I am seriously considering taking the big step...
 

and switching to raw...

I only have another week and a half before I graduate...so I'll be able to just concentrate on working, and I will be able to cook some.

I'm really not all that big on cooking...so I definitely want some of the "already packaged" stuff...and I can cook some more simple stuff.

I really don't know anything about where you get the stuff...and what brands there are...what they're called...what to cook, etc.

I have SO many questions...I don't know where to begin...that's why I made my own thread...because I wanted to try and bring it all together!

Maddie has allergies...recently diagnosed, and I have gone through COUNTLESS foods to try and find a good one for her!!!!! I am just SO SICK of trying every dog food ever made...:rolleyes:

With raw, do they use the bathroom more than with regular dry dog food? Is it acceptable to feed a growing puppy?

I would just love any advice or answers you might have for me! Thanks so much guys!!

There is no cooking involved with raw, because thats what it is, raw :)

You can either buy premade raw such as natures variety or primal (there are others too).

http://www.primalpetfoods.com/
http://www.naturesvariety.com/

Or you can do it yourself feeding raw meaty bones, muscle meat, organ meat and if you like other stuff too such as raw eggs, live yogurt, fish etc. I do it myself.

http://www.rawdogranch.com/
http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm
http://rawfeddogs.net/
http://www.ruffkutz.co.uk/page4.htm
http://www.rawlearning.com/
http://www.rawmeatybones.com/
http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm

There is a great thread going in the diet section at the moment called Raw Diet: Info needed, its pretty long, you might want to check it out.

I wish I could help you, but I feed kibble. Best wishes switching to raw. I know it's good for them.

I switched a month ago from homecooking to raw (Nature's Variety Medallions) and I/they LOVE it. It is SO much easier than homecooking - and their poos are tiny and just turn to powder bc they're using up all the food instead of just pooing it out.

Whereas before, I supplemented w/, like, 3 different things - I now just suppl w/ Eicosaderm for the fish oil and vitamin E. LOVE IT!

How long does it take to prepare the prepackaged stuff?

When I said cooking...I meant sort of like green beans, potatoes, steamed carrots, stuff like that. I'm not a gourmet cook...lol...I live off Lean Cuisines and soup right now!! :p

LOL - wonderfully, about 30 seconds. I keep the frozen bag (comes in bags of 48 medallions) in the freezer. I keep, at any given time, about 6 medallions per dog (so 12 total) in the fridge (so that there are always some thawed).

Directions :D: grab medallion, break apart w/ hands or w/ 2 forks, put in bowl! :D

Oh wow, that's awesome...I had no idea...lol. Where do you buy them? Do you order them online? I don't think I've ever payed attention in pet stores. I would have to keep LOTS of them in my fridge lol...since I have 6...:rolleyes:

How is the cost?

Oh and this was REALLY helpful. I'm trying to look through all the sites right now!! Thanks a bunch! I did look through that thread, but it takes me awhile to read through one that long...lol

You can order them online, or get at premium pet/feed stores, or many petfood-delivery places carry them. There is a store locater on their website www.naturesvariety.com.

For my guys - I use 5 medallions total per day. So, it works out to about $38 dollars a month (I was spending about $60 homecooking). If I used the patties instead, it would cost about $25 a month.

Hmmm...not too bad...I have 6, so it would be between $75 and $115 a month...probably about what I pay now...maybe less

It'll be even less if you use the "chubs"! They have medallion, patties, and chubs - chubs are the least expensive (like "rolls" of meat instead of pre-portioned). Chubs would be just as easy...

I am by no means an expert, I just started a few days ago BUT... if I could make a suggestion - even better than the premade medallions and stuff is just buying the meat from a butcher or your grocery store.

I decided to start with chicken and one of my local stores had a sale, 2 chickens (varying weights) for $9, fresh. So hubby cut 2 of them up and I just put down one piece at a time. SoCo doesn't always finish the piece, depends how hungry it is, how big it is, but once he's clearly "done" I pick it up and put it in the fridge till the next meal.

And as I'm sure our raw experts will elaborate on, with the medallions there are no bones and the raw meaty bones are a big part of what makes raw so good for yorkies especially. The bones clean their teeth better than any toothbrush. And while I was worried the little guy wouldn't take to raw it's been quite the opposite. I was having to hand feed him kibble before (mind you, he's only been home a week) but he eats the raw chicken like there's no tomorrow!!

Lara2913 and Abbie'sMom have been wonderful sources of information, and they've been feeding raw for years. Now, before anyone thinks I read a 25 page thread and jumped on the bandwagon, I had researched this about 6 years ago before getting my sharpei. I wish I had done it then, she might still be with us now!

Just fyi, the medallions DO have ground bone in them, which is why you don't have to supplement w/ calcium. There is no dental benefit in terms of cleaning, but there is in terms of nutrition. That's where you add-in RMBs if you feed pre-made. I agree, prey model is best - but for some people, there are issues for starting right away (like no darn suppliers in my area!!). :D

Yes, I should have clarified that, I meant no bones to chew on. :D Why do you need suppliers, do you have a lot of dogs? Otherwise just keep an eye on circulars. I don't know if you have Price Chopper in your area (it's just one of the few US grocery stores I know) but they have online flyers and you can make shopping lists right on their site to print out. I use their site all the time when I'm down at our trailer in NY.

I bought everything I need for under $40 (4 chickens - $18, about 6-8 packs of liver/kidney, under $2 each, a dozen eggs - $2, a large container of yogurt $3) and that should keep me going for well over a month for one dog. Mind you - I'll freely admit when I looked into raw several years ago, I wanted to go with the medallions too, but there was nowhere to get them in Montreal, Canada and shipping meat across the border wasn't done easily if it all. But I think the prey model is actually easier and cheaper. JMveryHO.

I totally agree - I think prey, eventually, will be easier (cheaper for sure) and better for them.

My prob. is finding RMBs - bc no chicken or beef for now (loooong history w/ little Marcel) - and I found ONE place that sold lamp chops, can you believe it? And Marcel can't even get any meat off of a bone (he's 3 lbs. on a good day) - so the medallions are great. I need to find a butcher or something - perhaps I'll search more diligently after the holidays. But for now, I give Marcel lamb, Wylie venison, and am trying to find RMBs for chewing (Wylie LOVED the lamb chops, but they're so hard to find). :D

YES I have six...:p