# The Third Week



## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

Guess what? The hoodlums have now completed two weeks of raw chicken with bone and their deposits at the Green Lawn Bank have looked like they are supposed to, (although a bit yellowish but I was informed this is normal with all that chicken). 

So! We are ready to go to the next milestone. I have read that beef should be one of the last proteins to introduce them to so of the following two, which would be better or does it matter?

Pork
Turkey drumsticks 

I understand that I continue with the chicken and slowly add the next protein but my next question is, with one of the above chosen proteins, how long would I feed that before I either:

a) fed them totally pork or turkey for a meal?

or

b) went on to the next protein?

I understand that nothing is concrete, I should be looking at their deposits but a ball park figure, an average, general idea, give or take, roughly, more or less, about, etc.

Thanks.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I would personally pick bone in turkey for your next added protein. Feed that alternating with chicken. If you feed two times per day feed one meal of chicken and next meal of turkey. If you feed once per day alternate days of chicken and turkey. Do this for at least a week or until consistent normal bowel movements for several days on this.


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## VetStudent (Sep 22, 2010)

I'm going into the 3rd week as well (considering it took 5 days to get all the dogs on the diet), I am going to do as Danemama suggested and go with 1 chicken back and 1 turkey neck a day.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

It really is important to take things slow!!!!


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> I would personally pick bone in turkey for your next added protein. Feed that alternating with chicken. If you feed two times per day feed one meal of chicken and next meal of turkey. If you feed once per day alternate days of chicken and turkey. Do this for at least a week or until consistent normal bowel movements for several days on this.


Ok. That works. I don't know what size turkey drumsticks any of you come across but the ones I found at the store are pterodactyl turkey drumsticks. They are enormous! I cannot wait to see the glee on their faces.

Thanks Natalie.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

natalie is right. go slowly and turkey would be the next in a natural progression...

we didn't want to feed too much bone, so it would go like this:

a.m. chicken back
p.m. chicken

a.m. turkey neck
p.m. chicken

a.m. turkey
p.m. chicken back

a.m. chicken
p.m. turkey neck

that's just a sample....

depending on how big your dogs are.....if you feed the proteins separately at first, if there is a problem, you'll be able to pinpoint exactly what the problem is...

that's what i was taught.....intro a new protein with a known protein, do it for a week or two, then mix and match...

then intro the third protein, which, for us was pork....and chicken
then pork and turkey
then pork, chicken, and turkey...

and so forth.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Do exactly as Natalie says. Thats the best way to minimize digestive upset.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

Ok, say for example I were to feed them a pterodactyl drumstick for dinner tonight.

Tomorrow night I would feed chicken but no bone in the chicken? Just plain old chicken meat?

What if I did turkey drumsticks and chicken, (with or without bone), for a week, would that be ok or am I supposed to feed different parts of the turkey?

Also, I guess I'm getting confused about how much bone they can have. I was informed awhile ago that I wasn't giving them enough bone. I feed them once a day...should they not have bone every day or should it be every other day?

(Just when I think I'm getting the hang of this, I realize I'm not.)


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I want you to feed bone in meats until you've reached your one month mark on raw. After that I want you to alternate bone in meals with boneless meals. Don't ever go more than one meal without bone until you've hit 3 months on raw. Then after that I dont suggest you go more than two meals without bone or you'll see diarrhea. I try and alternate meals of bone in and boneless meats. But sometimes I will feed boneless meats two days in a row.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> I want you to feed bone in meats until you've reached your one month mark on raw. After that I want you to alternate bone in meals with boneless meals. Don't ever go more than one meal without bone until you've hit 3 months on raw. Then after that I dont suggest you go more than two meals without bone or you'll see diarrhea. I try and alternate meals of bone in and boneless meats. But sometimes I will feed boneless meats two days in a row.


Thank you! I absolutely must save this post. This is extremely helpful.

Edit: Because I'm saving this, I am going to clarify to myself what I am understanding:

We are on three weeks, I can now start adding in turkey. 

One day, feed turkey with bone.
One day, feed chicken with bone. 

Continue for at least a week or so....maybe longer.

At that point, I will be at one month of raw feeding.

I will then feed:

One night, chicken with bone.
One night, turkey meat chunks or even chicken meat chunks or, perhaps some pork meat chunks by this time.

Or I can alternate by feeding turkey with bone, (or in a couple of weeks, pork with bone) one night.

Chicken meat without bone the next.

I will do this for two months.

At three months, perhaps I can introduce another protein. (Still too early for beef by this time?)

I can go two nights without feeding bone but should probably stick to bone every other night, no less.

Am I comprehending this correctly? (And was I even remotely clear in what I was saying?)


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

So for week 5 feed boneless meals alternating with bone in meals but only stick to chicken and turkey. Don't add pork in til week 7. Feed only bone in pork (ribs are pretty much the only appropriate thing for your size of dog). Week eight start adding in boneless pork alternating with bone in chicken or turkey. If all goes smoothly (no digestive upset) you can slowly add in fish (either canned or fresh whole) week 9. Add in beef after week 10.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> So for week 5 feed boneless meals alternating with bone in meals but only stick to chicken and turkey. Don't add pork in til week 7. Feed only bone in pork (ribs are pretty much the only appropriate thing for your size of dog). Week eight start adding in boneless pork alternating with bone in chicken or turkey. If all goes smoothly (no digestive upset) you can slowly add in fish (either canned or fresh whole) week 9. Add in beef after week 10.


