[lovinmylabs]

I dont know how long I can do this! Again this morning I put down 1/2 chicken backs for both dogs. I fed Tyler (the bulldog) outside because he gags...throws up...and makes a COMPLETE mess! Gracie (lab/hound) has NO interest! Took a few licks and walked away! I'm trying to get both dogs fed...kids ready for school...and myself ready for work and I have to clean dog puke off the floor and try to get another dog to eat! Needless to say its 3:10 and she still has not eaten a thing going on day 3. I guess I'm just getting frustrated...Thanks for listening!!!:frown:

 

[rannmiller]

Some stubborn dogs go up to a week without eating. Wolves can go 14 days without eating with no physical consequences to their bodies whatsoever, so dogs are ok with periods of not eating. Remember, you aren't starving her since you're offering her food at every meal. If you get to day 7 and she still won't eat, try searing the chicken for a couple of seconds on each side. Sometimes cooking the outside of the meat can make the meat more appealing.

I'm not sure why your bulldog is throwing up. What size food are you offering him? What is it that he is throwing up, exactly? Does he eat it after he throws it up because some dogs bit off more than they can swallow so they regurgitate it and chew it a few more times before swallowing again.

 

[DaneMama]

I'm sorry you are going through this! But just hang in there. I think I mentioned before that it took my dogs like 3 days or so to take to eating raw and it was sketchy at first as well. They wouldn't always eat either after their "breakthrough" meal. But after another week or so, they got the hang of it and were always coming back for more. It really is the best thing that I have done for them and I don't regret it one bit. They have never been healthier. Just hang in there a day or so more, and hopefully by then she will take to it. Remember that she is choosing not to eat, and that she IS provided with food every mealtime but doesn't want to eat it because she doesn't know what to do really.

Have you already tried trimming all the skin and fat off of the meat you give her? Sometimes that does the trick?

My guess is that Tyler is throwing up after eating because of his morphology. The way that a bulldog's head and throat are shaped, he might be having a harder time getting his food down the first time, so that he regurgitates to bring it up once more for another round of chewing. Their dentition is so mismatched that they can have a harder time crunching up bones enough to fit down their throat. It might be worthwhile trying to whack the chicken quarters that you give him with a hammer a few times before giving it to him, just to help with the chewing process. My guess is that he will still get the dental benefits from munching on the bones even after you crunch them a bit with a hammer or something.

Hope this helps :wink:

 

[lovinmylabs]

Just so frustrating! I just put a chicken back in Gracies bowl...she licked it a few times and is now laying on the floor in front of her dish....I dont know what else to do for her!
Thanks for all your advice!

 

[DaneMama]

Are you always watching her when she eats? If so, that might make her nervous or hesitant about eating...Maybe at least try and put her outside to eat, if she ends up burying her meal, its not an issue if she goes back for it later. She might feel more comfortable about eating outside.

Or possibly try sprinkling a bit of garlic powder on the chicken...that might make it more palatable for her...

 

[lovinmylabs]

Some stubborn dogs go up to a week without eating. Wolves can go 14 days without eating with no physical consequences to their bodies whatsoever, so dogs are ok with periods of not eating. Remember, you aren't starving her since you're offering her food at every meal. If you get to day 7 and she still won't eat, try searing the chicken for a couple of seconds on each side. Sometimes cooking the outside of the meat can make the meat more appealing.

I'm not sure why your bulldog is throwing up. What size food are you offering him? What is it that he is throwing up, exactly? Does he eat it after he throws it up because some dogs bit off more than they can swallow so they regurgitate it and chew it a few more times before swallowing again.

Tyler is regurgitating...my point was I dont have time to wash the floor in the morning before work!! Sometimes he will clean it other times he leaves it! I think I need to cut these backs up into maybe 4 pieces that might make it easier for them....I cut Gracies chic back up into bite size and SHE ATE IT! I could hear her crunching threw the bones so I know she still had to work a little. Maybe a whole chicken back was just too big. Does this mean I need to do this each meal???

 

[jdatwood]

Here's something to consider. Many of us only feed our dogs once a day. If having to clean up afterwards in the morning presents a problem for you is there a better time of day you could be feeding them?

Ours eat once a day and sometimes skip a day if their last meal was larger than normal.

