Diamond Paws

Switching To Raw

These instructions are for switching a dog that is over the age of 3 months. Do not use these guidelines for switching over puppies under the age of 3 months. To switch a puppy just start feeding them the BARF diet for puppies.

There are a few ways to switch a dog to a raw natural diet, the BARF diet. But this is the way we switched and it worked great for us. The most important thing I can tell you about switching is take it slow and keep it simple. If you start out adding to much to soon your dog may reject the diet and refuse to eat and/or get sick. It is not wise to start the diet at full strength. It should take you several weeks or months to work your way up. If you add all your supplements at once and your dog has a reaction then you will not know what supplement(s) is causing the problem. If you add only 2 at a time each week then you can pin point what supplement is causing the problem better. This goes for the RMB's and meat meal's as well, as some dogs cannot tolerate chicken or beef and they get an upset stomach. If you change the meat or RMB everyday then you will not know which one caused the stomach upset. Just be very patient, give your dogs a chance to adjust and add the things you want to feed slowly over a period of weeks and your dogs will do just fine. The last piece of advice I can offer is to never leave your dog alone with his/her RMB's. Always be there or close by when they are eating. Feed the RMB's in the morning on a weekday to start so that in case of emergency you can get your dog to the vet. The likely hood of a choking experience will be very small and remote but just in case, feed during the day. Also familiarize yourself with the doggie heimlich maneuver (ask your vet to show you how) just in case It's better to be prepared then not prepared.

If you have any questions just contact us and we will be happy to help.

Week 1

Fast your dog for 24 hours. Don't worry, dogs can go days without eating so fasting will not hurt your dog. This will allow whatever is in their gut to be fully digested. It will also make them good and hungry for the switch. Then in the morning of the next day feed chicken necks. Feed this RMB (raw meaty bone) for 2 weeks.

In the evening feed your meat meal (check our BARF Adult Menu for meat suggestions). We suggest that you feed the same meat for 3 weeks and then change over to a different meat. Try and feed meat that is not the same as your RMB. For example since you are feeding chicken necks to start, do not feed chicken mince, try beef or lamb mince. Do not add any veggies or supplements until week 3. Add a heaping spoonful of nondairy (we suggest nondairy because some dogs cannot tolerate cows milk or dairy products) all natural yogurt to help aid in digestion. It will also add good bacteria to the stomach and intestines.

Week 2

Continue with feeding chicken necks in the morning and the same (as you did in week 1) meat meal in the evening. Continue adding the nondairy natural yogurt.

Week 3

Switch the RMB. For Example switch to chicken backs, chicken wings etc. Continue with the same meat meal as you fed in week 1 and 2. Start adding your veggie mix. Start off with 2-4 teaspoons and then over the next few weeks increase the amount until you are at the level you want to be. This may take you several weeks to several months. Hint. Make sure you blend the veggie mix with the meat very well so that the dog cannot eat around the veggie mix. Continue adding yogurt to your meat meal.

Also start adding your supplements. We suggest fish oil / salmon oil about (1) 1000mg capsule should be fine to start.

Week 4

Switch your RMB again. The key to success is variety. Always watch your dog when they eat the RMB's you feed. Never feed them without someone watching. Their is always a chance of choking. Change your evening meat meal to another meat. Again make sure it is not the same as the RMB you are feeding. Continue adding the nondairy natural yogurt.

Continue adding the fish oil but now also add 2 more supplements. At this point we suggest, first cold pressed olive oil for vitamin E (about a teaspoon or so) and vitamin C (500 mg). Over the next few weeks add 2 more supplements per week until you are adding all the supplements you want. When adding new supplements give the smallest dose possible. THEN after you are giving ALL the supplements you want to give to your dog, then increase each supplement slowly until you reach the levels for each supplement that your dog should be getting. This part may take weeks or months. Allow your dog to adjust to things slowly and you will have the least amount of problems in the long run. You also want to start adding your recreational bones this week as well. Many people feed beef knuckle bones or lamb shanks etc.

