We just started transitioning Louie to a raw diet and he is LOVING IT. Every meal time he's got that excited look in his eyes and bounce in his step that's on another level. However, here are 2 new issues tied to raw feeding that I'd like y'all advice/help with:

1. It's a mess! - Louie's dragging the chicken neck/backs all over the floors and his lambskin rug and blood's dripping here and there. Are there any good methods to curtail this problem besides feeding him in the crate with the door closed? How often do you clean the crate rubber mat?

2. Best way to feed supplements? - Right now I'm only supplementing his chicken with salmon oil, but it seems like a lot of it is lost on the bottom of his bowl since he doesn't lick it clean. What are some good ways to feed stuff like salmon oils and various powders (ex. vitamin, etc) without it going to waste on the bottom of the bowl?

Thanks!

Some folks do confine their dogs to the crate while feeding. You could put down a tarp or plastic garbage bag to make cleanup easier/throw away. I feed outside when possible or on the front porch or garage when weather dictates, in areas I can hose off and spray with bleach.

If feeding the liquid salmon oil (Grizzly Oil from Leerburg) you could easily inject the oil into the chicken. Any powders, etc... could be put under the chicken skin.

I hope this helps!

Simon, FWIW, I use a plastic tablecloth that I put down in the kitchen.
I lay both of my dogs food down on that. RMB's are just on that and then I put the any extras, like muscle meat, hearts and gizzards in the bowl. If I have any ground meat, the supplements go in there, mixed up with veggie puree, salmon oil, alfalfa and kelp along with vit E and also a crushed Ester C. Also, you can put the powdered supplements in a bit of high quality yogurt and/or pure plain canned pumpkin.(once acclimated to the new diet)They mix together really well.

I have found that if I leave the RMB's just on the mat, they stay put there to eat them, instead of wandering of with them.
I actually don't allow them to take them off somewhere, they get to be on that mat, but have to stay there to eat.
I have zero issues with either dog, they eat side by side just fine.
Then I use raw apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle to wipe off the plastic cloth and fold away for the next time. It is a pretty easy clean up.
The dogs know when they see the mat it is dinner time.
This is just what works for me.

"Every meal time he's got that excited look in his eyes and bounce in his step that's on another level. "


Is this poor lil Simon the Sato who has no food drive?

I also feed each on a mat and stand there with a new dog for every meal, returning RMBs to the mat. They don't have to stay in the bowl, although some dogs do eat them from the bowl, but they have to stay on their "dining area." They do catch on. I just say "ah!" and put it back a few times.*

Mine love fish oil and they go for the Vitamin E gelcaps like they were caviar, but if they didn't, I would mix it into pumpkin or yogurt as Barbara described.



*I should add that if I had a newer dog who was still anxious over his food's safety, I would enclose his area with an ex-pen rather than handle his food so much throughout each early meal that way.

Simply set up a new mealtime rule: eat everything in one spot--whether it's over a mat or anywhere else you decide is appropriate. He simply doesn't get any say in the matter. He will quickly catch on to any new rule that he can understand and that you enforce consistently. He wants the food too much to make it difficult.

Just decide where you want him to eat and keep him in that spot for a few meals until it becomes the new normal.