# I want to start my bulldog on the RAW diet! Help and advice please?



## laurendoodler (Apr 8, 2012)

I am considering raw more and more everyday. I always said I wouldn't do it, and now here I am thinking about it. LOL. Funny how things work out.

Let me start off by saying Delilah is EXTREMELY picky about her kibble. Ridiculously picky. I am seriously switching the dry food that she eats every month, if not sooner. I can't buy large bags because she won't eat the whole bag. She will NOT eat the same food for more than a month. I know this sounds nuts but I'm totally not kidding. This dog will flat out refuse to eat if she's sick of what you are feeding her. She has went over a week without eating before..started losing weight and everything, so I changed her food. She still does this. She will scarf her food down for the first week..then start not liking it slowly until about a month hits, then she stops eating it at all.

I hate switching her up like this. I know it can't be good for her. I've noticed the kibble she likes best is well..crap, like Purina One. I like feeding her the grain free kibble, like Fromm or Wellness..but she WON'T eat it. She used to but now she won't. I've tried numerous grain free foods and she just turns her nose up at them. It's like she thinks it doesn't taste good enough. I don't know. Her stomach doesn't seem to get upset from all of the food switching and her poop always looks pretty much the same. She poops in the morning and in the evening, fairly large amount of poop..nothing like what I've seen RAW feeders post of their dogs poop, haha!

So, I guess I have some questions. How expensive IS it? I don't have a lot of money..money is tight now. Is it similar to buying a good, grain free kibble, or is it more? If it's too expensive, I won't be able to do it. But I want to try. I did look at the stickied thread and it seems it isn't too terribly expensive. What does it break down to?
Is there lots of health benefits to it? Will it help with tear staining? Does it help the coat look shiny? Delilah has a wonderful, shiny coat right now. I mean I groom her once a week so she usually looks pretty good..but depending on the food she's eating her coat will look more or less shiny. I've noticed her tear staining is much worse when she's on crappier food. They aren't looking so hot right now and it really bugs me. I clean them the same amount I always do..I know it's the food. Where do you get the food for raw? The bacteria absolutely won't hurt them? I'm kind of scared to feed her raw food..I don't know if that's silly or not. I've just never done it. I've always been afraid to even give a dog bones because I'm afraid of them swallowing it or it splintering. And I have no idea where to actually get the food that I see people feed..I have no idea where to buy organs or chicken backs, or anything like that.

My dog is an almost 3 year old English Bulldog. She weighs about 40 lbs. How much does she need to eat a day? 

I guess I just need information on price and information on how to get started. It just seems complicated and there's so much information I need to know. I know absolutely nothing about it right now..so please, teach me oh great ones!


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Hi there, first I suggest you read the guide: How to Get Started | Prey Model Raw .. it will tell you the basics, and be sure to follow it. Slow=better for most dogs. It also tells you the amount to feed. English bullies aren't super active so I would start at around 1.5% of her body weight, building up to 2%.. and adjust from there based on body condition. She may need more or less. That's 0.6-0.8lb/day. Some dogs lose weight on the transition because lean meats are suggested at first- don't worry.

Once you are transitioned to a full variety of meats (around two months) she should have a great coat. I feed a lot of oily fishes and fatty beef, game meats etc to help that along. I live in Canada and don't find it overly expensive, and I don't buy in bulk- just from the grocery store. I'll buy whole chickens and cut the breast and thigh off for us and cut the rest up for the dogs which saves money.. look out for sales and clearance meats.


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## xchairity_casex (Oct 8, 2011)

hello welcome! and your girl is gorgeous!
im still a bit of a newbie to raw feeding myself but it is soo much better!
theres lots of places to get raw meat and since dogs can have the stuff people dont eat or "bad" meat you can feed raw for pretty darn cheap its jsut a matter of what you can find in your area.
lots of people post ads on craigslist asking about anyone tossing out old meat from teh freezer,butchers tossing out the left overs or scraps sometimes you can get alot of free emat like that.
personally i get all my boys food for free becuase i went to my local grocery store and they give em whatever they toss out.


the reason your pup enjoys those awful food like purina and stuff is becuase its loaded with sugars and artifical flavors and dogs will go nuts for them its the companys sneaky way of getting dogs hooked on there crap foods.
the good food brands dont add that crap so dogs dont "gobble" it up the way they will with the poor quality brands.
with raw you can be very creative (once your dog is used to it) my boy gets fish,chicken,pork,beef, cornish game hen,turkey and later on he will get deer,rabbit,wild caught fish, some moose.

so if your dog gets sick of one meat or one cut of meat you can always switch it with no isssues to something else.

personally though if i were you i would let your pup just go hungry when she didnt eat what was offerd. Cesar will try to not eat his beef becuase he likes chicken best and if all i have is beef and if he snubs it i pick it up and take it away and dont give any treats or snacks. he usually caves after a few days (sooner if i offer it too the cats first!)

raw can seem like a real pain to switch to in the begining some dogs (like my guy Cesar) can have a sensative tummy and begin with exsplosive poops the first day or two but it goes away and its not as difficult as it sounds once you do it.
i was apprehensive in the begining hearing all about the mesurments and runny poos and feeding the right amount of bone organs ect and i had a much esier time with the bone when i just started with whatever and went from there the first meal was all chicken necks then i tossed in a few drumsticks the next day cause it wasnt enough bone untill his poops harden up.

good luck if you got anyquestions or feel overwhelmed with all the info just ask or feel free to air your frustrations! everyone here is exceptionally helpful!


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

I agree with everything posted above!

Yes, it can be VERY scary watching your dog chomp down and crunch crunch on a bone, when we've all been taught our whole lives that dogs can't eat bones. Fact is, they can't eat COOKED bones. Raw bones are great! And once you get over the initial panicking, it's SO rewarding and satisfying to watch your dog enjoy a really healthy meal!

As far as cost goes, do what you can to get free/cheap meat. I live in Australia, so I'm sure my prices are very different, but I basically buy things when they are on super special (about to expire). Ask your local butcher if they can save you scraps, or when they clean out their freezers if they have any meat they're throwing away. Ask all your friends to give you any (not seasoned or flavored!) freezer burned or old meat that they would otherwise throw away. I tend to get a bit over excited and buy way more than my dog needs. He doesn't eat much at all, and I have an entire stand up freezer full of food for him. It will probably last me 6 months, but I keep buying stuff!! haha. You should be able to easily do it for less than the cost of a high quality kibble.

Oh, and as far as tear stains go - there are a lot of threads in the archives here about them, but the main thing recommended is Raw, Organic, Unfiltered, Apple Cider Vinegar. For your dog's weight, you would feed about 2 teaspoons/day. Or, you can put it in their water, if they'll drink it. But you may not need it - if they improve with better quality kibble, then there is a good chance they will disappear on raw.

Good luck! You have come to the right place for help!


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## laurendoodler (Apr 8, 2012)

Thank you so much everyone for the help!! I will definitely click on that link and check it out.

As far as activity goes, Delilah is actually pretty active..she's kind of a fluke bulldog. I take her to the dog park to run once or twice a day. She also does agility training. She's very fit and is all lean muscle. 

I need to try and find a local butcher to get meat from. I guess I just need to know what to get! I can't really buy in bulk..I'm still living with my mom and she won't want me taking up the whole freezer with meat for the dog, LOL.


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