# Transition to Raw for Puppy doing well



## April 2012 (Feb 8, 2012)

We brought our little girl home 1 1/2 weeks ago and decided to switch her to raw the very first day. Our breeder did give us a bag of kibble but it's still sitting unopened.

We fasted her for about 6 hours and offered her a chicken leg quarter with no skin and trimmed as much of the fat off as possible. We placed a towel on the kitchen floor and basically sat beside her and let her go to town on the chicken. At first she just smelled it and licked it. She was having a little difficulty trying to eat the meat off the bone. She tried dragging the chicken off the towel and I wasn't having any of that as I want to keep her in one place and train her to eat only on a towel. A light dawned on me and I decided to hold the chicken for her. She growled at me for touching her chicken. A quick assertive *NO* and she didn't growl again. She kept chewing and chewing and tugging the meat off the bone until all that was left was the bones. I didn't want to make her eat the bone if she wasn't interested, for her first time any-ways. I thought maybe her jaw wasn't strong enough to crunch the bones just yet so I tried crushing them. Well, I didn't like the looks of the bones after I did that and didn't want her to eat them as they looked quite sharp and didn't want her to have them cut or scrape any parts of her throat or stomach. I didn't make that mistake again. I thought she did amazing for her first time eating a whole meal raw. When we were finished I washed her face and paws with a baby wipe and she didn't seem to mind. I know you don't have to wash their face, but it makes me feel more comfortable as she gets it all over her face and I don't want any contamination to other areas of the house. It didn't take her long to figure out how to crunch the bone as the next feeding she chomped them like she'd been eating bones since she was born.

For the first week we monitored her poop and every day since. The first few days I was kinda freaking out because the first couple days here she pooped 4-5 times a day. I know that was her body disposing of the kibble that was fed to her. She went almost a whole day of not pooping and it worried me. Then she had a small poop compared to what the kibble poops were. It was much darker, much smaller and didn't smell as bad. Her poops became consistent without skin or much fat so the last few days we have been leaving on about half of the skin of the chicken quarters and a little bit of fat. The first few poops after adding some skin and fat were a bit mushier and not as solid. 

We feed her 3 times a day. At night before bed (we call it nigh-nights and she knows what it means) we usually give her a few treats of freeze dried chicken breast so she has a little bit of food in her tummy. The first couple nights we didn't and she had the puppy hunger pukes so we learned to give her a few and haven't had any problems since. She poops twice a day, sometimes she will do 3 times but very rarely. 

So, all in all, we are finding it quite rewarding feeding her raw food. She is doing fabulous with it. She doesn't gulp her food down, but like the little lady she is she thoroughly chews and chews. There are pieces that she could swallow that are small enough but she still chews them. We had family over on the weekend for a BBQ and to meet her and they were impressed with how well she works through her chicken. Even with a crowd of people watching her she ate very well. They were also impressed that you could pet her while she was eating. We've been working on that as well as we don't want her to become food aggressive. 

We are taking it slow and steady and are not rushing into a new protein until she's doing well on the chicken, skin and fat included. I'm thinking maybe by the weekend we might be able to add turkey into the mix. Slowly of course as we don't want to over do it.

I was a little worried about switching her to raw at such a young age as there's not a huge amount of information in regards to raw and puppies and how to go about switching. All my worries and fears have flown out the window. I'm quite impressed and would like to thank all those that have provided information and experience on the raw feeding throughout this forum (and others as well). :grouphug:


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## April 2012 (Feb 8, 2012)

Silly me, I forgot to include a couple pictures!


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## Elliehanna (Jan 16, 2012)

I am so glad its all going well, your puppy is super cute and giving me puppy fever!


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

Awhh Boxer puppy!! So not helping my urge to get another pup!!

But definitely glad she's doing well. It's always fun to hear how they take to it.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

So glad you posted a picture. I was going to ask what kind of puppy it was that could handle a chicken quarter. I figured it had to be a pretty good size puppy. She's adorable and sounds like she is doing great! 

Keep the pictures coming as she grows.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

as if i didn't have puppy fever already....

very cute and i'm glad it's going well.....what's your next protein ?


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## April 2012 (Feb 8, 2012)

Sorry about the puppy fever! LOL

She's actually a Euro Boxer. She weighed 12 1/2 pounds when we brought her home. She did end up losing some weight through the transition but I see and feel it coming back now. She's quite solid. She looks very similar to her Sire and the personality that's starting to shine through is definitely more like her Dam. 

The chicken quarters range in weight from 6.5-7.5 ounces. She doesn't eat all the bone but pretty close. Now that I don't remove all the skin or fat she doesn't eat the entire thing so it's saved for a couple feedings and then it all ads up over time.

The next protein she will get is turkey of course, since it is the one recommended. Slowly of course.


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

Ah I was thinking Euro with that head, muzzle, and eyes. Where is she from?


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

That is a Biancales Boxer if I am not mistaken. Same sire to my litter


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

Thank you! Trying to find responsible Euro breeders who health test isn't as easy as I thought. Let alone find one who feeds raw! I think I only have you and maybe three others.


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## April 2012 (Feb 8, 2012)

Yes she is a Biancales Boxer. 

We did a lot of research and visited a couple different breeders. We were supposed to go and see Kari at Kaco's but the weather was nasty when we were looking. That, and the fact that you just KNOW when you find the right breeder and the right match for you. We were totally smitten with our puppy's Dam, Yassa and still are, and the Sire, is impressive as impressive can be.


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

That's exactly how it was with Duke. 

And as far as Burgos, he is absolutely strapping!! Beyond impressive and gorgeous!


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## NewYorkDogue (Sep 27, 2011)

What a good-looking chunk of a pup! You can see the impressive breeding in her already. BTW, my Mastiff pup was 14 pounds at 8 weeks---- not too much of a difference than 12.5!

Good that she's taken to raw; looking forward to more pics!


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

Love seeing a puppy with raw! He's a good looking boy!


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Cute, cute, pup. We will be needing more pics at some point you know.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i agree. we will most definitely need more pics.


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## April 2012 (Feb 8, 2012)

InkedMarie... He's not a he but a she... But thanks she is a good looking puppy. 

NewYorkDogue... That is one gorgeous boy you have! I remember as a teenager I used to babysit for a family that had a Dogue De Bordeaux and he was a huge suck but very gassy. Peeew... I'm sure the raw helps with some of that.

As she grows and continues with her diet I will post more pics. I love taking pics of her and usually have to set the camera on sports mode and hope some of them turn out. She's a bundle of energy that keeps us all entertained.


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## NewYorkDogue (Sep 27, 2011)

April 2012 said:


> InkedMarie... He's not a he but a she... But thanks she is a good looking puppy.
> 
> NewYorkDogue... That is one gorgeous boy you have! I remember as a teenager I used to babysit for a family that had a Dogue De Bordeaux and he was a huge suck but very gassy. Peeew... I'm sure the raw helps with some of that.
> 
> As she grows and continues with her diet I will post more pics. I love taking pics of her and usually have to set the camera on sports mode and hope some of them turn out. She's a bundle of energy that keeps us all entertained.


Haha-- I can imagine that a gassy DDB would not be pleasant to be around. Fortunately, Mateo does not have that problem (thank goodness!)


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