This will show up in my control panel somewhere right? This post? Meaning, I can click my own name and find it later because I will be referencing this for the next couple of months.

As for ribs being the only thing appropriate....oy. That's fine although I did find a pork shoulder roast thing, (still had the skin and everything....shudder), and I cut most of the meat off to give to the cats. It was a LOT of meat.

When I got to the bone, I realized it was actually a joint. I mean it was the joint of the shoulder....it had a bone, the joint and another bone attached to that joint. (Like a ball and socket deal.) Because of the joint I was able to get the bones apart thinking I was so very clever and that not only did I feed my cats, but I could feed these two bones to the dogs. The bones still have a good hunk of meat on them but I was thinking this would be good because of the bone. And it's not a big animal like a cow. 

No? I can't?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Here's sample menus for weeks 5-10:
*** Remember that boneless meals initially need to be 1/2 rations (meaning if you normally feed 1/2 pound meals...feed 1/4 pound meals for the first few days) ONLY increase to normal rations if NO digestive upset is seen.***

Take each one of these weekly steps as slow as you need to. If you notice diarrhea continue on feeding schedules longer than a week. This is just a guideline...it can and will need to be changed depending on the particular dog. Hope this helps!

Week 5:

M- bone in chicken AM, boneless turkey PM
T-bone in turkey AM, bone in chicken PM
W-bone less chicken AM, bone in chicken PM
Th-bone less turkey AM, bone in chicken PM
F-bone in turkey AM, boneless chicken PM
S-bone in chicken AM, boneless turkey PM
S-bone in turkey AM, boneless chicken PM

Week 6: Adding in boneless days with bone in days
M-bone in chicken AM, bone in chicken PM
T-boneless turkey AM, boneless chicken PM
W-bone in chicken AM, bone in chicken PM
Th- boneless turkey AM, bone in chicken PM
F-bone in turkey AM, boneless chicken PM
S- bone in turkey AM, bone in chicken PM
S-boneless chicken AM, boneless turkey PM

Week 7:Adding bone in pork only
M-bone in chicken AM, bone in turkey PM
T-bone in pork AM, bone in chicken PM
W-bone in turkey AM, bone in chicken PM
Th-bone in pork AM, boneless turkey PM
F- bone in chicken AM, bone in pork PM
S-boneless chicken AM, bone in turkey PM
S-bone in chicken AM, bone in pork PM

Week 8: Adding in boneless meals of pork
M-bone in chicken AM, boneless pork PM
T-bone in chicken AM, bone in turkey PM
W-bone in pork AM, boneless pork PM
Th- bone in chicken AM, bone in turkey PM
F-boneless pork AM, bone in pork PM
S-boneless chicken AM, bone in turkey PM
S-boneless pork AM, bone in chicken PM

Week 9: Adding in fish
M-fish AM, bone in chicken PM
T- boneless turkey AM, bone in pork PM
W-bone in chicken AM, fish PM
Th- bone in turkey AM, boneless pork PM
F- bone in chicken AM, bone in turkey PM
S-fish AM, bone in pork PM
S-boneless turkey PM, bone in chicken PM

Week 10: Beef (remember 1/2 rations at first)
M-bone in chicken AM, beef PM
T-bone in turkey AM, bone in pork PM
W-beef AM, bone in chicken PM
Th- fish AM, bone in pork PM
F-bone in chicken AM, beef PM
S-bone in turkey AM, boneless chicken PM
S-bone in pork AM, fish PM


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

wow, natalie, were you living at my house? 

that's almost day for day.....week for week....

i felt like i was moving at a snail's pace....others around me on this and other forums were intro'ing proteins within a few days...and i was doing the hokey pokey with this formula.

but, man, unless i got sloppy or overenthused, or as bill says, i over think too much....it worked like a charm.

now, seven months in....they can eat anything....although i still intro a new protein with a known....and i still go slowly...

it took six months to get kidney into them LOL

i love this forum!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Well that menu is just where I would start (well...at five weeks LOL). Adjustments can and should be made if needed. By no way is this concrete for every dog out there!


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

Natalie, thanks for the menu. I'll have to adjust as I feed them once a day not twice a day but that's pretty much how I was comprehending what you were saying.

Still wondering about that pork shoulder roast bone thingie...is it ok to give them or not? (I don't mean right now, it's in the freezer.)

Edit, I forgot..your menu reminded me to ask this question:

Can dogs eat bass? We have an ABUNDANCE of bass here that I can catch, free. Please tell me yes. (Unless they can't.)


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## Mia (Oct 4, 2010)

Yeah I have a very pork shoulders too, do you have to cut the bone out or?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

SerenityFL said:


> Natalie, thanks for the menu. I'll have to adjust as I feed them once a day not twice a day but that's pretty much how I was comprehending what you were saying.
> 
> Still wondering about that pork shoulder roast bone thingie...is it ok to give them or not? (I don't mean right now, it's in the freezer.)
> 
> ...


