Totally agree about heavier bone for a newer dog to raw. I have fed pork neck bones, turkey/chicken necks, backs, etc. Totally true about preventing loose stools w/a bit more bone than necessary.

If you are feeding the same for a long long time, absolutely pay close attention to ratios. Otherwise, a mental note of what was fed last week/few days and balancing it accordingly should serve you (them) just fine, IMO.

Don't overthink it to the point that you are afraid to jump in and do it.

 Quote: michael_wise

 Quote: connie sutherland

For example, one person here had a steal of a deal on whole turkey breast, a very meaty item. She just sliced off a good slice for human use before relegating it to the dog's 'fridge box, and also added a little fat (cheap ground beef, for example).

My thinking and this thinking come to the same end result.

Where they make it right in a day by removing some meat, I'd feed as is, and add something boney the next meal.

Both ways are "right".

Oh, toadally!

Either way gives the same desired outcome.

And of course, there are individual dogs who need to have no mainly-MM meals to avoid emergency squats. I have one of those (a little old senior who lives for his dinners ; he is the one who vibrates as the bowls are being filled).

See, it is my older boy that can handle very meaty meals, and the baby that can't! Each is so individual. You learn your dogs and make adjustments naturally as you get more and more experienced.

 Quote: Jenni Williams

Don't overthink it to the point that you are afraid to jump in and do it.

This is what I'm working to avoid! Lol. Thank you for reminding me of this fact.

Alright. Well, I missed the deal on the leg quarters (they were all gone when I went back) so instead I bought ~ a four pound pack and cut them up into 1/4 lb and 1/2 lb servings, then bagged and froze them.

I cut a small piece of leg bone off of one of the heavier pieces and fed it today along with 1/2 lb of the premixed raw and her yogurt. Doug, you were right about her having to figure out that it was okay to eat! She took it out of the bowl and nearly swallowed it, then spit it out and crunched it. She swallowed part of what she crunched but ate the rest of the meal before returning to what was left of the bone on the floor. I think she will be OK with the leg bone once I'm ready to offer the whole thing. (I suppose tomorrow I'll be mushing up poop in a bag to figure out if there's any undigested bone in it?)

Thank you for all of the helpful input! It's nice to hear the different experiences each person has with their dogs and raw...it makes me feel more comfortable going into this. I must say that I've never seen a better stool out of her than what she's had in the past three days since she's been on raw.

 Quote: Jasmine Dillon

... I must say that I've never seen a better stool out of her than what she's had in the past three days since she's been on raw.

Ruh-roh.

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*The Poop-Watchers

I have no advice to this except to say, I would NOT smash bones with a hammer or mallet. My opinion. I practiced. It looks like the hammer makes long sharp shards, and taking a bone from Hambone after he crushes it (I have no problem with asking for it to look at and giving it back, but I wouldn't suggest it to anyone to do), the bones aren't long and splintered. Just an opinion.

Ah, I hadn't thought of the potential for the hammer to make long shards. Thanks for the heads up. Maybe I'll just cut the bone into a few different pieces until she crushes them more confidently, then work up to just leaving the bone intact when I feed it.

 Quote: jasmine dillon

Ah, I hadn't thought of the potential for the hammer to make long shards. Thanks for the heads up. Maybe I'll just cut the bone into a few different pieces until she crushes them more confidently, then work up to just leaving the bone intact when I feed it.

I'd probably just go with Doug's way and separate the thigh from the drumstick if quarters are too big.

How did the poop go after this:
"I cut a small piece of leg bone off of one of the heavier pieces and fed it today along with 1/2 lb of the premixed raw and her yogurt."

I did separate them all, as I wanted them in ~ 1/4 lb portions. Do you think I should just give her the whole bone, intact with the meat when I feed it? (I may try feeding one tomorrow night)

The poop this morning was great. She went twice. The second time was a tad looser than the first one but I think that may be because I gave her an egg yesterday morning and/or she didn't have a very good source of probiotic because my yogurt went bad.

 Quote: Jasmine Dillon

I did separate them all, as I wanted them in ~ 1/4 lb portions. Do you think I should just give her the whole bone, intact with the meat when I feed it? (I may try feeding one tomorrow night)

The poop this morning was great. She went twice. The second time was a tad looser than the first one but I think that may be because I gave her an egg yesterday morning and/or she didn't have a very good source of probiotic because my yogurt went bad.

I'd probably blame the egg. The first egg affects a lot of dogs a bit, I think.

I use the poop to base my progress, so based on that poop, I'd say that you could give the 1/4 pound portion as long as it's not a big jump in pure amount. If it is, then I would adjust the amount of the pre-mix raw accordingly.

Diarrhea from new raw is almost always either too much fat (or organ) too fast, or too much food in a meal. Both easily avoided by being gradual with each.