Raw FAQ

Raw FAQ2018-08-15T19:54:48-04:00
Should I be concerned about Bloat and Torsion?2018-08-08T00:19:30-04:00

The key to preventing bloat and torsion is maintaining a healthy digestive system. Bloat and torsion is extremely rare in dogs that consume a high protein, raw meat based diet, containing less than 25% carbohydrates.

Are raw eggs healthy for my dog? Why are they not included in raw diets?2018-08-08T00:19:05-04:00

Raw eggs are very healthy for your dog and are an excellent source of protein. We do not include eggs in our diet as eggs are also an allergen for many dogs. If your dog is allergic to chicken, they likely are also allergic to egg as well.

Will feeding a raw diet make my dog aggressive?2018-08-08T00:18:48-04:00

No! There is no relationship between dog aggression and feeding a raw diet. Prior to 1930 there was no such thing as commercial dry food and yet many people lived peaceably with very gentle domesticated dogs and cats, that thrived on a raw food diet.

My dog has anal gland problems. Can I feed a raw diet? Will it help?2018-08-08T00:18:21-04:00

Yes and yes! Cooked processed dry diets create soft stools which allows annal glad secretions to build up causing painful compaction or possible rupture of the glands. A raw diet contains ground bone which helps to keep stools firm, and with every bowel movement anal glands are naturally squeezed and eliminated. No need for expensive and time consuming vet appts to get your dog’s glads expressed.

My dogs poop is ALOT smaller and it turns white is this normal?2018-08-08T00:18:02-04:00

Yes, this is normal. Everything your dog eats his/her body utilizes and therefore less waste is eliminated. Additionally because the food is free of preservatives and commercial processes and fillers the poop biodegrades quickly into your lawn. If you dog has trouble passing a stool increase the portion of beef, lamb or tripe in your dogs diet. Too much bone may cause occasional constipation and “fossil poops” in some dogs.

My dog is drinking less water, is this normal?2018-08-08T00:16:18-04:00

Yes! This is completely expected. If you are transitioning from a dry kibbles diet your dog needed to consume significant amounts of water to help digest the food as well as stay hydrated. On a raw diet your pet’s food is naturally about 55-65% moisture and therefore they do not need much water to stay hydrated.

What about bacteria & Salmonella?2018-08-08T00:15:55-04:00

Dogs’ digestive systems are not the same as humans. They digest food more quickly and their digestive systems are also more acidic which makes it almost impossible for them to get sick from bacteria. However, we do believe that it is important to wash your hands, counters, and dog dishes after feeding. Your dog’s raw food should also be kept frozen until ready to use and thawed in your refrigerator. The same precautions you take when preparing food for your family would apply to your dog’s food as well.

How much tripe can I feed my dog?2018-08-08T00:15:40-04:00

You can feed up to 25% of their diet

How much will a Raw Diet Cost per month?2018-08-08T00:15:05-04:00

Your estimated feeding costs are dependent on the size and activity level of your dog however the following formual may be helpful for budget considerations:

Formula:

Weight of Dog x 2.5% x $2.75 (Average cost per lb) x 28 Days (7 Days x 4 Weeks) = Cost per month. Check out our Raw food Calculator to make it easier.

PLEASE NOTE: Cost varies depending on the protein choices you choose to feed your dog. Chicken and Beef are less expensive than Rabbit and Duck for example. Adding raw meaty bones such as chicken necks and backs or beef brisket bones to your dog’s weekly meal plan can also be beneficial in reducing your feeding costs per day. We are very willing to help provide you with recommendations regarding keeping your feeding costs as economical as possible.

Are raw bones dangerous for my dog?2018-08-08T00:14:51-04:00

Uncooked, raw bones are safe for your dog and in fact a raw diet consists of raw meaty bones either ground or whole. Beef bones can crack a tooth if they sit and dry out, and smoked and cooked bones are dangerous. Chicken bones are not likely to hurt your dogs teeth and are excellent for cleaning teeth.

How do I know how much food to feed?2018-08-08T00:13:42-04:00

Percentages to use

  • 1.5% My dog could lose a few pounds
  • 2% my dog is an ideal weight
  • 3% my dog is an ideal weight but high energy
  • 3% my dog could gain a few pounds
  • 5% I have a puppy less than 1 year old

Dry Food to Raw Conversion
1 cup of dry grain free food= 1/2lb of BCR Raw Food

Check out our Raw Food Calculator for help.

