Hello and a warm welcome to you! I applaud you for wanting to explore your options!
No need to tip toe around, we actually welcome all opinions and don't crucify opposition. Knowledge is power! No question is stupid! We understand that newbies are nervous! I was a newbie once and I had a mentor to guide me through this all. I had tons of questions! Looking back, I can't believe how nervous I was and how simple this way of feeding really is! It's about dropping all of the pre-programmed stuff in your head and just letting go, putting yourself and your pets back to a natural way of living! Please do all of the reading you can, there are excellent posts on here by all of us and some great learning/info links have been posted as well. Research, read and go into this completely informed and fully confident!
Keep it simple and I promise you, as you go on you will lose the ick factor! Having the help and support from another member in the household/significant other could help as well! When you become a witness to the great changes this diet provokes in your pets, you will actually become excited to find livers, gizzards and heart on sale somewhere! No need to disembowel anything just yet. A pack of simple chicken drumsticks or bone-in breasts from the grocery store is just fine! Too much variety too soon is a mistake many newbies make!
But to answer your question about how much to feed; A dog should consume a daily ration of 2-3% of his perfect weight. Whatever the dog weighs, divided by 2 or 3 percent. That's just a guideline though. I never went by that but it gave me an idea. I know my dogs and how they should look. I also know how much each can and should eat every day. Not because I'm some kind of dog whisperer but because I watched over their progress a lot in the beginning! Poop patrol, weighing them every week, feeling their bodies, watching them walk/run/interact with each other, touching their fur. Remember, a dog can lose or gain weight very fast so the weight watching issue is not the same as that with us humans! If a dog was over weight one week, by cutting back his daily rations a little and walking him more often, by next week he has most likely shed most of that excess flab! A morbidly obese dog or cat will take longer of course. I hope this was a start for you!
Nadia
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gingergirlsmom  I haven't read the whole thread because I'm anxious to ask a couple of questions. Please read my whole post, this is NOT an anti-raw comment in any way.
Every so often, I think about feeding raw, then let it go for a couple of reasons.
If I'm being completely honest, the first reason is the ick factor. I won't cut up a raw chicken for my human family...can't do it without gagging. The thought of chicken heads, feet, whole fish, necks  and other animals parts....ugh. I'm truly a product of the processed food generation 
So, I think I'll end up spending hundreds of dollars a month buying pre-cut meats and then I'll just have to stop, because I certainly can't afford that.
Next, if I get past the ick factor there is the question of how much. I've got big yorkies (13 and 17 lbs give or take) How do I figure out how much to give them. Waiting to see if they are getting fat then cutting back, or if they are getting thin then adding will truly make me a basket case. Is there a guideline or rule of thumb?
If I could get over these couple of hurdles, I would more seriously consider raw. I want to do the best for my furkids and that includes feeding them the best way that I can.
Sorry, if these questions have already been dealt with on here, I'm going back to keep reading. |
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