Introducing the Twins to raw feed

Hi there

We've had the twins a week now and they are currently on Bakers Puppy food, but its making them hyperactive and Myles has the runs.

I want to change them to a raw feed died (Natures Choice) but not sure if it needs to be a gradual process or if I can just change them to it....

Any help much appreciated as at the moment I'm tearing my hair out with them and would love a decent nights sleep! 

Usually food changes are done over a week or so to reduce the chance of an upset stomach, I've no raw experience but I'm sure someone will pop along soon who can help

Thing is you don't really want to mix raw and kibble in one meal making it difficult to switch gradually. Most people do a straight switch with an easy to digest protein like chicken

I was thinking of starting them on some Natures Choice food from the freezer in Pets @ Home........I've read that keeping kibble in the diet can cause issues as they digest it differently to raw food so don't want to do that.

Just want to do things the right way........

I can't stand the raw food from pets at home, and wouldn't feed it sorry!

I do proper raw, which i do myself at home, so not feeding mince, but whole foods and bones

I ran low once and got some of that for Blue. He just turned his nose up at it. Like Ella said get some proper raw from suppliers like
http://www.daf-petfood.co.uk/4-daf-frozen-dog-foods
http://www.landywoods.co.uk/price_list.html
or check out your local butchers or Morrisons

Used daf for deefer, the twins are eating the pets at home stuff with no issues, but when we get into a proper routine they will be going on to proper raw feed. Unfortunately the bones, trotters etc I have in the freezer that were deefers are far too big to give to them yet as would keep them going for a week lol

Keep us updated on how they get on with it. I'm a bad reader so might be best to just post loads of pics  

Hahahahaha

Well so far they are loving their new food, already Myles runs have stopped and they are calmer.....should have known the effects of kibble after deefer but didn't realise I could start the twins on raw at such a young age, so glad I did now

Great to hear they are already improving. I certainly noticed a big difference when changing Blue over to raw. Will be getting a puppy in the future so it will be my first time feeding a puppy raw then also

They took to it really well and as soon as they hear their meals been prepared are sat by my feet waiting for it.......they weren't like that with the kibble.

Aww that's great news. Sounds like they've really taken to it

Another question;

We're still in close contact with the breeders and they were asking how the twins were getting on, we told them we'd changed their food to a raw feed as it agrees with them better - don't think they like the idea of raw - and now they've really got me worrying about what we are giving the twins?

They've said that due to Staffies jaws being so strong that raw bones splinter if they are fed them and that if we give them trotters we have to boil them first.  in my mind that's not raw

Our last dog was a rottie and he had all types of bones thrown at him and they were ALWAYS raw but as these are staffies I can't argue with the breeders as I don't know if they are correct or not.

Can someone please please tell me if its ok to give the twins chicken bones, trotters, lamb bones etc as I'd hate for anything to happen to them due to my stupidity.

(although in the wild they wouldn't turn down a chicken wing because they have strong jaws and they could splinter!)

Never ever cook, boil, slow cook ANY bones.

What they have told you is a load of bull

all bones need to be raw, my boys have been fed raw always and i have a staff and ambull, they are NO different to any other breed.

Exactly what I thought!

Like most ppl they are ignorant to raw feeding.

Thanks for confirming though.....

yes alot of people are ignorant or miss informed about raw feeding.

Alot of people assume you cook the food first... clearly missed the 'raw' part

I know!! I had that conversation loads of times when ppl found out what we were feeding to deefer. There is a massive clue in the title

haha slight clue

Yeah like already said only raw bones. You did the right thing. Never ask too many questions on here. Don't ask don't get to know. I've learn't loads off her thanks to other members

It was a pretty dumb question though

Not at all. You should of seen some of the questions I've asked when first starting to feed raw  

1 tip. If you give a raw egg to your dog crack it first. I made the mistake of putting it in the bowl. Blue put it in his mouth, ran in the living room and cracked it on my new rug, then walked off

haha, that is funny.  With Deefer I just used to throw (well not throw exactly) an egg at him and he'd look at it, paw it then when it cracked would be so upset he'd broken it until he realised what was inside.

Dogs are such funny creatures

Mike wrote:Not at all. You should of seen some of the questions I've asked when first starting to feed raw  

1 tip. If you give a raw egg to your dog crack it first. I made the mistake of putting it in the bowl. Blue put it in his mouth, ran in the living room and cracked it on my new rug, then walked off

Haha yer Mike likes his daft questions   

lmao, give it time and I could be up there with Mike on the daft questions  

You don't know how proud that would make me

nawww

 

Not meaning to sound rude - but if the breeder had them on bakers, they aren't really the best people to advise you on what's best food wise for your pups.

All my dogs are on raw and the youngest one was put straight onto it when he came to me at about 12 weeks. He had been eating his poo (a pedigree and butchers fed pup previous) , but once the raw had been through his system he didn't touch his poo.

Stay with the raw and you will see the benefits and your pups will enjoy it a whole lot more!