i am considering feeding my new pup raw and changing my 7yo onto it aswell but i have a few questions first :
what are the pros and cons of feeding raw ?
how easy / cost effective is it ?
what amounts do i feed ?
what do i feed / is there anything to avoid?
and how do i do the change over , gradually or just do it ?
any help is greatly appreciated my dogs are staffords and aged age 7 years and 10 weeks

I feed raw and wouldn't go back to a dry food BUT it's critical that you do your research.  It's not always the easy option and it really doesn't suit some owners.  I could give my perspective on your questions but I'd suggest you get the majority of advice from books first.  I found it preferable to get some well rounded, fairly objective science before talking to other raw feeders as it seems many of us have a slightly different interpretation and of course our dog's needs can vary, as can our suppliers (and costs) :)

Try these authors:  Tom Lonsdale, Ian Billinghurst, Kymythy Shultze

I changed to raw about 18 mths ago for my 5 dogs after bringing a litter up on raw and with keeping a pup I wanted them all on the same. I would not change back to dry food after seeing the benefits, my westie had horrid black skin which has since virtually disappeared.

I did a bit of research but and feed a complete raw from natural instinct which has veg added, all I do is measure it out and give it to them. Occassionally I give them bone from the butchers or some chicken wings but on the whole they just have this food and they love it.

It's not the cheapest way to feed raw but definitely easy and convenient for 6 of them. I do get it at a good deal as I order 100kg at a time.

just had a look and natural instinct seems very reasonably priced im going to get 5kg and try feeding my pup it and leave my 7yo on kibble for no and if it works out for me and the pup i will try gradually switching her over

I use AMP which you can get in 440g slabs in Pets At Home. As I have 4 dogs I have mine delivered by AMP and buy in bulk so I get breeder rates. In PAE it is 90p per slab, I pay about 55p but of course I use electric keeping my freezer running.

I also feed chicken wings, liver, lambs ribs, turkey necks. The dogs absolutely love it. I also add veg, some agree with this, some don't.

The health benefits for me outweigh any negatives. The poos are great, firm consistency and not a huge amount. Some of the ready to feed raw is quite expensive but good for the convenience, at Crufts Natural Instinct were giving it away on the final day so I had a kg tub and I was impressed.

I also belong to a yahoo group, google Barf, it has lots o useful advice.

Good luck.

> I also belong to a yahoo group, google Barf, it has lots o useful advice.

There is also a new Raw Feeding group on Facebook, which is helpful and friendly.

PS: I admit it seems quite bewildering at first, but it breaks down into two main schools of thought:
Those that feed just meat, bones and offal, and those who feed exactly the same but with added veg (raw veg puréed in a food processor, or cooked).

It is a personal choice to add veg, but many dogs do a lot better with the added fibre, especially those who are prone to weight gain. I always thought mine was doing very well without the veg, but when I tried it I was surprised to discover it had added benefits.

Some people choose to feed a 50/50 diet with kibble - various reasons - but it's still possible to get much of the benefits of raw in this way, particularly with cats who don't always take well to a full raw diet.

If there is one overriding benefit of raw feeding, then I'd say it's the amazing condition of the dogs' teeth, and it doesn't take long for them to regain their whiteness and lose any plaque, even in older dogs.

well what can I say, love it love it love it and I am sure the dogs would agree.  Its a great way of feeding, not as complicated as it first seems once you relax into.

I run a Raw Feeding group of facebook so feel free to come along and see us.  Holier than thou is not allowed just good honest advice from experienced feeders and we have a laugh as well.