Those of you that have been following my thread on feeding homemade cooked food will know that following replies on that thread I am considering biting the bullet and going the raw route. I would like to know how those of you that feed raw, cope with more than one dog. Do they need to be fed in seperate areas as a rule? My lot also feed at different rates, 3 consume their current food at great speed whilst the Spaniel is much slower and somewhat fussy, then there is Charlie who is nearly 14 - would he be able to cope?

Sorry for all the questions, but before I head down the raw route I would like some advice from those of you that already feed that way.

I feed 3 dogs raw at the moment one aged 9 who I've just adopted and changed to raw one age 5 who went over to raw at 17 months and another rescue who changed to raw at 6 months. In the past I changed an 11 year old to raw with no problems the only thing I'd watch out for is not to feed an older dog too much fat. My 11 year old ate raw until her death at 14.

I feed mine at a distance from each other and sit near the 5 year old as he would let anyone take his food but I've never had any real problems. When they have RMBs that will take a while to eat I do put my 5 year old on his own so he can eat at his own speed.

HTH :D

Things that can be eaten from food dishes are no problem, like tripe, meaty chunks etc. For chicken wings, turkey necks and the like I feed mine in the garden. I carry the bowl of food and just give throw them one each at a time. Boss dog eats by me and the rest carry thiers off into different corners of the garden. The collie pup and one of the zois do wolf them down but just have to wait till the other two are finished to get the next bit. Your 'pack' will get used to this very quickly I'm sure. For things that take longer to eat like whole rabbits, whole chickens or big marrow bones I do seperate them. I put the two borzoi boys in the front garden and the two collie girls in the back. I sit in the back with the collies for an hour or so, or pup will take mums treat. I do also have to make the odd excursion into the front garden to redistribute the stuff there as every now and again boss dog will steal his brothers treat and have two of them. Hope this helps, Jane

Anything that was to be eaten as opposed to recreational they got in their dishes and knew not to touch the others if they finished first.  I would then make anyone who had finished leave the kitchen until the others had finished theirs.  I have always supervised meal times until they know that taking interest in another's food bowl is not allowed, and continue to hover so they know I am watching, even i in the next room :D

With recreational bones they all share.  I always make sure there are  more bones than dogs and never have a problem.

The dead bones (empty and well chewed remains of marrow bones) are available all the time anyway until they are too small and then get binned. 

For this reason I don't think they consider them high value, as they will share equally happily with canine visitors.  The interesting thing is that canine visitors that would squabble about bones at home don't when they are with mine?

I think you need to get the dogs used to being fed near each other in the knowledge that no-one will be allowed to take their food, and then they will relax, but I suppose ti depends on the dogs characters.

There are always bones lying around here too, and they are never argued over. Bones over a couple of hours old, rawhide chews and toys are all shared. However, fresh meaty marrow bones are another matter completely...I'd probably need to put 20 or so down at a time if I wasn't supervising to make sure everyone got one :D I find that until most of the meat is gone, or the dogs have got bored of chewing, these have a very high value.

Two of mine are fed in separate rooms as they eat alot quicker than the others.  This is purely to stop them tucking into the others food (who would just stand back and let them!)

Then three are in the same room.  This seems to work and was the same before raw fed too - so it's not different.

Also I have an 11 and a half year old who has adjusted really well but I do cut her bones up smaller for her as she is has lost some of her teeth.  She is in the room of three as the other two respect her and wouldn't take anything from her!

I was so worried about getting the right amounts in weight for each of them for the first few days - now I just do it all by sight - just as everyone said I would!!!  (This is only my second week totally raw! - was about 90% there but still using kibble now we have no kibble at all!) 

I'm really lucky as I found a traditional butcher who is supplying me his waste for £1 a very full carrier bag.  The quality of the items is super too.  I'm also hoping to do a Landywoods order next month.  It took me a long time to feel confident to take that final step and finding the butcher was a major part of it.  I'm still learning though!

Good luck Pedlee - you can do it!

I supervise meal times. Kelly is the slowest eater but mine have all learned fairly quickly that they don't stick their nose into the other's dish until they have finished as I don't allow it. Kelly chews everything properly, even when he was on dry and Sol gobbles the meat and then runs off and hides with the bone away from the others as he obviously feels safer although if they go looking for him he will growl at them so he wouldn't give it up easily, I usually feed him in a different room to the others. If they have their leg bones to chew on they just take themselves off to different corners and chew them at their own speed. I have never had a fight with any of mine over food and nothing has changed since they have been on raw (about 4 months) I have no idea about your 14 year old dog though, sorry, I am sure someone will be along eventually that can help you with that. If you have no food issues between yours at the moment then there is no reason why you can't keep that up and still have no issues even if it is raw meat they are getting, I am guessing you have a way of stopping the greedy dogs eating the food of the slower dog now?  The hardest thing for me is remembering to get it out of the freezer! I have a small chest freezer that holds enough for 3 dogs for nearly 3 months and it is in the spare room.

Thanks for the replies, they really help. As it is I feed the fussy Spaniel on her own in the kitchen with the other four seperated into 2 groups (2 in the utility room and 2 in the conservatory), so hopefully it won't be too much of a problem.