What is your refer a friend program?2018-08-08T00:13:11-04:00

As any business loves referrals we have decided to reward you for it. If you are one of our regular clients and you refer a friend to us and your friend spends $100 or more you will receive 10% off your next order to say Thank You. Please make sure your friend tells us that they were referred by you. Only 1 discount per order, sorry if multiple people say they are referred at the same time it will still be 10% off the order.

Delivery/Shipping2018-08-08T00:12:42-04:00

We Currently do not ship our products.  We offer home delivery to the outlined location. We will be looking into shipping shortly.

Delivery Fees2018-08-08T00:12:12-04:00

Elmira- Free
$0-$150- $10.00
$150 or more- Free Delivery

My dog has hyperthyroidism, should i not feed them certain things?2018-08-08T00:05:21-04:00
Dr. Karen Becker on hyperthyroidism and the possible connection between eating neck meats which may contain traces of raw thyroids.
Big Country Raw uses many parts of the animal for the production of our raw meals, but very limited use of the neck bones. We do offer these softer neck bones as part of our Raw Meaty Bone menu.We recently introduced a raw meaty bone – Beef Gullets to our menu and we do provide a disclaimer on the label recommending that this not be offered as a meal choice to dogs with thyroid disease. We also DO NOT use gullet meat in the production of our raw beef meals. Beef gullets contain sinews and cartilage and are a very popular chewy treat for dogs!Dr. Karen does suggest that ALL neck bones including Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Lamb, Beef, Elk Neck bones be excluded from your dogs diet if your dog suffers from hyperthyroidism.What is important to remember is that this is ONLY recommended for dogs with a a diagnosed condition. Neck Bones are generally meaty softer raw bones which fed in rotation with other meals make an excellent meal for your raw fed dog.
Is there any raw I can cook?2018-08-08T00:02:01-04:00

Any of our pork, beef, lamb and bison options would work if you cooked them. There is bone in these products but it finely ground bone so if it was cooked it wouldn’t splinter or cause any digestion concerns.

Is it normal for dogs to have unbearably bad breath while on raw food?2018-08-08T00:01:00-04:00

The most common reason is because he raw food is not being digested properly. Best solutions are to switch off a diet rich in red meats like lamb and beef, and choose simpler proteins like chicken, turkey, duck and rabbit more frequently.

2nd consideration is to try adding a digestive enzyme into the diet to see if this helps break down food quicker and more effectively resulting in better breath, and 3rd is to add hot water or offer the food at room temperature to help speed up the digestive process.

Normally 1 or 2 of these suggestions is the fix.

What are your delivery deadlines? How can I ensure that my order is received in time?2018-08-08T00:00:16-04:00

Orders must be submitted no later then 5:00 pm on scheduled dates.  See our Calendar for dates if you are not sure please email us at info@www.pawsitivecanineconnection.com and asked to be added to our email reminder list.

My dog has diarrhea? Why? What should I do?2018-08-07T23:59:14-04:00

If you have just started the raw diet we recommend transitioning from dry food to the raw diet with simpler proteins such as chicken, turkey, rabbit or duck. Offering beef, tripe, lamb and fish options too soon may cause loose stools.

If you just offered a new protein, return to chicken or turkey for their next meal and try again in a few days but only offering ½ the portion. For example ½ Pure Chicken and ½ Beef Dinner.

Add some Pure Pumpkin (available at your local grocery store in the baking section) to their next meal will also help to bind them up and prevent more loose stools.

Adding Slippery Elm Powder to the next meal may also help to settle their digestive system.

My dog vomited their food. Why might that have happened? What should I do?2018-08-07T23:57:12-04:00

There are normally a few reasons why your pet may have vomited their meal. The most common reason is for feeding the raw food too cold or eating too quickly. If they regurgitate their meal and then return to eating it (perhaps more slowly this time) this is normal. To prevent this from happening again, feed more slowly and offer ½ the meal, wait 5 min and offer the other ½ of the meal.

Vomiting is occasionally a result of a new food item that does not agree with your dog. If they do vomit up a particular protein or food choice, trust their digestive system and offer other food choices instead.

