Switching from Orijen to RAW. Advice?

[Manchester-Mike]

Hi, have decided to give RAW a try with lexi, been debating it for ages after trying her on numerous foods. Shes on orijen at the moment, ive stuck it out thinking will give her chance to get used to it, but her stools are still not good if you ask me, sometimes small, sometimes huge, sometimes very very loose.

Shes been staying with a dog trainer a couple of times a week whilst im at work, and she seems to know what shes talking about and has some really healthy looking well behaved dogs. When i told her that lexi is on orijen and still having trouble she said as much as she knows it is a really good food, it might just not be right for her and might be too rich. She feeds all hers on RAW and said she cant recommend it enough.

She said some people feed them veg and various other things, but she said she feeds hers meat (different variations), Raw meaty bones, some organs, and natural yoghurt. She said that's enough to give them everything they need. Would you agree with that?

From what ive read, i know there isnt an actual amount (weight) to feed them on RAW as each dogs different, but i need at least a starting point. Shes only 7 month old and i do want her to put a bit of weight on, although not too much. She weighs 25kg at the moment. What would you say to 2lb a day of RAW food? Or maybe 2.5lbs. Like i say, i can start to adjust it according as she either puts on weight or doesn't, but does this seem okay for a starting point?

I don't really know where to get hold of carcasses etc and she always gets the runs off anything chicken, but seems fine on beef and lamb so will be trying all meat except chicken.

I realise the key to RAW is variety, so lets say i give her beef, lamb, turkey, fish, raw meaty bones, ox heart, and natural yoghurt.

So like on a monday i could give her 2lbs worth of just beef?
then when she has fish does it have to be 2lbs worth full of fish? or is it mixed like 1lb fish and 1lb meat? So if i give her some ox heart that weighs about 1/2 a lb, she only has the rest 1.5lb of food to make up the amount? rather than have extra?

Thanks, am still reading but could just do with abit of an idea in regards to them specific questions.

[Manchester-Mike]

Oh sorry she also told me to make sure too add some tripe in the diet too.

Hi Mike
Ive sent you a PM
Cant the trainer give you an idea of where to start if she raw feeds aswell?
Linda

[Stuart]

Hi Mike,.... a few things that come to mind, first you will have to give a raw diet time to work, dont expect good results right away, it is a big change for any dog,..an enjoyable one, but none the less a bog one

The diet you mentioned is ok,... the only thing is,..is that heart is a muscle, so thats just another meat, you will need the `other `offal, the liver, lungs kidney,..you can get these at most suppermarkets

I am suprised that chicken doesnt go down well,... but it might once the raw diet has settled in, so dont disguard it completly, its a good food,..tripe is good, but bear in mind it is very fattening,..like all raw food, I cant give you a weight to give your dog, as I have never ever weighed my dogs food, but you will certainly want less than you think, because unlike commercial food every part of raw is used nothing is wasted nothing is filler,..I have added a link at the bottom,..if you realy want to see a dog = weight of food scale then there is one in one of the links on that site

If the fish is anything up to the size of about 18 inches then I give the whole fish, you dont even need to gut them if you dont want to,..some dogs will eat them ungutted, [ like my Kee] some will demand they are gutted [ my Sam],.. but either way fish is one of the best dog foods going, [it is almost the primary food given to dogs running the Alaskan Idtarod race],..if the fish is bigger than 18 inches then I would cut out the bigger spiky bones on the back bone,.I think a dog can deal with them, but just in case they do get stuck, I will feed a meal of fish on its own, but you can mix fish and meat if you like

You can feed veg if you want, but it does no good, many dogs like it, but dogs cant digest veg, this is why dogs eat grass to make themselves sick and clear the stomach, it just goes right through them, I would agree with your trainer

good luck, ask if you are unsure of anything

http://www.krisannriorawfeeding.com/

[Manchester-Mike]

Hi Linda,

Thanks for PM going to sit down and have a proper read through tonight.

Trainer could probably tell me where to start but everyone just says feed them what you think is enough lol.