[UnderDog]

Originally Posted by anifunk1962

Wow, that's a lot of dogs!

If you don't mind me asking, what work does your dogs do? That sounds very interesting. I would love to put my dogs to work so they can earn their keep.

I started a blog in February with a different breed of dog each week, and before I post a new article, I do research on that breed and have learned that a lot of different breeds were bred to work. It's called Pick of the Litter.

I believe I saw that you have Jack Russells? I would be interested in knowing if they do any work because I have one of them and would like to see him do some work for a change.

I'm planning on starting the raw feeding soon, in the next day or so. I've asked a lot of questions on forums and have done some reading and thinking and just got chicken backs today to start out with, so I think I'm ready.

Sorry I took so long to answer!
All of our dogs go hunting with us, they are used to flush animals out of warrens, grass, bramble etc. Once the animal is "down" (dispatched) the dogs get their food once I give the OK. We also use frozen-thawed rabbits, tie up a line around their necks and front legs then get somebody to bolt across the field dragging the rabbits and we let the russels off, they are always in hot pursuit with the rabbits, once they
have caught them we stop and go over, open up the rabbit and let them eat all they want then go off home. They are very fit dogs, the downside is they soon end up being able to run faster then you, LOL! Once they have caught onto working, foot balls and rope toys mean nothing. Haha. The JRT's are the best hunters we have as they are bred for it. I am not sure if ratting is legal in your country? but if so, it is well worth trying out with jack russels!
Sounds like you are on your way to the raw diet! Chicken backs are great as RMB's. =]

Originally Posted by UnderDog

Sorry I took so long to answer!
All of our dogs go hunting with us, they are used to flush animals out of warrens, grass, bramble etc. Once the animal is "down" (dispatched) the dogs get their food once I give the OK. We also use frozen-thawed rabbits, tie up a line around their necks and front legs then get somebody to bolt across the field dragging the rabbits and we let the russels off, they are always in hot pursuit with the rabbits, once they
have caught them we stop and go over, open up the rabbit and let them eat all they want then go off home. They are very fit dogs, the downside is they soon end up being able to run faster then you, LOL! Once they have caught onto working, foot balls and rope toys mean nothing. Haha. The JRT's are the best hunters we have as they are bred for it. I am not sure if ratting is legal in your country? but if so, it is well worth trying out with jack russels!
Sounds like you are on your way to the raw diet! Chicken backs are great as RMB's. =]

That's very interesting! Thanks for answering my question.

I'm not sure about "ratting"" in this country but I think that would freak me out! I saw a baby snake (not sure what kind) in our driveway the other day and my Jack Russell didn't see it at first and was standing on it (he was watching me, waiting for me to pick up a rock and throw it for him to catch - our ritual while I walk for my health). I got panicky because I very much DISLIKE snakes and yelled at him to move because I didn't want the snake to bite him. He finally saw it and acted afraid of it - I think he probably sensed my fear. Anyway, the snake slithered under our deck and got away. His (my Jack Russell) parents (my son was told by the Jack Russell breeder) would chase and kill snakes - he probably would too if I would have let him.

I started the raw diet today for both of my dogs, starting with chicken backs, and they seemed to like it. The Jack Russell had a hard time chewing the meat and bones at first but then got the hang of it. It took him much longer than the bigger dog, though.

[lil mutt]

I do it sometimes... especially when my dog doesnt want to eat her dog food.

[UnderDog]

Originally Posted by anifunk1962

That's very interesting! Thanks for answering my question.

I'm not sure about "ratting"" in this country but I think that would freak me out! I saw a baby snake (not sure what kind) in our driveway the other day and my Jack Russell didn't see it at first and was standing on it (he was watching me, waiting for me to pick up a rock and throw it for him to catch - our ritual while I walk for my health). I got panicky because I very much DISLIKE snakes and yelled at him to move because I didn't want the snake to bite him. He finally saw it and acted afraid of it - I think he probably sensed my fear. Anyway, the snake slithered under our deck and got away. His (my Jack Russell) parents (my son was told by the Jack Russell breeder) would chase and kill snakes - he probably would too if I would have let him.

I started the raw diet today for both of my dogs, starting with chicken backs, and they seemed to like it. The Jack Russell had a hard time chewing the meat and bones at first but then got the hang of it. It took him much longer than the bigger dog, though.

