Feeding Raw: How to Know He's Eating the Raw Bone Correctly?

[Maxxx]

This is probably a really dumb question, but I've been researching feeding raw for about a month now and all I hear is give them a (insert meat here) and let them have at it.

I'm going to start with chicken, maybe a half or quarter one and was wondering, how do you know if your dog is properly chewing the bone? I'll be watching him the whole time but don't know what to look for. Should he be crushing say the leg bone up into tiny pieces before he eats it, or are big chunks ok?

I've done some research on here and noticed some of your say, if they swallow it whole, they can digest it. But what is the best size? This may be a complete non-issue here, but I want to make sure I'm doing it right before I start giving him whole chickens.

Any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

[AngelBunny]

I did alot of reading before I switched to raw. I read that you should give your dog raw in pieces that're bigger than the dog's head. Well, since our foster has a large head that meant Sailor should've gotten pieces of raw the size of a soccer ball.

I ws timid--the first time I fed turkey necks I chopped them into thirds, concerned that our dogs who hoovered down their kibble w/o chewing would do the same with raw. To my surprise, they didn't--even our youngest dog who gobbled her kibble chews deliberately.

The only bones I watch for are rib bones. I pick these up when the meat is stipped. I do this more to prevent a scuffle breaking out if dog #1 should innocently walk by dog #2's bone.

I have seen our foster swallow pieces of beef that look to me to be too big to swallow, but swallow them he does and they stayed down.

I suggest giving your dog a whole chicken and let him have at it.

[Maxxx]

That makes sense. The bigger it is, the harder it'll be to swallow whole!

If he's not crunching up the bones into small pieces, it doesn't matter then? His digestive system will take care of it? I'm just afraid it'll cause some type or obstruction or poke it's way out of his stomach or something. Can't you tell I'm new to this?

[Nishasmom]

Originally Posted by AngelBunny

I suggest giving your dog a whole chicken and let him have at it.

Really? A whole chicken! I thought you had to grind the bones. There is this new company in my area that prepares raw meals for you each week; they package them into seperate meals and deliver it to your house. I was thinking of trying it out. Right now they have a waiting list...but if I dont need a grinder maybe I could make my own! Natural Carnivore - Home

[Kandi]

I started my girls with raw hamburger. Actually, I tried to start them with a chicken thigh. The spent an hour or two with it in their crates, looking at it, licking it, but refusing to eat it. The hamburger they scarfed down. Now, the one on the raw diet will eat anything that is raw, where as the other one just plays with it. Gave them each a rib bone with meat. One ate it, the other played with it, licked it, but did not eat it. So, I suggest starting with hamburger or a ground meat, then working your way to chicken meat with bones. They did not want the boneless skinless chicken breast either when I first tried it on them. I just decided to let them acquire a taste for it first before switching completely.

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by Maxxx

...If he's not crunching up the bones into small pieces, it doesn't matter then? His digestive system will take care of it? I'm just afraid it'll cause some type or obstruction or poke it's way out of his stomach or something. Can't you tell I'm new to this?

I understand and sympathize. When I first started feeing raw, I was afraid one of the dogs (we're feeding raw to three--our foster and two personal bitches) would choke or swallow something that would get stuck halfway down. I've been feeding raw for 11 months and so far, if the dogs have swallowed a bone, it's been small enough to swallow. All the dogs have demonstrated fine chewing ability and capability, so I no longer worry.

Also keep in mind that dogs have a highly acidic stomach. Once food gets down into the dog's stomach it doesn't take long for it to digest.

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by Nishasmom

...A whole chicken! I thought you had to grind the bones. There is this new company in my area that prepares raw meals for you each week; they package them into seperate meals and deliver it to your house. I was thinking of trying it out. Right now they have a waiting list...but if I dont need a grinder maybe I could make my own! Natural Carnivore - Home

No need to grind. That's why dogs have teeth.

I buy a variety of meats in bulk (30 and 40 lbs at a pop) and feed whatever I thaw out for a couple of days before taking something else out to thaw and feeding that. The concept of feeding raw is that over time the dog eats a balanced diet. The approach is the same for us.

I don't worry about eating the amounts the government and my doctor recommend I eat on a daily basis. My diet balances itself out over time.

