How To Get Started?
Our dogs and cats have evolved to eat raw meat, including raw bones. However, it is understandable to be hesitant about feeding raw meat and bones. You should not do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Finding a local vet to support you in your raw diet feeding regime sadly, might prove difficult too. This is why it is important to do your own research and reach your own conclusions and if you still want to go ahead, find someone who you trust to help you make the transition.
If your dog has health issues please talk to admin before embarking on your raw feeding journey. The only reason for this is to make sure the food is adjusted to take this into consideration for dietary needs, e.g. low fat, food allergies, etc. Most health issues do improve with this way of feeding J
Don’t worry about getting all the nutrients needed in the first couple of weeks, it will even itself out over time.
The following method is how I was taught to do it and I found it very simple and easy to understand. It also helped find out if my dogs had any type of allergy or intolerance to different meats so I could then avoid in the future.
Dogs can and do lose weight in the initial stages. This is due to detoxing all the body does not need and has built up in their system.
Sometimes they can get the tummy gurgles, and bring up a yellow frothy liquid, again do not worry unless it is continual for more than a couple of days and your dog is obviously not well. Then I would advise a visit to the vet. Feeding 3 meals instead of 2 can help this in the early stages.
They may seem hungrier than normal, again this is ok and to be expected. The food is not in their stomachs for as long as kibble and is pure rather than bulked out with fillers.
Every dog is different, what suits one may not suit another. Don’t worry; this diet is easy to adjust to suit your dog.
Don’t mix raw and kibble. Commercial dried diets have a transit time of approx. 12 hours. Raw approx. 4 hours. Kibble also affects the PH in the stomach, making it more neutral, when dogs need a naturally acidic PH of 1-2 to safely and effectively digest raw meat.
Find a supplier. I use various suppliers as I like variety in my dog’s diet. Some people like chunks, some like mince and some feed whole prey. It doesn’t matter as long as you and your dog are happy with it.
A freezer is a must. Look on all the free sites and you can pick them up pretty cheaply.
NEVER EVER FEED COOKED BONES! Why? Because they can and do splinter and could pierce the gut and bowels.
Chicken Mince in raw feeding is usually minced chicken carcass which includes bone. (Check with your supplier on their % of bone, too high and it will cause constipation). You need this to help start the dog’s digestive system working properly after being suppressed due to dried foods and kibble.
How Much To Feed
A good starting point is 2.5%, some feed at 2% or 3%, some less, some more. It depends on your dog, how much exercise, and size (small toy dogs usually need more as do working dogs). This figure should be taken from the dogs ideal weight e.g. 10kg dog at 2.5% = 250gms per day. This breaks down to the following and is based on the 80:10:10 principle. 200gms of meat, 25gms of offal (broken down to 50% liver and 50% kidney) and 25gms of bone. Again don’t worry about getting a complete diet every day in the early stages. Once you are feeding a large variety you can do it over a week or even 2 weeks. If I gave any of my dogs a weeks’ worth of offal in one day there would be serious bottom fallout so offal needs little but often to prevent this experience. Puppies are fed different amounts, have a look at the feeding puppies guide written specifically for them.
BASIC START UP
Using chicken mince only, which is usually minced chicken carcass. Check with your supplier the % of bone as all suppliers vary. Too much bone and you will have a constipated dog very quickly. If it is a high bone content add more chicken meat to bring the % down. 10% is the starting point as it’s a safe level in the early days.
Day 1 should be at least 12-24 hours after their last kibble meal. This helps rid the body of all kibble residue.
AM– Feed approx. 1/3 of the dog’s meat requirement for the day. Veg also if using but not much. Again some do use veg, some don’t, your choice. But can be good filler should your dog need to lose weight and does give varied nutrients.
PM– 1/3 of the dog’s daily requirements
Day 2
As above
Day 3
As above
Day 4
Slightly increase the amount of meat for both meals and again add veg if using it.
Day 5, 6 and 7
Brilliant, you made it! A whole week as a raw feeder!
Day 8
By now you can increase to the full amount of meat per day split between 2 meals. Still only chicken mince though. Nasty subject but raw feeders all become avid poo watchers and this is how we know there is not too much bone in the diet so as to avoid impaction, which can be life threatening in very extreme cases. If your dog’s poo is very white and crumbly cut down the bone and increase the meat. Add more veg and eventually liver will also help this.
Day 9 Continue as day 8
Day 10
Now the fun begins. You can now start introducing different meats. Try 1 meat at a time with the chicken base as this keeps the diet simple and you can see if there are any allergy issues or upset tummy. Try the new meat with chicken for approx. 3-4 days before you know for sure. This way you don’t overload and end up with a rather nasty mess to clear up :0
Chicken is a fab way to ‘reset’ if you find you have over fed or gone too quick with a new meat. Stop feeding the new food and revert back to chicken only.
Whole bones should not be introduced until at least 2 weeks after starting. Why? Because the stomach acids need to build and the body needs to adjust to this new, healthy way of eating.
