[lovinmylabs]

I'm taking the chicken quarters out of the freezer!
This will be their first raw meal! Just 1 quarter for
each right? The quarters equal about 1 LB each.:redface:

 

[DaneMama]

I would just stick with 1 quarter a piece, and depending on how they act you might want to trim the skin and excess fat off just to be safe. Starting off slow is best when switching. If you were to give them a whole ton at the beginning it would definitely give them digestive issues.

When you do give them the chicken, don't make a big deal of it. It can take some dogs quite a bit of time to get the idea...you gotta think what they are used to eating and when you switch it up to something raw, cold and big they may not know what to do with it at first. Don't fret if they don't get it at first. Some dogs take a few days to get the hang of it. Just give your dogs their meat and walk away. Give them space and time to figure it out.

If you coddle them during feeding, they will get used to that positive attention and will "need" it to eat...so essentially creating a picky eater.

Good luck!

 

[lovinmylabs]

I would just stick with 1 quarter a piece, and depending on how they act you might want to trim the skin and excess fat off just to be safe. Starting off slow is best when switching. If you were to give them a whole ton at the beginning it would definitely give them digestive issues.

When you do give them the chicken, don't make a big deal of it. It can take some dogs quite a bit of time to get the idea...you gotta think what they are used to eating and when you switch it up to something raw, cold and big they may not know what to do with it at first. Don't fret if they don't get it at first. Some dogs take a few days to get the hang of it. Just give your dogs their meat and walk away. Give them space and time to figure it out.

If you coddle them during feeding, they will get used to that positive attention and will "need" it to eat...so essentially creating a picky eater.

Good luck!

Ok thanks for the advice. I'm just afraid that if I give them the meat outside Gracie will go and burry it...if I feed inside they will want to go lay on the carpet in the living room and go to town in there! Just trying to think of a way to keep them in the kitchen...my doorways are too wide for baby gates If its not one thing its the other...sorry!

 

[DaneMama]

Well, maybe just keep an eye on them to keep them in the kitchen, but don't pay attention to them otherwise.

 

[J&T]

We are lucky as baby gates shut off the kitchen from the rest of the house, but we no longer use them. That was a waste of money. By the second day the pup(9months) wont even pick it up out of the bowl unless he is laying on a towel. The other only moves about a foot away from the bowl.

In the short 3+ weeks doing this, these experienced people here know what they are talking about. We have had no issues. They are having to reign me in from going to far to fast. You came to a good place for advice.

Our shepard/rotties(almost 13 yrs) hacking, yorking, gagging sound that would happen frequently in the evening and night is all but gone. Still maybe 1-2 per night vs numerous times. Guessing it was like an acid reflux thing, since the food digests easier and faster the stomach juices get to turn off faster.

Good luck and have a great time. Dont sweet the details, but you sound a bit like me(tad OCD), so you probably will.:biggrin:

 

[lovinmylabs]

Ok well....I fed them each a chicken quarter. Tyer the english bulldog made a COMPLETE MESS gaging, throwing up and them licking most of it up. After 10 mins of that gross stuff he actually ate everything! Gracie on the other hand (my lab/hound) sat there looking at it. First she had to watch Tyler then just looked at her dish. She would pick a piece out of her dish and drop it on the floor. She would lick it for a few minutes and that was it. After about 1/2 hour I put the chicken back in the fridge. I guess we will try again tomorrow:frown: Did I do something wrong??

 

[rannmiller]

Nope you did exactly the right thing, just don't give her as much time next time. Give her 20 mins tops, then just pick it up, casually, no big deal, and put it back in the fridge for the next meal. No snacks or food in between though, so she'll be good and hungry in the morning when you take it out again. She's just figuring it out and getting the hang of eating it.

 

[J&T]

Ok well....I fed them each a chicken quarter. Tyer the english bulldog made a COMPLETE MESS gaging, throwing up and them licking most of it up. After 10 mins of that gross stuff he actually ate everything! Gracie on the other hand (my lab/hound) sat there looking at it. First she had to watch Tyler then just looked at her dish. She would pick a piece out of her dish and drop it on the floor. She would lick it for a few minutes and that was it. After about 1/2 hour I put the chicken back in the fridge. I guess we will try again tomorrow:frown: Did I do something wrong??

The "re-eating" is not unusual I guess. I know we had similar times with our dogs re-eating kibble. Probably same cause, just a differant food stuff. When you said english bulldog, all I could think of is our boxer doing the same thing when she goes raw in about a month. Your lab/hound sounds like our lab/retreiver mix who finally is willing to eat fresh chicken feet. For the longest time he would take the foot, gum it, slim it, spit it out and walk away. When we started the first two on raw we were cutting off the excess fat from the quarters, we would put a piece in his EVO. Darn dog wouldn't eat until we took the piece of chicken out but this has also stopped.

 

[DaneMama]

Ok well....I fed them each a chicken quarter. Tyer the english bulldog made a COMPLETE MESS gaging, throwing up and them licking most of it up. After 10 mins of that gross stuff he actually ate everything! Gracie on the other hand (my lab/hound) sat there looking at it. First she had to watch Tyler then just looked at her dish. She would pick a piece out of her dish and drop it on the floor. She would lick it for a few minutes and that was it. After about 1/2 hour I put the chicken back in the fridge. I guess we will try again tomorrow:frown: Did I do something wrong??

You did everything correct. Like I said, the switch takes patience with some dogs, they just don't know what to do with it.

You also have to remember that she is choosing not to eat....you presented her with food, and will do so until she eats but its up to her whether or not to eat. You are the dog mom and decide what your "kids" eat so she will eventually give in and figure it out. Then there is no going back...she will be hooked on raw for good :biggrin:

 

[lovinmylabs]

Well I put her breakfast out and nothing! She cant be bothered. She looks, sniffs and walks away. So now I guess no breakfast...its killing me! My bulldog Tyler on the other hand gobbled it up! I thought he was going to be my problem...I was wrong (AGAIN).:redface:
I am taking in a foster hound this weekend. I hope she will not turn her nose up too!

 

[DaneMama]

Just give her time. I think it took close to 2 or 3 whole days for my dogs to figure it out. Maybe just try holding it up for her to start chewing on. But don't let tar become normal routine or you will always have to hold her food for her LOL

 

[lovinmylabs]

Well finally she ate about a quarter of a chicken back....not much but better then nothing I guess....It also took her a lot longer then it should have! I should have picked it up but I didnt have the heart! She was laying on the floor eating the small bit...what she really wanted to do was go outside and burry it!!! Hopefully breakfast time she will eat even more

 

[DaneMama]

Awesome! Good to hear that she knows what to do with it. Our dog Shiloh used to bury her meat and dig it up a few days later and eat it LOL.

Keep up the good work! And keep us posted :wink:

 

[RawFedDogs]

I should have picked it up but I didnt have the heart! She was laying on the floor eating the small bit...what she really wanted to do was go outside and burry it!!! Hopefully breakfast time she will eat even more

If she is eating it, go ahead and let her eat. You take it up if she is not showing any interest. As long as she is interested in it, leave it down.