Transitioning to a raw diet
Most dogs love raw food and can transition very quickly.
For a dog that rarely has stomach upset or diarrhea and will eagerly eat what is offered:
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Day 1: Share a spoonful of Raw as a treat with their regular food.
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Day 2: Replace about ¼ of regular food with ¼ serving of Raw. Mix together and serve.
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Day 3: Replace ½ of regular food with ½ serving of Raw.
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Day 4: Go all Raw.
For a dog that gets sick easily or is picky about their food:
Follow the above schedule, but extend it. Try the same step for several days before moving on to the next step. Or try hydrating their regular food before adding in the raw. This will help their gut acclimate to a more moist, nutrient dense diet.
Pay attention to your dog and his digestion.
Sometimes a new food can cause loose stools. Sometimes just excitement about the new food can do that! If your dog’s stool is fine, and the dog is eating the raw food eagerly, you can move to the next step. You may feel you need to slow down the transition process. However, don’t just stop feeding raw. If his gut got a little overstimulated, back off to a spoonful or two for each feeding. He should be ready for more soon.
Because of the perishable nature of raw food, you’ll no longer be able to fill a bowl and leave it all day. Feed your dog, and if there is any left over after a half an hour, refrigerate or discard.
Be careful not to overfeed! A raw, meat-based dog food is much more nutrient and calorie dense than kibble. It’s easy to feed too much and end up with an overweight dog. It’s better to start with too little and increase it over time.
Dogs eat fast. That’s natural. If you want to slow it down, spread the food out around the bowl, or add a bit of water so there is some “gravy” to lap up.
A word about dog poop:
Since there is less bulk and filler food going in, there is less poop coming out. Some people get concerned that their dog is not going enough. Just because your dog poops less does not mean that he’s constipated. Less stool is the happy result of feeding raw.
If your dog seems to be straining or uncomfortable, adding a spoonful or two of canned pumpkin or some shredded raw carrot should help.
Thawing & Serving:
Most of the recipes that we carry are packaged in 2 pound chubs. Keep frozen until ready to thaw for serving. Thaw in refrigerator or in a warm water bath. Do NOT cook or thaw in microwave. This will kill all the beneficial enzymes in the raw food. Use within 72 hours, or repackage and refreeze within 24 hours.
Safe Handling Instructions:
As with all product containing raw meat, some food product may contain bacteria that could cause illness if the product is mishandled. For your protection, follow these safe handling instructions.
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Keep frozen. Thaw in refrigerator. Use thawed product within 72 hours.
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Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods. Wash working surfaces, utensils, and serving bowls after using. Wash hands after touching raw meat or poultry.
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If pet does not eat all presented food within 30 minutes, discard, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
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Keep all raw products away from children.