2manydogs

Here is a week by week layout on how to easily and smoothly transition your dog to Raw. Regardless of age, any dog can be switched over

The PMR ( Prey Model Raw) diet is based on the 80-10-10 ratio. 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% organs. It is recommended to feed your dog at 2-3% of their ideal adult body weight with 2% being the most common. If transitioning puppies you can base their amount on 5-10% of current weight or as I do it, 2% of estimated adult weight.

Week 1 and 2: You will only offer your dog chicken. This can be necks, backs, wings, or legs. I prefer and always recommend you start with leg quarters. For the first 2 weeks you will remove all skin.

Week 3: You will still feed chicken but you will start leaving the skin on every other meal.

Week 4: You will still still feed chicken but you can now leave the skin on every meal.

If your dog is handling the chicken with skin on you are now ready to move onto the next protein. Turkey I usually recommend that you add in a new protein every 2 weeks.

Week 6 and 7: You can add in some turkey for 2-3 meals per week. This can be turkey necks, backs, wings or legs. I prefer necks as they are very meaty and provide an excellent workout for your dog

Week 8 and 9: Lets try some red meats You can add in Beef for 2-3 meals per week. This can be anything that moo's. Steaks, ground, roasts, heart, ribs, lung etc. Red meats are richer and can cause loose or soft stools. If you are finding this with your dog, I would cut back on he amount of red meat that is being fed in a meal and mix it with a bone in protein such as chicken or turkey. For example 6oz of chicken leg with 3oz of beef. Then slowly increase the red meat and decrease the bone in until you can feed an entire red meat meal.

Week 10 and 11: Here piggy piggy! My guys LOVE Pork! Like the rest of the proteins you can now add this in 1-2 meals per week. Take Pork very slow!! Due to the extra fat content it can make your dog gassy in the beginning. This to shall pass Yes pun intended!!! Just like Beef, add it in with a bone in protein. I never feed Pork by itself, it is always placed with a bone in protein but each dog is different so figure out what works for your dog.

By this point your dog should be easily eating 4 proteins a week. I like to feed one meal as a bone in meal (usually breakfast) and the next meal as boneless. Not all dogs can eat this way. Some dogs require a bit of bone in each and every meal to keep their stools firm but I do not find this to be a common issue.

Your dogs diet is well on its way so now we can move onto fish.

Week 12 and 13: Fish can be fishy to feed. This was the hardest protein to get my crew on and 2.5 yrs later I still have one dog that refuses. Please do not feed canned fish. You want to try and get your dog on whole fish such as Mackeral, Sardines, Smelts, Salmon, Trout etc. if your dog does not eat it thawed, try feeding it frozen. If they still refuse I recommend you start supplementing Fish Oil daily with Vitamin E. 1-2000mg of fish oil/400UI of Vitamin E.

You can now start to add in some organs Organs should make up 10% of your dogs diet with 5% being liver. I would start adding in 2-3oz of liver 2-3 times per week, again with a bone in meal. Liver can come from any animal but I mainly use chicken and beef. Once your dog handles liver you can then add in kidney as well. Heart is NOT an organ, it is fed as a muscle meat.

The more proteins you feed, the more balanced your dogs diet becomes. At a bare minimum I would try and feed 4 protein groups with 2 being red meats. If you have access to more proteins, then add them every two weeks like you did the first 4. I currently feed my crew:

chicken
turkey
beef
pork
lamb
fish
deer
rabbit

__________________
Kari ~ Keeper, servant and mommy to the following crew



**Proudly Raw fed since 2010**

Gypsiemouse

Great guide for anyone wanting to switch over to raw, Kari

I made it a "sticky" so it's easier for people to find.

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Lynne- Owned by and Slave to Maggie and Mongo

MrsAmyOlsen

Thank you for posting this...

Kamo

Awesome!! Thanks so much Kari! So would we treat all red meat the same? For instance deer, moose, beef. Would you have to introduce each over a two week period? Or once one red meat is introduced they are all ok?

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A house is not a home without a dog
Laurie - Proud Mommy to:

2manydogs

Not all red meats are the same. For example, deer is way richer than beef. Moose is way leaner than beef. I would introduce each red meat on a 2 week cycle just like any other protein

__________________
Kari ~ Keeper, servant and mommy to the following crew



**Proudly Raw fed since 2010**

Kamo

Ok. Perfect!! Thanks! . I think we are going to make the switch in sept or oct at the latest, that way I can start stocking up on chicken and turkey and plus it will be hunting season. We always have lots of fresh fish and salmon on hand so that won't be a problem although Tasia won't touch fish at all.

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A house is not a home without a dog
Laurie - Proud Mommy to:

RUBELLA2012

Thanks for posting Kari!! As well as helping make me WAY more confident to switch.

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Jimmy- Proud dad of Ruby and Bella

Rocky&Ruby

Be aware when feeding raw Salmon:
Salmon Poisoning Disease

Gypsiemouse

I think this is why you are supposed to freeze fish for a certain length of time before feeding. Freezing kills any parasites. Just not sure how long to freeze.
Kari ??

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Lynne- Owned by and Slave to Maggie and Mongo

Kamo

We have always only fed our dogs frozen fish, never thawed, no matter the type. Our salmon comes fresh out of the Fraser river (in BC Canada) is what I meant by fresh not store bought. I think the freezing time to kill any parasites is 3 weeks.

__________________
A house is not a home without a dog
Laurie - Proud Mommy to: