I think I have a raw dog... =)

[bckrazy]

Today, I was washing a chicken leg quarter to give to Gonzo. Fozzie was going CRAZY, so I made him sit and gave him a tiny scrap. I gave Gonzo his chicken, and I was taking Fozzie outside to potty. The second I set him down, he raced across the backyard and jumped right on top of Gonzo's chicken! Luckily, Gonzo doesn't care at all if people/other dogs take his food... he only cares if other dogs are trying to take treats from me.

Fozzie only got a chunk of meat before I grabbed him, but I could barely hold him because he was squirming and crying trying to get to Gonzo's chicken :p. Long story short, Fozzie is definitely a raw-loving dog! He likes cooked meats, but not this much! He also really dislikes kibble, even though he's eating good brands that Gonzo likes (Natural Balance & Innova). He doesn't even like canned. He picks at it occasionally, and his foster Mom explained that she was concerned about that. I've had to feed him cooked chicken and vegetables for half of his daily intake.

So, what should I start him on? I was thinking, a little bit of beef/buffalo/turkey Farmore for his morning meal, and chicken wings/legs/necks? I'll still feed kibble seperately.

[lv4dogs]

Thats great news!!! Did he not used to like it?

Can't he eat what you feed Gonzo? Or doesn't Gonzo get raw all the time?

I would start him off on something bland, and try to stick with just one meat at a time until his body gets at least a little used to it. Chicken, turkey, tec.. are great starters.
Organ meat shouldn't be added until a couple weeks down the road unlkess your dogs system is not that problematic when adjusting to new foods.

[bckrazy]

yeah.. I'm still feeding Gonzo Innova in the evening, and raw in the morning. I'll probably get some dehydrated food, maybe Honest Kitchen, to replace the kibble. I want him to still be fine with dry foods, because that's what he will have to eat when we go to tournaments and when we're in a hurry. He's doing well.

No, I hadn't even tried raw with Fozzie. We wanted to wait until he had settled in, and keep him on his kibble/canned that he had before for at least a week. The foster mom commented to us that he didn't like any of the kibbles they tried with him, so I guess he's ready for raw. Gonzo was waaay more hesitant with raw, especially chicken, than this pup. I think it must be because for his first few years Gonzo was just kibble-fed with only cooked meat as treats, and raw was just different for him. I'm sure most puppies naturally love raw meat, Fozzie goes crazy when he smells it :p

I'm kind of nervous about giving him bones. Would a chicken leg be ok? Or should I just start him off with pre-made raw, and let him get used to that first? Sorry, I'm a newb with feeding puppies raw!

[caseysmom]

Erica...since you are a dog food saleswoman now I have a question...is the innoveau chicken kibble small?

I was feeding california natural then switched...I know shame on me to kirkland,,,,I swear I compared the label and it was very similar to innovea but I just don't feel right about it, they are doing fine on it but casey's poops are bigger than california natural so that makes me think there must be some more fillers in it that are not good.

What I really want is a kibble that is smaller so bubba can handle it but I want both dogs on the same food.

The thought of raw scares me casey gets sick soooo easy.

[bckrazy]

Sweet! I love selling dog food :)

Innova is good, it has medium-sized bites. They're triangle shaped and about the size of your pinky nail? Fozzie eats it comfortably, so the size should be fine for Bubba. Canidae is awesome, too. It's for all ages/sizes, and the kibbles are small. My sister feeds Kirkland, and she says the same about the fillers, it's still pretty high quality though.

Gonzo has a really sensitive tummy too, and he hasn't gotten sick yet! The key is just taking it very very slow. He's very picky, and of course he likes raw much more than any kibble. I also don't have to buy him greenies to keep his teeth white anymore! Farmore is soooo well-priced, I think you should try a roll of it if you're curious. We sell .5 lb rolls, for really cheap, I'm not sure of the price exactly. 5 lbs of it costs a little over $10, there is buffalo, beef, and chicken formulas. You can't beat the small/odorless poops of raw-fed dogs!

[caseysmom]

Thanks Erica, maybe I will go in and get a sample of innovea and candidae and see about the size...bubba is so picky, unfortunately my husband feeds him from the table to he wants that and not his food :rolleyes:

Maybe I can supplement with raw since casey has to get her teeth cleaned every year.

[Muddy4paws]

Sorry I'm not too good on this subject and im not trying to hi-jack it but can you feed a dog raw meat once its had cooked all its life?

[binka_nugget]

Sorry I'm not too good on this subject and im not trying to hi-jack it but can you feed a dog raw meat once its had cooked all its life?

Yep! So long as the dog is in good health, it shouldn't have a problem handling raw meat. :)