Typically pork bones are safe to give because they are just a fraction of the overall weight of a cow (which weight bearing bones should be avoided). But this all depends on the dog. My 120 pound great dane doesn't have an issue with crunching up a pork shoulder roast bone. But would a smaller dog have issue with it...quite possibly. That would be on the owner of the dog to figure out.

Bass should be perfectly fine to feed your dog. Bones and all...



Rye&Ted said:


> Yeah I have a very pork shoulders too, do you have to cut the bone out or?


No...I usually give the bone with LOTS of meat attached to one of the Danes because they are a larger dog that can handle a large bone.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> Typically pork bones are safe to give because they are just a fraction of the overall weight of a cow (which weight bearing bones should be avoided). But this all depends on the dog. My 120 pound great dane doesn't have an issue with crunching up a pork shoulder roast bone. But would a smaller dog have issue with it...quite possibly. That would be on the owner of the dog to figure out.
> 
> Bass should be perfectly fine to feed your dog. Bones and all...


Welp...I guess I'll stick with ribs then. 

As for the fish....bear with me here because I've been reading so much everywhere and I'm doing this for the dogs and cats and I read conflicting information but I trust your word more since you actually work with animals and appear to have been doing this for some time...I was thinking of freezing the bass because I can get a nice supply on almost any given day with the people who fish out here. I would be freezing them and I read some place that if I'm going to freeze the fish, I have to take the organs out because the organs do something to the rest of the fish when they're frozen. Have you heard anything like this?

And of course again I've had people tell me that "I've seen dogs get fish bones stuck in their throats, you shouldn't feed your dogs or cats fish bones." I'm assuming they have cooked the fish and like with anything else, it makes the bones more prone to splinter where as fed raw, this would not happen--it's just gonna make me anxious the first time like I was with raw chicken bones. You get told something so often in your life, it can be a little nerve wracking to go against that the first time.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I haven't ever heard of organs "doing something" when frozen still intact in the fish. We feed whole, un-gutted fish on a daily basis and have yet to see any problems. Im actually very interested where you heard that and what the "doing something" is because I'm always looking to learn as much as I can. Because I give a lot of people advice about their dogs and have the responsibility to make sure I'm giving GOOD advice...

The fish bone issue has been a non issue in my house and we've been giving whole raw fish for a long time. Has a dog had issues with bones before? Probably but I wouldn't let that stop me from ever feeding whole raw fish.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

we also feed whole intact fish.

my dogs are small, so i would have to cut a mackerel in thirds, or i cut a sardine in half, but they eat whole smelt...and if and when i can find anchovy, i'll feed that too...

if i could feed salmon.....they are very bony.....what kills me is i can get salmon heads from my local sushi places and even my grocery store....for free as long as i call it crab bait LOL...and i can't feed it to them....makes me wanna cry.

you're on the atlantic...if you can get snapper or bass or the myriad of fish down there, wow...what a feast you'll have.

by the way, any fish i've ever fed, i've looked up to see if they're on some kind of 'oh g'd you're killing your dogs because of THIS' list...

i think it was posted on this forum about mackerel and thiaminase....but once i looked it up and realised all i had to do was feed pork after, i was fine....

i guess what i'm trying to say is sometimes we have to separate the wheat from the chaff and the myth and the misinformation out there, which floats around in abundance.....

send me some bass. i'll make you a stew, with carrots and potatoes...it's nummy....a recipe from my grandmother who was russian 

i miss bass.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

danemama: I'll look for it and when I find it, I'll give you the link. Give me some time because like I said, I've read a ton. 

magicre: I appreciate the gesture. To be honest, I can't stand fish or seafood or whatever you want to call it. If it swims in water, it does not go in to my mouth. I have tried everything, I always get told, "You haven't tried this, it doesn't taste like fish at all" or "You just haven't had it made right" and each and every time, it tastes like fish. Blech!

I don't think my animals know the sacrifice I'm making by feeding them fish. I can't even stand the smell of it! When I pass by the fish department in the store, I usually have to hold my breath because it makes me want to gag. Now I'm there looking to buy things for the pets. I still want to gag so I make it quick.

I probably am able to get enough bass to give everyone here a good month's supply every month.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

SerenityFL said:


> danemama: I'll look for it and when I find it, I'll give you the link. Give me some time because like I said, I've read a ton.
> 
> magicre: I appreciate the gesture. To be honest, I can't stand fish or seafood or whatever you want to call it. If it swims in water, it does not go in to my mouth. I have tried everything, I always get told, "You haven't tried this, it doesn't taste like fish at all" or "You just haven't had it made right" and each and every time, it tastes like fish. Blech!
> 
> ...


well, then i'll send you my honey. he hates fish, too. LOL


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

magicre said:


> well, then i'll send you my honey. he hates fish, too. LOL


Nah, keep him. It's not often you can find someone who will discuss dog poo over coffee in the morning.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

SerenityFL said:


> Nah, keep him. It's not often you can find someone who will discuss dog poo over coffee in the morning.


true dat. :biggrin:


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