Raw diet eating problems?

Question

I just switched my dogs to a raw food diet today. I need to say this about my dogs. One weighs 75 lbs, the other weighs 28 lbs. The bigger dog is a male and eats anything. He usually vacuums the floor for crumbs all the time. When I used to feed him table scraps, he would eat whatever I handed him. The smaller one is VERY picky. She won't eat table scraps usually, unless its a piece of bacon or something. She won't eat cheese, popcorn, chips, or anything. The big one will eat everything. So when I decide to switch to a raw food diet, I figured I would have trouble with the little one. I thought she may eat the meat, but I knew she would never eat the bones.
This week the menu is chicken legs. I got the appropriate weight and put the legs in their bowls. All they did was stare at them. So, I cut up the meat into smaller chunks. The little one tore into it when I put it back down. She even ate the bones. The big one just stared at it. I hand fed him a few chunks to show him it was okay to eat. He ate two chunks, and just sniffed the rest. Nothing I could do would get him to eat it. I finally partially cooked the bits that didn't have bones in them in the microwave. He ate them then, but he left the bones and a couple chunks of skin. When I was sure he wouldn't eat anymore, the small one cleaned up after him. She even ate his leftover bones. 

I thought he would have loved raw food. They both have skin problems and ear infections, and I think its probably from food allergies. We kept trying different foods, but when I found out how much better a raw diet was for their health, and also that it was cheaper than buying the dog food, I decided to make the switch. Tomorrow, if he doesn't eat his food, I'm going to stick it in the fridge until that night. If he still refuses, I'll save it till the next day. I'm sure once he gets hungry enough he'll eat it. Has anyone else had any problems like this when they switched to raw food? If so, what did you do?

I'm willing to continue cutting up the meat for them, but I'm not going to cook the food for him anymore. It's called a raw diet for a reason.

? · Accepted Answer

Lots of people switching their dogs to a prey model raw diet are faced with the battle of picky eaters. Their dogs show pretty much no interest in the food that is put in front of them. This can be for many reasons from just not knowing what to do with it to being just plain picky. The best way to combat this is to follow the steps I have written out. Once you have overcome this small hurdle (trust me, its hard…I’ve personally had to do it with switching my own over) you wont regret it one second. Just keep telling yourself that

1) YOU are in charge of what your dog eats, when it eats and how much it eats

2) YOU are NOT starving your dog, your dog is choosing not to eat

3) Applying “tough love” is the way to go with stubborn dogs!

Good luck!

Picky eaters 101:

Picky eaters are created. If you allow your dog to pick and choose what to eat, they win and you lose. You must choose a good food that works well for your dog (health wise) and stick to it (in this case raw meaty bones). You are the parent and the one in control of your dog’s health, not your dog because they do not know what is best. You must regain pack leadership and respect from your dog by being in control.

1. Pick a good, healthy food (in this case raw meaty bones).

2. Stick to it no matter how “picky” your dog seems. Only change foods if you notice a health issue.

3. Get on scheduled feeding times.

4. Don’t at any time coax your dog to eat the food, whether that be vocal reinforcement or adding anything to it to make it more inticing to eat. Just simply set the food down and go about your business.

5. Offer a meal of the food you choose and give your dog no more than 15 minutes to eat it. If they doesn’t touch it, pick it up to feed at the next feeding time.

6. Offer the food again at the next scheduled feeding. Same as before give no more than 15 minutes. If not touched, pick it up and save for the next feeding time.

7. Give NO snacks or treats between feeding times (until you succeed at this picky eater issue).

8. Keep offering the same food each meal time until it is eaten. Keep up this until it’s not an issue and your dog will eat what you choose. This may take days, it took my girls 5 WHOLE days of not eating anything to get the hint. I am so proud of myself for doing it!

Things to remember:

1. No healthy dog will intentionally starve itself. Each time your doesn’t eat what you put down, they are choosing not to eat…you are not starving your dog. You are providing them what you think is the best nutrition there is and that is what you have to keep in mind.

2. Picky eaters are manipulative. Every time you cater to their wants, they win and are in control. Whether you give them added attention or additions, they are getting what they want. Nothing in life for them should be free and that definitely applies to your respect.

3. Patience is key in this situation. Some dogs are so set in their ways that it will take days for them to cave in and just eat. I have known some dogs (ahem) that will go five days until this happens…but it is worth the wait. If you get your dog to respect you in this situation it will respect you in more ways than you can imagine. Keep the “tough love” approach and you will be rewarded!

Anonymous · Answer

Any diet that does not include foods from ALL of the food groups is not healthy. You are probably getting dizzy from a lack of nutrients or low blood sugar. Cooked food is not unhealty - try a chicken breast grilled with sage and rosemary, for example, to get protein. Nuts are a good source of protein, but you would have to eat a lot of them, and nuts are generally fatty. No diet that completely elimates any one (or more than one) type of food is healthy. Seven pounds in ten days is UNHEALTHY. Healthy weight loss would be 1-2 lbs in a week, on average. If you eat sensibly and excerise moderately, you will lose weight (unless you have an underlying medical problem - like hypothyroidism or diabetes). Also, try taking a multi-vitamin every day so supplement the food you are eating. Remember that a vitamin is a SUPPLEMENT, NOT a REPLACEMENT for the nutrients you would be receiving from a balanced, healthy diet. Consider speaking with your health care provider about a diet that would be right for you. If your symptoms are not because of the dieting, then they could be a sign of something more serious and should be evaluated by a doctor.

JenVT · Answer

In the beginning I had a picky eater and I cut it up a little smaller and seared the meat quickly in a frying pan so it smelled cooked but was still raw on the inside.  I did that for about a week and then I didn't have to anymore.  Good luck

? · Answer

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Eon · Answer

It takes them a little bit of time to get used to raw foods.  Some take to is super fast, for others it goes slower.  You should join the Raw Meaty Bones yahoo group on here.  They are very helpful.

Anonymous · Answer

Have you ever used Eating for Energy (120 raw food diet recipes) method? Move on this site : http://StayEatingRaw.com/DIY . This can undoubtedly assist person!

Lorraine · Answer

Whatever you do just stick with it for now. 

I know lots of people who have said this.  If you're stuck see if you can get some ready minced chicken to start with.  

Don't panic - he won't look back once he gets used to it.

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Raw diet eating problems?

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