New puppy and raw?

[Southernlocs]

I have a quick question. Im putting a deposit down for a yorkie pup and was wondering if the pup will still need dry food? Ive read they need food and water down at all times but raw meat cant be left out. I dont want the pup getting hypoglycemia but i do want to feed raw.

I have 2 cats that have been eating raw for the 2 yrs ive had them and really enjoy feeding them raw.

Will the pup be okay just eating the raw or do i need to supplement dry until hes an adult?

Thanks

[Ellie May]

I guess it would depend on what kind of raw you are feeding. If it is prepackaged, does it say it is approved for puppies?

As far as needing other food to supplement, it would depend on how your pup takes to the diet. If it is eating well, then I guess it wouldn't need anything else.

I would not change the food your pup is eating now until they are comfortable in their new surroundings, then you can slowly change.

I would also still feed 3-4 times a day.

[eringabrielle]

Growing puppies actually need more carbs in their diet as apposed to adult dogs. When I got Willow as a puppy, I fed her canidae and raw until she was a year, then I switched her to raw....

[Southernlocs]

I havnt gotten the puppy yet but i want to make sure hes gonna be okay lol. So if i feed 3-4 times a day is it okay to feed 2 meals raw and 2 meals dry?
The food i feed now is premade from Bravo i get it from barfdirect.com and i add water, egg yorks, and chicken breast for the cats and Call of the wild as a supplement sprinkled on top.

I use to make my own food but the grinder broke so i order premade for now

[eringabrielle]

Originally Posted by Southernlocs

I havnt gotten the puppy yet but i want to make sure hes gonna be okay lol. So if i feed 3-4 times a day is it okay to feed 2 meals raw and 2 meals dry?
The food i feed now is premade from Bravo i get it from barfdirect.com and i add water, egg yorks, and chicken breast for the cats and Call of the wild as a supplement sprinkled on top.

I use to make my own food but the grinder broke so i order premade for now

Awww, it's so exciting before they get here isn't????

Switching between raw and kibble is fine, we did just that with Willow her first year. You won't get the full benefits of the pure raw diet (nice breath etc) but the pup really needs the carbs so it is for the best IMO.....
We used the premade Bravo while doing this as well, and used missing link supplement along with some pro-biotics.
Good luck with your new puppy and be sure to post lots of pics !!!!

[Ellie May]

I am not a raw expert but I don't think it is safe to feed raw and kibble within less than 5 hours of each other. I think if you feed kibble you should wait 5 hours to feed raw or something like that? Anyone?

[eringabrielle]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I am not a raw expert but I don't think it is safe to feed raw and kibble within less than 5 hours of each other. I think if you feed kibble you should wait 5 hours to feed raw or something like that? Anyone?

? We never had a problem.....wouldn't hurt to ask a vet (if you can find one that accepts the raw diet)

Here is the link to the lady I used to buy from's website....you could contact her and ask her, she is very helpful and knowledgable....

[eringabrielle]

Originally Posted by eringabrielle

? We never had a problem.....wouldn't hurt to ask a vet (if you can find one that accepts the raw diet)

Here is the link to the lady I used to buy from's website....you could contact her and ask her, she is very helpful and knowledgable....

Might help to add the link

http://www.healthypetboutique.com/se...template=about

[Ellie May]

Kibble takes longer to digest than raw. If raw is fed after kibble, the raw sits in the stomach or too long. I think there should be 5 or 6 hours between. I know others YTers have heard this, so hopefully they will answer.

[omega]

I've heard that too - about waiting between kibble and raw. I asked my vet and she said she didn't see any problem NOT waiting that long between the two.

Does your vet support raw feeding? You could call and find out if the pup really needs kibble. There are lots of pups out there eating just raw and doing great.

Oh and yes, they need to be fed 3-4 times a day.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by omega

I've heard that too - about waiting between kibble and raw. I asked my vet and she said she didn't see any problem NOT waiting that long between the two.

I have yet to find a vet that *gets* raw, it's so frustrating.

So here's the low-down on kibble/raw: there is a super conservative school of thought that says never feed together and that you should feed kibble and raw 8 hours apart. A more moderate school of thought says one should feed kibble and raw 4-5 hours apart.

The thought is that the body digests raw food and non-raw food differently and in different amounts of time.

There is another school of thought that thinks the above statement is hogwash (I kinda reside there). The thing is, the body doesn't know if food is raw, 1/4 cooked, 1/2 cooked, or non-raw - the tummy differentiates things as carb, fat, protein, toxin etc. - and releases enzymes accordingly. It's the same for us - we eat sushi - part raw, part non-raw - and our body digests it as carb, protein, fat.

Now, there may be some truth that it takes longer to digest processed kibble than the raw - but I don't agree with the opinion out there that the kibble then halts the raw from proceeding to digest (causing fermentation); the stomach is a "churner" - and those items that are ready to move on into the intestine go ahead and do so; it's not like the entire contents must all go together as one meal. The stomach and intestines are dynamic and elastic places - and they move stuff along when the "stuff" is ready.

If you want to play it moderate, however, just feed every 4 hours - and alternate the raw feedings with the kibble feedings. You have to do what makes you comfortable. There are a lot of opinions out there - so read a bunch of them, educate yourself, and do what's best for your baby.

[Southernlocs]

Thanks yall!! I guess i will just eyeball it and take it from there

[Julie1760]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I

There is another school of thought that thinks the above statement is hogwash (I kinda reside there). The thing is, the body doesn't know if food is raw, 1/4 cooked, 1/2 cooked, or non-raw - the tummy differentiates things as carb, fat, protein, toxin etc. - and releases enzymes accordingly. It's the same for us - we eat sushi - part raw, part non-raw - and our body digests it as carb, protein, fat.

Now, there may be some truth that it takes longer to digest processed kibble than the raw - but I don't agree with the opinion out there that the kibble then halts the raw from proceeding to digest (causing fermentation); the stomach is a "churner" - and those items that are ready to move on into the intestine go ahead and do so; it's not like the entire contents must all go together as one meal. The stomach and intestines are dynamic and elastic places - and they move stuff along when the "stuff" is ready.

I agree with this statement. I did feed kibble and premixed raw food together in the beginning with Chloe', my Bichon. I've never had a problem with her and she has a very sensitive stomach. I look at it that we eat a lot of food that is mixed cooked, with raw and everything in between. We have a longer digestive system than dogs so they process food faster. I also found that mixing the two, kept her from being starving in between meals. I plan on feeding the same way when Myah comes home in 2 weeks. Actually, I'm taking the Nature's Variety to the Breeder so she can get her used to eating the raw before she comes home.

It is really funny, because, when Chloe' eats the raw alone, she will sometimes get sick afterwards, and the same with the kibble...but when I mix them together, she doesn't. So it works for us.

[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by eringabrielle

Growing puppies actually need more carbs in their diet as apposed to adult dogs. When I got Willow as a puppy, I fed her canidae and raw until she was a year, then I switched her to raw....

This is not true. No dog needs carbs - they werent designed to digest them. Actually, it is more important for puppies to have more fat & protein than...not carbs. Dogs are carnivores and only require meat, bones, and organs to be healthy...carbs are unneccessary and too much can be harmful.