# BARF for new puppy?



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Most forum members would agree that you should feed the food that the breeder is feeding for a period of time (one month?) before you change the diet. When clients ask me what to feed, I tell them "If it ain't broken, don't fix it."


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

If the puppy was weaned to raw by the breeder, I would say go for it. But since it doesn't sound like that's the case, I'd agree with Sally's Mom and feed the same food the breeder was using for at least the first few weeks before slowly (and I mean SLOWLY!) transitioning to any new diet. Puppies have sensitive tummies already, but add to it the transition to a new home and all those changes, and you can really cause some big tummy upset by changing the diet quickly.

Other than that, I'm all for feeding a puppy a raw diet, both of mine are raw fed and thriving.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

I'm a bad owner. My last two pups have come from a kibble feeding breeder and I switched them both cold turkey to raw immediately. With my pups I am a lot more careful to make sure I have the correct proportions of bone to meat to organ. And I feed things like organs more often-just smaller amounts (with my big guys I usually feed organ once a week and each organ might only get fed once a month or so). I also feed smaller things so that I can feed three meals a day.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

What I did with Ticket is got some premade patties, the whole animal ground ones. Partly thawed a few and cut into smaller chunks for him, and then did the cold turkey switch. He started out getting a few ounces and then built up, after about a week added in bone meals and gradually increased those. 

Zero digestive issues at all and I didn't have to get kibble. Many dogs have been switched cold turkey to raw and done just fine - I liked the ground because I didn't have to worry about gulping or anything at first and could feed smaller meals without hacking up a deer leg or something.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Just to be sure, no one is recommending taking a brand new puppy with all of the stresses involved and switching its' diet?


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

Thanks for the responses!

She is just weaning and getting Nutro Puppy formula. I've been off of the kibble train for quite a while, but I know I will want to switch her eventually. I am fortunate to get grass fed beef (and organ and bones) - it's hard to get better ingredients than those! 

Maybe I'll wait until she's acclimated to our home and family before changing...


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

Bender said:


> Zero digestive issues at all and I didn't have to get kibble. Many dogs have been switched cold turkey to raw and done just fine - I liked the ground because I didn't have to worry about gulping or anything at first and could feed smaller meals without hacking up a deer leg or something.



I admit, I switched Sam to raw within the course of less than a week, and Dillon got switched cold turkey when I adopted him and both did perfectly fine with no weird poops or tummy upset... but I do think that while some puppies might do fine with a cold turkey total diet change, it could cause big problems for some, and with all the other stress and work involved with a new puppy, I'd probably just take the safe route there.


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Sally's Mom said:


> Just to be sure, no one is recommending taking a brand new puppy with all of the stresses involved and switching its' diet?


I'm just saying what *I* did.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Iowa Gold, You and I are in a different place than most posters on this thread... we can easily fix our dogs if say, diarrhea happened!


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Sally's Mom said:


> Iowa Gold, You and I are in a different place than most posters on this thread... we can easily fix our dogs if say, diarrhea happened!


That's true, but I sure hope that the other posters take their new pups to their vet immediately and are willing to work with said vet in case diarrhea happens. Heck, most puppies I see have been switched cold turkey to new foods (usually from one kibble to another) and, while it can definitely cause diarrhea, I haven't seen anyone get too sick from it.


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## Launi (Nov 27, 2010)

I personally prefer Prey Model, but BARF is fine for a puppy. Just remember to calculate her rations using her expected adult body weight. I agree with the others about waiting a bit; I fed the Pro Plan my dog was used to for two weeks before Acana, then Orijen/Evo (I feed raw meals 2-3 times a week). Start with chicken backs or chicken leg quarters for two weeks, then alternate in some turkey necks, then pork ribs, etc. so she can adjust to various proteins. You'll probably have to grind or smash the bones first, but after teething, she should be able to handle them herself. 

When are you bringing her home?


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## mamabear (May 17, 2011)

That's great - thank you!

I bring her home on the 27th, so I have some planning time! The farm where I get our GF beef also has free range chickens and lots of organs. I'll look into the Prey model - thanks for the suggestion!


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