We are lucky not too have many DWA snakes in this country, if any at all. My JRT's love chasing grass snakes aswell - me and the OH did a big "community walk" with all of our JRT's and all in all there was about 43 JRT's in the walk, it was only my 3 that were chasing grass snakes *blush* .
Ratting is pretty easy as the dogs do all the work, though if hunting in a barn you have to move hay bales and the like around to flush the rats, but apart from that its all down to the dogs.

It will take the dogs quite long to eat the bones at first as kibble takes very little exercising of the jaw so it will take a while to get them used to it.

Originally Posted by lil mutt

especially when my dog doesnt want to eat her dog food.

I would be careful doing that as when she fancies some raw food, she will learn to stop eating lol.

Originally Posted by UnderDog

We are lucky not too have many DWA snakes in this country, if any at all. My JRT's love chasing grass snakes aswell - me and the OH did a big "community walk" with all of our JRT's and all in all there was about 43 JRT's in the walk, it was only my 3 that were chasing grass snakes *blush* .
Ratting is pretty easy as the dogs do all the work, though if hunting in a barn you have to move hay bales and the like around to flush the rats, but apart from that its all down to the dogs.

It will take the dogs quite long to eat the bones at first as kibble takes very little exercising of the jaw so it will take a while to get them used to it.

If you don't mind me asking, what country do you live in? And what is "DWA?"

At least your JRTs are not afraid of snakes like mine. I think I'll skip the ratting. I'd be hanging from the rafters trying to get away from the rats!

I wonder how long it will take for my JRT to get used to eating the raw meat? Each time we put the meat down for him, he acts like he doesn't know what to do with it and does a lot of licking but then will start chewing on it but it's like he forgets each time and goes back to the licking at first.

[UnderDog]

We live in the UK, DWA is 'Dangerous Wild Animal' so pretty much anything Venomous.
It wont take them long to get used to the BARF, are they being fed kibble along side the raw? if so, it will take them longer to get used to the raw as they need to notice it as food.

Originally Posted by UnderDog

We live in the UK, DWA is 'Dangerous Wild Animal' so pretty much anything Venomous.
It wont take them long to get used to the BARF, are they being fed kibble along side the raw? if so, it will take them longer to get used to the raw as they need to notice it as food.

That's cool. I wish we didn't have any DWAs here but we have copperhead snakes. I'm not sure what kind of snake my JRT (and me too) was afraid of; I'm hoping it wasn't a copperhead, especially since I let it get away.

I'm feeding only raw - no kibble. My collie/terrier mix (he weighs about 45 pounds) has had trouble tolerating his new diet. He threw up the first day. The second day, I fed him less and he seemed to tolerate it better with no more throwing up. The third day (yesterday), he seemed to be doing okay and ate about half of what he should be eating but then, last night, around 10:00 p.m., he started panting and shivering at the same time and isn't acting quite right. One of the pieces of chicken back he ate yesterday he barely chewed and sort of swallowed it whole. I don't know if that could be the problem or not. Any ideas?

[UnderDog]

It shouldn't take long for him to get used to the raw then. =]
As for the other dog, as with any food, going 'cold turkey' into a different diet can cause stomach upset, so that might be what happened with the vomiting.
I would just keep an eye on him and his poop to make sure nothing abnormal is happening, a dogs stomach acid will make it digestible, though. Have you made sure there is nothing in his teeth?
It doesn't sound like there is anything to do with his diet causing this.

The 45-pound collie/terrier mix is not acting sick anymore but now he refuses to eat where I put his food. I can tell he's hungry, but I can't get him to go on to the porch to eat. That's where I fed him the first day and he didn't seem to mind it then but then he got sick after that.

We got him to go out on our deck this morning and put his meat in a bowl on the deck with him and all he did was bark at bees and didn't eat. He wants to eat in the house and drag the food into another room (other than the kitchen). I can't put up a barrier because there is no doorway - it's all open space. He's being very stubborn and has only eaten a few bites over the past 2 days.

The Jack Russell is doing much better on his chewing now and has the meat gone before I know it. He acts like he's starving but he's being very cooperative with this whole thing and seems to like it.

[UnderDog]

You can try take his food on a walk with you then just before you get home feed him.

Both dogs are doing better now and actually eating their food where I place it! So I don't have to take their food on a walk.

The bigger dog (45-pound collie/terrier mix) is not acting sick anymore but is only eating 1 chicken back a day, so I have to work him up to about 3 a day. He's overweight, though, so it won't hurt him to lose some weight.

Thanks for the advice!

I think that feeding your dog raw food is very good because it is good for him and dogs love it.

Originally Posted by Ali21Dashti

I think that feeding your dog raw food is very good because it is good for him and dogs love it.

I agree with you.