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Raw Diet Basics
Raw Meaty Bones
Muscle Meat
Organ Meat
Veggie Mush
Benefits
Drawbacks
Getting Started
Premade vs DIY
How Much to Feed
Feeding a Raw Diet
Grinding
Recreational Bones
Planning Orders
Finding Sources
Supplies & Tools
Helpful Tips
On this page I have gathered some of the tips I've learned along the
way. If you have any tips you'd like to offer fellow raw feeders -
send them our way and we'll be glad to add them to our list!
Switching
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I've found that cold turkey (kibble one day, raw the next) is the best way to switch a healthy dog BUT you start with very little variety and build as the dog becomes accustomed to the new diet.
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You put the bowl of nice, raw chicken wings on the floor. Your dog comes over, sniffs it, looks at you with an expression that says "No, come on. Where's my REAL food?" and won't touch it. What do you do? Keep in mind - most kibbles have been sprayed with an animal fat to make them smell great to dogs. Dogs learn through their noses and fresh, raw chicken just doesn't smell as tempting as kibble. It may take your dog a bit to realize that this IS food ... and good food at that! So here's how you deal with the reluctant switcher. Offer the bowl of food. Give them a minute or so to START eating. If they don't make some attempt to eat the food within that timeframe, pick up the bowl and put it in the fridge. The dog gets NO food until the next scheduled meal. No treats, no nothing. At the next scheduled mealtime take out the bowl and offer it again. Rarely do dogs willingly skip more than 2 meals.
Word of Warning - very small dogs, those under 5 lbs, should not go too long without some type of food. They can develop low blood sugar and get very sick. I personally wouldn't let them skip more than 3 meals in a row.
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Ok, so it's Day Two and your dog isn't showing any signs of touching the new food. You have several options.
Grind the food. It may be that taking on a whole chicken wing or leg is too much for some dogs at first. Grinding the food can help get them past that.
Lightly sear the food in olive oil (or just about any type of oil) - just lightly - to get the outside slightly cooked. This will release more scent in the meat and may entice the dog to try a bit.
Competition - some dogs just can't stand seeing another dog get something they aren't getting! If you have a raw feeding friend see if you can bring your dog over at mealtime (as long as all the dogs involved don't have food guarding issues).
Battered Raw Chicken - put some of the dogs kibble in a blender or food processor and grind it down to a paste. Roll a raw chicken leg in this and see if that helps.
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In the case of a REALLY stubborn dog you could start by mixing in a small amount of ground with their regular kibble and slowly increase that amount over time.
Eating
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The Wandering Dog - many people email me and say when they gave their dog it's first raw chicken wing the dog took off and hid it. Some dogs aren't sure what to do with the raw food at first so you want to make sure they CAN'T leave the bowl. Crate them with their bowl, put their leash on and stand there with them or attach the leash to a nearby immovable object. You need to teach them where they are allowed to eat their food. Many people have success using a bathmat under their dogs bowl. The dog learns that area is where they eat and the mats are washable.
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Food Guarding - "I gave my dog a raw chicken wing and the dog growled at me! The raw food made them vicious!!" Um, no. If this happens with your dog it's not the food - it's the dog. You have a dog with a food guarding issue. Some dogs that never showed this before may show it with the raw food - the raw food is a higher value item than their kibble or toys. If this does happen you'll want to get professional help RIGHT AWAY. This is not something to take lightly.
Your dog should allow you to take anything - ANYTHING - they have in their mouth away from them. You should be able to stick your hand into your dogs mouth without fear of being bitten by the dog. This is extremely important if your dog ever starts to choke on something. You'll need to be able to open the dogs mouth and try to reach in without having the dog trying to bite you.
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The Gulper - My Corgi mix is one of these. She chews the piece of food just barely enough to get it down her throat. And she doesn't always judge it correctly. I've had to pry open her mouth and pull out a piece of chicken thigh she didn't chew quite enough and had gotten stuck.
This is another reason why I hang around while the dogs are eating. Just in case anyone needs help.
The answer to the gulper is either make the pieces so small they CAN be swallowed whole without fear of getting stuck (or just grind it) or make them so BIG they can't possibly be swallowed whole and force the dog to chew.
With Winnie, the Corgi mix, I now tell her to CHEW her food when I put her bowl down. If I think she's gulping it I'll yell "Winnie - CHEW THAT!" and she slows down. A little.
Cleaning
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I buy the cheapest dish washing detergent I can find. I mix it half and half with plain water and put it into an empty container. I use this when I wash the dishes. It works just as well as the full strength and it lasts longer.
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A friend who uses the plastic freezer bags for most of her packaging gave me this tip. When you empty out a bag, rinse it with hot water and then lay it in the freezer. When you are ready to use it again take it out, fill it up and stick it right back in the freezer. You don't really need to use soap.
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Cotton dish towels are much cheaper (in the long run) and more environmentally friendly that using paper towels. I buy ours at the local Sams Club.
Feel free to email me at info@rawdogranch.com if you have any questions!