Finding the right amount of food for a wet/raw diet

[deka]

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I changed pup from dried food almost 2 months ago as she wanted out a lot for poops and wees, she reacted well to it at first it was boiled chicken breast, and the odd leftover beef mince, and a few times fish depended on what I had that needed cooked.

Then I put her on tinned food but noticed in past 3 weeks or so has been getting hungry in evenings, her wee pattern was improving and she only poops 2/3 times in morning and its hard and easy to pick up. She did regress 2 weeks ago during the cold weather and 10 days ago I changed her to chicken mince I get from the butchers I bulk it with boiled carrots and some gravy.

She doesn't drink any more water than usual but is wanting out far more again though its hard to tell if this is due to the cold, often like before one after another.

She was at vets last week and was weighed as part of that, she has lost 2 kilos in 5 months but she isn't underweight so wanted to up her food.

What is best to bulk it up with? And anything I can add to give her coat a nice shine too?

 

[JudyN]

Are you giving her the amount suggested on the tinned food? Salmon oil is often recommended to give her a shiny coat, so you might want to consider that.

 

[deka]

To be honest it was just guesswork for the tinned food, 1 tin per day split into 2 meals but she had treats during day too. I only looked at the tin a few days ago and it did say for her weight range (15 kilos is what she is meant to be about) 1 and a half tins a day and so she was having half a tin a day less but that's not factoring in her treats.

She walks for 40-60 minutes a day.

 

[JudyN]

If she isn't underweight I'd maybe add the salmon oil and monitor her weight. If it continues to drop, then just up the quantity of her normal food a little.

 

[deka]

Well shes not underweight though she is small, shes a 15 month old collie who is 12.8kg

 

[deka]

After a few more days trying to work out a good amount to give her and best method to cook.

Originally I tried boiling but that was taking ages as always seemed part raw, tonight tried frying and it took about 15 minutes as it had so much water in, I just cooked in its own juices seems to work.

Hoping also this means she wants out a little less, she is slowly settling into not wanting out as much again after being on this new diet about 2 weeks.

Any ideas on what to have though along with the mince, carrots I am adding but maybe a small amount of rice or pasta?

 

[JoanneF]

Are you also giving the correct ratios of bone, liver and other secreting organ meat? You shouldn't cook the bone.

 

[deka]

Thats the thing, I am just giving her actual mince there is no bone there.

Its just called chicken mince for dogs on label so not sure what is in it.

 

[JudyN]

Chances are it's not balanced at all - where did you buy it from, what brand is it? My understanding is that it's not that easy to feed a balanced home-cooked diet - or at least to find reliable guidance online.

 

[deka]

It was from local butchers, and frozen.

 

[JudyN]

It would be worth asking what is in it, and in what proportion. It's possible they add in all the stuff they can't sell, including bone and offal - you won't be able to balance her meals properly if you don't know.