones theory and the prey model theory. And how much bone/meat/organ seems to be a big area of debate too.

I hate fussing about food, with 2 coeliacs and one anaphylactic amongst my kids I am so over fussing with food! Is there an idiots guide? Mince on mondays, liver on tuesdays etc? Or do I just toss a bone at the puppy if he seems hungry? Or do I have to do all that weighting and measuring if I am going to do it properly?

And....I have a huge sack of puppy kibble....can I mix both to start with. There is no way hubby is going to accept giving kibble away. Or is it best to eat the kibble and then move across to raw?

So many questions, sorry. I am anxious to do the best for my pup.


----------



## 2719 (Feb 8, 2011)

Sorry I can`t be of any help because I do not feed raw...but I know Chocolate Millie does and she is very well read on the subject and could probably help you out. Maybe you could PM her.


----------



## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

You won't regret it! My vet has only had wonderful things to say about the health of my raw fed poodles. It has been almost ten months on raw. The only downside is that they love to eat it so much, Millie has gotten chunky and Henry has gained 8 lbs! I have recently cut back on how much I am feeding. They are both extremely muscular.

I feed frankenprey/prey model. My own version of it as I do occasionally feed some veggle slop, but that is just an extra and I balance the diet without it.

As far as an idiot's guide, well, I will say that his is exactly what I used when I introduced my dogs to raw. Quick Start | Prey Model Raw The only difference is that my dogs needed less bone than is suggested on this quick start plan after about 2 weeks, so I started adding boneless meals quickly to soften their stool (it was too hard). I also moved a bit quicker as far as adding variety and adding organs than this guide suggests. That being said, I really don't think you can go wrong by introducing raw using this guide.

Once your dog is adjusted to a variety of proteins and to organs, if you are following prey model, you will _aim_ to feed 80% muscle meat, 10% edible bone and 10% organ. Over time. 

You will feed approx. 2% of your dog's body weight for adult maintenance (\ less to lose weight, more to gain weight). 

As far as making things easy during the week, it will come in time as you adjust to the diet. For me now it is very simple. I know that Millie needs about 10-12 oz. of organ meat a week and about 10-12 oz. of bone a week, in order to accomplish the 80/10/10 ratio. I buy organ in bulk and separate it into weekly portions. I put a baggie with a weekly portion of organ in the fridge. I feed with her bone-in meals (for stool control). I know that Millie needs to eat about 16 oz (1 lb.) daily based on 2% of an ideal weight of 50 lbs. (I need to adjust this - as I think 50 lbs is too much for her to weigh - she needs to lose a few pounds).

I also know that Millie needs a bone-in meal every other day to reach that 80/10/10 ratio. I know this because I am totally anal and I calculated it out (most people really don't LOL). I also know this is the right amount because any less and she has loose stool, any more and she has too firm of stool.

So, since I know that Millie needs 11 oz. organ meat, a bone-in meal every other day, and she eats twice daily, every other meal is boneless. This equals a good prey model ratio! With decent variety, this diet should be balanced. 

So, yes, once you have a routine, it is very easy. I go down to the basement to the chest freezer on Sunday nights with a box and I fill it with the poodles' weekly food and I stick a few days worth in the fridge and leave a few days worth in the upstairs freezer and move to the fridge as needed. I like to label the bags (Monday Millie AM, Monday Millie PM) etc. so that I keep things organized. 

Now that I have my routine, it takes no longer than feeding kibble. I plop it into a bowl and I have done all of my preparation ahead of time. Sunday nights take the longest - about 10 minutes to sort out their food. Also, about once a month I do buy meat in bulk and I have to bag it up. This is probably my least favorite day of the month LOL but it is all worth it. 

If you want to know the "menu" that I have developed for my dogs, based on the prey model diet and THEIR own needs, here is an example:

Monday AM Bone-in (ie lamb ribs) + 3 oz. organ meat
Monday PM Boneless

Tuesday AM Boneless
Tuesday PM Boneless

Wednesday AM Bone-in + 3 oz. organ meat
Wednesday PM Boneless

Thursday AM Boneless
Thursday PM Boneless

Friday AM Bone-in + 3 oz. organ meat
Friday PM Boneless

Saturday AM Boneless
Saturday PM Boneless

Sunday AM Bone-in + 3 oz. organ meat
Sunday PM Boneless

Repeat. 

Sometimes I follow this plan - it all depends on how large the bone-in meal is. If the bone-in item is too small, I might need to feed it more often to equal her weekly bone content.

Monday AM bone-in + organ
Monday PM bone-less

Tuesday AM bone-in + organ
Tuesday PM boneless

Repeat. You get the picture.

The most important things with raw feeding , IMO, are 1) know thy dog, 2) variety, 3) balance over time, 4) know thy dog   You may need to adjust the diet based on your dog's needs. Your dog's needs will be evident by watching stool, listening to and watching their body. Don't take things to fast, but don't be afraid to keep moving, either.

Finally, what works for my dogs is not guaranteed to work for your dogs. As a raw feeder, you will quickly become an expert on your own dogs needs. You will develop your own routine and you will quickly learn how often your dog needs to eat bone, etc.


----------



## Katie (Jul 7, 2011)

Gosh, Chocolate Millie, thank you so much for this, it is just what I needed. I really appreciate the time it must have taken to type this out, I am going to print it out if that is OK with you.

Thank you so much, 

Katie.


----------



## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Yeah, you won't regret it. CM has given you the best advice; I'm not quite so scientific about the whole thing. I just give 'em some meaty bones, and sometimes organs, and if they get chunky, give 'em less, if they get skinny, give 'em more. But then, I've been doing this for years, going through several variations of the raw diet, so perhaps by this time it's just become second nature!

Good luck!
--Q


----------

