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FAQ's
It is completely normal to have questions about feeding raw and we will always do our very best to answer them for you to the best of our knowledge. Below are some of our most frequently asked questions and answers. If you still have any questions for us please feel free to visit us in store where we will do our very best to help you!
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How do I start raw feeding?Here at RAW FEED 4 US we suggest a straight swap onto raw. Please leave 6 hours at least from time they ate kibble. To start with feed one protein source, something quite bland (like chicken or turkey), for a week, with a small amount of ground bone in. See how your dog adapts to the change. Most of the time you will notice a difference in poop by day 2-3. By week 2 introduce a new protein, (for example beef), combine for a week, and use this method to introduce other things like lamb, rabbit, duck etc. You will find you will become an expert at looking at dog poop as this is the best way of telling how your dog is doing. You will find that poos generally become smaller and better formed as they utilise more of the food that they are being fed. Hence the less waste!! Which we are always happy with! The perfect poo can vary in colour. This all depends what protein is being fed. The lighter the protein (chicken, turkey) usually the lighter brown colour the poo. For many new raw feeders it can make a lot of sense to start with premade meals with everything already in it (A Balanced meal). Your meat, offal and bone. We then help you to make your own meals using Sprats, Chunks, Bones etc. Us at RAW FEED 4 US are always on hand to help you. So what should I be aiming for? You want to aim to feed you dog a good BALANCED varied diet. The more of a variety of proteins you can feed the better and healthier your dog will be. The standard aim is 80% meat, 10% bone & 10% offal as a guide. Examples of things that are counted towards your 80% meat are: heart, tongue, cheek, skirt, off cuts, lung, diaphragm, trachea, gizzards, green tripe, brisket, stewing meat, fillets. Your 10% offal …. 5% liver, do include liver – it’s essential. other 5% kidney, spleen, brain, testicles, pancreas. Please remember each dog is different and has different needs. The amount you feed etc When you visit us we will do a full transition with your dog, we explain everything in depth and also give you a transition pack. This pack is helpful when you are at home. It gives you lots of information on what we believe to be the best diet for your dogs and cats. PLEASE REMEMBER BALANCE IS THE KEY! When some manufacturers label their meals “COMPLETE” This just means that that one meal is a complete meal. YOU need to BALANCE the diet. You need to feed a minimum of 5 different proteins and you also need to include fish 😊 Once you visit us we will show you how easy it is.
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What is DEFRA approved?All of the manufacturers we stock are DEFRA APPROVED. This means that they must, by law, send samples off to be tested for Salmonella & Enterobacteriaceae. They can only use slaughterhouse material that was PASSED fit for humans to eat but is unwanted for commercial reasons. Defra approved manufacturers have full traceability right back to the farm the animal came from. They are regularly inspected by Defra. They have a full HACCP procedure in place. A HACCP plan includes regular cleaning schedules etc all of which must be adhered to. As the raw industry is getting busier please be aware of NON DEFRA APPROVED raw dog food being sold on Facebook, Instagram, Gumtree etc This is definitely the kind of raw dog food you want to avoid for your dogs. NONE DERFA APPROVED raw has NOT undergone any testing at all. You have no idea what is in it and also no idea how it is balanced. This could make your dog extremely poorly. PLEASE BE AWARE OF PEOPLE/PLACES SELLING THIS KIND OF RAW DOG FOOD. Always ask for their DEFRA number and check on the government website.
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What is a complete balanced meal?Ok, lets talk "complete & balanced" This basically means that what is in that tub is what your dog needs a day. PLEASE do not confuse the word "complete" thinking you can feed your dog every day with a chicken complete. This is totally wrong. The key word you a looking for in this diet is VARIETY. VARIETY is definitely the key to a healthy balanced diet. This is all explained in our transition packs. We give lots of tips to help you. We are always here to help with any questions you may have.
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Do I have to feed just one brand?No, that is the beauty of this diet. Switching brands is not likely to cause your pet to have diarrhoea or sickness as it sometimes can with commercial pet foods. We have lots of customer who mix and match all of our brands so their dogs/cats are not having the same food day in day out. Some brands are really chunky, some are finely minced, some use unusual proteins like kangaroo or deer to name a few.
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What can I do if my dog has allergies?Here at RAW FEED 4 US we do our very best to eliminate any allergies that are present. We have transitioned a large amount of dogs onto a balanced raw diet who have suffered with frequent allergy episodes and yeast infections. We have successfully cleared these up with diet adjustments and natural products.
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