[Emmastace]

As I feed Mia raw and haven't had a puppy in 20 years I really don't know much about prepared food so can I have some other views please.
Mylo is 9 weeks today and I am feeding him the food recommended by his breeder. He has 2/3 kibble and 1/3 wet food. She said to soak half the kibble then mix with the dry kibble and wet food. Mylo seems to prefer the dry kibble and wet food and leaves the soaked kibble until last and I have to encourage him to eat that bit. Would you continue as the breeder directed or start to phase out the soaked kibble and serve it to him dry? He has access to water all over the place and will still have the wet food portion with the dry. I will think about what I am going to do about his style of feeding long term when I get to end of the current supply.

 

[button50]

When i got Bubba he was on the dreaded Bakers, I moved him over to advanced nutrition ASAP and have always given it him dry he seems to like the crunch.

 

[Sled dog hotel]

As I feed Mia raw and haven't had a puppy in 20 years I really don't know much about prepared food so can I have some other views please.
Mylo is 9 weeks today and I am feeding him the food recommended by his breeder. He has 2/3 kibble and 1/3 wet food. She said to soak half the kibble then mix with the dry kibble and wet food. Mylo seems to prefer the dry kibble and wet food and leaves the soaked kibble until last and I have to encourage him to eat that bit. Would you continue as the breeder directed or start to phase out the soaked kibble and serve it to him dry? He has access to water all over the place and will still have the wet food portion with the dry. I will think about what I am going to do about his style of feeding long term when I get to end of the current supply.

If he prefers it dry and also the wet food, and has plenty of water and is drinking well, I would give him that to be honest. No point in making it a battle every meal time.

I would keep him on it for at least another week maybe two, let him settle right in as the initial re-location stress can make them loose. so can sudden abrubt changes of food especially one on top of the other. Then if you want to change do a gradual change over adding a little more of the new and a little less of the old type on a daily basis over a few days to a week, until completely on the new food.

 

[Emmastace]

When i got Bubba he was on the dreaded Bakers, I moved him over to advanced nutrition ASAP and have always given it him dry he seems to like the crunch.

The breeder weaned Mylo onto Royal Canin Maxi Starter with Pedigree Puppy Loaf for the wet. I bought enough to keep him going for the first month'ish and will change over gradually as SDH said. I'm not going to put him onto raw yet as I want his system to be mature enough to cope with any bugs that might be in it.

 

[Goblin]

If it were me I'd be looking at moving the pup onto raw if that's what you are feeding another dog. Many pups get weaned straight onto raw. "Bugs" should not be a problem. Otherwise I'd phase out the wet kibble if that is what he prefers.

 

[Sleeping_Lion]

I've let pups settle for a week and introduced them to chicken, and then moved them straight over in the past. All the breeders I know wean pups so that they are on dry kibble by the time they go to new homes, which is what I did for those who weren't going to raw feed. There are a couple who give raw meals occasionally, so their pups used to get the odd bit of chicken wing.

 

[Emmastace]

I've let pups settle for a week and introduced them to chicken, and then moved them straight over in the past. All the breeders I know wean pups so that they are on dry kibble by the time they go to new homes, which is what I did for those who weren't going to raw feed. There are a couple who give raw meals occasionally, so their pups used to get the odd bit of chicken wing.

I would like to get him over to raw but the vet scared me. She mentioned a nasty bug that lives on raw meat that doesn't affect a developed system but could kill a pup. She also said that it is still alive in waste product so I am paranoid when Mylo goes out in case I have missed a Mia poo or it is lurking where the rain washed poo away before I got to it. I know some vets seem to think it is their life's work to deter anyone from raw feeding but I would never forgive myself if Mylo fell ill from it. He is still so young yet.

 

[Sleeping_Lion]

Well Indie, Tau, Rhuna, Zasa, and many other pups I know, including Miggin the cocker pup I ran on for the OH, have all had very lucky escapes, or your vet is over reacting slightly. Whilst I always advocate caution when introducing any pup/dog to raw, rather than expecting them to suddenly deal with this new diet that needs chewing etc, I have never had any problems with pups swapping over, in fact I've had less problems with pups than with older dogs. I know a couple of vets who raw feed and they are no different in how they treat pups to adults either.

