[JDrawdy]

I know that this is a typical, often covered topic, but i'm new.
As you may know we just got a new puppy, Chloe. I really get the feeling that the best food approach is a natural raw prey method.

Chloe is a 5 month old boston terrier. I've read "Raw Feeding 101" by Bill Carnes, as well as several other articles and a ton of blogs. I was just wondering about how to take the leap, and any words of encouragement would be great. Also any experience with Bostons in specific, i.e. diet, health issues, nutrition supplementing.

Thanks alot guys. You are all awesome.

 

[RawFedDogs]

Just jump in and do it. You will learn as you go because you will start slowly and gradually add different protein sources. After 4 or 5 weeks you will be very comfident and within 6 months it will be second nature to you. You won't give it a thought. It will be a way of life for you and your dog. It's really a lot simpler than you think at this point.

As for getting started, go back and read my "Raw Feeding 101" and if you have any questions, ask them here or you can email me privately. Kim can help you with Bostons. There will be no health issues caused by the diet. No supplements are needed. Everything a dog needs to be healthy, wealthy, and wise are included in meat, bones, and organs.

 

[DaneMama]

I wrote this getting started guide to help new people to raw feeding more supported and confident. It was written with the nervous newbie in mind, because lets all face it...we were all there once. Most people worry the most about bones in the beginning and they really aren't anything to worry about. The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that you always need to give your dog bones (and not just a plain bone, but a Raw Meaty Bone aka RMB, which is a bone/bones surrounded by meat) that it cannot swallow whole, ie bigger than their mouth.

Definitely send a PM to Kim (harrkim120 on here) and ask about raw feeding Boston terriers. Since they are a brachycephalic breed their jaws and chewing ability is somewhat altered compared to a dog with a longer snout. You might have to help your pup "chew" in the beginning by whacking the heck out of the RMB with a hammer until its kinda like mush. Then whack it less and less until your dog is capable of chewing up whole bones on its own.

Also, don't get ahead of yourself. MOST newbie raw feeders get so excited when they start raw feeding their dogs because they see the enjoyment and the increased health from their dogs. With this excitement they tend to rush into it, wanting to add in more protein sources and organ meats in WAY too early. Some dogs handle moving fast just fine, but others do not. And trust me, having a sick dog with diarrhea (cannon butt) and vomiting is not fun whatsoever. IF this happens, you should fast your dog for one full day (nothing but water, not even treats) and then start back with something easy like chicken that is high in bone content. With that being said, puppies tend to switch over easy since they don't have to "repair" years of damage from eating kibble and their innate instincts are still there.

Please, do not hesitate to ask any questions, none of them are going to be ignored or shrugged off because we have seen them numerous times. We like to help people through this so that is what we are here for. Welcome to the wonderful world of raw feeding :wink: