Raw feeding isn't going well...

[Lougle]

Yesterday I posted that the staffy and westie had a skirmish around food time. This morning, they were both behind a safety gate while I prepared the food, and the Staffy turned on the Westie - the Westie growled, teeth bared but turned away in defence (sort of a 'do you want me to get nasty because I could...). The Staffy continued to lean over him, teeth bared, really growling. He went back 2 more times to start again (The Westie wouldn't go past him to come out into the main house).

I got the Westie through and fed them both. The Staffy had a chicken quarter and a small piece of liver, but he started crying immediately after eating. He's just not chewing the meat enough - two crunches then he swallows it like a snake. I rubbed his throat and chest, and he stopped crying, but that can't be good for him?

I'm a bit confused. Should I keep going, or is raw just not right for my dogs?

I wouldn't let the dogs see you preparing the food as this is exciting them, if necessary do it earlier in the day when they are in another room, pop the bowls in the fridge, then when feeding them put them in two different rooms or one in the kitchen and other out the back. Dogs do NOT chew their food, they don't have flat teeth at the back, their jaws don't go from side to side only up and down. They crush, slice and swallow, sometimes alarmingly large pieces but that is normal and how they are designed. They may tip head up in the air to open the gullet to swallow but it's all normal. When a dog 'chews' kibble it's not proper chewing that we do it is just a crunch and it's gone.

I think you would be better to join a RMB group, you will get lots of specific information on feeding, you need to be committed to this way of feeding and after a few weeks there is no looking back.

pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawMeatyBones/

www.ukrmb.co.uk/showcontent.toy?contentnid=7232

Hmm, I don't know about not preparing food in front of the dogs. We do cooked food, and with three dogs there is usually a bit of faff. Putting the rice in, then the chicken or whatever meat, and then dividing it into bowls. Pouring broth, adding cold water, stirring in some egg...you get the picture. I do it on the grass, sitting down, with the three dogs lying close by, but with no fuss. And two of them are very food driven.

I think there are two issues, the growling and the crying after eating. No idea what would cause the latter. But the former I think can be resolved with a bit of firmness. Our older male dog was a bit like that. If he misbehaved at meal times, he got to eat last. He watched the others getting fed, and then when he relaxed, he got to eat. It worked for us, as he realised that he needed to 'earn' his food with basic good manners.

I am sure someone will come along and say how we inflicted terrible damage on our dog. I don't really care, as meal times are now enjoyable for all of us, as the dogs get to eat yum food and I get to relax about providing it to them

Unfortunately many dogs do not know how to eat "real" food so do need some help in learning to manage a raw diet.

With your dog that seems to swallow the food whole I would either hold onto the end of the chicken wing so that they have to break bits off or I would give them a larger RMB that they have to chew and break down before they eat it.

Re the growling, raw food is high value to your dogs and the excitement levels show that they do love the food. I would start by keeping the dogs out of the way while you prepare the food. Then give them each a small piece of food only if they are calm, sitting and behaving. Maybe have them either side of the gate to start with or in different rooms. (No punishment if they are not calm just walk away with the food) Keep this low level and with a small amount of food. As they get used to the idea you will be able to do this for all their food as the correct behaviour will have been learnt.

Thanks for the replies I've asked to join the group multipoodles linked to. I've prepared the food in advance tonight, which worked well, and I'll work in the behavioural stuff from tomorrow.

With regards to the larger RMB, what would you suggest? A chicken quarter from the butcher was 230g, which is what the staffy's meal size is (he has 2 meals per day).