I won't lie to you -- sometimes the transition can be iffy; the best case scenario is mild changes in the poop, worst case scenario is diarrhea. Almost always, it is human error that causes the worst case scenarios. It is important to stay with one protein; many start with chicken, especially because it seems to have the softest bones. It takes the dog's stomach acids a while to learn to digest bones, so don't be surprised when you see some fragments in the poop.
Stay on the chicken for 2 to 4 weeks, starting with boney pieces, such as the backs. Consider removing the skin and for the first week or so until you see how your dog handles the meat and bones. Then slowly introduce in the skin and fat. After 4 weeks, you can start to slowly introduce other proteins (one at a time, every couple of weeks). At about 8 weeks, start to introduce organs, tiny pieces at a time.
Lots of really good information on this forum. Just do some reading and you'll be off to a good start.
One of the main reasons we switched our dogs to raw was that our male mastiff was having skin issues. Out of frustration following almost 2 years of vet care that didn't work, we tried raw. Cane was a picky eater anyway, and the first week on raw was a little touch-and-go; he wanted everything sauteed first in butter. Now, he can't wait to get his meals (no more butter needed), as long as it's not fish.
He is quite the robust eater now and his poop is
sooo much better than it was on kibble.
While you may have some GI problems with your dog in the beginning, you'll probably soon find the reward to be ten fold. Even with three dogs, we rarely have any kind of GI upset at our house.
