Finally switched to all raw,,,LMAO - Page 1

I've been back and forth with foods as Drake is a slow and sometimes picky eater.   Then, a friend and I started doing research and making our own food.  I wanted to go raw, she was afraid, so we ended up with a pretty complicated recipe.  Well, all of the time to make it, cooking, food-processing, mixing, vitamins, bone meal, etc., along with the prohibitive cost, was ridiculous, IMO.  So, he's been on TOTW for approximately 3 months but is not thrilled (not that he was ever thrilled with any kibble).  So, just about out of both dog and people food, with all of the roads STILL not cleared, I decided as I was making a grocery list, to finally take the plunge  I got what I needed and chicken thighs happened to be on sale so I got a bunch and that's the first thing I gave him.  He's had raw beef knuckle and shank bones before, as well as raw chicken (usually scraps from cleaning it while cooking) but he's never had a chicken part whole.  It was hysterical!  I dropped two in his bowl, his ears went up and he looked at me and then back at his dish.  He licked them for ten minutes, like he was savoring it.  I went about putting the groceries away and watched without saying anything to him.  Finally, he took one out of the dish and started eating it on the floor.  Crunch, crunch, gone!  He still didn't gulp it down, but it's the most excited I've ever seen him, as far as food is concerned.  The look on his face was absolutely priceless!  I should have gotten the video camera but didn't think about it at the time.

Anyway, I think the simpler the better and Drake certainly seconds that!  Thanks to those raw feeders for the info and encouragement I've gotten through various posts here on the PDB, they've been more than helpful and I'm glad we're making the switch.

Good for you, your dog will thank you.

Jim

Yay Drake! Eat it and don't look back! 

GSDtravels- A breeder and friend of mine has always fed her dogs raw chickent and a few extra vitamins.They all look great and have the best coats.I did this as well as I got a pup from them that was raised on the chicken.I had a friend that owned a restaurant so he would get me 40lb boxes of WHOLE chickens!!! Only problem was my older GSD didn't have good teeth to crunch the bone.The bone didn't digest all the way and it scewered through his intestines.Despite the surgery and all attempts to have him live through it he passed away.So just becareful.Maybe crack the bones with a hammer or something to break them in pieces or if you have a meat grinder that crushes it all....just would hate for someone else to have that happen to their dog.
FWIW glad he is eating though
~L~

We had the same with my big girl.  Every day was a drama, on any kibble.  We had to beg her to eat.

Switched to raw (prey model, simple, no complicated recipe) and now she virtually begs us for her dinner!  Gone in 60 seconds?  Hardly.  Unless its a complicated meal, and frozen solid, it's gone in under 30 seconds.

- Eleni

LAV, I appreciate the warning.  He just turned three, has healthy teeth and has only had one bout of loose stool for a period this past summer, eating kibble.  My X2B never thought he was eating enough and was always adding something to his meals to get him to eat more, produced a picky eater.  Since I no longer have had to deal with THAT, I've gotten tougher and stopped coddling him.  He was finally eating all of his food but just never seemed to enjoy it.  Also, with all of the question marks with packaged foods and problems that occur, I've been reading quite a bit and have decided that the risk is minimal compared to the other crap shoot.  Since he's a slow eater, I think that should lessen his chances of large bone fragments twisting him.  For a change, I'm trusting my dog and hopefully, you won't be telling me, "I told you so."

WEll my friend has never had problems as they all had strong teeth.If that didn't happen to my old boy I probably would still be feeding it as they loved it and I would sometimes freeze pieces so they would chew it and eat slower.I just got freaked out after loosing my one that I didn't want to risk it happeneing again.That tends to be my luck.lol
I wish you the best.Oh and the good thing about it...when his stools do firm up...they end up tirning to powder and actually birodegrate quicker then dogs on kibble.
All the best to you and your dog,
~L~

Welcome to the dark side, GSDTravels!  I feed RAW too.  My staples, which I rotate during the week are chicken necks/backs, turkey necks,  lamb necks, pork necks, venison necks, beef organ meat, and last but not least and my dog's personal favorite, green tripe.  I  supplement with Salmon Oil and vit E.   I don't give any recreational bones but I do toss him a few chicken feet now and then. 

Yes, Sue, you are one that gave me encouragement, thank you!

I asked at the market if they had any necks or backs and they didn't.  In Pittsburgh, the Strip District is the hub of food distribution, actually goods distribution, and I'm headed there next week.  I'm thinking that will be the place to get most of what I need.  For now, I got the thighs, some beef marrow bones, eggs and beef and poultry organs.  That's all I could find at the market.  I rang the bell to speak to one of the butchers and he looked at me like I was nuts.  I also stopped at Sam's Club and was told they are not allowed to sell or give away their scraps, they have a service come to remove them.  How stupid is that?  They're probably selling them as by-products.  Hopefully, I'll have more luck in the Strip.