“Every Bite Counts”…Each mouthful is an opportunity to impact the healing process in a + or – way.

Getting Started

For most cats and dogs transitioning to raw should be done gradually at first. This would be a good time to read the “I’m thinking about putting my dog and or cat on a raw food diet” section of the FAQS. You should take the time to figure out how your animal is going to respond. We don’t want you to potentially sabotage a successful transition to a raw food diet by suddenly putting down a plate of raw food for your pet without a gradual phase-in period. Rather, we suggest that you eliminate any surprised reactions by your pet by “testing the waters” first. We recommend placing a teaspoon or tablespoon of raw meat or chicken on top of your animal’s dinner food that you have typically used in the past. See what she/he does with it. See if she/he eats the sample of meat along with the other food, and if so then proceed with the suggestions shown below. Note that if your animal is not attracted to the raw food sample, call us and we’ll share our experiences with you about how to convert reluctant animals.

For Young and Healthy Dogs

Day One
Substitute ¼ (25%) of the normal dinner amount of regular food with raw food and see what the reaction is. If the meal is consumed in a normal amount of time you should be very encouraged.

Day Two
If by the next day’s dinner there is no unusual reaction you should mix ½ (50%) of the regular food amount with 50% raw food.

Day Three
If there is no unusual reaction to this raw food increase you should substitute ¾ (75%) of the next day’s dinner amount with raw food added to the ¼ (25%) of the amount of regular food.

Day Four
On the fourth day, the entire dinner amount (100%) will be raw food. If your experience does not go smoothly refer to the FAQSsection, give a call, or email us and we will give you some suggestions to help with the transition. We are very good at paw holding.

For Dogs Who Have or Have Had Health Issues

Please refer to the “Things to Consider Before Transitioning” and “How Do I Convert My Animal in the FAQS Section.” This is not the place to start for an animal with a medical history that includes the administration of one or more medications. The “gut” has to be repaired first.

For Some Cats

For cats that are reluctant to even try new food we recommend placing a minute amount of raw food right next to their regular food at meal time. At first, your cat might ignore the new food. But eventually, your cat will realize that you want her/him to try the food and she/he will give it a try. Be patient. This can be as simple as who is more determined. You are the instructor who is teaching your catto eat something different than what she/he was previously taught to eat. A cat’s survival depends on their resistance to a change in diet. This is how Nature intended them to be for their own protection. Do not label this instinctive behavior “finicky,” as doing so may only add to your frustration, if in fact you find this transition frustrating. Sometimes organ meat can be very helpful in this process since cats love the smell of organ meats, so for them the stronger the odor of the food, the less the resistance to trying it. Although it may not feel like you are in charge, but in fact you are, because you bring home the food and in their world, that makes you the alphacat. So we suggest that you play the part confidently. No fretting or stressing out over the conversion to raw. Know that you will win in the end if you persist. Please refer to the FAQS for some encouragement, and again, call if you have comments, questions or concerns.

Companions with a History of Being on Medication

Present day medication protocols tend to make a cat’s or dog’s “gut” unable to tolerate raw food and therefore if your companion is on medication then you will have to make efforts to heal the digestive track before or when starting to feed raw. In this process probiotics and digestive enzymes or stomach acid have to be utilized to help with the healing. Sometimes the fresh food has to be cooked until the “terrain” has improved. The selection of the protein source has to be considered as well. Many times these animals cannot tolerate red meats in the beginning. After the healing process, though, they can tolerate raw food as well as red meats without a problem. In cases like these animal homeopathy can be a lifesaver. Several times, we have seen medications, which were not previously effective (or perhaps were causing harm), begin to work after the introduction of homeopathic remedies. Life is great when you see the relief on an owner’s face or hear it in their voice when the blood test reveals that the system is working better than before the medication was needed. These are unique situations that call for case specific approaches. You will need to talk to or email us directly so your individual needs can be addressed. Animal Homeopathy is a natural alternative that will help to restore your confidence and belief in what we are all trying to accomplish–naturally healthy companions.

For Young and Healthy Dogs

Substitute ¼ (25%) of the normal dinner amount of regular food with raw food and see what the reaction is.If the meal is consumed in a normal amount of time you should be very encouraged.If by the next day’s dinner there is no unusual reaction you should mix ½ (50%) of the regular food amount with 50% raw food.

If there is no unusual reaction to this raw food increase you should substitute ¾ (75%) of the next day’s dinner amount with raw food added to the ¼ (25%) of the amount of regular food

On the fourth day, the entire dinner amount (100%) will be raw food. If your experience does not go smoothly refer to the FAQSsection, give a call, or email us and we will give you some suggestions to help with the transition.

For Dogs Who Have or Have Had Health Issues

Please refer to the “Things to Consider Before Transitioning” and “How Do I Convert My Animal in the FAQS Section.”This is not the place to start for an animal with a medical history that includes the administration of one or more medications.

For Some Cats

For cats that are reluctant to even try new food we recommend placing a minute amount of raw food right next to their regular food at meal time. At first, your cat might ignore the new food. But eventually, your cat will realize that you want her/him to try the food and she/he will give it a try. Be patient. This can be as simple as who is more determined. You are the instructor who is teaching your catto eat something different than what she/he was previously taught to eat. A cat’s survival depends on their resistance to a change in diet. This is how Nature intended them to be for their own protection. Do not label this instinctive behavior “finicky,” as doing so may only add to your frustration, if in fact you find this transition frustrating. Sometimes organ meat can be very helpful in this process sincec ats love the smell of organ meats, so for them the stronger the odor of the food, the less the resistance to trying it. Although it may not feel like you are in charge, but in fact you are, because you bring home the food and in their world, that makes you the alpha cat. So we suggest that you play the part confidently. No fretting or stressing out over the conversion to raw. Know that you will win in the end if you persist. Please refer to the FAQS for some encouragement, and again, call if you have comments, questions or concerns.