Food Switch Update!

[Antman408]

So, decided to make a new thread on this as I thought it’d be easier than pages of clutterness.

Just an update on Rex’s raw diet update.

I started Rex on a raw diet on April 8th 2018. He weighed 26 pounds, was pooping 4-8 times a day all diarrhea. Was not healthy, completely underweight and I thought he’d never get better.

Anyways it’s been exactly a month and some change since I started and I’m happy to state he’s had a drastic improvement. He weighed in today at 48 pounds and is only pooping on average once a day. Sometimes it’s a little mushy but it’s been getting firmer on a daily basis. Today was a Solid movement. However every movement has been extremely small considering I’m feeding him around 2 pounds a day.

His coat is healthier and shinier. His eye goo and redness are gone. He’s overall in better condition.

As far as cost, it’s a little more expensive than what I was paying a month for the canidae and taste of the wild. But about 200 dollars cheaper a month than the orijen. I’m averaging around 150 a month on food which I’m fine with.

Just wanted to give an update for anyone who cares.

 

[strykerdobe]

That’s great news!
You can also look at this way. You might not be spending more on Vet bills either!

 

[Antman408]

That’s great news!
You can also look at this way. You might not be spending more on Vet bills either!

That’s another story for another day. Lol.

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

That's all good stuff...you'll have yourself a heathy boy now.

 

[DN2017]

Wow thats great! That asks for a before and after pic if you have any!

 

[Kaiser2016]

Sometimes it’s a little mushy but it’s been getting firmer on a daily basis. Today was a Solid movement. However every movement has been extremely small considering I’m feeding him around 2 pounds a day.

Awesome! For us, adding a probiotic really helped with perfecting the stool. It's makes it just a tad drier. Not like dehydrated. But the kind of poop that leaves no trace upon pick up. It's just amazing lol. The decreased volume of stool means he's using what he's eating - that's the best value for money!

 

[Ddski5]

Hmmmm.....

How has switching to raw impacted your daily schedule??

I have thought about it but did not really consider it because I think that there is just no way I would have the time. Kibble is sooo time efficient.

 

[Sir.duke865]

Glad to hear your guys doing better

 

[Kaiser2016]

How has switching to raw impacted your daily schedule??

I use premade raw. So all I have to do is remember to thaw it the night prior. Since it's so hot where you are, you could easily get away with partially frozen food for most of the year. That's the daily thing. We also only feed once a day now but Ragnar is too young for that I believe.

Then there's managing supplies which is probably the 'harder' part.

Being a big and fairly active dog means he eats a lot so freezer space is a very real concern. Kaiser is getting his own freezer soon so that will help me stock more.

The day I pick up his food is a bit more complicated but it's because I like to do cash deals and it will always cost you something to save money I need the person in charge to handle this. So texting her for a suitable time, agreeing to that time, leaving work with enough time, getting cash from the bank. I buy as much as I know the current freezer situation can handle. Take it home and must unpack it right away during summer months. I sort two days of patties into one ziploc freezer bag. Then stack all the ziploc bags for easy access -unless they tumble over. I added a cardboard divider to the freezer so that dog food stays sorted from our own food.

 

[Antman408]

Hmmmm.....

How has switching to raw impacted your daily schedule??

I have thought about it but did not really consider it because I think that there is just no way I would have the time. Kibble is sooo time efficient.

I use premade raw, there’s a company in the city next to me that makes it. So I just pick it up from them. It’s easily picked up and I have a stand alone freezer. I buy about 200 pounds at a time.

I let a log or two thaw for maybe 2 hours and then I cut it up in 1 pounds pieces. Then I put 2 days worth in the fridge and the rest back in the freezer. It that’s just enough for me to snap it into small pieces and put it in his bowl. It takes about 20-30 mins to prepare his food for a week which is fine with me. His one to two poops a day makes my daily schedule a lot easier. He poops once in the morning before I leave to work then once in the evening If he has a lot of physical activity thru the day. So it makes it able for me to go to work as I’m gone 9-10 hours a day.

