For you who feed your dogs RAW..question on preg dog & super small dog

[ma2babygurl13]

I have a bullmastiff and she has been on RAW for about 2 years. She is about 3 weeks pregnant. She normally eats about 2-3% of her weight. I feed mostly chicken quarters, chicken livers, and fish oil pills. She gets the occasional venison and very seldom, pork or beef. What should I do for her now that she is expecting? Should I increase her food (if so by how much) Does she need supplements? What do I do when the pups arrive?

I also just acquired a small chihuahua he weighs about 4.5 lbs he is fairly inactive (especially for a chi) he is a little skinny but not super skinny (could gain a little weight) I know he will only need a little bit a day, but how many oz would that be? I'm horrible at calculating! How do I make sure he gets enough meat to bone ratio? I know I could grind it (or buy ground) but I really want him to be able to gnaw on the bones to get the benefits of it, not wanting to chew up things and cleaning his teeth. Should I just give him ground and then give him bones for recreational chewing? What bones would be a no-no for a dog his size (I don't want him breaking his teeth) Oh he is 11 months old and neutered, if that makes a difference.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Be very careful feeding the chihuahua "people food"

I know that an all meat diet is what dogs really are ment to eat.
But because chihuahuas are breed to be small. Lots have digestive problems.

My MIL feed my smallest chihuahua some meat. And the next day we almost had a dead dog. And we had an almost $300 bill. She had to be on antibiotics for 2 weeks. The vet said her body couldnt process the meat. But she wasnt allergic to it.

Then my largest chihuahua. If she eats to much meat. She will vomit and pass blood. But if you stop feeding her meat, she is fine.

Since then. I have a rule. No raw or cooked meat. I dont want my little gals to get sick again. I dont know if it is all chis. But I dont want to take my chances.

ETA I'm not against the RAW diet for dogs. My heeler mix ate it and was fine. But since having the chis. They havent handled it well at all.

Oh and chihuahuas can become anemic easy if not having constant access to food it they want it. My largest needs to snack all day or she will get kind of sickish. I guess that is what people get for way messing up dog genetics. It might also be to over breeding of the breed. Wish I had a large dog again, then the scraps could go to it.

 

[ma2babygurl13]

I'll keep that in mind... he is a little scavenger... he doesn't eat dog food very well... I got him from my mom, she started him on wellness (I believe) he would barely eat it, she started to give him another "high quality" dog food, he wouldn't eat it either, he preferred to eat the "cheaper" but still ok dog food my dad fed his dog, then he ate purina one (what my dad switched to b/c Sam's club stopped carrying his normal food) now he eats the equivalent to Dog Chow (a different brand but the same food basically) It is what my old man dog eats b/c hubby wont let me put him on RAW he says the old man dog is too old to switch and doesn't think he should feed him such an expensive food source... he has never had a digestive issue with all this... but I will talk to a few other people and see what they have to say before I switch and will watch him very closely if I do switch him... Thanks!

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Ive noticed with my chihuahuas. They eat the store dog food better if it is the real small chunks. Or the kind with different type of flavors. Its weird. That my dogs would preferre to eat the cheaper brands.

 

[katrinag]

Your Bull Mastiff needs a varied diet. Not just chicken. I would increase to about 5-7% of her body weight.
My English mind you is VERY bouncy and he get about 10-12lbs of raw a day + fruits and veggies. ( I have backed him off from 15lbs and added more fruits and veggies.

 

[Redyre Rotties]

I do not change anything in a bit.ch's diet, or life really, until at least the 5th week and she is confirmed pregnant.

YES, variety is important. In particular being in whelp, she will need meat, and grains. I do not feed grains routinely, but grump who are in whelp or nursing, and growing puppies need them for the carbs.

I do not really change any ratios in the diet I feed for pregnant girls, just more of the same. I do add a Vit D supplement, as raw diets can be low in D3.

At the 6th week I add in breakfast, and if it is a big litter I often end up feeding a bi.tch 3X per day.

Good luck with your litter. PS I would feed the small dog the same way.

 

[ma2babygurl13]

How do I give her grains, should I give a high quality kibble as well? I mainly feed chicken because of costs, She gets venison about once a week, and sometimes pork or beef (when it gets freezer burnt or I find a good sale) Forgot to add, she gets chicken heads and feet too (as treats) Do I just buy the vit D at a local health food store or is it something they would have at walmart? She eats twice a day, and closer to whelp I'll probably increase to 3x.

 

[Wifezilla]

Dogs do not need grains. If you want to give her a little extra in the form of carbohydrates, add a sweet potato. That is what is in the high end, high protein, low carb dog food.

 

[ma2babygurl13]

ok, so one sweet pot. a day or how often? Do you think she needs the xtra carbs? I guess it wouldn't hurt her either way

 

[Redyre Rotties]

You give grains in the form of oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain breads, etc. All grains or breads should be liquid soaked or well cooked.

Other good things to add to her diet:

Canned fish - use in moderation because of the salt content
Eggs
Whole milk plain yoghurt
cottage cheese - again be aware of the salt content
table leftovers My dogs get almost everything from the table that we don't eat. Exceptions are no cooked bones, no sweets except in tiny amounts, no large amounts of fat, fatty skin or meats.
At your grocery you are likely to find:
Pork necks
pork liver
pork feet
beef heart
sometimes beef kidney the all time favorite around here
ground turkey
ground beef (30%)

You can also look for suppliers in your area. For example, I buy for my dogs from Blue Ridge Beef. They have an outlet very near me where I am in NC. They have several other places as well, and places that carry their products. Check them out. http://www.blueridgebeef.com

I also can NOT do without supplements from Nature's Farmacy. http://www.naturesfarmacy.com I use 4 things from them:

Ultimate Vitamin
Phyto-Flex CCM+ bone joint and soft tissue support
Digestive Enhancer
KA Calcium (this product balances the minerals when you feed raw meat or eggs without bone or shell)

I have successfully raised, maintained, conditioned, and competed successfully in the show and working rings with dogs maintained on a diet like this.

I am expecting my second raw raised litter this weekend. The first was 9 healthy puppies with outstanding health testing results so far.