# Repost from Dry/Canned Board



## domika (Jul 15, 2012)

Hi all, pretty new here. I'm looking to start feeding pre-made raw soon but to feed the raw for one meal and kibble as another. Full on raw isn't an option right now since DH isn't quite on board and I'm a bit scared I've read that some people have done/do this and I was just wondering how I would transition my dog over? I know you're not supposed to feed them at the same time because of the time it takes to digest is different, so this is what confuses me. Right now I am looking at primal and nvi frozen. I won't be switching for at least a couple months but just wanted some input. 

Thank you guys!


----------



## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

years ago I was scared, my dog was very sick and I took some action above my vets advice started feeding primal, started mixing with my dry. I didn't know about the difference in digestion I hadn't found this site yet. But when I did I started changing the way she ate and she started improving, the more she improved the more I changed. 
I finally stopped the kibble, started feeding all primal, then it got expensive it started out like 9 bucks for a 5 lb chub and as the price when up I started reading the post on this site and started changing her food.
Well she was 2yr old when I started she will be six this November and she looks awesome, and I changed all my other dogs also.
Moral of my story is do what you can handle and know that its better than it was.


----------



## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

It's not recommended to feed kibble and raw, but I have read of quite a few people doing it without any trouble. I think it depends on the individual dog and what they can handle. Half raw is better than no raw at all


----------



## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

Before I switched Lola to an all raw diet I fed kibble in the morning and raw at night for about 2 months. She did fine and part raw is still a huge improvement for your dog.


----------



## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

Kat said:


> It's not recommended to feed kibble and raw, but I have read of quite a few people doing it without any trouble. I think it depends on the individual dog and what they can handle. Half raw is better than no raw at all


This is true.

Kibble does digest a lot slower as it does have carbs etc in it which move slowly through the system. You'll want a big gap between meals to allow the kibble time to move on out. Raw digests very quickly so it needs a shorter time... don;t want it stuck behind the kibble.


----------



## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

Last summer I started “flirting” with raw and would buy the Primal nuggets. I started out by giving them a few of the nuggets served right on top of their kibble. Then I started giving them a few meals a week of just Primal. Then I started feeding meals of Primal every other day. Then I realized how much money I was spending feeding two labs this way and decided Prey Model Raw could not possibly cost any more, and if I switched to that maybe I could afford to feed them raw all the time and totally eliminate the kibble. So that is what I did. 

And I agree, some raw is better than none, and pre-made raw is waaaayyyy better than kibble. Also it looks from your avatar that you have a small dog. This would make feeding pre-made raw much more affordable, and maybe eventually you could feed it full time.


----------



## domika (Jul 15, 2012)

He is a small dog - Shiba Lhasa mix. Right now he is 4 months old so I am looking to wait until he is at least 6 months old. But I've already gotten so much info from everyone already so thank you very much! I know raw is my end goal, so this is my starting point. The only thing I'm nervous about feeding 50/50 is figuring out how much of kibble and raw for the meals. That will be some research for me to do!


----------



## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Don't be nervous. If you're feeding balanced raw then there are no worries. 
As far as amounts are concerned, I would go totally by your pup's body condition, if he puts on a bit of weight cut back a bit, if he loses a bit of weight, give him slightly more food. Thats what I do with Mollie, if for some reason she's gets a touch pudgy, (by her standards) then I'll cut back on the food/treats for a week.


----------



## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

domika said:


> He is a small dog - Shiba Lhasa mix. *Right now he is 4 months old so I am looking to wait until he is at least 6 months old.* But I've already gotten so much info from everyone already so thank you very much! I know raw is my end goal, so this is my starting point. The only thing I'm nervous about feeding 50/50 is figuring out how much of kibble and raw for the meals. That will be some research for me to do!



I would suggest going on and starting now. They transition SO much easier when they are puppies. I had Lola on 1/2 kibble 1/2 raw at 4 months old. Just figure out how much kibble for your dogs size and give him 1/2. Same for the raw.


----------



## domika (Jul 15, 2012)

kathylcsw said:


> I would suggest going on and starting now. They transition SO much easier when they are puppies. I had Lola on 1/2 kibble 1/2 raw at 4 months old. Just figure out how much kibble for your dogs size and give him 1/2. Same for the raw.


I guess for some reason I thought the transition would be harder for a puppy. Maybe I will start now!  You guys have been extremely helpful and kind thank you!


----------



## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Is 12 hours a big enough gap between raw and kibble meal?


----------



## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

lovemydogsalways said:


> Is 12 hours a big enough gap between raw and kibble meal?


Yes it is.


----------



## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

domika said:


> I guess for some reason I thought the transition would be harder for a puppy. Maybe I will start now!  You guys have been extremely helpful and kind thank you!