Also he goes out potty right before the gf leaves for work which is 2 hours afternoon I leave then I get back 2 hours before her. We pay someone to come over at noon to take him out of his crate, let him go pee and stretch his legs.

Raw food is the only reason I’ve been able to go back to work and really the only reason I’ve been able to keep him since he was pooping 4-8 times a day.

However he did have an accident this morning. Something last night didn’t settle well in his tummy and when I took him out for poopy after he ate and brought him back in I crated him so I could clean up outside he had pooped again in his crate. -_-

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

However he did have an accident this morning. Something last night didn’t settle well in his tummy and when I took him out for poopy after he ate and brought him back in I crated him so I could clean up outside he had pooped again in his crate. -_-

One thing I've learned about raw....let you dog continue outside after the first go...unlike kibble they might go two or three times a little bit each time, depending on the food they ate the day before...I'm retied so I just let Grace roam in to morning as I drink two gallons of coffee outside with her and this I noticed...

 

[Antman408]

One thing I've learned about raw....let you dog continue outside after the first go...unlike kibble they might go two or three times a little bit each time, depending on the food they ate the day before...I'm retied so I just let Grace roam in to morning as I drink two gallons of coffee outside with her and this I noticed...

Haha, it’s just out of the norm he’s never done it before. He puked last night before bed and he woke me up 90 minutes before wake up time. So I think he had a tummy ache. He was acting lethargic last night.

The gf stayed home with him today and apparently while I was at work he was a little terorist all day.

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

Hmmmm.....

How has switching to raw impacted your daily schedule??

I have thought about it but did not really consider it because I think that there is just no way I would have the time. Kibble is sooo time efficient.

The first week you will take extra time and you'd expect that...then you start to stream line your "system"... I feed Grace 3 times a day and spend no more than 5 minutes filling the bowl, as Grace and I whine at each other...I feed her partially frozen food to ensure chewing so I take tomorrows meat out today and place it on the bottom shelf of the frig...my greens and toppers I do twice a week and have them ready to pour into bowl at feeding times...RubberMaid containers...preparing the toppers only twice a week is a big time saver.... so there's my deal, who it gives you insight.

 

[Antman408]

The first week you will take extra time and you'd expect that...then you start to stream line your "system"... I feed Grace 3 times a day and spend no more than 5 minutes filling the bowl, as Grace and I whine at each other...I feed her partially frozen food to ensure chewing so I take tomorrows meat out today and place it on the bottom shelf of the frig...my greens and toppers I do twice a week and have them ready to pour into bowl at feeding times...RubberMaid containers...preparing the toppers only twice a week is a big time saver.... so there's my deal, who it gives you insight.

Does she sit there and act like you’ve been starving her for weeks while you fill her bowl?

 

[Kaiser2016]

Does she sit there and act like you’ve been starving her for weeks while you fill her bowl?

They get pretty excited for it. When Kaiser whined for it we made him wait longer lol. Now he sits like a statue. The only movement is the drool drops falling out of his mouth haha.

 

[Antman408]

They get pretty excited for it. When Kaiser whined for it we made him wait longer lol. Now he sits like a statue. The only movement is the drool drops falling out of his mouth haha.

Rex does his run to me see if it’s done. If it’s not done he goes back to the couch and sits there with his ears perked and alert. Waits a few then runs back sees if I’m done. If not goes back to the couch. Then cries if it takes “too long”. Lol

 

[Kaiser2016]

Rex does his run to me see if it’s done. If it’s not done he goes back to the couch and sits there with his ears perked and alert. Waits a few then runs back sees if I’m done. If not goes back to the couch. Then cries if it takes “too long”. Lol

That's really cute actually!

 

[Antman408]

That's really cute actually!

Haha it gets annoying to be honest. Because he has a tendency to jump to see the counter and he slips on the tile lol. He can’t control his licker sometimes.

 

[Sir.duke865]

Starting to feel like @Antman408 might owe us some pics. Can we get update photos

 

[Antman408]

Starting to feel like @Antman408 might owe us some pics. Can we get update photos