Ok, Ive done some research, and I am sure that this has been discussed considerably on this site. I am just looking for some assurance and pointers.

I feed the Wysong product to former dogs and it made a huge difference. I believe that the raw diet is the best way to go from doing the research, and I want my dog to be as healthy as possible. The primary concern that I have at this point is the bones. I have never in the past let any of my dogs near bones. Can they really handle them, and can my puppy handle them?
The puppy is being feed pedigree by the breeder. My plan is to not switch cold turkey, but to make the switch over in a week.

Any input or reasurance would be appreciated.

Thanks

My male was a food hog when young and he swallowed a whole chicken drum stick when I first started feeding raw. He was very young about 3 months old if I remember correctly. I called a Vet and she told me the stomach acid would take care of the bone but keep an eye on him just in case. That was over six years ago. Since then my two dogs have eaten cooked bone raw bone. whole cooked and raw chicken. All the left overs from camp grounds on Monday morning, probably 100 dead animals they found in the woods. dead birds live birds frozen whole turkeys with the paper bag full of guts, frozen chicken,cow bone. Elk and deer bone that have cronic wasting desease. They eat hides left from hunters old gut new guts. It is to the point now when we go camping they do not eat or drink any thing I bring for them. They just wait for me to let them off the leash and run free AKA
foriage. I dont know why but the longer it is dead the more they like it.

I would definitely not feed any cooked bones as those are the ones that can splinter. And even with raw bones (which I have fed and will again), I would supervise the pup (or dog) when they were eaten. A lot of people will grind the bone with the meat when feeding puppies. Your butcher would probably do this for you if you don't have a meat grinder that can do it.

Brad,
I too was concerned. I purchased an 11 week old female and knew I wanted to do the best buy her but was worried about the bones, disease, all the horror stories I read etc. I went ahead with RMB and boy am I glad I did.

She has been on it for a little over a week and is doing just fine. Her stools are much smaller and movements are much less frequent. She was going 4 or 5 times a day, we held her over on Iams I believe till I got it figured out. Now she is getting all the nutrients. She even smells better. No real dog smell to her.

And she LOVES feeding time.

I say go for it.

Ron

brad,
i bought my pup from a breeder who requires that puppy buyers feed raw. she's been doing it for so many years, she has multiple generations of raw fed dogs, and weans all her puppies on whole chicken wings and necks. she doesn't grind or break them up or even hold onto them. the pups, even little tiny ones, do just fine.

whole raw meaty bones are the best thing you can feed your pup. get a copy of ian billinghurst's "grow your pup with bones." he's a vet in australia who also has written "give your dog a bone."

My 4 1/2 month old pup has been eating whole chicken necks since he was 10 weeks old. He barely chews them more than 1 or 2 times if even that. He mostly swallows them whole with no ill effects. So I would not worry about it....they can handle it. It just can be scarey to watch sometimes with a gobbler that tends to swallow rather than chew. But both my dogs do this, so I have learned to just keep an eye on them while they are eating...just in case...but I have never had to interviene in anyway....so far & I have been feeding raw for almost 3 1/2 years.

I've switched two ten week old pups to RMB's "cold turkey" with no problems. Why are you going to do it over a weeks time?

-John

Hi Brad, and welcome! I'll help contribute some reassurance!!!

We made the switch with our dogs almost exactly one year ago - and we will never turn back. We don't grind our bones (although many people do, which is cool too). No cooked bones for us. 2 of the dogs we switched are well into adulthood, and it helped to include a generous plop of plain, live culture yogurt initially.

We also feed veggies (carrots being a main stay, but other stuff too) and also the supplement program recommended here. (kelp, alfalfa, Vit E, the joint complex, vit C, and Grizzly Salmon Oil)

Another book we really enjoyed is "Natural Nutrition for Cats and Dogs."

Here are some of the visible benefits, and I know there are more going on inside the dogs that we can't see:

1) As another poster mentioned, no more of that "dog stink." That was especially a pleasure with the Beagle, who used stink like 10 dogs.
2) Ditto on smaller poops, and less of them. They also tend to disintegrate rather than be gooey messes.
3) Shiny, healthy coats, shiny white teeth.
4) The oldest of our dogs is the Beagle - he's a rescue but we think he's probably 11 years old or so. He was starting to go down hill fast - just acting older, gimpier, slowing down, getting fat, etc. He also had a couple scary vet visits before we went raw. It's amazing how this change has brought back his youthful vigor! He also is able to eat more food than before, and his weight is back to a normal, healthy weight for him.

We also keep Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw food (you can buy that here too) on hand. That is a nice "staple" for travel and/or for a day when you forget to thaw out whatever you originally planned to feed!

Best wishes!! You will not be sorry!

Beth

I am still new to raw. It has only been a few months for me but I do know that, Yes they can handle them, and if your pup is a "gulper" you can always hold the food and have him eat slower.
I would start out with necks, wings and backs with a pup, and you can also break them up with a hammer or a food processor if you want.
I switched my dogs over a few days and I think it is just a matter of preference as far as cold turkey or over time.
My primary concern was the bones also, but after a couple days of watching them eat and knowing that they were chewing them up and not gulping them down, I am way more relaxed and know that they are fine with them. I also make sure that the recreational bones are picked up daily as they get hard and can break teeth. If I see that they are "done" chewing and carrying the bone around, I pick them up and throw them out.
Shinier coats, brighter eyes, less crap in the kennels and my dogs not acting hungry all the time is what clinches the deal to feed raw for me. Hope this helps.......

I am not a raw feeder, (although I did try it for almost a year) but I am a BIG fan of raw bones. 3 or 4 times a week my dog gets chicken backs, rib bones etc. He always has a rec bone on the go as well. They are absolutely amazing for their teeth. Kobi is a 4yr old Aussie with the cleanest whitest teeth, that I never have to brush. If you are not feeding raw I highly reccommend adding lots of raw bones to their diet. They will keep the teeth healthy, strong and clean. However, if your dog is older and has pre-existing teeth and/or gum problems, please watch carefully as any weak teeth can crack or break with excessive chewing.

A funny little story - When I took Kobi to the vet for his 1yr check and vaccs, the vet asked me what I was feeding and I mentioned that I give him raw bones. The vet kind of looked at me and shaking her head (like I was naughty) said, "Oh! You should never give your dog human bones!"
With a totally straight face I replied, "He doesn't get human bones - mostly beef or chicken."