# Pup not eating kibble since switch from raw diet.



## juwilson (Jun 12, 2012)

Hi all,

I am new to this forum. I recently switched my 10 week old pup from a raw diet to Orijen puppy kibble. Since switching, about a week, he only eats about half of the recommended daily portion. He is starting to look a tad on the "skinny side" as well. I was told to give him approx 2 weeks to fully get used to the kibble. Is this too long to wait? I typically set his food down (kibble) for approx 15 mins and if it isn't eaten I pick it up and try to serve it to him at his next meal. He usually sniff the kibble and leaves it. He tends to eat it when really hungry or when prompted by myself or hand fed (which I try to avoid). 

Should I try him on a different kibble? If so, how should I make the transition. Otherwise, we might have to go back to the raw diet. If we do chose to go back to feeding him raw meats, how should I make the transition?

Many thanks,


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

The easy answer is stay raw. Why are you switching back to kibble?


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## Stinky (May 31, 2012)

Many switch cold turkey so since he was recently on raw anyway, probably wouldn't be a big deal to just suddenly stop kibble and start raw again. Less garbage in the system, the better.


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## juwilson (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks for taking the time to post a response . We weren't fans of the raw diet. We had concerns about cross-contamination and found it rather time consuming. We know many dogs on highly rated kibble and they have not had any issues and thought we'd give it a try.....so far we have not been very successful. It's pretty hard to figure this out because many people believe in feeding their dogs raw diets while our veterinarian does not advise to do so. So many different schools of thought and methods. It's hard to decide what to do.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Sometimes in order for us to do what is best for our dogs, we have to give up certain things.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Actually, your dog seems to know what is best for him. He was designed by nature to eat raw meat, bones and organs. He would much rather eat real food than processed man made "stuff". He's trying to tell you something.

How long did you feed raw before? Did you give it a good honest try? If you hang around here, we will gladly help you understand more about it.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

it is a shame that you don't want to stay with raw. 

as always it is your decision.

maybe you should post this question in the dry food section and those folks can help you figure out how to take a dog from species appropriate to kibble.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

You have a puppy with good sense. He wants real food not processed stuff. If his breeder cared enough to raise him on raw I would count it a blessing and keep him on raw. It really is not that difficult or expensive and the absolute best. Your vet has very little nutritional training most of it paid for by kibble companies. kibble has only been around for about 100 years. Dogs are used to eating real food. Just like people they can do o.k. on processed food but no matter what anyone says processed will never be as good as raw, natural, unprocessed food. We are here to help if you decide to stay on raw. I have 7 dogs on raw and raise all my puppies naturally to raw. I am ecstatic when someone takes one of my pups and feeds raw and raises naturally.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

naturalfeddogs said:


> Actually, your dog seems to know what is best for him. He was designed by nature to eat raw meat, bones and organs. He would much rather eat real food than processed man made "stuff". He's trying to tell you something.
> 
> How long did you feed raw before? Did you give it a good honest try? If you hang around here, we will gladly help you understand more about it.


This is actually one of my puppies and is from a Raw fed mother and was weaned onto Raw. Like I mentioned to you in your email, sometime it takes some time to get use to the swing of things. I know you didnt like the smell of the meat in your fridge. Perhaps only thaw out a couple days at a time and purchase a Rubbermaid container with a lid. As for storage, you an find a used small chest freezer for rather cheap or buy one new if you prefer. With one dog you can also buy what you need a week at a time much like you do when you shop for yourself. Lots of people dont have the space for a chest freezer and feed their dog out of their main freezer. You are new to this and it will take you a bit of time to figure out how to make it work for you 

Regarding contamination, regardless of if you are feeding kibble or raw the same care applies. Bowls should be washed after feeding, hands should be washed after preparing foods or scooping out the kibble. There was just a huge recall on dog food not to long ago cause people were getting sick with Salmonella from feeding their dogs. Wipe down the counter after cutting up meats just like you would for your own consumption. If feeding whole meats that cant be eaten out of a bowl, teach him to eat off of a mat or towel. Or do what I do and feed then outside on the lawn and dont worry about it.


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

juwilson said:


> Thanks for taking the time to post a response . We weren't fans of the raw diet. We had concerns about cross-contamination and found it rather time consuming. We know many dogs on highly rated kibble and they have not had any issues and thought we'd give it a try.....so far we have not been very successful. It's pretty hard to figure this out because many people believe in feeding their dogs raw diets while our veterinarian does not advise to do so. So many different schools of thought and methods. It's hard to decide what to do.


Being a puppy parent isn't so different than being a human parent.  Everyone has their opinion on the way things should be done, breast-feeding or formula, kibble or raw.
Likewise, doctors and veterinarians, although they have our best interests at heart, sometimes miss the mark on what we (or our 4 legged friends) really need.

