Switching Mom to Raw... - Page 1

Hi everyone, We have a Pregnant German Shepherd (German Showline 6 years old)( has all health tests done, A1 hips and elbows, IPO1 and V rated show) she weighs 80lbs, due to whelp 23-26 August. Ultrasound shows 5 pups, vet says there might be 2 to 4 hiding. so 6-9 pups expected...

The previous owners had her on Royal canin Medium breed, she is still on it now:( she had 3 litters before Very healthy puppies 7,9,7 pups.)
I am told to wait till after pregnancy to switch her to raw. As we are COMPLETELY new to raw....Which I am ok with, but I want to know the following.
Can I switch her to raw when puppies are weaned onto raw?
or Should I wait till pups are completely weaned before switching mom?
Thanks in advance to all replies.
Have a great day!!

Hi,

No need to wait, you can switch over to raw now. Your bitch and puppies will do well on raw.

You will find that she will eat more raw as a nursing mother than she would normally.

So give her plenty of meaty raw bones, organ meat, whole eggs, whole fish.

People normally start off with a single protein source such as chicken or turkey but you may find that she will be happy with other sources.

You will increase her food intake slowly until she has her babies...then basically feed her all she wants...
Usually what I do is as the female (while pregnant) is at approx. 5 weeks I will begin to increase her food intake...then when she's had her puppies I will feed or offer her food approx. 5 times a day...
RAW meats and bone are very good for a mother that's nursing...I also normally feed some fresh vegetables...

~Bob~

 If you want to add some meat to her diet that would be good. Use slightly to medium cooked  ground beef (a good quality80/20) and put it into her food. I would not make too many changes if she is doing well, maybe add some good quality (no sugar) yogurt along with the meat to her current kibble for extra calcium and vitamins; but if not tried and true for her prior to her whelping and feeding puppies--no changes.

Now if she is NOT doing well on what she is currently being fed I would still not go raw until after puppies are weaned, BUT definitely add ground meat. JMHO Best of luck Nan

 to Nan from a staunch believer in RAW feeding.

You don't go messing arround with a pregnant bitch, especially when she is already doing well with what she's been currently fed with.

Royal Canin is pretty poor...I'd feed her something better than that, regardless, if you don't want to switch to raw now. If you are new, then I wouldn't do it full-fledged, but I'd feed her better than RC, for sure. You could, I guess, just add meat in increasing amounts and watch how she handles it. I have never had any problems switching a pregnant female's food, ever. In fact, sometimes my dogs eat a different food from one meal to the next. Unless the dog is incredibly sensitive (in that case, I'd hope she wasn't being bred...), they are not THAT fragile and you should be able to add better quality protein now, as her needs will be increasing rapidly in the next few weeks anyway. There used to be a poster here who fed many litters only raw food. I feed mine some raw and some kibble along with THK dehydrated raw, but honestly haven't ever made a point not to change up a pregnant female's diet.

BTW, "raw" doesn't stand for anything. It literally means "raw" as in uncooked. No need to capitalize it as if it's an acronym.

I have fed raw for over 20 years and for all ages and conditions.

You can just add raw to the females diet as suggested and when she whelps start the pups on it.

Give the mother a chicken leg quarter a couple of time a day (or more) let her have all the RC (hate the stuff) that she wants for the last two weeks before she whelps.

My girls LOVE beef kidneys right after whelping. The will eat 4 to 6 whole ones for about 3 days once they start eating then they want a fuller menu.

From the wording of your first post, 2Cats, I would guess you are in the UK ? If so, bear in mind that Royal Canin here is a different and better product than it is in the States (where Jenni and Western Rider are).
I am more inclined to always say, as Swarnendu does, that if a bitch is doing well on any feed, the time to switch isn't during pregnancy. Nothing wrong with Raw, if that is what you prefer for your dogs, but while she is in whelp is perhaps not the best time for her or the pups to risk e.g. stomach upsets based on a change of food.

Hi Hudmutter, No we are in West Palm beach florida.
I am afraid of the upset tummy myself... I would love to have her on raw, I just don't want to risk her getting sick now. Would it be better to wait till i wean pups to raw, to switch mom also at that time?

HM, yeah, I think RC is better there. Here, it's pretty low quality with a pretty hefty price tag!