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RaW feed for dummies

Hi guys well I've been wanting to go raw for ages now due to my girl Autumn (2 year ddb) being alergic to chicken an grain but even hours of looking online an watching you tube vids I'm still not holding all the info so do you folks know of any simple guides out there many thanks
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tmricciuto

Well-Known Member
If you go into the Raw Forum there is a great post by Deannasmom. She breaks it down very simply. You can also check and see if there is a company that processes in your area. I have one called Suzy's Doggie Delights and she makes a grind that is the right ratio and sells items in cases. She created a sample menu for me that I will use to add variety and supplement when prices are high.
 

TricAP

Well-Known Member
Ditto the suggestion to go in the Raw sub forum under health and nutrition. It really isn't as complicated as you think when just starting out. The Raw sub forum has answers to questions you might now have thought of. It was a great resource when we started our 3 on raw earlier this year.

Autumn is a beautiful girl btw - love her "smile."
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
I love talking about dogs and food... so... I tend to write long posts on raw feeding. :)

Was this the post you were thinking of, tmricciuto?
http://www.mastiff-forum.com/showthread.php/26045-Considering-RAW/page2#ixzz3cDe0NTZl

I
think the big "lesson" for me, after getting the basics under my belt (the 80/10/10 rule), was that variety is GOOD, and it doesn't have to be perfect, as longs you get all the essential nutrients in there "over time".

Think of how you feed yourself and your family - you get some meat and veggies on the plate, maybe add some carbs/potatoes/pasta, etc.... and if you eat fast food one night, maybe you try harder to eat a home cooked "healthy" meal the next... I try and apply that concept both ways - I try to make sure Denna gets a good variety with tasty stuff as well as healthy stuff, and I try to get the family to eat balanced "healthy" meals more often (the dog definitely eats a healthier, more "species appropriate" diet than humans do at our house)! But in neither case do we eat the same thing month in and month out. We have our staples, but then we mix it up a bit using what's available and what's in season.

Other thoughts:
1) a lot of the info on the internet makes is more difficult than it needs to be - that makes for better marketing (and more clicks).
2) if you cook the meat, you'll need to add supplements, when you leave it raw, and include good variety and raw organ meats, you don't.
3) every dog is unique, so while there are all sorts of "rules" out there... you still need to watch your dog for feedback (mainly poops, but also skin condition and energy levels) and adjust as needed.
4) since your dog is >2 years old, you have room for a lot flexibility and less chance of causing any major issues, since most of her growing is done.

And, last but not least - I agree TricAP - that's a beautiful picture of a beautiful dog!
 

Liz_M

Well-Known Member
DennasMom put it very well! Really, it's easy to over-think it or worry about doing it "just right" and especially since your girl has mostly done growing you don't have to be really precise with amounts and proportions. Roughly follow the 80:10:10 rule (meat:eek:rgan:bone), get 3-4 different proteins in rotation, balance over time. I've fed raw since 1999; the only supplements I add are fish oil caps and the occasional vit E capsule, when I remember.


I love Autumn's smile. :)
 

cj-sharpy

Well-Known Member
Google A Raw Start Explained. ARSE.
It's a good site for explaining the why's and how's of raw feeding

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