Give raw another shot. There's plenty of expert advice on this forum for raw feeding, from the how-tos to the sourcing, to the issues one might have along the way. You really can't find a better qualified group of people when it comes to your dogs diet.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Oh wow, you have one of Kari's pups. You should really count yourself blessed. The way Kari breeds is exceptional. She produces gorgeous pups, from excellent lines, in the best of health. She raised these pups to have the best health, immune systems and fed them the best food. i would encourage you to keep this pup on raw. I know you were sent home with an excellent puppy package and really boxers do not do well with a lot of change in diet. They tend towards sensitive digestive systems. Your pup has been fed exactly what he needs and switching him will cause digestive upsets. There is no kibble as good as raw. The were 14 people hospitalized about 2 months ago due to contracting salmonella from kibble - so that is more of a danger than raw meat it seems. I hope you decide to keep this baby on raw - he deserves it.


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

Definitely agree with Liz and twoisplenty. Plus personally I just think Euro Boxer + raw = absolutely gorgeous dog!!! I think Euros definitely thrive on raw. You can almost always see the difference in a raw or kibble fed one. I believe all dogs thrive on raw of course, but Euros on raw true take my breath away!


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## smaughunter (Apr 27, 2012)

> know you didnt like the smell of the meat in your fridge. Perhaps only thaw out a couple days at a time and purchase a Rubbermaid container with a lid.


Since you only have the one dog perhaps you can do what I do, which is to portion out each meal size, freeze it, and defrost each meal as needed. Then you won't have any stinky meat in your fridge.

I don't really find it much more work to prevent contamination. I just treat it exactly the same way as meat I prepare for myself: a separate cutting board for meat than what you use for fruits and veggies. When you finish wash the knife, your hands, the cutting board and the counter. 

the organs are really the stinkiest...they can be quite unpleasant. But for me, seeing the benefits that have come to my dog from this diet, I don't mind dealing with stinky organs now and again.

Also I don't have a separate freezer. I store Kiora's food in my freezer.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

wow. i wish i had a pup who was raw weaned from a raw fed mother.

how fortunate you are getting a puppy whose chances of good health are exponentially higher than those from other feeding types...

it's been shown that kibble, as it is exposed to air, grows salmonella at a faster rate than anything raw....

oh, please reconsider...we'll help you with your fears and your concerns.....

you have a treasure, with a solid start......we're all trying to get our dogs detoxed after a life time of kibble...and you've got one right out of the gate.....one that is exceptionally bred and extraordinarily fed.


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## Stinky (May 31, 2012)

You won't find anyone in this section of the forum who will recommend or agree with feeding kibble. As others have mentioned, hygiene and risks of salmonella aren't much of an issue. Unless you're a vegetarian, you're probably going to be handling raw meat for your own consumption anyway. Just wash your hands, wash your utensils, wash your counters, etc after using them. It doesn't take long. 

I personally don't notice any meat smells in my fridge and right now, there is a turkey neck and chicken quarters in there. I'm a vegetarian and have been for about eight years. The meat doesn't bother me. I keep it in freezer bags then place them inside a plastic grocery store bag and then again instead another plastic grocery store bag in case of leaks when thawing. It helps keep things clean. I don't notice much smell at all from the raw meat I've been feeding so far. Organs will smell, but you don't feed a lot of them anyway - 10% of the diet is organ meat.

Dogs are carnivores and should have real, pure meat. Dog food, even when labeled as some sort of meat flavor, often contains very little. There are a LOT of fillers in kibble that dogs do not need and will just poop right out and some dog foods even have dangerous, harmful chemicals in them that cause cancer and other problems. Feeding pure meat just cuts out the unnecessary fillers which results in them eating less, pooping less, and feeling better. They produce a lot less waste when fed raw because the body is using a lot more of the food taken in. 

If you're looking to get a "high quality" kibble, realize that it may cost less to feed raw. Some of those kibbles are like $2.50+ a pound. I don't pay that for raw meat, unless it's fancy grassfed meat bought online or special meats like lamb (which will cost a lot more than that of course, but it's not necessary to feed lamb anyway). I'm saving money now that I feed raw; I used to feed Wellness Core. 

Also kibble does not provide the dental workout that dogs need to keep their teeth and gums healthy. Edible bones take care of that. 

One big reason I switched to raw is because my dog didn't really enjoy his kibble. I looked for what I could get locally that was even better but he would enjoy more. I found raw (again) and looked into it more thoroughly, then I switched him when I found out I could actually afford it. He now thoroughly enjoys his healthy, mentally-stimulating, tasty meals. I'm sure it is vastly better than eating the same little dried up, weird-tasting pellets day in and day out.

