Looking to go raw, but parents aren't keen

Coming towards the end of the current stock of kibble and Ledger has been turning his nose up at it so looking into other options. I like the idea of Raw if I can get my head round what to do when. He can have a drawer in the freezer (got a fair few butchers bones and stuffed kongs in there already) so I can start to source maybe at least the first two weeks food maybe?

I'm just a bit confused as to how much to feed him (20kg) and do people feed in one or two meals?

Anyway I'm good to go I think if I can find some supplies the issue is Ledger is looked after by my parents when I'm at work and they are really not liking the idea (today I had the "Lucky is thriving on butchers tinned food" speech, Ai that's why at 14 she is always wired, on the additives) anyone else have any issues with persuading family and or how would it fare if he had kibble with them (4 meals a week)

I feed two meals a day, the guideline is 2/3 % of body weight, although I've never weighed anything!

My parents also are not keen and Daisy spends a lot of time there. I just send her over with mince rather than bones so she can eat from her bowl the same as mums dogs and she has her meat on the bone here   

If you are to be freezing it anyway, is there anyway you could bag it up/seal it and send it with Ledger when he is staying with them ?

I feed Darcy raw Hun and twice a day too, she's thriving on it, the rule of thumb is 2-3% of their body weight. 2% of 20kg is 400 grams and 3% of 20kg is 600 grams so somewhere inbetween twice a day Hun xx

Oh and have a look at this too it help me loads and auntie Ella is amazing with info and help xx

http://preymodelraw.com/page/articles.html/_/raw-chat/how-to-get-started-feeding-a-prey-model-raw-diet-r19

So the body weight% is per meal ok. Working my way through the links but one leads to another etc and I'm taking on more info than I need to I think to start. Pulling it back to keep it simple for the first few weeks poultry only

I'm hoping that if it stops him farting then I might win them over mums reaction was "I've not got to put his food in my fridge do I?" that's easily solved with a small insulated lunch bag stuffed with ice packs if it will be a few hours til feeding time

Does anyone use the natures diet turkey mince from P@H 95p for 400g not the cheapest but that seems quite convenient for a start unless there are any better suggestions

Per day not per meal   

Ah see told you I was confused

Lol no probs, if ledgers daily amount is 600g then just split it 300g am & Pm xx

But like saz Hun I don't weigh anything just go off how Darcy looks xx

I don't go by % and i feed once a day, so much easier IMO

However to start with go with 2% of his body weight PER day, as over feeding can cause runny tums in the beginning and then go by the body condition of him, rather then % and strict ratios

Ok that sounds simple enough will pickup some packs of the mince from p@h and see how we get on from that been checking out the DAF site for stocking up but will see if I can source anything local

don't forget to take it slowly and start with chicken only and add new meats in at intervals!

Yep do you suggest using up all the kibble first and then starting or say doing one meal of each a day

I'd use up the kibble or give the rest to a rescue center, as i recommend stopping kibble all together and straight onto raw, as IME it's easier on their bellies

Once I'd made the decision I donated the kibble to a rescue started the next day and Haven't looked back xx

i couldn't feed my dogs raw becasue im an clean freak but i wouldn't try to put someone off who want too

Hmm well not got much kibble left might have a battle converting the parents so can ship what I've got left over there will only be a couple of meals a week not ideal but maybe a means to an end short term until I can talk them round. (thought my dad would be more likely to go for it but it seems not)

Steve wrote:i couldn't feed my dogs raw becasue im an clean freak but i wouldn't try to put someone off who want too

Ledger has butcher bones as treats already he has them in the yard in the summer or on his towel inside not that there is ever anything left lol

Was tempted by the half pigs heads at the butcher freebie pot the other week but got a big carrier bag of bones which was strange enough to walk through the town with haha

Steve wrote:i couldn't feed my dogs raw becasue im an clean freak but i wouldn't try to put someone off who want too

Raw is no messier then kibble, and dry food is covered in just as much if not more bacteria!

If you didn't want to go for the pets at home minces, you could try and ask at the butchers? We stopped in the other day and they said that they make a raw minced dog food...not sure what the ratios of bone etc would be for those though and if all butchers do it. Love that yours has a freebie pot!
I agree with Ella it is no messier than kibble And if you started with minces and chicken drummers/necks etc. it would be no different to mince or chicken that your parents would prepare for themselves for dinner (Unless they are vegetarians) and all they have to do is put it in a bowl and give it to him I hope it goes well for you! Bane goes nuts for raw food so hopefully it will bring back Ledgers love for food!

Well he had some kibble this morning and promptly threw up so decision made. never even noticed the two big freezers in p@h before picked up some of the small packs of chicken mince so defrosting ready for his tea

Ooh hope it goes well. Let us know xx

Well it's much nicer than serving up my parents dogs tinned food 200g seems such a small amount but guess that's cause we are used to filling the bowl with kibble. He seems quite happy with it tho isn't looking for more food (despite being ill this morning) he's gone up to bed  

Ooo I hope he likes it and hope his tummy settles

You get used to feeding less, it is strange at first! Glad it went down OK, hopefully will stay down xx

All good, he's not been icky and seeming quite content not pestering for more to eat (aside from looking longingly at the banana bread I made) looking forward to him eating breakfast

And going to have an ask around the butchers in the market (3/4 options) to see what I can get long term, also the Caribbean shop do chicken feet for something a bit different this week

jshrew wrote:Does anyone use the natures diet turkey mince from P@H 95p for 400g not the cheapest but that seems quite convenient for a start unless there are any better suggestions

Yep, I've just swapped Zeus over to raw about a week ago and have started to use Nature's menu frozen turkey mince, along with the fruit/veg frozen cubes they do. Much easier, just defrost over night and feed in the morning. Since hes been on it, he poo's a max of 2 a day (instead of 4/5 on kibble), he hasn't farted (or atleast I can't smell them anymore) and he eats his food straight away instead of picking his nose up at kibble. I'd deffo give it a go, commercial dog food smells when you serve it, but none of this smells at all.

Urgh ye I used to have super stinky hands after giving Bane his kibble! D:

Good luck with the butchers trip Jealous of your chicken feet find

Ah they are not so cheap but it's a back up if needed

I asked at the butchers and got this which was destined for the bin



Split down into 8 portions of about 150-200g and he now has his own drawer in the freezer lol

Cool  

nom nom!

Quite exciting isn't it

Should I give him his garlic sausage as training treat for agility tonight or would it be better to cook off a frozen chicken breast

he should be ok with his normal treats

Its really exciting! And I'm veggie!

Good luck at training x

Oooh nice find! That's the kind of stuff I was hoping to find but the butchers just looked at me blankly and said "we have trotters"
Bet Ledger is gonna love that

Well day 1 at my parents I've got a little thermal bag and took over a portion of the chicken mince

Dad seemed to be positive he just commented on how quickly it's gone from the bowl (more so I guess as their dog Lucky is definitely alpha and if she puts her nose near where Ledger eats he steps back) got a pack of frozen chicken breast portions so might pop a couple of those in the bag for tomorrow as he will have both meals there as I'm on an 11hr shift

Thats what I do when Daisy is at my parents, send her over with food in plastic tubs! They have other dogs so its not ideal to send anything on the bone so she juts has that when she's at home.