"He now weighs 15.11"

You want to get a piece of paper and tape it up somewhere to log his weight on by date.

Yeah I wasn't about to try raw with him yet. NO WAY! I was going to wait at least 2 months then ask you about it. You've been on here long enough and I'm sure had dog's a lot longer than my self.

The fact is we all on our own have to start somewhere no matter what the breed. We need to learn and in my case I'm a very hands on person. I can not seem to learn without doing something hands on. The books are great but I don't think I will truly know what I'm doing until I've done it and a little guidance a long the way is a powerful thing. That's why I've stuck it out on this forum. I want the best for him in my care. Yes I've made a few mistakes but he still bounces back from them. He's letting me pet him now and I think he's going to be ok. Only time will tell. This is me typing and being calm

Will do! We have a large sheet. We may end up using excel as heather loves that program.

Edited by Nick Logan (05/19/2011 06:04 PM)
Edit reason: to reply about weight

Hey Nick,

Thought you might like this video...this is what my pup taught himself to do today. If you listen closely, you will hear my husband say "nothing really surprises him anymore". No anger, no frustration - just realization that this is the next thing we will teach Vigo NOT to do! It's all part of the process...and the understanding that because we have had so much rain, Vigo has not gotten the exercise he needs. That energy goes somewhere...

http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/GermanShepLuv/?action=view&current=Vigo017.mp4

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

This is an area I'm pretty educated and informed about, Nick, and I think that the other raw experts will agree with me too.

I do not consider myself an expert, but have fed raw for several years. I agree with Connie and would like to add that it is not easy to feed raw to a puppy. Balance is extremely important, plus we are dealing with a pup that is probably already experienced malnutrition (based on his small size IMO and the fact that the giardia was probably ongoing well before you got him).

 Quote: nick logan

... Will do! We have a large sheet. We may end up using excel as heather loves that program.

That's good as backup, but immediate pen/pencil on a piece of paper is important so the info doesn't get lost between the scale and the computer.

I always keep my "books of original entry" (the notebook I have when I train, my allergic dog's allergy info by day, etc.).

 Quote: nick logan

no he's been fine. We are only increasing it by 1/4th and I even took a little out of that so I wouldn't upset him.

Good. Now you want to start to withdraw the chicken and rice, because it's not balanced and he needs the calcium/phosphorus balance of kibble.

wow ! Melissa pretty pup! I tried to put my guy on the baby scale which is a tiny bit slippery and he freaked out. Heather weighed him some other way. I tried to put him on a stone wall that was 2 1/2 feet high. He was doing great for about 4 minutes. He then tried to jump away from me and down the wall. There was a rose bush there and he was tethered to me. I tried not to freak out and I saved him from hanging himself. He is brave enough to jump off a kids playground set and that wall even after that. That was at the park. I was so upset after he ate the silly cotton and then jumped off the wall because I felt like it was my fault even though I tried to save him from himself. I did get a large rock out of his mouth. I won't be going back to that park anytime soon because there is too many things on the ground he can eat. He was ignoring all the running kids and screaming people. On top of that my daughter wanted to go so she was with us as well. That was a learning experience in it's self. I won't ever take both of them again until he's much older. Watching the dog and my daughter around lots of people was a bad idea but daddie was just trying to be nice to her. I mean when she comes up to you and says "Daddie!! can I goooo" and gives me that look arg I melt! haha

he's hardly eating any chicken Connie and no rice. I sorta want to leave the chicken in so it doesn't upset him when I feed it to him as a treat.

 Quote: melissa hoyer

... it is not easy to feed raw to a puppy. Balance is extremely important, plus we are dealing with a pup that is probably already experienced malnutrition (based on his small size IMO and the fact that the giardia was probably ongoing well before you got him).

I agree. Learning on a growing puppy is not a good idea, IMO. And this puppy with the long period of the binding diet is even more at risk if he gets an unbalanced diet.

I'd wait until he was grown.



" I was going to wait at least 2 months then ask you about it. You've been on here long enough and I'm sure had dog's a lot longer than my self. "

Yes. Longer than you have been alive, in fact.

So How much should I be getting him out? I don't know if you saw my routine but I almost feel it's mean to leave him cooped up as much as I have. Again I feed him and he rests for 2 hours then I either feed him again after taking him out or I exercise him / play with him. Then it's another 2 hours before he eats.

He's still sick and I know I shouldn't stress him. I've learned that the hard way.

 Quote: Nick Logan

he's hardly eating any chicken Connie and no rice. I sorta want to leave the chicken in so it doesn't upset him when I feed it to him as a treat.

The chicken as marker rewards (white meat skinless) in tiny bits is all the boneless cooked chicken he should get, as soon as you can wean it out without G.I. upset.

It's great to make the binding rice palatable and provide a little complete protein with the rice, but it's not calcium/phosphorus balanced.

The marker rewards are just M&M size.