Some common problems when switching

Dog refuses to eat RMB - The dog simple does not know what to do with it. If this is the first time the dog has been given raw then leave it for him for several hours. If after this time it is still not eaten, take it away and offer it again later. This time chopping, cutting or crushing it into smaller pieces. This will allow the dog to smell the inside of the bone. If he still refuses, then again leave it for a while then take it away and offer it back the next morning. This is where fasting helps very much. A dog will not starve itself for long and will eventually give in and eat it. At no time should you give up and feed his kibble again. This is one battle you MUST win. Be tough and wait the dog out.

Dog's stool to hard - When dogs eat bones for the first time, this can cause the dog to get constipated. This is because of the calcium/phosphorous in the bone. You may need to add more veggie mix and/or yogurt to soften things up. Increase in small amounts until you see him/her go without straining. Also adding raw pumpkin can help here as well. Grind it up in your blender or food processor just like you would the veggie mix and give a tablespoon or two. You can use the canned version but this is NOT the pumpkin pie filling, it is raw canned, crushed pumpkin. You can also try adding slippery elm bark. One or two capsules every 4-5 hours until your dogs stool starts to harden. You can get this at your local health food store.

Dog's stool to soft - This sometimes happens when the dog starts to eat raw meat for the first time. The digestive system is still creating the digestive enzymes needed to process the raw meat and this may cause diarrhea. If after a day or so this does not clear up on its own then you may need to add raw pumpkin to his/her food. Not pumpkin pie filling but real, fresh or canned raw pumpkin. You can also try adding slippery elm bark. One or two capsules every 4-5 hours until your dogs stool starts to harden. You can get this at your local health food store. This should help in a day or so. If the problem is severe, stop all food and again fast for 24 hours (or longer if needed until the diarrhea stops). Then start over again. You can a

Undigested bone in stool - Many people get worried when they find undigested, sometimes sharp pieces of bone in the dogs stool. This is common in many dogs when they are first switched to a raw diet. The dogs digestive system needs to create the enzymes needed to digest the bone properly. When these levels are not adequate, some undigested bone will be seen in the stool. Don't worry this should clear up in a few days. However, if after 5 days or so and you still see undigested bone then you may need to add a digestive enzyme to help the dog jump start the making of the needed enzymes. You can buy these at any human health food store. Also try doubling the amount of yogurt you are giving. Yogurt will add the good bacteria to the stomach and this aids in digestion as well.

Dog seems to be scratching more - If your dog seems to be scratching more after you have made the switch, it could be due to several things. One could be what is known as detox. Dogs that have been fed chemically preserved dogs food sometimes go through a phase in which all the toxins in there bodies are "washed out" of their bodies. This is a cleansing process and some dogs may react by scratching more during this phase. It also could be due to an allergic reaction to the food you are feeding. In some dogs chicken or beef causes an allergic reaction and dogs will scratch more. Obviously, you need to be the judge of how severe this scratching is. If it is mild than wait 3 weeks to see of he/she stops but if the scratching is severe and is causing allot of distress to the dog then get him to the vet and have him allergy tested right away. The results will be a long list of things that the dog can and cannot have. And finally the supplement flaxseed oil has been known to cause scratching in some dogs. To know for sure stop giving it and see if the scratching goes away. If it does then add it back in the diet and see if the dogs starts scratching again. If he/she does then it is a good chance he/she is allergic to flaxseed oil.

Dog eats then throws up and eats it again - Man this is the worst thing an owner sees and thinks there is something seriously wrong. However, this is very common when dogs start to eat raw. They are not used to the size, texture etc. of raw and sometimes will eat something chew a few times and swallow then realize that it is not chewed up enough and will throw it back up and then re eat it again. There is also a thought that this helps with the digestion process. Kind of like when a mother bird throws up to feed their young, the food is partially digested. Same thing goes here, the dogs eats it, throws it up and then re eats it again. Some dogs out grow this and some don't. This is nothing to worry about unless he/she is doing this everyday with every chicken neck for example and does not re eat the food. Could be an indication of a blockage. If you are at all concerned then by all means take your dog to the vet just to be safe.

Dog loosing weight - This happens to some dogs. Especially ones that have been fed kibble for a long period of time. One of the benefits of feeding raw is your dog will be more lean and muscular. However, in order to get their they must shed the kibble fat that their bodies have stored. So when a dog is switched they experience weight loss at first. But in a few weeks time gain it back. This is quite normal and nothing to be worried about as long as your dog is still eating, active and looks happy.

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