Starting raw feeding can be daunting, especially with a puppy, even more so with a large breed puppy. So many vets are still anti raw, because of getting the nutrient balance right, but I knew that when Wizz came home, I wanted to start her on raw as quickly as I could.
Wizz had been weaned on a decent dried kibble, but I wanted to switch her to raw as quickly as possible.
Going down the raw DIY route, I feel can be too experimental for a puppy, even for someone like me, who has raw fed for a number of years. I just didn’t feel confident in getting the 80:10:10 balance right, so the solution for me was obvious….. Cotswold RAW completes!
Wizz came home on May 26th, and breakfast on May 27th was her first taste of raw. She scoffed it down, and has continued to do so with every meal since. Getting the balance right for a puppy is so important, and in feeding the best, I knew I couldn’t go wrong.
I started with the turkey variety and gradually introduced each new flavour. Each one was eaten with the same enthusiasm as her first taste of raw. As she got a little bit older, I introduced whole bones to her diet. She had already eaten whole raw chicken wings at the breeders house, so I knew she could cope with the bones. Now at six months old, chicken wings, necks and lamb ribs are her favourites. On the days Wizz has a chicken wing or ribs, I add a little extra tripe into her meals to balance out the extra bone.
Knowing that all the tricky balancing was done for me, while feeding her a great range of proteins, bones, offal, eggs and veg. Her growth has been so balanced on raw, her weight gain has been steady and the shine on her coat in incredible. What’s more, house training was easy too, solid poo to clean up, and drinking less on a raw diet, meant less accidents inside.
Wizz started her she career at three days over six months, she has notched up two Best Puppy in Breed awards with two group short lists, and just yesterday, qualified for Crufts 2019 at her first champ show!
Vicky and Whizz