[Jem]

Jemma has been on raw for almost a month now. I have noticed that she is drinking water increasingly less. Some days she does not have ANY! It concerns me a bit. Is this normal?

I do notice that when she is outside she has been eating snow, but I heard snow does not hydrate, rather it can dehydrate?

Also, last night she was eating dirt out of a planter on my patio last night. She hasn't done this since she was a puppy. Does she need fiber?

 

[whiteleo]

Yes, your raw fed dog will drink a lot less water. There is so much water in the chicken that your feeding that she is getting it naturally, it's great not to have the sloppy mess around my house. Once you start getting a fully balanced diet into your pup, I believe that you'll see the eating of dirt go away.
One thing I noticed that when I stopped giving my dogs yougart, the need for them to eat every blade of grass they could find. Hope this helps

 

[DaneMama]

Totally agree with leo about this is that once you have a full and balanced diet I don't think she will continue to eat dirt...unless she really is feeling like a puppy again :biggrin:

How much variety do you have in her diet right now? Since she has been doing so well on it up to this point I would say maybe adding in some organ meat would be good. Just a very small amount tho...and if you want some you know where I live :wink:

 

[Lynn In Tenn]

Jem,
Aside from all the good things that come with feeding raw, the one thing that I immediatly noticed was the decrease in water intake. It was amazing how much less they drank when not eating all that dry kibble. :smile:

 

[CorgiPaws]

Totally normal. I love that I don't have sloppy soggy Boxer jowls around the house so much anymore. lol.

 

[Todd]

Yes, don't worry too much. Raw meat has a lot more moisture in it than cooked meat, so your pooch is getting his fluids from his food. If this still concerns you, consider pouring some water onto his meal before he eats. Help this helps! Good luck! :biggrin:

 

[Jem]

Thanks everyone! My worries are put to rest!!

 

[jdatwood]

If this still concerns you, consider pouring some water onto his meal before he eats. Help this helps! Good luck! :biggrin:

I'm not sure how much it'd help to pour some water on a chicken quarter or turkey neck :wink: :biggrin:

 

[Todd]

lol. I meant if she fed her dog ground meat without the bone. On the bone, you're right, it wouldn't help much. lol

 

[jdatwood]

lol. I meant if she fed her dog ground meat without the bone. On the bone, you're right, it wouldn't help much. lol

She feed prey model raw so... not much ground being fed :wink: :biggrin:

 

[EnglishBullTerriers]

WhiteLeo - I know what you mean about the sloppy mess. Titus has the big Jowl face and Owen will commonly drink, get a mouth full and then walk away while slowly letting what is in his mouth dribble out! I figure that he was trying to leave a trail to the 'water hole' so he knew how to get back when he needed more!
Both of my dogs stopped drinking 1-2 gallons of water a day when they went raw! They do sometimes eat grass and I think Titus has taken to just acting like the cows out back cause he knows it upsets me when I am in a hurry! Oh well!
Keep up the good work, the benefits will just keep coming!!