I am about to start the raw diet, have done my research on whats invloved and have secured a good supply of quality chicken carcasses, beef/lamb bones, and as of next week my butcher is going to mince this for me so that its easier for me to store in the freezer, in the mean time, he has given me a huge bag of mixed bones, but they are whole pieces, should I chop them into smaller pieces, or let them have them whole? I don't know whether chopped in bite size chunks may allow them to swallow rather than chew, I know I sound like a twit and I apologize for that, but this diet is so new to me I really want to get it right!

Thanks

Typically with bones, no you would not cut them into smaller pieces.
But that said, I have had some really HUGE Tom turkey necks that I have cut in half for them to be easier for the dogs to eat.

Tracey these are consumable bones right? Not recreational bones?
The reason I ask is that sometimes butchers will give lots of bones that are not consumable, like shank bones or knuckle bones.
Those are Rec bones only used to help a dog who needs to chew.

Consumable bones are like turkey necks, chicken necks, backs, leg quarters. Incidentally, I have to cut the leg from the thigh and back section too because my dogs used to just sit and look at the leg quarters, until I separated the pieces!

But for most dogs, they will consume these bones as is.

If you are just starting out, you know to remove most of the skin and fat just for the initial period of adjustment, until they are used to it. Little by little you can leave a bit more on until they are used to the fat and have good stools.

Hello Joyce

Yes these are comsumable bones, my Butcher has given me chicken wings, quarters/backs, lamb rib cages, spine and shoulder, and beef shin and the 't' parts of t-bone from steak, there are also, feet from lambs, minus the cloven hoof itself, not too sure about the feet?? there are some shoulder blades, but I plan to boil them up for stock, I didn't even think about removing the skin initially, thank you for the info.

Kind regards

 Quote: tracey howes

Hello Joyce

Yes these are comsumable bones, my Butcher has given me chicken wings, quarters/backs, lamb rib cages, spine and shoulder, and beef shin and the 't' parts of t-bone from steak, there are also, feet from lambs, minus the cloven hoof itself, not too sure about the feet?? there are some shoulder blades, but I plan to boil them up for stock, I didn't even think about removing the skin initially, thank you for the info.

Kind regards

I wouldn't actually start the diet with such a mixture (don't get me wrong; variety is a big goal!) because I want to start with one item like chicken backs, do what Joyce mentioned ("If you are just starting out, you know to remove most of the skin and fat just for the initial period of adjustment, until they are used to it. Little by little you can leave a bit more on until they are used to the fat and have good stools"), and watch the poop before increasing the variety and before adding small gradual bit or organ meat, fattier meats, etc.

Hello Connie

I gave them their first meal tonight, and did what you recommended, used the chicken wings, quarters and backs, with a holisic baked mixer, if I'm honest I was actually a bit nervous, it just looked so alien compared to the complete feed they have had previously! of course, I needn't have worried, the pup, (six months) demolished it in minutes, he looked like a lion cub that had just eaten an antelope, big belly and very sleepy! I think I will be happier when the meat is minced, or am I just being a woose? anyway I am really pleased I have started this diet, the Boerboels just weren't utilising the complete food, it never seemed to satisfy them and the poo was more like cow pats, so onwards and upwards! Thank you for your reply, I really get a lot from this site, lots of straight talking common sense!

Kind regards
Tracey

 Quote: tracey howes

... I gave them their first meal tonight, and did what you recommended, used the chicken wings, quarters and backs, with a holisic baked mixer, if I'm honest I was actually a bit nervous, it just looked so alien compared to the complete feed they have had previously! of course, I needn't have worried, the pup, (six months) demolished it in minutes, he looked like a lion cub that had just eaten an antelope, big belly and very sleepy! I think I will be happier when the meat is minced, or am I just being a woose? anyway I am really pleased I have started this diet, the Boerboels just weren't utilising the complete food, it never seemed to satisfy them and the poo was more like cow pats, so onwards and upwards! Thank you for your reply, I really get a lot from this site, lots of straight talking common sense! ....

To be 100% clear: I didn't (and wouldn't) suggest a "baked mixer," if that means what it sounds like: some kind of grain made into a biscuit-mix or flour?

You won't find much support here for mixing grains into a raw diet. (In fact, "heavy-in-grains" is one of the issues with commercial foods.)

Does "baked mixer" mean something else? Maybe dehydrated produce? That would be much different.

Have you by chance looked over the Leerburg sample raw diets?

Sounds like you are making a great start with the variety of meats you can get.

But especially with a growing puppy, you want to make the diet well balanced (particularly the calcium-phosphorus ratio, which practically speaking just means digestible-bone to meat), and the best way to do this is to use actual identifiable animal parts.

We can help with the ingredients. You will want to include fish oil (and the vitamin E you give with fish oil), organ meats (starting very slowly), a little produce (and/or green tripe), and perhaps live-culture unsweetened plain yogurt, a little cheap canned fish (bones included, such as mackerel or sardines), etc.

All this will go very smoothly if you wait to see the poop before adding the next ingredient. Join the poop-watchers!

 Quote: tracey howes

.... the pup, (six months) demolished it in minutes, he looked like a lion cub that had just eaten an antelope, big belly and very sleepy!

The first few meals of a new diet are better to be small. The system needs to kick into producing the bone-digesting enzymes, and when you're switching to a brand-new food, small-at-first is always better.

Hey Tracey, pay attention to how your dog does with each ingredient you have in the diet. My Rott handled everything with no trouble as a mature dog, two young shepherds though made me nervous a couple of times. Something they had trouble with was the heavy bones in leg quarters. They wouldnt fully digest in the beginning and a couple of times they constipated them followed by diarrhea. They both are great with the chicken carcases though.

Every time I see this thread, all I hear is "It prepares the meat for feeding, or it gets the hose again."

It puts the meat in the basket!!