GatorRay
I am in total control....I think
- Feb 25, 2011
- 3,432
- 227
- Bulldog(s) Names
- Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
I thought I would keep a record of the start of our raw switch so that I could look at it later and maybe give some information to those that may be considering switching their bullies.
After doing a LOT of research and reading everything I could on raw feeding, I was still hesitant to start. When we ran out of food, I was on my way to the feed store to buy a new bag and I stopped in at the grocery store to get something to drink for the ride and thought I would browse the meats to see what kind of deals they had. I saw that there was a sale on chicken (not injected with anything like broth, etc) for 98 cents a pound and on an impulse I just loaded my cart with all of the bone-in chicken breasts and thighs that they had. I went to the check out and people were asking why I had bought so much (my cart was LOADED with only chicken). The woman working the check out actually giggled a bit. I got home and my husband thought I was nuts! I then proceeded to weigh and bag individual portions and labeled them with each dog's name and plunked them in the deep freezer. This was all on July 15th.
So, that night, for their dinner I just handed each of them a chicken breast and they thought I was the BEST!!! Lucy, the basset, slinked off and stood at the door to be let out. She took hers out to the grass and started to gnaw on it slowly. I walked over and she just picked it up and moved further away from me. I was surprised as she will usually have no problem with someone taking her food whether it be dog or human. I saw that there was quite a bit of freshly mowed grass stuck to it but didn't worry too much about it.
I went back to the kitchen to watch the other two since I was most concerned with their progress. Gypsy tends to gulp things and Gator's underbite is quite pronounced so I wanted to make sure they were managing it.
At first, they both licked their food. Once they figured out it wasn't getting them anywhere they both picked it up and were attempting to get the skin off. Neither were making any progress with the skin. They just could not get it off of the piece. I picked up their food and took the skin back, ribboned the meat a bit and handed it back. We had a few gagging incidents from them trying to put the whole piece in their mouth but they soon figured out that they could put part of it in the side of their mouth and crunch right through it.
Gypsy finished hers first and went over and tried to take Gator's piece out of his mouth. Now, just so you know, if she goes to his food bowl, he will generally just move aside and let her eat (which I promptly stop). But this time he softly GROWLED at her and she backed off. She sat and waited and when he was finished, they both just licked the floor.
I wiped their mouths, mopped the floor with a bleach/water solution I had prepared and let Lucy in. Now to wait for poops!
So, that night, noone pooped. The next morning Gyps and Gator pooped but it was probably mostly a kibble poop as it was normal. Lucy did not poop at all. I didn't think much of it and gave them breakfast and it was pretty much the same routine as the night before. I knew to remove the skin from the bullies' chicken first (which I just fed to Lucy when she came in) but it was just like the night before.
All day, no one pooped. I also noticed that their water bowl had barely been touched. I was not concerned as I knew that since their food was so wet that they may have little need to drink. They were all still urinating every time we went out and it was normal so that was reassuring.
Finally, around 4, Gypsy pooped. YAY!!!! It was kind of yellow, very wet looking and there was only a little bit. It wasn't firm but it certainly wasn't liquid either. Just kind of mushy looking. About an hour later, Gator pooped WHOO HOO! His poop was a mix of firm pieces and very loose pieces and he ended up with a messy, yellow, booty that I had to clean. Still no poop from Lucy....I was getting concerned.
After doing a LOT of research and reading everything I could on raw feeding, I was still hesitant to start. When we ran out of food, I was on my way to the feed store to buy a new bag and I stopped in at the grocery store to get something to drink for the ride and thought I would browse the meats to see what kind of deals they had. I saw that there was a sale on chicken (not injected with anything like broth, etc) for 98 cents a pound and on an impulse I just loaded my cart with all of the bone-in chicken breasts and thighs that they had. I went to the check out and people were asking why I had bought so much (my cart was LOADED with only chicken). The woman working the check out actually giggled a bit. I got home and my husband thought I was nuts! I then proceeded to weigh and bag individual portions and labeled them with each dog's name and plunked them in the deep freezer. This was all on July 15th.
So, that night, for their dinner I just handed each of them a chicken breast and they thought I was the BEST!!! Lucy, the basset, slinked off and stood at the door to be let out. She took hers out to the grass and started to gnaw on it slowly. I walked over and she just picked it up and moved further away from me. I was surprised as she will usually have no problem with someone taking her food whether it be dog or human. I saw that there was quite a bit of freshly mowed grass stuck to it but didn't worry too much about it.
I went back to the kitchen to watch the other two since I was most concerned with their progress. Gypsy tends to gulp things and Gator's underbite is quite pronounced so I wanted to make sure they were managing it.
At first, they both licked their food. Once they figured out it wasn't getting them anywhere they both picked it up and were attempting to get the skin off. Neither were making any progress with the skin. They just could not get it off of the piece. I picked up their food and took the skin back, ribboned the meat a bit and handed it back. We had a few gagging incidents from them trying to put the whole piece in their mouth but they soon figured out that they could put part of it in the side of their mouth and crunch right through it.
Gypsy finished hers first and went over and tried to take Gator's piece out of his mouth. Now, just so you know, if she goes to his food bowl, he will generally just move aside and let her eat (which I promptly stop). But this time he softly GROWLED at her and she backed off. She sat and waited and when he was finished, they both just licked the floor.
I wiped their mouths, mopped the floor with a bleach/water solution I had prepared and let Lucy in. Now to wait for poops!
So, that night, noone pooped. The next morning Gyps and Gator pooped but it was probably mostly a kibble poop as it was normal. Lucy did not poop at all. I didn't think much of it and gave them breakfast and it was pretty much the same routine as the night before. I knew to remove the skin from the bullies' chicken first (which I just fed to Lucy when she came in) but it was just like the night before.
All day, no one pooped. I also noticed that their water bowl had barely been touched. I was not concerned as I knew that since their food was so wet that they may have little need to drink. They were all still urinating every time we went out and it was normal so that was reassuring.
Finally, around 4, Gypsy pooped. YAY!!!! It was kind of yellow, very wet looking and there was only a little bit. It wasn't firm but it certainly wasn't liquid either. Just kind of mushy looking. About an hour later, Gator pooped WHOO HOO! His poop was a mix of firm pieces and very loose pieces and he ended up with a messy, yellow, booty that I had to clean. Still no poop from Lucy....I was getting concerned.
