starting to feed raw - help please

[Labsrme]

Okay, I'm ready to get started with a raw diet, but am a bit overwhelmed as to how to go about it. I've read through a lot of the old threads, but I can't find much specifically about puppy diets. I have a four and a half month old puppy who is currently on Eagle Pack Holistic Select large and giant breed puppy food. She's growing nicely, but I would like to move her to a more natural diet. I am concerned, however, about feeding raw during the time that she is growing so much - I hate to do anything to put her at risk orthopedically.

I've also got three adult dogs that I would like to switch to a raw diet. One is a field dog, very active with very high energy and high energy requirements, as she is a working retriever. The other two are show dogs, now retired, who do as little as possible. One of the show girls has had bowel trouble, diagnosed recently as possible IBS. She's currently eating a limited ingredient diet (Natural Balance sweet potato and venison).

Can anyone point me in the right direction, please?

[Fallriver]

I have raw feeding guides (well, I used to), on my website for puppy buyers. You can link to it here: http://www.fallriverlabs.com/Feeding...r%20Puppy.htmlSorry, it's in rough shape but I am in the middle of changing it. This is roughly what I have fed for the last 12 years or so.

[Labsrme]

Perfect! That is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a bunch.

[Baloo317]

Dana, it mentions that once the pup turns a year that you recommend supplementing with MSM, etc for joints. I read somewhere that an alternative is to feed RMBs with a lot of cartilidge instead, like chicken feet, necks, etc. Would that work, do you think, or do you still recommend the joint supplements?

(sorry for the hijack!)

[Fallriver]

That would depend on the sources my puppy buyers are able to get. I get a nice trachea and organ mix done for myself and don't mind feeding chicken feet, but not everyone has access to it, in which case supplements may be necessary. The important part is that they do not add the artificial supplements until a year of age as there is some research that shows that it can disrupt cartilagenous growth.