Three most important tips.

[Muck]

Everyone thinks different things about RAW feeding styles.

In YOUR opinion what are your three (or more) most important rules to remember about feeding or starting RAW/prey model

Anything from formulas to what to avoid.

I look forward to reading these

[List]

For me the three most important things are pretty basic

1. Keep it simple. Feed lots of meat, some bone and some organ. But let your dogs poop and health be your ultimate guide. Don't get caught in numbers.

2. Feed a variety. Variety is the spice of lie.

3. And remember not to get sucked into the politics of raw feeding programs. The amazing thing about raw is that you can tweak and customize for your individual dogs needs.

RAW is awesome!!!!

[SerenityFL]

Everyone thinks different things about RAW feeding styles.

In YOUR opinion what are your three (or more) most important rules to remember about feeding or starting RAW/prey model

Anything from formulas to what to avoid.

I look forward to reading these

1) Start slowly and be patient.

2) No weight bearing bones from large animals. I'm trying to keep their teeth pearly white, not break them apart.

3) Don't panic. It takes time to adjust, things start looking different, and really, it IS okay to feed them raw chicken bones! (Just make sure they chew.)

Edit, just saw the "or more" part.

4) If you have questions, come here. Read the archives. If you have any questions, ask. Ask anything and everything. People here are extremely helpful.

[Muck]

I have been reading all the posts here everyday and the websites of people who are here. I usually just lurk around haha. I just think its kind of cool to see what is important to people since feeding styles can vary.

[bdb5853]

1. Go slowly. It's not a race. Don't rush proteins. Slow and steady wins the race.

2. Become a student of your dog. Some dogs need a bit more bone, some less. Some do better on more red meats and less poultry, some are fine with it.

3. Don't overfeed! Easy to do when the portions don't seem large. I've seen some raw fed dogs really gain weight. Everything they eat is bio-available to them, they don't need to eat huge portions.

4. Vary your proteins as much as you can. I prefer 75% red meat, but work with what your budget allows. Try to feed as much grass fed protein as you can, venison is great.

5. Network with other raw feeders to find good deals and share if someone gets a big score.

6. Relax. This truly IS the best diet. Don't second guess yourself.

[sassymaxmom]

Everyone thinks different things about RAW feeding styles.

In YOUR opinion what are your three (or more) most important rules to remember about feeding or starting RAW/prey model

Anything from formulas to what to avoid.

I look forward to reading these

*Tortoise wins this race! Slow and steady.

*Study the poop! It will let you know if you can move forward or if falling back is a good idea. Even after feeding Max raw for years I need to check it so I don't overdo the size of the meal, feed too much fat, organ or bone.

*Feed MEAT in as much variety as you can find trying to use lots of red meat. Feed a little bone and a little organ.

*Feed big bits. Less likely to be swallowed whole.

[whiteleo]

The one thing I think is most important in my feeding program is to feed only:

*Grass fed organs from a variety of animals. The younger the better!

[DaneMama]

My top tips:

1. Know Thy Dog. It's important to understand that while PMR is right for nearly every dog, the general guidelines must be made to fit each individual. Some dogs are good, thorough chewers and others are gulpers, which limits what you can and cannot feed. Some dogs need more bone and other less. Know the medical background of your dog and make any necessary changes. Know what gives your dog diarrhea and know how to fix it (fast first and feed bone heavy meals).

2. Diarrhea isn't something to panic or lose sleep over. It's a normal process of life and is easy to fix when you know what causes it. You don't panic each time YOU have diarrhea do you?

3. Variety is key. Feed as many appropriate protein sources as humanly possible. It's fun finding the connections and deals for these things.

4. Patience is a necessity. Some dogs transition easier than others. And certainly don't think that your dog can't handle raw if you see digestive upset in the beginning. Don't give up and throw in the towel.

[xxshaelxx]

Psssst! I think this post should be a sticky!

[DaneMama]

Great idea. It's now a sticky!!!