Yes, it really is MUCH easier for a puppy.


----------



## Kibblelady (Jul 13, 2012)

KittyKat said:


> This is true.
> 
> Kibble does digest a lot slower as it does have carbs etc in it which move slowly through the system. You'll want a big gap between meals to allow the kibble time to move on out. Raw digests very quickly so it needs a shorter time... don;t want it stuck behind the kibble.


What is "a lot slower" ?


----------



## Kibblelady (Jul 13, 2012)

lovemydogsalways said:


> Is 12 hours a big enough gap between raw and kibble meal?


You do not need to wait that long. There is no reason to. If you do not want the two food stuffs in the stomach at the same time 4 hours is plenty. Of course there will still be one or the other in the bowel for a while but you still need no where near 12 hours. If you do not want even the two mixed in the colon wait till the dog poos lol


----------



## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Kibblelady said:


> You do not need to wait that long. There is no reason to. If you do not want the two food stuffs in the stomach at the same time 4 hours is plenty. Of course there will still be one or the other in the bowel for a while but you still need no where near 12 hours. If you do not want even the two mixed in the colon wait till the dog poos lol


I would wait a good 12 hours. Kibble takes at least that long or even more to digest and get fully out of the system. The whole point is to avoid digestive disrupt. The dogs body will already be adjusting to raw and bone as it is.


----------



## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Kibblelady said:


> You do not need to wait that long. There is no reason to. If you do not want the two food stuffs in the stomach at the same time 4 hours is plenty. Of course there will still be one or the other in the bowel for a while but you still need no where near 12 hours. If you do not want even the two mixed in the colon wait till the dog poos lol


My dogs kibble meals are twelve hours apart usually. So if I were to feed half raw half kibble it would make sense for me to continue that normal schedule.


----------



## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Some people will even skip a feeding before starting raw, but twelve hours at least is fine.


----------



## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

domika said:


> He is a small dog - Shiba Lhasa mix. Right now he is 4 months old so I am looking to wait until he is at least 6 months old. But I've already gotten so much info from everyone already so thank you very much! I know raw is my end goal, so this is my starting point. The only thing I'm nervous about feeding 50/50 is figuring out how much of kibble and raw for the meals. That will be some research for me to do!


Why 6 months? Our boy was 8 weeks when he had his first raw meal  He hasn't eaten kibble since he was with his breeder!

Whoever said that pups take to it more easily is right. I switched a 7 year old and an 8 week old and my pup handled the transition WAY better than my adult did. My adult had a very easy transition but still not nearly as easy as the pups'.


----------



## xchairity_casex (Oct 8, 2011)

While i am no expert on this subject, i was just openly thinking about somthing.

The big reason humans are prone to food poisoning and tummy issues is due to the processed foods we eat that irritate our intestinal tract, it leaves our bodies open to getting sick and letting in all sorts of bacterias become absorbed into our blood streams, when we eat a healthy diet with out processed ingredents, it doesnt iritate and makes us less prone to absorbing the bacteria into our blood stream that we digest and therfore we are less sesptible to illness (directly due to bacteria we digest)

so my idea on the subject is, get rid fo the kibble and go with jsut raw and your dog will be less sesptible to getting sick from a bacteria in the raw.

like i said i am NO expert, an i have no idea if a dogs body works that way either, jsut an idea i wanted to toss out to seew hat others thought


----------



## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

domika said:


> He is a small dog - Shiba Lhasa mix. Right now he is 4 months old so I am looking to wait until he is at least 6 months old. But I've already gotten so much info from everyone already so thank you very much! I know raw is my end goal, so this is my starting point. The only thing I'm nervous about feeding 50/50 is figuring out how much of kibble and raw for the meals. That will be some research for me to do!


Why wait? The sooner you switch the better. I wouldn't do 50/50. Just go right to raw. Much easier. The more you try to do the half and half thing between raw and kibble the more unnecessary work you put on yourself, and the more you stress over the whole thing. There are puppies weaned onto raw and do amazing.


----------



## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

xchairity_casex said:


> While i am no expert on this subject, i was just openly thinking about somthing.
> 
> The big reason humans are prone to food poisoning and tummy issues is due to the processed foods we eat that irritate our intestinal tract, it leaves our bodies open to getting sick and letting in all sorts of bacterias become absorbed into our blood streams, when we eat a healthy diet with out processed ingredents, it doesnt iritate and makes us less prone to absorbing the bacteria into our blood stream that we digest and therfore we are less sesptible to illness (directly due to bacteria we digest)
> 
> ...


Thats true. Raw boosts the dogs immune system all the way around, and they are less suseptable to sickness overall. Thats why raw fed dogs have much lower vet bills, and and lots of raw fed dogs aren't vaccinated either for that reason.


----------

