Seeing that I hijacked someone else's thread, I should probably start my own.

I switched Misty to RAW last Sunday. My previous GSD was eating RAW, but I was not the one who did the switch. She ate chicken quarters and veggies. I used to put a raw egg (shelled) over her kibble and she loved it. Back to Misty, I started with chicken quarters on Sunday. Monday was chicken quarters. I went grocery shopping Tuesday and picked up some Turkey parts along with a $.38/lb turkey which I have not cut up yet (if anyone has any tips on cutting up a full turkey, I would appreciate that also). The turkey parts were necks and wings. I also picked up some pork necks which she did not have yet. So Tuesday was turkey wing and neck with a shelled egg atop. Wednesday was turkey wing, neck, and egg with a 1/4 cup kibble soaked with salmon oil (not sure how else to incorporate the salmon oil).

Now for the fun stuff... Her poop has progressively gotten softer, today was more runny that solid. I am getting very concerned here. She does not act sick, she is a very happy girl although not overly active.

I am very impressed/relieved that she has picked up housetraining (or at least not pooped in the house yet).

I read on the ebook, that sometimes raw burger is better to start with.

So here is what I am asking about:
1. what should I feed this poor girl?
2. should I look into some probiotics for the switch?
3. what about salmon oil? How should i incorporate that?
4. how could I cut up that turkey?
5. I hear people talking about freezing the food, do you give it to the dog frozen? What I am getting at here is preparing a week's worth of food. Should I bag each meal seperately and freeze or is a week at a time ok for the fridge?

 Quote:

1. what should I feed this poor girl?
2. should I look into some probiotics for the switch?
3. what about salmon oil? How should i incorporate that?
4. how could I cut up that turkey?
5. I hear people talking about freezing the food, do you give it to the dog frozen? What I am getting at here is preparing a week's worth of food. Should I bag each meal seperately and freeze or is a week at a time ok for the fridge?

I introduced different things slowly but included chicken,turkey,beef heart,ground beef,fish,tripe,and eggs. Cornish Game hens were a favorite.
I use yogurt and sometimes acidophylus.
I just squirt the salmon oil on the tripe or whichever meal had egg or ground meat, he'll lick the bowl clean.
I bought heavy duty shears to cut up turkey and chickens.
I would freeze multiple meals and I fed them partialy thawed.

Hi Kacey; I'm sure some of the RAW experts will give you some advice, but here are a few things that come to mind:

First, I know that turkey is harder for some dogs to digest than chicken. Probably better to start out w/ chicken for a couple of weeks. In particular, backs and necks with the fat peeled off are easy to crunch and digest. Stick with this until you see she's having well-formed, normal poops. After that, you can add another item into the mix (wings, legs, thighs, etc)

You should be adding probiotics (either plain yogurt or capsules)at least several times a week; this will help your dog's stomach to adjust to the raw diet.

Don't mix kibble and raw. They digest at different rates. If you feed twice per day, you can feed kibble at one meal (if you feel the need) and raw at the other meal. I do this with my dog and she has no digestive troubles with this. However, others have posted that their dogs did not do as well when fed like this.

Salmon oil and vitamin 'e' should be added on a daily basis. Just squirt over the meal and toss the vitamin 'e' cap in there...

In the meantime, to firm up her stools, you could give her a tablespoon or two of canned pumpkin (unsweetened).

Hi Kacey! Great to have you with us! It sounds like a case of too much too soon. It's a common problem with new feeders.

Usually it's reccomended that a new raw fed dog stick to just chicken for a couple of weeks. Nothing else except maybe some probiotics if there is digestion issues in the beginning. You can even hold off on the salmon oil until she adjusts. If the stool gets soft, try removing the skin and fat for a few days until it firms up, then gradually reintroduce it. After a couple of weeks on chicken (some dogs tolerate bone in breasts better too) then you can think about adding in a new protein source. Always add new things a small amount at a time to see how it's tolerated. Take it slow and things will be fine.

 Quote: kacey zach

1/4 cup kibble soaked with salmon oil (not sure how else to incorporate the salmon oil).

How much salmon oil? "Soaked in" sounds like a lot.

You want a gram (1000 mg) per ten pounds of dog.

Good suggestions for you above. I'd add that a very frequent diarrhea trigger is too much food, period. Lots of people overfeed when they make the switch to raw.

Also, this advice from Lynne is good to adopt immediately:

Probably better to start out w/ chicken for a couple of weeks. In particular, backs and necks with the fat peeled off are easy to crunch and digest. Stick with this until you see she's having well-formed, normal poops. After that, you can add another item into the mix (wings, legs, thighs, etc)

I'd stick those wings (loads of fat and bones) into the freezer for now.

When you have perfect poops on chicken parts with skin and fat peeled off, plus salmon oil, then add one item and check the poop result.

Thanks for all the great repsonses.

 Quote: Kacey Zach

I also picked up some pork necks which she did not have yet.

My bad on the pork mention in the other thread. I didn't read enough to see if you had fed it, I just remembered seeing it.

Hacking turkey bones with a meat cleaver or a big knife have been the easiest for me. Suckers are tough.

A days fast might not be a bad idea either. Then start over like everybody said, with chicken.

Ok, here is my plan. I was going at things way too fast, poor girl.

Since she did not eat her food this morning, I will fast her for the day. Tomorrow morning she will get a chicken back and some yougurt. Same for tomorrow evening. If her poop is still runny on Saturday morning's walk, I will give her some canned pumpkin (unsweetened). She will stick with the chicken backs for a bit while I watch poop. The turkey will be saved for a later date, but I will cut it up first and freeze it in mealsized amounts. Salmon oil will be introduced later along with the egg.

Sounds good (peeled at first), if it's a good amount.

How much does the dog weigh?

Misty is close to 80lbs. She could afford to loose some, based on the 2-3% target I was planning on about 1.5lbs. per day.