# Is larger really safer? I beg to differ!



## Gsd34me (Mar 31, 2010)

Most people say that a larger RMB is much safer for a dog than the smaller ones. But my pup that inhales his food doesn't care how big it is. I gave him. Chicken quarter and he chewed part of it (about half) and then swallowed the other half. So I can't see how bigger is better.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

He swallowed it and it went down. He did all he was supposed to do. You should give him a piece that he can't swallow whole but don't expect a dog to chew the same way humans do. They are a completely different animal so to speak. :smile:

We chew out food until it is a mush before swallowing it. We have digestive juices in our saliva so digestion begins in the mouth. We are omnivores and eat both plant and animal source foods. Dogs on the other hand are carnivores and don't have teeth designed for chewing. Their teeth are designed to killing, ripping and tearing meat, and crushing bone. They have no digestive juices in their saliva. They merely crunch their food until it is small enough to fit down their throat then they swallow. Digestion for dogs begins in the stomach. They can swallow some amazingly large pieces. If they do, for some reason, swallow a piece that is too large, they will merely bring it back into their mouth, crunch it a few more times, then reswallow.

Also in the wild, a carnivore will devour his food as fast as possible in case another carnivore comes along and takes it away from him.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Our puppy has been doing that with chicken quarters for a long time and never had a problem. 

The fact that he chewed part of it means that did what he needed to get it down his throat, which is all that needs to be done.

If anything, now you know what your dog is capable of swallowing whole without choking.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

My boxer does that all the time. Sometimes, if she doesn't chew enough, she'll even bring it back up to re chomp it.
Digestion does not begin in a dog's mouth like it does for humans, and they chew only enough for it to fit down their throat. 
Smaller bones pose more of a choking hazard. My rule of thumb is to feed bone in meals bigger than my dog's mouth.


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## Gsd34me (Mar 31, 2010)

Thank you for educating me. It just gets me nervous when he does that. So there's nothing to worry about?


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

At one time, we were all where you are right now. We all watched closely as our dogs ate their raw meals and we were all nervous. In a couple of months you won't think anything about it. You will just feed and let them enjoy. :smile:


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## Gsd34me (Mar 31, 2010)

Thank you all so much!!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

my pug, bubba, gets drummettes, in keeping with the amount of food he can have...

watching him eat is like watching a kid play with their spaghetti....he rolls it around in his mouth, swallows it whole, regurgitates it....chomps, swallows again...might bring it back up once or twice more....

with this dog, it doesn't matter what size food i give him. he is so voracious, my little piranha...in the meantime, day to day....his stools are perfect..i do supervise my dogs when they eat, as they are new to this raw stuff....

then again, i supervised kibble, once i realised they could choke on that, too....

it's kind of boring to watch malia methodically crunching...but bubba? he's fascinating....gross, but fascinating LOL


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Just an FYI for everyone, I believe that all raw fed dogs should be supervised when being fed.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> Just an FYI for everyone, I believe that all raw fed dogs should be supervised when being fed.


sometimes, i think that about people, too.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

RawFedDogs said:


> At one time, we were all where you are right now. We all watched closely as our dogs ate their raw meals and we were all nervous. In a couple of months you won't think anything about it. You will just feed and let them enjoy. :smile:


*raises hand.* I already don't think anything of it. haha. I mean, I'm always nearby and listening for complications, but I know they're pretty capable of handling it, even with only feeding them PMR for about three or four weeks now. XD

Ryou made me (only slightly) nervous once when he started to regurgitate, but it all went down after that, and he didn't even need to bring it back up. Amaya is methodical, crunch, crunch, crunch. Takes her twice as long, because she feels the need to chew all her food. haha.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Has anyone ever heard of the kicthen kit? I haven't quite figured it out yet but it has to do with when a dog has something stuck in his throat and it's some apparatus to help get whatever is stuck, out. When I find out more info I'll let you know, but they say all raw feeders should have one.


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## spookychick13 (Jan 26, 2010)

Never heard of the kitchen kit.
Keep us posted on it!! (please )

It's funny, Flip is a great chewer, he sits and crunches and licks and takes his time, enjoying the food and making it really small to eat. 

Our little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Jack inhales food like it's going out of style!! He will even try to swallow something, get it half way down, gag and bring it back up, then do that again...over and over.  He is not the sharpest tool in the shed.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

magicre said:


> watching him eat is like watching a kid play with their spaghetti....he rolls it around in his mouth, swallows it whole, regurgitates it....chomps, swallows again...might bring it back up once or twice more....


You know, I was thinking about this last night, and I thought that if you have a video camera, it'd be great to record it and upload it so that it can be put on the PMR website for people who are afraid of their dogs choking as well, kinda to reassure them that it's not unnatural, and that dogs have a way of handling it perfectly fine. XD


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

spookychick13 said:


> Never heard of the kitchen kit.
> Keep us posted on it!! (please )
> 
> It's funny, Flip is a great chewer, he sits and crunches and licks and takes his time, enjoying the food and making it really small to eat.
> ...


Haha, this sounds like grissom and annie to a T. 

Annie takes her time. Rips off chunks, really crunches bones. She eats slower than any dog I've ever seen. (unless another dog comes near, then she speeds up and has been known to swallow a whole chicken quarter.)

Grissom on the other hand, swallows everything whole. I walk to the grass, dump the bag, and turn around to walk back inside. He generally beats me back to the door, food down and everything. You'd think we never fed the poor guy.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

xxshaelxx said:


> You know, I was thinking about this last night, and I thought that if you have a video camera, it'd be great to record it and upload it so that it can be put on the PMR website for people who are afraid of their dogs choking as well, kinda to reassure them that it's not unnatural, and that dogs have a way of handling it perfectly fine. XD


LOL...i've thought about it too....i know there are plenty of posters here and on other forums with dogs like bubba...

for those who are on the fence with feeding...i kinda think any filming of bubba eating would be enough to run for the kibble.....

i mean, the dog regurgitates at least once to three times during a meal....and i'm not talking about tiny little bones...he does it with his chicken back too....

yesterday, he was warring with his chicken back and his head was flinging about, pieces of back were on my cabinets, the stove, the floor.....regurgitated pieces were everywhere....i just sat there and watched in a semi fascinated horror....as he killed it, wrestled with it....

at one point, it seemed as if he were choking, but i knew i had a few minutes before permanent brain damage set in.....so i watched...kept calm...and he did work it out....

i figure if i interfere he will never learn how to eat raw.....well, unless he's choking for real and then i'd interfere....

so, i'm kind of thinking that filming him might not be such a great intro....:biggrin:


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

xxshaelxx said:


> You know, I was thinking about this last night, and I thought that if you have a video camera, it'd be great to record it and upload it so that it can be put on the PMR website for people who are afraid of their dogs choking as well, kinda to reassure them that it's not unnatural, and that dogs have a way of handling it perfectly fine. XD


There are already some good videos up there but it would be great to have more. And there are tons on YouTube!


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

lol. It's so intriguing to watch different dogs and their different ways of eating. I'd personally love to see Grissom down his meal quicker than Linsey has to get to the door! XD


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

xxshaelxx said:


> lol. It's so intriguing to watch different dogs and their different ways of eating. I'd personally love to see Grissom down his meal quicker than Linsey has to get to the door! XD


I'll capture it tonight. :wink:


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