Good to Know : If the vomit is yellow bile this indicates that your dog’s stomach is completely empty and they are hungry. If the vomit is clear and white with mucous this is from drinking too much water too quickly.

My dog is experiencing more gas than normal with the raw food diet. Is this normal?2018-08-07T23:56:21-04:00

Ideally a raw food diet should help cut the amount of gas your pet creates. However when first beginning with a raw diet this is very possible. It is also possible when switching proteins. For dogs with gas we recommend adding a digestive enzyme to their daily meals, and many dogs (particularly those with sensitive digestive systems) will benefit from daily digestive enzymes for their entire life.

Raw food is rich in enzymatic activity whereas cooked dry kibble is devoid of enzymes. You dog’s digestive system during the transition period from dry to raw must compensate for the new diet and therefore the digestive discomfort. Supplemental digestive enzymes can be very beneficial as they can help speed up this transition process and provide needed good digestive bacteria to break down food.

Can I feed both kibble and raw?2018-08-07T23:55:52-04:00

We do not advise that you consider feeding raw with kibble. Dry dog food is digested differently and more slowly than raw food. If you feed both raw and dry kibble together you are increasing the amount of time that the food stays in the digestive system which may cause loose stools or vomiting. If you want to feed ½ and ½ you must feed one meal dry kibble and 1 meal raw. We also suggest only considering a super premium all natural holistic dry food containing only human grade ingredients, and NO GRAINS OR CORN. If you dog does experience loose stools or you notice undigested food in their stools we strongly recommend feeding 100% raw.

How do I choose which Raw meals I should offer to my dog?2018-08-07T23:55:11-04:00

If your dog is healthy (no known food allergies) and you are considering a raw diet we would recommend to start with a rotational diet of our Chicken Dinner, Beef Dinner and Turkey Dinner.  Our commonly recommended rotation is to offer one protein for 1-2 days before introducing another option.

How do I transition to raw?2018-08-08T00:01:27-04:00

Transitioning your pet from a dry commercial dog food to raw is both simple and rewarding!  In most cases you should expect to have healthy firm and formed stool the very day you start.

Our recommended and the BEST  and quickest transition for young healthy adult dogs and puppies is to make a complete switch from kibble to raw food.  For best results we suggest the following:

  • Fast your pet for 8-12 hrs before starting.  This allows their digestive system to empty and it also creates hunger which may be helpful for picky or fussy eaters
  • Feed only in stainless steel or ceramic dishes and wash bowls and utensils on warm water with soap between meals.  We also recommend washing hands after serving.
  • Do not feed cold raw food in the first 2-5 days.  We suggest bringing the food to room temperature by allowing to sit out of your refrigerator for 1 hr before feeding.  If fed too cold and eaten to quickly, your dog my have trouble digesting and even possibly throw it up.  Most dogs can tolerate cold raw food 2 weeks after transition.
  • Limit the variety of raw choices in the first 2 weeks to just 1-3 proteins. Ideally we suggest starting with Chicken, Turkey, Rabbit or Duck. Beef, Lamb, fish and tripe are best introduced once your dog has made a complete transition to the raw, usually within 1 week.
Switching is both simple and rewarding!

We do not recommend mixing raw and dry food kibble together. Raw food is passed through the digestive system at a much quicker rate than dry food. If you do want to continue feeding kibble with raw food, feed them separately (raw-am, kibble-pm).

Occasionally we have dogs that do not transition as easily or as quickly to a raw food diet. This is more common in senior dogs or picky eaters. If you have tried the above method for 2-3 days without success you can pan fry or sear the raw food so it is partially cooked, gradually each day cooking less and less until your dog eats the food completely raw.

Our feeding calculator is an estimate. Factors such as level of activity, age, health, metabolism and breed play a part in the necessary feeding quantities of all animals.

Where are you located?2018-08-07T23:54:22-04:00

Our training takes place at 6444 Line 86 RR#2 West Montrose. We are located close to the West Montrose Covered Bridge.

 

How do I get my food from you?2018-08-07T23:54:39-04:00
  1. Pick up at my home
  2. Pick up at my work
  3. Pick up at The Village Pet Food Shoppe- Please note they will be invoiced and you will be purchasing your food from them. Our prices are the same.
  4. Delivery for a fee see below.
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