Oh and another thing, you can get a small freezer for him for pretty cheap on Craig's List. I bought mine for $75, used but like-new condition. Working great so far.


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## skadoosh (Jun 11, 2012)

I think I'm lucky,... I bought my parent house from them and I aquired a ginormous old 70's style freezer (looks like a spaceship lol). It's huge and when you put stuff in there... It is FROZEN! Lol


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

How about posting a picture of this very handsome boy? I would like to show off one of my own, lol. Regardless of what you wish to chose this forum will help you in that direction. It has a great community of all types of feeders so I am sure you will find all the advice that you need


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## juwilson (Jun 12, 2012)

I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of advice and concern for our special little pup "Gus". We are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to welcome our pup home from Kaco Boxers, which in our view is a top notch breeder. This has been a bit overwhelming due to the different schools of thought with respect to diet but rest assured that we have our pup's best interest at heart. I will keep you posted on Gus' progress. Thanks again for your kind words and offers to help.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

juwilson said:


> View attachment 7739
> I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of advice and concern for our special little pup "Gus". We are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to welcome our pup home from Kaco Boxers, which in our view is a top notch breeder. This has been a bit overwhelming due to the different schools of thought with respect to diet but rest assured that we have our pup's best interest at heart. I will keep you posted on Gus' progress. Thanks again for your kind words and offers to help.


if there is any help you need, we will be here for you. it is so exciting to be near someone who has a generation of raw fed puppy from a raw fed mommy.

forgive my over enthusiasm...but i've seen first hand what raw can do to my old girl and my middle aged boy...but a puppy with a clean slate?

be still my heart.

i know you want what is best for your puppy and i'm sure you'll do what you feel is right.....i wish you well and congrats.


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

If he were my pup he would be staying on raw. We do not have any boxers planned for our household in the foreseeable future but have already added Kaco Boxers to our list if we were to ever decide to bring a boxer into our lives. To find a well bred, raw fed puppy... As Re said, "Be still my heart!" 

Your pup is already showing that he has brains. He knows what his body needs and it's not kibble. As the other said, contamination is a "threat" whether you feed raw or kibble. I still have some left over kibble from a year ago that I feed to my rats once in a while when we run low on real food for them. Whenever I dish any out for them I scrub my hands like crazy because it is just so greasy and smelly and just plain grosses me out. I don't do that with raw meat. I wash my hands but I don't feel like I am trying to scrub a virus off my hands.


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

juwilson said:


> Thanks for taking the time to post a response . We weren't fans of the raw diet. We had concerns about cross-contamination and found it rather time consuming. We know many dogs on highly rated kibble and they have not had any issues and thought we'd give it a try.....so far we have not been very successful. It's pretty hard to figure this out because many people believe in feeding their dogs raw diets while our veterinarian does not advise to do so. So many different schools of thought and methods. It's hard to decide what to do.


Maybe a goldfish would be more your thing.


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## doggoblin (Jun 6, 2011)

K9joy Education: free article on "The Salmonella Myth" by Mogens Eliasen may be interesting to read

“Pet Food: A Dog’s Breakfast” Documentary Available in Media Library Collection « Poisoned Pets has a video at the bottom of the page you should watch.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

juwilson said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am new to this forum. I recently switched my 10 week old pup from a raw diet to Orijen puppy kibble. Since switching, about a week, he only eats about half of the recommended daily portion. He is starting to look a tad on the "skinny side" as well. I was told to give him approx 2 weeks to fully get used to the kibble. Is this too long to wait? I typically set his food down (kibble) for approx 15 mins and if it isn't eaten I pick it up and try to serve it to him at his next meal. He usually sniff the kibble and leaves it. He tends to eat it when really hungry or when prompted by myself or hand fed (which I try to avoid).
> 
> ...


A dog will not starve itself. Basically, you need to make the change in increments, so doing it over a two week period is not a unheard of... thus the pickiness he is exhibiting.

I would suggest re-posting this to the Dry & Canned food section; this is a hot button topic here.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

bully4life said:


> Maybe a goldfish would be more your thing.


Thats uncalled for. This person is looking for advice and you have clearly added nothing beneficial to this conversation.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

bully4life said:


> Maybe a goldfish would be more your thing.


Wow. No need for irrational posting. There is no reason for this statement. 

It doesn't make her a bad person for wanting to feed something other than raw. 

To the OP, I would recommend you post in the dry/canned area as others have said, you will get a lot more help there. 

Raw isn't for every owner. And you should do what you are comfortable with. And if that is feeding kibble, that is your choice and at least you are making educated choices in kibble.

If you ever choose to go back to raw, every one will be here to help!

Congratulations on your new puppy! He is adorable!