Bones - after 2 weeks at least
Meal bones should be meaty – Lamb, chicken wings and carcass, veal necks, rabbit whole or skinned, pheasant, the list is endless.
Beef Bones wear teeth and should only be used for recreational exercise and for very short periods of time. They are not a meal bone. Never feed beef bones as a meal as they are too tough and avoid weight baring bones.
What is Offal? Introduce after 3 weeks
In raw feeding terms offal is kidney, liver and other secreting organs. Lungs are called lites and heart is a muscle meat (quite rich so don’t overload). All are great to include in the diet. Offal MUST be included as it contains very important vitamins.
Fish - Introduce after 2 weeks
Fish is an important part as it contains wonderful, health giving oils. I use sprats and stock up while they are in season and then use salmon oil to keep the Omega 3 in the diet. Another oil that has numerous health giving properties is coconut oil. Some dogs don’t take to fish so mincing it up is a great way to hide it in the meat. Feed approx. 2 or 3 times per week.
Eggs - Introduce after 1 week minimum
Fantastic to include in the diet, I feed 2-3 times per week, and the shells contain calcium so you can include these also. Great for growing puppies.
The major potential hazard of raw feeding is increased exposure to pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella. This is not a big problem for a healthy dog, as their acidic digestive tract eliminates most pathogenic bacteria. It is a concern if people have poor hygiene in handling raw meat; all bowls and prep surfaces must be washed well with hot soapy water. Raw fed dogs can shed more bacteria in their stools, so if there are immunocompromised individuals in the home, raw feeding may not be the best idea. Once again, you need to educate yourself, so that you feel secure in your choice.
A varied diet helps to provide the best balance of nutrients, however. Pets with food allergies or other problems may need to have a restricted number of food items in their diet. You can avoid the problem of nutrient depletion by feeding only organically sourced food from soils enriched with trace nutrients, but many of us won’t find this practical. A good alternative is to supplement the diet with a whole food vitamin and mineral supplement. Most pets benefit from supplementation with an omega fatty acid source, like fish oil, as well.
Eggs can be used as a protein source 1 to 3 times a week. If feeding whole bones worries you, there are frozen ground raw diets available which may suit your lifestyle better. Vegetables can provide 10 -15% of the diet, depending on the age of your pet. Raw fruit in small quantities is fine for both dogs and cats. Vegetables can be given raw, juiced, or cooked to the point of softness. If vegetables are passed in whole pieces in the stools, this means your pet needs them cooked more to aid digestion. Be careful about the size of raw vegetables and fruit. Since animals naturally bolt their food, pieces of raw hard foods must be small to prevent choking.
If your dog has health issues please talk to admin before embarking on your raw feeding journey. The only reason for this is to make sure the food is adjusted to take this into consideration for dietary needs, e.g. low fat, food allergies, etc. Most health issues do improve with this way of feeding J
Don’t worry about getting all the nutrients needed in the first couple of weeks, it will even itself out over time.
The following method is how I was taught to do it and I found it very simple and easy to understand. It also helped find out if my dogs had any type of allergy or intolerance to different meats so I could then avoid in the future.
Dogs can and do lose weight in the initial stages. This is due to detoxing all the body does not need and has built up in their system.
Sometimes they can get the tummy gurgles, and bring up a yellow frothy liquid, again do not worry unless it is continual for more than a couple of days and your dog is obviously not well. Then I would advise a visit to the vet. Feeding 3 meals instead of 2 can help this in the early stages.
They may seem hungrier than normal, again this is ok and to be expected. The food is not in their stomachs for as long as kibble and is pure rather than bulked out with fillers.
Every dog is different, what suits one may not suit another. Don’t worry; this diet is easy to adjust to suit your dog.
Don’t mix raw and kibble. Commercial dried diets have a transit time of approx. 12 hours. Raw approx. 4 hours. Kibble also affects the PH in the stomach, making it more neutral, when dogs need a naturally acidic PH of 1-2 to safely and effectively digest raw meat.
Find a supplier. I use various suppliers as I like variety in my dog’s diet. Some people like chunks, some like mince and some feed whole prey. It doesn’t matter as long as you and your dog are happy with it.
A freezer is a must. Look on all the free sites and you can pick them up pretty cheaply.
NEVER EVER FEED COOKED BONES! Why? Because they can and do splinter and could pierce the gut and bowels.
Chicken Mince in raw feeding is usually minced chicken carcass which includes bone. (Check with your supplier on their % of bone, too high and it will cause constipation). You need this to help start the dog’s digestive system working properly after being suppressed due to dried foods and kibble.
