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Seeking experiences: Trying RAW I have decided to give RAW a try. I have been reading up on it for days and want to fjnd ojt for myself what it can do for us. I have decided To purchase ready made meals and know there are a ton of brands out there. I do not want to be chopping or grinding at all so that is why I chose already made. For all of you who have tried it, currently feed or a curious, what brand do you recommend or love? Do you feed all meat and no veggies, a combo or raw and kibble? Price is NOT a concern; however, I am no fool and rather pay the best price for the best quality out there. If it does not work out, back to kibble it is. Share your thoughts and experiences please and share the pros and cons you have experienced. Thanks |
I think the main pre-made raw brands out there are Primal, Stella & Chewy's, Bravo and Nature's Variety, though I'm sure there are others as well. I like S&C's the best -- Jackson also likes it the best. Currently, I'm feeding it a few times a week usually. My main reason for not feeding it full time is cost (if he were smaller, I could afford it easier full time) and just... convenience. I do a lot of traveling and back and forth stuff w/ Jackson so kibble is just easier. I'm also super forgetful and sometimes will forget to put the raw in the fridge the night before to thaw out. So yeah.. anyways... I've had good luck with the pre-made raw for breakfast and kibble/wet combo for dinner. :):) I notice less poop when he's eating more raw, too. |
I think most, on here, have decided that Primal pre-made raw is the best, because they use human grade ingredients, do not import ANY ingredients from foreign countries, and have never had a recall...I like Stella & Chewies, but it tends to make all three of mine put on weight, so I don't feed it anymore...I'm sure there are others, but for my money, I feed Primal, and rotate proteins w/each 4 lb. bag...I use the 8 oz. patties and cut them in 1 oz. squares...I will say that I feed all three of mine a little more than recommended, or they are too lean...Cha Cha weighs 4 lbs. and gets 1 1/4 oz. twice a day...Buzz weighs 6 lbs., and get 2 oz., twice a day...Apple weighs 5 1/2 lbs. (and is very active!) and gets 1 3/4 oz., twice a day...It takes a while to find the exact measure for your baby's weight, but just start out w/what the bag recommends....I weighed my babies almost everyday for several weeks, 'till we got right on target :D |
Brit, thank you for sharing. He sure is a bright eyed ham! Im taking notes. |
Sweet apple, thank you. Very detailed!! |
I feed prey model, but I agree with the others about what is best. Also don't be surprised if your dog is drinking less when feeding raw. Good luck! |
I do 1/2 raw, 1/2 kibble for Sasha. I give her Primal and she absolutely loves it. I tried Nature's Variety quite a few years ago and it just didn't work out. She ate it for a few days and then wanted nothing to do with it so I ended up wasting quite a bit of food. With Primal, I first bought a sample pack that they offered which had 4 different varieties included. She ate them all with no problem and I've been feeding it to her ever since. I usually buy 2 of the 4lb bags, each bag a different protein source and it'll usually last me about 3 months which is nice. |
I used to feed mine Nature's Variety (stopped because of cost, but thinking about starting again) and they all did very well on it and LOVED it. I used to give the raw for breakfast and the NV kibble for dinner, rotating protien sources with each bag of patties and kibble. I've never tried Primal (actually have never seen it) where do you all buy it from?? Something I was curious about that hopefully an avid raw feeder here will know - what's the difference between using a pre-packaged pet food vs. just meat you buy at the grocery store? Is it just convenience? |
Thank you ladies so much. |
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If you go to the Primal raw website, you should be able to put in where you're located and they should tell you if there are stores in your area that sell Primal. I have to drive about 20-30 minutes from my city to get it which isn't too bad. Sasha loves the food so it's worth it. |
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The store bought meat is just meat. Dogs also need bone and organs. This is normally called prey model. People sometimes put supplements in there as well. I feed prey model as it would be too expensive to feed pre packaged with a big dog! I also get my meat from a meat packaging company so it is much cheaper than going to the grocery store. |
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So, you buy directly from a meat packaging plant? How do you get the bones and organs in there? I know the vet I worked for did it himself mainly with venison, but he had this big grinder thing in his garage that he used to "processed" the deer for his dogs. There's no way on earth I'm doing that lol, but I do want to at least suppliment their kibble diet with some raw. The NV is too expensive since we have 3 dogs(one of which is a 75 lb. Akita, and 2 cats) and our local small natural pet store sells a different brand (can't think of the name) that's much less expensive since the packaging isn't fancy;), but about the third time I fed it, one of my cats brought all of it back up about 20 minutes later, so now I don't trust that brand. |