Zasa was eating chicken wings at five weeks of age

 

[Emmastace]

Well Indie, Tau, Rhuna, Zasa, and many other pups I know, including Miggin the cocker pup I ran on for the OH, have all had very lucky escapes, or your vet is over reacting slightly. Whilst I always advocate caution when introducing any pup/dog to raw, rather than expecting them to suddenly deal with this new diet that needs chewing etc, I have never had any problems with pups swapping over, in fact I've had less problems with pups than with older dogs. I know a couple of vets who raw feed and they are no different in how they treat pups to adults either.

Zasa was eating chicken wings at five weeks of age

I know what you are saying is true and nothing would stop me raw feeding because I believe it is the best thing to do. That still doesn't stop that worm of dread from wriggling about in my brain now it has been put there by the vet. I think I will probably compromise and wait until Mylo has been fully inoculated. I know that won't help with bugs in raw meat but I can get my head round the fact that he will be in contact with all kinds of stuff then and hopefully be a little more relaxed.

 

[Sleeping_Lion]

Do what you're comfortable with, he's your pup, and it's your decision about what you feel happy feeding him. It's not like you're sticking bakers complete down him or anything.

Once you're ready to give him a bit of raw, I'd start with chicken wings, with pups that have started on kibble and you're swapping over to raw, I sit them between the knees with their back to me, hold their front left leg at the top with my left hand, and feed the chicken wing into the side of their mouth on the right hand side so they don't get chance to simply gulp it all down. They soon learn to chew, and they are also not bothered by you holding their food. Zasa actually fetches me her bones to show me them.

The other option is bashing them up, you won't need to do this for very long as they soon get the idea. I'd do that for a couple of weeks, giving chicken for three or four meals per week, then swap over onto chicken and tripe if he has no problems. Keep him on that for a couple of weeks and then slowly start introducing other protein sources. Zasa's had the lot, well, pork, beef, lamb, she loves it!

 

[Sleeping_Lion]

I did ask an online friend who is a vet the question about raw feeding being riskier for pups, and this is what she had to say, brief but to the point:

Pups are fine to eat raw meat. They have a fast gut transit which makes bacteria less of a risk. Formulating a balanced diet is the tougher bit with raw fed pups.

 

[dexter12]

dexter was on the same meat and dry food soaked in warm water, he gradually stopped eating the soaked food so gave the biscuits dry, and he loves it at the moment dexter is on skinners but i am gradually going to move him on to a different one not sure what one will research first. he also has tripe mixed in to it now which stinks!

 

[Emmastace]

I did ask an online friend who is a vet the question about raw feeding being riskier for pups, and this is what she had to say, brief but to the point:

Pups are fine to eat raw meat. They have a fast gut transit which makes bacteria less of a risk. Formulating a balanced diet is the tougher bit with raw fed pups.

I have to admit that I am a bit worried about that bit too. Even though all my dogs have been raw fed, this is my first pup in 20 years and my Dad helped out with the last one (he bred from the 1930's and had bought up plenty of pups on raw). I should have paid more attention and he died long ago.
I must admit I am getting fed up of 'kibble poos' already. Give me non-smelly, clean to pick up, raw fed ones any day.

 

[Sleeping_Lion]

I have to admit that I am a bit worried about that bit too. Even though all my dogs have been raw fed, this is my first pup in 20 years and my Dad helped out with the last one (he bred from the 1930's and had bought up plenty of pups on raw). I should have paid more attention and he died long ago.
I must admit I am getting fed up of 'kibble poos' already. Give me non-smelly, clean to pick up, raw fed ones any day.

If you want my diet sheet just pm me your email address and I'll send it over for you. I don't stick to it rigidly, Zasa gets a bit of what everyone else is having, she actually gets bigger portions than her mum atm, who has the last of her mummy tummy to get rid of. The only thing she gets that is different are sprats, she loves them, the rest prefer their fish tinned in tomato sauce!