Switching Pup To Raw

[Tobeahuskymom]

Hello, all.  I need some advice, please, on switching Mishka to a raw diet.  She is 8.5 weeks old and only about 9 pounds,  I feel she is too small and not getting enough.  She is lean, but not skinny (cannot see ribs).  Breeder weaned her to dry Eukanuba 1 cup per day for now is what she advised.  I just don;t think that is good enough! I have feed my dogs raw for a couple of years, so I am somewhat familiar.  I give (they are 1 and 2 years old) them a ground meal in the am, and whole (usually) in the pm.  Whole is chicken necks, duck necks, duck carcs, ect.  Ground can either be with our without ground bone.  Ground turkey (the whole turkey), ground chicken, ground beef, I do not give pork. They do get some rice or oats in the winter, and sparingly in the summer.  I don't know if I am correct in that or not, but since they live ouside, I just feel they need that through winter cold.  They also get Dogzimes (gold and coat formula) suppliments, fish oil pills, and joint suppliments.  Sometimes I will mix up meals that have kelp, bone meal, alphalfa, flax, wheat germ, and the like.  Some veggies and some fruits a couple times a week, too.  They do get fish, some organ meat, when I can deer meat, eggs.  To be very honest, I probably could do a better job at it, as far as making recipes....mainly they eat the meat.

I have only switched adults and one pup to raw before.  For the pup, I fasted him for one day, then just went right to the raw...but he is a golden, and I understand that siberieans can have sensitive stomachs, and I am afraid to do that with her. The golden pup never missed a beat and never got sick or running poo. 

 

Please, please, can anyone advice me how to switch her without stomach upset? And direct me to inforamtion (I will look through posts) on what to feed her and how much of this or that to add to her meal. 

 

MANY THANKS from me and Mishka!!!

[Leyka&Diva]

with her being so young id just switch her the bone content should be enough to keep her solid so id say just start the next day thats what i done with my girl when she was 9 weeks and she was fine just remember not to introduce too many new meat too quick otherwise she will get an unset stomach xx

[Tobeahuskymom]

Hmmmm...maybe so.  I heard many sibes could be allergic to chicken ? Might start her out on turkey, but I like the fat content in chicken for pups.  Turkey and duck can be so lean.

[Leyka&Diva]

personally ive always started with chicken my girls are fine on it xx

[Kells xx]

i put my pup daughtry onto chicken wings at a young age and she has flourished..

you sound like you are doing an amazing job with your other dogs too

just dont over feed her with the raw and you should be fine

 

let us know how it goes and lots of pictures of your pack are needed x

 

kells xx

[Scooke]

i feed ecko taste of the wild high sierra canine formula (lamb ) he was really underweight when i adopted him but has filled out nicely it is about 45 bucks for a 30# bag and there are 3 dif kinds Lamb. Salmon. Bison, great food he loves it   the nice thing is you can switch the flavors around as much as u want without all the gassy effects and what not hope this helps

[Tobeahuskymom]

That does help. I tried TOTW once and it gave my pup the runs!

So how much is too much? I do worry about growing her too fast too.

You can see her by going under the intro section and somewhere on her i posted the goldens too--but i gave some great new pics i really should share!!!

[Stormy]

Hey I switched my puppy (while ago now) straight over to raw started with chicken wings though as they are smaller ... then introduced more meats etc she took to it no problems atall! 

 

How much varies but you can either do this: Weigh pup, and feed 5-6% of body weight daily, divided into 3 meals (or 2 as puppy gets older). For example, if she weighed 4.5kg, 6% of this is 270g; divided into three meals is about 90g per meal. Re-weigh her weekly and recalculate quantity as she grows. 

 

Or you can do it this way: Take 2-3% of expected adult weight and feed that right through and vary depending on whether you think she needs more or less This is what i do for both of mine now.

 

Hope that helps Also no idea where you heard about them  being allergic to chicken? Both mine eat chicken with no problems... the reason you start them off on different meats at a time is so you know if they dont agree with one or the other but this might not be chicken it could be lamb or none of them!  

[Niber]

Stormy's quantity's are good - follow them as a guide.  I was inexperienced and made the mistake of switching slowly between kibble and raw and he used to be sick and runny.  Just go cold turkey - excuse the pun.  Just give raw, no more kibble.  Chicken should be fine, though stick with wings for now as at her age she may struggle breaking up thicker bones.  Introduce other meats slowly and one at a time, so if one upsets her, you know which one.

 

Don't forget tripe, liver, raw eggs, any organ, meaty bones (once old enough) for a good balance.

 

Good luck