I feed PMR but fill in with premade sometimes. I like Primal although I have a hard time getting that here. They do carry NV and I do feed it but mine aren't always crazy about it. |
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I don't do any grinding, I just "throw" it all in a bowl and they eat. I am able to get 20lb boxes of organs, so that lasts me a long time. Otherwise for the bones, I do mostly chicken or turkey with the bones. I also bought a bone meal supplement that I may use on occasion. You do have to buy in bulk, so I dethaw everything and re package into bags so that I can just take a few out and feed when the times comes. Duke will eat anything, while Piper is much more picky. |
I have been feeding both of mine Primal for the past nine months. They love it :animal36 and are doing great with it. I rotate between venison, lamb, and duck. It is kind of expensive but they are definitely worth it! I give them natural treats. I am hoping it will give them a healthier and longer life. :animal-pa:animal-pa Good luck.. |
I was wondering. Do your yorkies touch the raw meat when they are eating. Do you feed on a blanket? Do you wipe their face after each feed? Thanks |
I hand feed them. When I first started with it, I thought how gross! I just make sure I wash my hands good before and after. Lacey is such a little pig she would eat it all in one bite if I didn't hand feed her. She's only three pounds but she loves to eat! My other dog is a Maltese and she loves it too but she doesn't get as excited. I did a lot of research and reading about it before I started them on it. It sounds so much better for them than the processed dog foods. I buy the 8 lb. patty bags and cut each patty into 10 pieces. I feed them 3 times a day but some people only feed them twice. If I can help you in anyway, just let me know. |
I started with the Nature's Variety then I went to DIY Prey Model. Now, I'm using Honest Kitchen and adding meat to it sometimes. |
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After they eat on the towel, I wash it (in hot water) and dry it. I also run the steam mop over the floor where the towel was. I don't wipe their face/paws. |
Excellent ideas and feedback ladies. I ordered Stella and Chewy's lamb on Amazon and also Primal at a diff website. No one carries it in El Paso so I am going to have to resort to online if RAW works out for us. One more question.........Do you ladies recommend I mix it with the kibble initially (to avoid stomach upset) or go ahead and switch cold turkey. Stella's recommends sneaking it up on them on the package but I have read that for the most part others just switch right away. Thanks! |
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I did it cold turkey. I read something about the digestion rates of raw vs kibble (basically kibble takes much longer) and how it could cause the raw foods to stay in the intestine too long. I don't know if it's true or not, and my Lily can't eat kibble so we just went for it. Some dogs get a little funny about lamb when it's first introduced. I think it's because it's a very rich meat. My Chi was like what :confused: when I first gave it to her. But then, she gobbled it up! |
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You and your yorkies will LOVE raw!! Yorkies are already picky, finicky, little ones and when you see them chow down on their food and enjoy it--it is such a joy. We started w/ NV here and then switched to Primal. NV has had some recalls so I don't trust it any longer. My boys love their Primal chicken, beef, and lamb. It is pricey--but oh so worth it!! Lovely teeth, coats, appetite and no yucky "doggy" smell. It has not been proven but it's been said raw fed dogs are much less prone to fleas (I pray this is true!!) :):) We get the Primal patties also and cut them into 8- 1 oz pieces. I'm excited for you....such a great diet!!!!! Viv |
I gave Lexie a small piece of raw steak yesterday and she gobbled it up so fast then started crying for more. I wonder if I should switch her completely. I would be switching her to NV because that's what they have here, Primal raw is not available in Canada so I guess it's the next best thing. How much on average does it cost to feed NV raw per month? Lexie is only 4.5lbs and I heard if you buy the chubs it works out cheaper? |
Forgot to add...my boys do nudge the raw a little with their nose, they eat in stainless steel dishes/saucers on carpet (they won't eat on hard floor) and yes, I wipe their beards with a non-scented baby wipe-- I rinse with hot water and wring it out before wiping. :) Viv |
Thanks!! |
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Today the Stella and Chewys freeze dried patties arrived. Big hit! :thumbup: |
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