How Much To Feed
A good starting point is 2.5%, some feed at 2% or 3%, some less, some more. It depends on your dog, how much exercise, and size (small toy dogs usually need more as do working dogs). This figure should be taken from the dogs ideal weight e.g. 10kg dog at 2.5% = 250gms per day. This breaks down to the following and is based on the 80:10:10 principle. 200gms of meat, 25gms of offal (broken down to 50% liver and 50% kidney) and 25gms of bone. Again don’t worry about getting a complete diet every day in the early stages. Once you are feeding a large variety you can do it over a week or even 2 weeks. If I gave any of my dogs a weeks’ worth of offal in one day there would be serious bottom fallout so offal needs little but often to prevent this experience. Puppies are fed different amounts, have a look at the feeding puppies guide written specifically for them.
BASIC START UP
Using chicken mince only, which is usually minced chicken carcass. Check with your supplier the % of bone as all suppliers vary. Too much bone and you will have a constipated dog very quickly. If it is a high bone content add more chicken meat to bring the % down. 10% is the starting point as it’s a safe level in the early days.
Day 1 should be at least 12-24 hours after their last kibble meal. This helps rid the body of all kibble residue.
AM– Feed approx. 1/3 of the dog’s meat requirement for the day. Veg also if using but not much. Again some do use veg, some don’t, your choice. But can be good filler should your dog need to lose weight and does give varied nutrients.
PM– 1/3 of the dog’s daily requirements
Day 2
As above
Day 3
As above
Day 4
Slightly increase the amount of meat for both meals and again add veg if using it.
Day 5, 6 and 7
Brilliant, you made it! A whole week as a raw feeder!
Day 8
By now you can increase to the full amount of meat per day split between 2 meals. Still only chicken mince though. Nasty subject but raw feeders all become avid poo watchers and this is how we know there is not too much bone in the diet so as to avoid impaction, which can be life threatening in very extreme cases. If your dog’s poo is very white and crumbly cut down the bone and increase the meat. Add more veg and eventually liver will also help this.
Day 9 Continue as day 8
Day 10
Now the fun begins. You can now start introducing different meats. Try 1 meat at a time with the chicken base as this keeps the diet simple and you can see if there are any allergy issues or upset tummy. Try the new meat with chicken for approx. 3-4 days before you know for sure. This way you don’t overload and end up with a rather nasty mess to clear up :0
Chicken is a fab way to ‘reset’ if you find you have over fed or gone too quick with a new meat. Stop feeding the new food and revert back to chicken only.
Whole bones should not be introduced until at least 2 weeks after starting. Why? Because the stomach acids need to build and the body needs to adjust to this new, healthy way of eating.
Bones - after 2 weeks at least
Meal bones should be meaty – Lamb, chicken wings and carcass, veal necks, rabbit whole or skinned, pheasant, the list is endless.
Beef Bones wear teeth and should only be used for recreational exercise and for very short periods of time. They are not a meal bone. Never feed beef bones as a meal as they are too tough and avoid weight baring bones.
What is Offal? Introduce after 3 weeks
In raw feeding terms offal is kidney, liver and other secreting organs. Lungs are called lites and heart is a muscle meat (quite rich so don’t overload). All are great to include in the diet. Offal MUST be included as it contains very important vitamins.
Fish - Introduce after 2 weeks
Fish is an important part as it contains wonderful, health giving oils. I use sprats and stock up while they are in season and then use salmon oil to keep the Omega 3 in the diet. Another oil that has numerous health giving properties is coconut oil. Some dogs don’t take to fish so mincing it up is a great way to hide it in the meat. Feed approx. 2 or 3 times per week.
Eggs - Introduce after 1 week minimum
Fantastic to include in the diet, I feed 2-3 times per week, and the shells contain calcium so you can include these also. Great for growing puppies.
The major potential hazard of raw feeding is increased exposure to pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella. This is not a big problem for a healthy dog, as their acidic digestive tract eliminates most pathogenic bacteria. It is a concern if people have poor hygiene in handling raw meat; all bowls and prep surfaces must be washed well with hot soapy water. Raw fed dogs can shed more bacteria in their stools, so if there are immunocompromised individuals in the home, raw feeding may not be the best idea. Once again, you need to educate yourself, so that you feel secure in your choice.
A varied diet helps to provide the best balance of nutrients, however. Pets with food allergies or other problems may need to have a restricted number of food items in their diet. You can avoid the problem of nutrient depletion by feeding only organically sourced food from soils enriched with trace nutrients, but many of us won’t find this practical. A good alternative is to supplement the diet with a whole food vitamin and mineral supplement. Most pets benefit from supplementation with an omega fatty acid source, like fish oil, as well.
Eggs can be used as a protein source 1 to 3 times a week. If feeding whole bones worries you, there are frozen ground raw diets available which may suit your lifestyle better. Vegetables can provide 10 -15% of the diet, depending on the age of your pet. Raw fruit in small quantities is fine for both dogs and cats. Vegetables can be given raw, juiced, or cooked to the point of softness. If vegetables are passed in whole pieces in the stools, this means your pet needs them cooked more to aid digestion. Be careful about the size of raw vegetables and fruit. Since animals naturally bolt their food, pieces of raw hard foods must be small to prevent choking.
