Switching a Dog to a Raw Diet
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For more information on feeding a raw diet and switching your pet to raw, please join the Yahoo! Rawfeeding group. Here are some other helpful links:Raw LearningRaw Fed DogsJust some basic information for those very curious types:Most people switch their dogs cold turkey. They stop feeding kibble one day, and then start feeding raw the next. You could even fast the dog for a day before starting raw to give the dog's system time to clear out any remaining kibble. If you want to mix a little kibble with the raw food, you can, but it isn't recommended. Why? Well, why continue to put that poison into your dog's body and continue to cause insult and injury to your pet's digestive and immune systems? Kibble and raw are to COMPLETELY different things, and it is best to just drop the kibble and pick up with raw. What should you do with the kibble? Don't keep it around! Donate it to your local animal shelter so it could at least go to a good cause.So now you are ready to begin. Start off slow. Pick one protein source and feed that for about a week (or more--it depends on your dog!). Many people start with chicken because it is an easily digestible protein source that is relatively inexpensive and is easy to get. But if you want to start with something different, like pork or beef, then by all means do so. Make sure to pick a raw meaty bone that is suitable for your dog. If you have a Chihuahua, try a chicken wing. If you have a Golden Retriever, try a chicken quarter. And always feed it raw and whole--none of this 'feed ground' business! One of the main points of a raw diet is to give your dog a much-needed dental workout that cleans its teeth, prepares its digestive system for the incoming food, and satisfies the dog both mentally and physically.Work up to variety slowly. Don't worry about achieving "balance" with a wide variety of raw meaty bones and organs. You are in a whole different realm now where balance is a useless, meaningless term. You must work up to variety slowly, and over a period of time. There is no need to rush things, as rushing can cause you and your dog undue misery in the form of early morning trips outside with diarrhea, etc. Your pet isn't going to suffer from eating one food source for a period of time--the raw food source it will be eating is superior in quality to any kibbled food and contains just what your pet needs nutritionally. Let your dog's system adjust to eating real food. Remember, your dog (or cat) has been eating a grain-based, hard-to-digest, artificial food that is WAY different from fresh, real food. The dog has a suppressed immune system and possibly suppressed digestive enzymes, and just needs time to get its system up and running.Once your pet is used to eating the raw meaty bones you are giving him, try adding something new--a little organ meat, or a new protein. Again, take things slowly. Let your pet adjust to the new food for a while before adding another new food. Always add slowly, and always give the animal time to adjust to the new food. And remember--you don't have to do this alone! Join the Yahoo! Raw feeding group; this group can provide you with an awesome support network of people who have been feeding raw for years to over 26 dogs, as well as newcomers who are in the same position you are--eager to do what is best for their pets and willing to learn. The people on this list know their stuff, and they are very willing to help and to answer questions. Their passion is for the health and well-being of your pet, and for helping you ensure that your pet is getting the very best and most appropriate nutrition possible.[<<] Back to Feeding RawHOME