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

To twoisplenty and makovach, really,,, Did you see the post i respond to ? The one that said "We weren't fans of the raw diet. We had concerns about cross-contamination and found it rather time consuming". Not fans, AND time consuming.... then don't get a pet , maybe I'm just bit more passionate about feeding an animal what is biologically appropriate.. I'm not a big fan of helping someone out who doesn"t get whats going on. Dogs eat meat, cats eat meat, chickens eat bugs,,, should i go on ? How can someone take on a pet and then say,,"feeding him the right diet is too time consuming"..i don't agree. This is an open forum,,i help out when i can and i also criticize when I'm riled.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

bully4life said:


> To twoisplenty and makovach, really,,, Did you see the post i respond to ? The one that said "We weren't fans of the raw diet. We had concerns about cross-contamination and found it rather time consuming". Not fans, AND time consuming.... then don't get a pet , maybe I'm just bit more passionate about feeding an animal what is biologically appropriate.. I'm not a big fan of helping someone out who doesn"t get whats going on. Dogs eat meat, cats eat meat, chickens eat bugs,,, should i go on ? How can someone take on a pet and then say,,"feeding him the right diet is too time consuming"..i don't agree. This is an open forum,,i help out when i can and i also criticize when I'm riled.


Yes, but how do you know their situation?
Not everyone is familiar with PMR. Not everyone is comfortable feeding it. I am a firm believer in raw. I am very passionate about it. But I am also a firm believer that if your don't feel like you know how to do it right, or are uncomfortable feeding it, you shouldn't feed raw because if not done correctly, its not a good thing. To some people this is a very new, off the wall idea. Some people don't see PMR in the way some of us PMR feeders do. And when you just shoot them down instead of building them up, well, that would probably make them look down on it even more because of negativity. Criticism is can be great, when you use it constructively, but when you go and make a statement that maybe they shouldn't have a dog because they don't want to feed PMR, that's just offensive. 

Maybe instead you should have shared how it works for you and how it doesn't take all your time, or maybe how it does take a lot of time, but all the benefits are worth it. You say you are not a big fan of helping some one who doesn't get whats going on, then maybe you should help the person to understand, not throw them under a bus. Or maybe not say anything at all, since your not a fan of them not being a PMR fan... People do have different opinions. 

Obviously they are worried about their pup's health as they are asking about what they should do, what foods they should look into, how to get him to eat better ect. 

Again, Maybe this is all just my own opinion, but it goes back to the saying "Maybe if you don't have anything nice to say, Don't say anything at all?" Or construct your words so they do not hurt some one and potentially just help push them away from the idea of PMR completely.


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

Congratulations on getting a wonderful pup from one of our members!

While I would also recommend sticking to the raw diet for a multitude of reasons, it's not the question you asked. 

When I had foster dogs that were on a kibble diet and they didn't want to eat, I cracked a raw egg over it and that did the trick. The raw egg is great for their coats.

If you should decide raw is better, we will be more than happy to help!


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

The "time consuming" reason is a big pet peeve of mine because taking on a pet means researching and learning as much as possible before a pet is brought home and that includes diet.

However, for those who think that raw feeding is very time consuming, consider this:

Is a little bit of saved time worth your dog's health? Many dogs do very poorly on kibble and kibble is just not natural.

Here is how I keep raw from being time consuming:

I buy a lot of meat from the grocery store. Two weeks worth at a time so that I can plan and choose meals according to space. Half can go in the freezer for next week and this week's can go in the fridge. A lot of the stuff you can buy at the store can be fed to a boxer sized dog without having to do a lot of sorting. 

When I buy in bulk orders (my preference) I can spend just a couple of hours every few months sorting and refreezing in meal sized portions so that, for the next few months, all I have to do is open the freezer, grab one of the containers/bags/whatever you use to separate food, open, toss outside, put the dog outside with it. 

It does take more time than kibble but, if you take just a couple of hours every few months, it doesn't have to be very time consuming at all and after those couple of hours, can be as easy as pouring a bowlful of kibble.

As far as contamination goes you can feed outside or inside on a dog designated towel/mat/etc and you can wash their feet, mouths, and ears (for those hounds) with a water/vinegar solution. Bowls can be cleaned, towels can be washed, etc. 

Kibble isn't an more sanitary than raw meat. It can contain all sorts of bacteria just like raw can. 

I understand that feeding raw can be daunting but it isn't as hard as it seems. What convinced me to finally make the switch was looking through the raw picture thread that is stickied at the top of this section. Seeing dogs eating the raw diet is so much more reassuring than just reading raw websites and researching it.

I do hope you choose to stick with raw with this pup because many of us would LOVE to have a raw fed puppy from a raw fed mother with a breeder who cares as much as twoisplenty.


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