Ordered the books on RMB,raw feeding. Switched pup from "chow" to raw bones.
Have turkey,chicken and beef in the freezer. Been feeding "shin bone" sections, i.e. marrow bone and 2" of meat around it 3x day.
How MUCH is appropriate for a 10 lb pup? Can he chomp down bones(chicken ribs or necks) at this age? He's getting about a handful of "chow" per day still (treats for come, roll-over, etc--better in the pocket than raw meat....)

What is the expected adult size of this pup?

Betty, this isn't really raw feeding.

It is not impossible to do, but getting this right for a growing puppy is more important than at any other time.

Honestly, I'd suggest going back to his normal food for a day or two until we can get this worked out. Edible bone in the right proportions is pretty important right now, and this pup isn't getting any.

What have you read about rawfeeding so far? Just so we know where you are at.:smile:

http://leerburg.com/articles.htm#feed

Here is a good start if you haven't read this yet.

It won't take much time for you to get all this lined out.

And I'll be glad to help anywhere along the way, as will anyone else on board. Just right now, a few of the basics need to be in place before we proceed.:smile:

Congrats on deciding to switch!

 Quote: michael_wise

Betty, this isn't really raw feeding.

It is not impossible to do, but getting this right for a growing puppy is more important than at any other time.

Honestly, I'd suggest going back to his normal food for a day or two until we can get this worked out. Edible bone in the right proportions is pretty important right now, and this pup isn't getting any.

What have you read about rawfeeding so far? Just so we know where you are at.:smile:

Just wanted to second Michael's advice. The puppy is at the age when the calcium in his diet is most crucial, and it's being left out.

"Can he chomp down bones(chicken ribs or necks) at this age?" The answer is yes. My favorite beginner RMB is chicken backs, with the skin/fat peeled off just for the first few meals until the poop looks perfect and then added back in over a couple of days.

But that too is not a complete diet, which is why it might seem that you aren't getting straight answers.

If you read some of the links from Michael, you'll have a good knowledge base. Michael's right that as strong a proponent of raw feeding as I am, I'd recommend giving kibble over giving raw meat without the digestible bones the puppy needs.

But it won't take long at all to read up just a little and then post as many questions as you like. We (this board) have guided many owners through the switch and through the gradual additions of the ingredients.

Your basic question about "how much" isn't really answerable in view of what you're feeding, because it's "how much" of an RMB diet, and you're feeding a muscle meat diet with recreational bones. (The answer will be 5 to 10% of his present weight or 2 to 3% of his expected weight. The first is usually easiest to figure.)

Here's a quick review of what RMBs are:

http://leerburg.com/feedingarawdiet.htm#RMB

Totally cool with feeding raw, people have been raising dogs for 1000s of years, and only the last 50 have had dog food in a bag.
One job for the ACD will be to herd free range chickens and turkeys. Now, I know it says that eating chicken does not = hunting and killing chicken, but I had an Italian Greyhound (not a top predator by any means) who made the connection between
raw chicken necks and "that cocky rooster is CHICKEN" and from that day forth could not be trusted, in fact he killed about 30 chickens, one here and there, before I figured out who/what was killing chickens.
SO, what about that? On a farm situation? Given that chickens are the ultimate prey, twitchy, noisy and afraid?

 Quote: betty landercasp

Totally cool with feeding raw, people have been raising dogs for 1000s of years, and only the last 50 have had dog food in a bag.
One job for the ACD will be to herd free range chickens and turkeys. Now, I know it says that eating chicken does not = hunting and killing chicken, but I had an Italian Greyhound (not a top predator by any means) who made the connection between
raw chicken necks and "that cocky rooster is CHICKEN" and from that day forth could not be trusted, in fact he killed about 30 chickens, one here and there, before I figured out who/what was killing chickens.
SO, what about that? On a farm situation? Given that chickens are the ultimate prey, twitchy, noisy and afraid?

Prey drive. Nothing to do with what they are fed. This will be a training issue, not a feeding one.

At least I think that is what you meant. Kinda lost me.

________________________________________

Anyway, back to feeding.

What have you read about raw feeding? I'm trying to figure out what you know so we know where to start.:smile:

 Quote: michael_wise

.... Prey drive. Nothing to do with what they are fed. This will be a training issue, not a feeding one...

I agree.

"There are thousands of dogs being fed raw meat and bones .... coexist quite peacefully with children, cats, rabbits, and livestock without even considering a "bloodthirsty" thought. Raw-fed herding German Shepherds are not out there savaging the sheep! Dogs fed raw have no need to go out and hunt to supplement their diet with real food; they are already eating real food. ...." from rawfed.com/myths

 Quote: michael_wise

... Anyway, back to feeding.

What have you read about raw feeding? I'm trying to figure out what you know so we know where to start.:smile:

Betty, do you have any chicken backs?

Yes, I do have chicken backs, also turkey backs.
Sorry I got off on the "prey" issue.
I am a retired veterinarian, I know something about nutrition, though most of what I know about feeding dogs is "open a quality bag from a place that sells a lot of product so the Vit. E is fresh".