a few questions about feeding raw..

[dexterandalana]

i know there are a few people here that are really knowledgable about feeding raw diests to our babies, so thought i would ask a couple questions. I have just started feeding raw and dexter LOVES it. we just stared this week with chicken necks and some other parts of a chicken too. there was one point where i forgot to thaw out the chicken and fed him kibble and he looked at me like "what is this crap!? im not going back to eating this!" lol

anyway, my questions are:

1. i know it is best to feed a variety of different parts, but how often should i be changing it up? every day? twice a week? all i have right now is checken necks, but is it ok to feed him just that for a few days? i want to get him some organ meats, but i cant pick them up until saturday. i just want to make sure he will get the nutrition he needs off of the necks until then.

2. he loves the raw soooo much that he gets very enthusiastic about eating it. its gotten to the point where im afraid he is going to choke because he is ripping off large peices and almost eating them whole very quickly. is there reason to be concerned?

3. im trying to get him to eat the raw meat on a towel so that he isnt dragging raw chicken all over the house. he is used to picking up his kibble and bringing it to the livingroom to eat in there and is trying to do the same with the raw meat. any tips on how to get him to stay on the towel to eat? right now i watch him while he eats and put him back on the towel if he strays but it can take him a long while to finish a meal. i know it will likely just take persistence like any other training, but though someone might have a tip or two.

thanks in advance for any information! i have read and re-read all of the helpful info on this site and am very satisfied with my decision to feed raw!

Cheers,

Alana

P.S. just noticed this is my 500th post! hooray!

[Wylie's Mom]

Congrats on 500 posts, on feeding raw, and on being such a great Mum! I feed raw, but not prey model - so I'll defer to the prey-experts to chime in on this one!

[dexterandalana]

hhhmmm....no one?? BUMP!

[Sethowner]

Congrats on your 500 posts.

[omega]

Originally Posted by dexterandalana

i know there are a few people here that are really knowledgable about feeding raw diests to our babies, so thought i would ask a couple questions. I have just started feeding raw and dexter LOVES it. we just stared this week with chicken necks and some other parts of a chicken too. there was one point where i forgot to thaw out the chicken and fed him kibble and he looked at me like "what is this crap!? im not going back to eating this!" lol

anyway, my questions are:

1. i know it is best to feed a variety of different parts, but how often should i be changing it up? every day? twice a week? all i have right now is checken necks, but is it ok to feed him just that for a few days? i want to get him some organ meats, but i cant pick them up until saturday. i just want to make sure he will get the nutrition he needs off of the necks until then.

2. he loves the raw soooo much that he gets very enthusiastic about eating it. its gotten to the point where im afraid he is going to choke because he is ripping off large peices and almost eating them whole very quickly. is there reason to be concerned?

3. im trying to get him to eat the raw meat on a towel so that he isnt dragging raw chicken all over the house. he is used to picking up his kibble and bringing it to the livingroom to eat in there and is trying to do the same with the raw meat. any tips on how to get him to stay on the towel to eat? right now i watch him while he eats and put him back on the towel if he strays but it can take him a long while to finish a meal. i know it will likely just take persistence like any other training, but though someone might have a tip or two.

thanks in advance for any information! i have read and re-read all of the helpful info on this site and am very satisfied with my decision to feed raw!

Cheers,

Alana

P.S. just noticed this is my 500th post! hooray!

1. Chicken necks don't have enough mean on them to feed as a meal alone. They should get a chunk of just meat with it. You can use any meaty part of the chicken. Just be careful with necks because they are kind of the same size as a little dogs throats and could get stuck. I pound mine with a hammer a little bit so it isn't quite so round. You can also feed the backs with meat attached or just the backs with some other chunks of meat.

Don't rush into organs. They tend to give very messy poo poo. Keep your pup on chicken for at least a week and then introduce another meat source. (beef, pork, turkey, whatever) Just make sure it is enough meat. No need to introduce new meats in a hurry. It's best to take it more slowly so their bodies can adjust to one before starting another. Bone makes up a small percentage of the meals - they need the meat.

2. Just keep an eye on him while he eats. At first they do get very excited cause they're getting real food! He will probably slow down after a while.

3. Yep, persistence is the key word there. Just keep putting it back on the towel and he will catch on. I have one very slow eater, too but I hang out around the kitchen or dining area till she is done eating. She likes carrying her food around, but is learning where it belongs. The other 3 have already learned that.

Welcome to prey feeding! It is great.

[dexterandalana]

Originally Posted by omega

1. Chicken necks don't have enough mean on them to feed as a meal alone. They should get a chunk of just meat with it. You can use any meaty part of the chicken. Just be careful with necks because they are kind of the same size as a little dogs throats and could get stuck. I pound mine with a hammer a little bit so it isn't quite so round. You can also feed the backs with meat attached or just the backs with some other chunks of meat.

Don't rush into organs. They tend to give very messy poo poo. Keep your pup on chicken for at least a week and then introduce another meat source. (beef, pork, turkey, whatever) Just make sure it is enough meat. No need to introduce new meats in a hurry. It's best to take it more slowly so their bodies can adjust to one before starting another. Bone makes up a small percentage of the meals - they need the meat.

2. Just keep an eye on him while he eats. At first they do get very excited cause they're getting real food! He will probably slow down after a while.

3. Yep, persistence is the key word there. Just keep putting it back on the towel and he will catch on. I have one very slow eater, too but I hang out around the kitchen or dining area till she is done eating. She likes carrying her food around, but is learning where it belongs. The other 3 have already learned that.

Welcome to prey feeding! It is great.

all great info!! ive been giving him some meat too, but not every time i gave him a chicken neck so i will definitely start doing that now! i figured i would keep him on chicken for about a month before i tryed other meats. didnt know organs gave bad poops! i'll remember to introduce those slowly too!

thanks!

[dexterandalana]

so most of my questions have been answered and/or sorted out, now i have another!

so far i have been cutting up the raw meat and bones ive been giving him and today i gave him a full chicken wing (lazy ) and he just looked at it. lol. he picked it up twice and tried to carry it away (still havent trianed to stay on the towel) but then just left it until i cut it up a bit. do they eventually eat it all off of big chunks? i find it very very hard to cut it up and actually bruised my hand preparing meals for him!! i thought it was cute though...my fiance brough dexter over and showed him my bruised hand and said "see...thats how much mommy loves you! she bruised herself to keep you healthy!" how cute!

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by dexterandalana

do they eventually eat it all off of big chunks? i find it very very hard to cut it up and actually bruised my hand preparing meals for him!!

Yep, they should just chomp it right up. I've given Wylie lamb chops etc. and he chomps right through them. Marcel, on the other hand, just can't seem to do it.