I am very happy with feeding raw. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

[Nishasmom]

Do you have to feed outside?

[Kev]

We've been feed raw for about 6 years, first to Marley and now to buddy. We don't use whole chickens only necks and backs. We also feed ground beef, canned fish, one whole silver bass my son caught the other day from the river in our backyard. He loved it and had no problems, he ate every part except the fins, gills and mouth. Here is the whole diet we feed:


the whole fish was more to see if he'd eat it, but we're beginning to think he'll eat anything we put in front of him. Also we had never had either one chock on something and when it comes out it's fully digested, no bones in poop.

Morning Meal

1 pound meat
(heart, tongue), organ (liver, small amt. of kidney) and tripe.
4 oz. Fish (Canned Mackeral)
1 Egg (Raw with shell)
1 TBSP Veggie Glop*
*Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots, Sweet Potato & Apple daily,
plus whatever else is in season ie. berries, squash...
1 TBSP Yogurt
1 TBSP Soaked Oats
1 tsp Oil (Rotated between Wild Salmon Oil & Hemp oil)
1 tsp Raw Honey
1 tsp Kelp
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar


Evening Meal

1-3 Large Chicken Backs (Raw)


Recreational Bones
Beef Femur Bones (Raw) - daily for growing pups,
two to three times weekly for adults

We usually buy everything on Saturday and take a bit of time to mix things and divide it up into individual meals and freeze. I checked into getting the ground meat at a local slaughter house/meat packers and he gave me the mane of the place he gets his chicken so I can order the back directly from them. I'm going to start buying in bulk 30 - 40 LBS at a time instead of at the grocery store.

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by Nishasmom

Do you have to feed outside?

No, you don't have to feed outside, but I do, year round. It makes clean up easier.

One dog eats in the front yard, the second dog eats on one side of the house, and the third dog eats on the other side of the house. All dogs eat out of sight of each other. Humans can take anything away from any dog in our house, but the dogs don't tolerate each other around their food.

[BellaBella]

Hi everyone I am anew Rottie owner I have a 11week old bitch @ 29.1 pounds and I feed her ground meat (cooked) with her kibble should I cut out the kibble???? Any info will be greatly appreciated.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by BellaBella

Hi everyone I am anew Rottie owner I have a 11week old bitch @ 29.1 pounds and I feed her ground meat (cooked) with her kibble should I cut out the kibble???? Any info will be greatly appreciated.

If all you fed your dog was ground meat, where would she get calcium from?

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by moondog

If all you fed your dog was ground meat, where would she get calcium from?

This is what scares me when puppy owners have no clue about raw feeding!
Feeding an adult dog raw and feeding a puppy that needs a balanced diet is different. An adult dog that does not get enough calcium will not have problems for months...the calcium will come out of their bones. A puppy that is growing needs proper amount of calcium and must get it from the foods it eats. Big orthopedic problems will follow.

If you plan on feeding a puppy a raw diet (or a mature one) please do some research, and learn what a proper raw diet is.

It makes my blood boil when knowledable peope are pushing a raw diet, but new puppy owners have no clue. There is way more to feeding a puppy a raw diet then throwing some chicken backs or necks to the dog or ground beef.

Before feeding a raw diet get educated...it is one of the best diets for dogs....but it also must be done right.

Gina

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by BellaBella

...I am anew Rottie owner I have a 11week old bitch @ 29.1 pounds and I feed her ground meat (cooked) with her kibble should I cut out the kibble????...

No, I don't think you should cut out the kibble. I think you should do some research because a steady diet of ground cooked meat likely isn't balanced.

If you're interested in feeding raw, there are many sites that will help you including
Raw Diet Basics
Raw Fed Dogs
Welcome to RawFed.com
Raw Feeding 101
Myths About Raw Feeding
Raw Feeding FAQ
Raw Meaty Bones
Rawfeeding (a Yahoo! group)

If you're interested in feeding kibble, the types of kibble RDNs feed and why we like them are discussed here in Nutrition and Grooming.

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by brunie's mom

...It makes my blood boil when knowledable peope are pushing a raw diet, but new puppy owners have no clue....

I don't this has been done anywhere by anyone.

You could as easily argue that knowledgeable people here at RDN push puppy owners to feed a premium kibble.