thanks for your note. I always have a bit of a smile to myself when I see the term “holistic kibble”. I guess that’s in the same part of the supermarket that they sell “holistic cigarettes”! I commend you on wanting to take a more natural approach, but when it comes to fleas and worms – that’s when you need proper intervention. Go to your vet and get the appropriate products for these.

In terms of “normal chicken” – right now, just feed that. Check the label and make sure that it hasn’t had a preserving solution added though. Both dogs will appreciate much bigger things than a chicken neck. And chicken necks do provide a higher risk of choking hazard. Try chicken thighs. Even though neither is unlikely to be able to get through the bone, they will both enjoy sucking and trying to get the meat off. While you may need to feed the older dog some minced chicken, the younger dog needs to have meaty bones every day.

Eggs should be raw, not cooked. And no need for fish oil, and definitely no coconut oil.

Make sure you check out the raw feeding page on facebook where there is loads of information in the archives: http://www.facebook.com/group/rawfeedingcarnivores

all the best,

Jane

,

Sometimes with the picky eater you need to try a variety of approaches. I’m guessing there are no underlying health issues? No dental issues? Sometimes with dogs like this, it’s almost easier to get someone else to transition them. I run a raw feeding boarding kennel and I transition dogs almost every day to a raw diet. Generally it’s not a hard thing, particularly since the dogs are watching their neighbours chow down on their dinner. Sometimes dogs need to have their food just a tad grilled at first. When fat starts to cook it smells so much better. There are a variety of different ways that you can trick the dog into eating, but it can be a slow process. Not having kibble in the house may also be a starting point. Sometimes if they can smell the alternative, then they will hold out.

Let me know how you go.

good luck,

Jane

I have a question; I have a very picky eater. I thought that switching to raw would help with that, but it hasn’t. He will not touch raw chicken, or turkey. This was true of freeze dried, and somewhat with kibble, as well, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. He likes chicken that’s dried or cooked, just not raw or freeze dried. He’s iffy on eating duck.

Last week, I had him eating venison, without a problem. I bought it from a different source, and he wouldn’t touch it. He’s giving me a hard time with beef, though he’ll eat fattier meat, or organ. He’s not big on bone, though he’ll eat enough to keep things firm.

Because he’s been giving me such a hard time this week, and I have kibble left, I offered him some, after he’d eaten only the organ/fatty portions of his dinner, and he ate it fine. He seems to prefer the kibble to the raw.

My other dog will eat all of this, without a problem. She’ll eat anything that remotely resembles food, though.

He has been this way for the 2+ years I’ve had him (he was about 15 months when I adopted him). No matter what I put down, he would only eat what he needed. That was fine, until I attempted to transition entirely to raw, where he is now not eating enough, because he’s only eating what he likes. My vet has not found any problems.

He’s obviously hungry, because he’s starting to guard anything he likes to eat. My female eats fast, so she’s always done way before he is. He’s only guarding edible things, not toys, etc.

I don’t know how to get him to make the switch. I’ve never had a dog so picky, and I’ve never had one turn down anything with raw meat before.

If you have any ideas, I would really appreciate it!

all the best,

Jane