[SacredViolet]

Hi,
I have a Chi pup born Oct. 9 2011 and have had him on a raw diet since day one... We feed him twice daily and so far he has done great. we were using a organic premade frozen patty that is the best on the market in Canada. I have started introducing bone meals like chicken backs and necks raw beef bones and meat, turkeys necks etc. and now he has premade meal in the morning and Meat/bones at night. I want to do a prey model diet and know 5% of his diet need to be liver but he will not eat it no matter type, partially cooked , mixed in anything. I have even starved him all day and he wont do it. What do I do? I want to stop giving the premade stuff as it is crazy expensive and he wont eat any of the cheaper brands as they smell like liver. Help! Advice? Encouragement !

 

[michele]

I don't do raw but i'm sure somebody can help you,if you look under chihuahua health and nutrition there's a raw diet there that could be useful for you

 

[Brodysmom]

Liver is an essential part of the diet. But it is only 5%. That is a very very small amount. Get it down any way you can. Here's some ideas ...

Sear in a screaming hot pan with a little bit of butter.
Give it a quick grill on the BBQ
Sprinkle with parmesan
dice into teensy pieces and mix in with burger or other food she likes.
Mix with tripe (a favorite of most dogs)
cut off a fingernail sized sliver and slip it under the skin of a chunk of chicken or cornish hen.
Liquify into a slurry and mix with canned dog food
"Accidentally" drop it on the floor

Consider trying different types of liver.... calf, beef, bison, lamb, chicken, turkey, pig. Some dogs have a definite preference for the species it came from. I beleive that calf liver is well tolerated by most dogs as its very mild. Turkey liver is one of the strongest tasting.

Last but not least - you can lay some tiny slivers on a plate in the fridge without a lid/cover and let it dry out. Some dogs just hate the texture. If it's a little gummy or rubbery, they will eat it.

If all else fails, you can use a freeze dried product. You lose a bit of the nutrition, but not much.

Some people resort to 'pilling' the dog once a week. Where you take a little chunk of liver, open the dogs mouth, and down the hatch it goes.

I imagine one of these tips will work.

 

[SacredViolet]

Thank you I think I might have to pill him, he is driving me nuts with this. I have tried a few diffident types chick and calf... but the smell makes me sick I understand and half of the premade diets smell like it which tells me why he wouldnt eat them . I will try tripe first as he hasnt had it yet. tonight's menu is turkey neck yum yum!~

 

[Brodysmom]

Hang in there! He's a baby. You may have to keep offering it over and over again until he finally decides to eat it. Tripe is one of my favorite ways to get Brody to eat something I want him to have. He looooooooooooves it. Most dogs do. But if you are sensitive to smells, beware - it smells like a cow pie. Blech.

 

[SacredViolet]

LOL thanks, do you by canned (I have only ever seen it like that!)

 

[Mazzaa]

You can buy tripe frozen from most pet retailers, there's a link from my blog which will send you to a great site about raw feeding http://doggiedoings.com

 

[Brodysmom]

LOL thanks, do you by canned (I have only ever seen it like that!)

Fresh is best. (Hard to come by unless you are part of a co-op of raw feeders). Frozen is an option for some if you don't mind paying the shipping charges. Canned is OK. Try to buy tripe that doesn't have a bunch of other stuff added to it. I think trippett is a pretty common brand that is reputable. A can is HUGE though when you are just using it as a supplement to get them to eat organs. You can scoop it out into ziplock bags, press all the air out, and freeze. That way you can just grab a bag when you need it. It would go bad in the can way before you could use it up.

 

[Cream Chi's]

All my dogs love fresh tripe

 

[SacredViolet]

Trippet is the brand I see in the stores so I will likely use that I dont know many raw feeders our area. they sell it in the little cans too (tuna can size).... How old is Brody he is so cute, I am hoping our next pup in a year or so will have his markings.

 

[Brodysmom]

Trippet is the brand I see in the stores so I will likely use that I dont know many raw feeders our area. they sell it in the little cans too (tuna can size).... How old is Brody he is so cute, I am hoping our next pup in a year or so will have his markings.

Oh you're lucky to get the small cans of tripe! I've only seen the big ones around here.

Brody is 3 and thanks for the compliment. He is a very good boy. And spoiled. :coolwink:

 

[Christabelle]

I have found Tripe here where I live fresh and frozen.

I've been a little scared to pick some up though because
of the things I've heard about the smell. Is it really that
bad ??

 

[Brodysmom]

I have found Tripe here where I live fresh and frozen.

I've been a little scared to pick some up though because
of the things I've heard about the smell. Is it really that
bad ??

It smells like a cow barn. Some people don't mind it. Some think it is nauseating. If you don't hold the can right up to your nose, it's not going to be overwhelming.

 

[SacredViolet]

I am going to pick some up in the next day or two... we are moving and I just wont get far for a few .....
Tank barley eats tonight half a chicken theigh, arghhh and none of the bone. He is driving me nuts. I worry to much. he will eat when hungry enough I guess. and I think he senses the stress with the move!