Your end goal is for them to eat whatever you give them whole. If you have to work towards that by cutting things up I don't see a problem with it. Just increase the portion size until you're feeding whole cuts.

Be careful not to give too small of pieces that they can choke on them though.

Now that Gracie has eaten some of it, next time just present her with a whole chicken back again. She'll figure it out one way or another

 

[Todd]

Tyler is regurgitating...my point was I dont have time to wash the floor in the morning before work!! Sometimes he will clean it other times he leaves it! I think I need to cut these backs up into maybe 4 pieces that might make it easier for them....I cut Gracies chic back up into bite size and SHE ATE IT! I could hear her crunching threw the bones so I know she still had to work a little. Maybe a whole chicken back was just too big. Does this mean I need to do this each meal???

About Gracie;

If that's what works for your dogs, then go for it! for your convienence in the future, what i would do is start by feeding the dog bite size peaces for a little while, and gradually increase their sizes until it is whole, just like what was said earlier. guess it's worth a shot. hope i was of some help:smile:

About Tyler;

as far as Tyler vomiting goes, i dont recessarily think that cutting up the backs into smaller peaces is the answer, for this could cause him to swallow the chunks without much chewing, which would make your situation worse, and potentially cause him to choke. i would think that the whole back would be your better bet, but you should try several methods and see what works best for your individual dog.

*if all else fails, and he flat cant handle the backs without vomiting, consider switching to ground meat, with some ground bone or bone meal in it.

 

[DaneMama]

I wouldn't cut up chicken backs. I would just crush them with a hammer or something. Cutting bones is never a good idea, because it changes the shape and consistency of the bone, and will make them "crunch" differently.

 

[jdatwood]

*if all else fails, and he flat cant handle the backs without vomiting, consider switching to ground meat, with some ground bone or bone meal in it.

I wouldn't follow this advice. He can handle the backs. It just may take him some time to figure out the best way for him to eat them.

 

[Todd]

I wouldn't follow this advice. He can handle the backs. It just may take him some time to figure out the best way for him to eat them.

I agree with you. That's why I said "If all else fails".

 

[jdatwood]

I agree with you. That's why I said "If all else fails".

It's too early to even give "all else fails" advice in my opinion :wink:

 

[lovinmylabs]

Thanks for ALL your advice....you guys really are the best! I was really ready to throw in the towel!
Once a day feedings may work best for us....who really has time to scrub the kitchen floor before work everyday!!
THANKS GUYS!!:biggrin:

 

[Todd]

It's too early to even give "all else fails" advice in my opinion :wink:

well yes of course. I'd give it a while.

 

[LindaP]

Hi!

From one newbie to another...:smile:

I don't have much to add from what others have said regarding what to do. BUT as someone else new to raw, I just want to validate that starting this is VERY emotional--at least I was a hyped-up mess. How will it go? Will she like it? Will she choke? Aw gee, this is a mess on the floor! All those things are very real--and mine went smoothly! For you, no doubt it's been trying.

But they will sort it out, I'm quite sure. And once they do, and you become more comfortable, I say give it under a week and there will be no going back in your mind. I just could not pour kibble in Cali's bowl again.

Hang in there and report back!

 

[J&T]

Yeah---don't give up. On a previous thread, I mention that we are kinda expecting similar problems with our next two to start as you are having with Tyler and Gracie.

The first two have been easy. Zeke the puppy is a pup so he hadn't been kibblized very long. Wolfie the oldster was doing the raw diet way before we started him officially. As best as we know he has caught and consumed at least 36 squirels-2 groundhogs and 1 opposum. Only differance for him is that now its being eaten indoors.

Now the other two when they start, I am going to feel your frustration. Our lab mix is only now getting the hang of chicken feet. I actually don't think he knows what to do at times as he has always been a slow learner( house breaking, sit/stay etc). But by god once he has it figured out, it is set in stone.

Our boxer is the one that truly needs to do the best diet available. Boxers are prone to cardio problems, cancers, allergies, eplisepsy,thryoid problems and more. My boxer and your bulldog are very related to each other by breeding. She has a hard time crunching the chicken feet which is probably due to the crazy offset dental pattern.

I don't have a suggestions, as also being a novice. But I lurked around this site for a number of weeks before starting up. The responses to questions read here by the experienced feeders will really be invaluable.