Im here again, not posting in 'behaviour' though which is good.
Sorry if this becomes long winded but im just looking for some advice from any experienced or novice raw feeders.
Basically ive decided to go down the raw route with my boys diet, he has been on AG salmon and rice for around twelve months. After trying many different premium brands. He seemed to tolerate lamb based foods better but always lost condition and weight when on them. Chicken based goes through him. So we settled on fish based as it maintained his weight the best out of all the tried foods. His condition is good and he is maintaining his weight well. Still lean, but not a toast rack. Although i am happy with his coat condition and how he is generally there are issues, he is very windy, generally itchy and has had to have his anal glads emptied many times. The most reccent being yesterday.
So after much thought i decided to research Raw feeding in more detail. I ordered books on the subject and have read them cover to cover (many times) and have ben doing research online. But i think i am now more confused than when i started.

Right my confusion lies in the following things:

> Meat to bone ratio, and knowing if you are getting it right.
> Detoxification, worrying me.
> When feeding RMB, do i give him say a chicken carcas as it is or divide it up into more manageable pieces? same thought on ribs.
> Suplements? Yes or no?
> Pre-packed mince and ground bone. good or bad?
> veg. . .how often?

I have alot more questions before i take the plunge,
i think i need a template of say a week or months menu that would be suitable for my boy and work from there. the books do have ideas but not something that i would be able to use as a base model during the introdction period.
I know that the most important thing is getting the balance right.
I feel like a bit of a dunce, after reading all these books and still being confused. Any suggestions or advice about the above would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks

I raw feed  (rmb not barf )and have done for about 2 + years. I dont do it as a precise science more as I would feed the family. My gsd gets a whole chicken carcass  and I dont cut up any meat for him I guess the cutting up depends on how your dog seems to manage. I am sure if i gave my pom a whole carcass she would be fine but she is a greedy little devil    . I also feed frozen forthglade mince all types, Whispa he weighs about 38kg and gets about 1200g per day. The little one pom/ chi gets more like 75g as she gets exactly what he gets just cut up a bit however she will happily eat a complete chicken drum stick or wings and lumps of beef and heart
I dont give supplements except the occasional tablespoon of natural yoghurt. As for veg if you follow rmb it isn't regarded as necessary but I do give them any I have over (they won't eat raw veg ) the occasional raw egg and baked beans (no they don't get wind  lol).I dont give pasta rice on anything allthough I believ barfers do?
I am very happy as is my vet with their health and wouldn't go back to completes again.  The amounts I feed are only rough depending on how the dogs seem to be atm. I have increased my gsd because he was losing weight due to extra excercise. Mia however is looking "well covered" so I have reduced her food a bit.

Good luck  

> I dont do it as a precise science more as I would feed the family

This is how i am trying to look at it. However im want to make sure that he is getting enough nutrients from what he is eating.

He weighs around 20kg and gets around 2-3 hours of free running exercise per day. From this im trying to work out what would be a suitable balanced menu for him day to day and go from there.
He is fed twice a day and i want to continue doing this.

someone did do a weeks menu that was very good. You could try a search or hopefully some of the more expert raw feeders will be one soon. oh i forgot to say I also give fish usually tinned sardings/pilchards in tomato sauce or il occasionally. Actually come to think of it meat is all the time everything else is occasionally.
Relating you dogs weight and excericse to my I would probably start wth about 3/4 kg of meat a day and see how he goes. If I find the link I will pm you 

I feed raw but have only been doing it 9 months.  I have read books, taken advice from other raw feeders, joined the BritBarf yahoo group, and generally felt my way along.  All the while I've made adjustments based on my dogs likes and their output!  I've also tried to find a good dietary balance that is relatively easy to manage both in time and cost.

I started with chicken portions to see how they liked and coped with bones whilst also feeding mince - some bone in and some without.  I buy my mince from TPMS and I'm really pleased with their food, their service and their delivery schedules.  It's worth starting with a local supplier to see what your dog likes but otherwise aim for a little of everything to see what suits.  I tend to stay away from the cheaper mince as my two don't like it much but it can be useful to bulk out better quality mince.

TPMS mince is still quite meaty looking but I also buy frozen beef chunks from the pet shop as my youngest likes to chew.
You can give the whole chicken carcass but remember that's a lot of bone so make sure to add some meat either in the same meal or the next one - I tend to buy chicken portions instead
I blitz raw veg - sometimes just peelings - in the food processor and freeze in small portions.  I add these when I feel like it once or twice a week. 
I also chop liver and freeze it in the same way as one if mine won't eat it if the peices are too big.

One of my dogs has pollen based allergies so whilst I'm not convinced raw will work miracles in that regard I feel so much happier about the level of control I can exert on the food he eats.  I also feel that it's sensible to give his body the best chance to fight his allergies.

As a rough guide I'll defrost the following and portion it out for my two til it's gone

2 x 454g minced beef, lamb or tripe
1 x 454g minced chicken (this is mostly carcass so too high in bone to feed on it's own too often)
3 x liver portions (I blitz it and freeze in mince pie type trays)

Once this has gone I'll feed a bony meal - chicken or lamb then just add a little extra liver to next meal to help see the bones out the other end!  I will also make meals with extra poultry necks, beef chunks, butchers leftovers and any good meat on special offer inc duck.  Mine aren't that keen on fish so I tend to give fish as tinned sardines with a kibble meal.  I quite like kibble after a lot of bone as it eases it's passage through!

As an aside, raw feed usually generates smaller more compact poo so isn't always helpful when dealing with blocked anal glands.

Portions are app 900g per day for my 28kg gundog and 375g for my 14kg mongrel.  I increase a bit during the winter.  HTH :)

My GSD suffered from Anal Gland problems before feeding Raw but not after. WAhilst she was on complete she was having to have them emptied every 6 wks but not at all once fed Raw.

Thanks for replies guys.
Think im getting a better idea of what to feed on a day by day basis. I still dont feel confident enough to take the plunge yet, more research needed i think. Although theres only so much i can do and i know im going to have to just go for it one day soon.
Another reason for making the switch is that we are hoping to get a pup in the spring/summer, so im hoping that we will have an estabished confidence in RAW feeding that we can continue with our new addition.
Thanks again, and any more suggestions greatly appriciated!

I have been feeding raw for over 3 years now.  I would be happy to PM you with my weekly diet for my dogs (2 adults and one puppy).  Let me know if you would like me to do that for you. :-)

That would be great Barking, i think i need a template to work from and then go from there.
I had found an online one that was used by a breeder, that worked on the basis of feeding RMB one day and then feeding mince and veg the next. Your opinons on this would be a great help.
Thanks

I will Pm you with my dogs diet.  You can tweak it to suit you and your dogs but it may be good for you to get started. 

I have fed my dog raw for about 1 1/2 years, I dont feed veggies, rice, supplements or pasta. Just meat. He gets RMB, MM, Organ meat daily, tin of oily fish twice a week, and raw eggs every now and then. Measured out quantities so he gets a balanced diet. It has done his skin allergies wonders!

hi i am currently going to try raw could you pm me a diet plan , much appreciated

you could try natural instincts  http://www.naturalinstinct.com/how-to-feed-your-dog.php