Raw Feeders

I have a question, it's not a concern right now but it's something I'm noticing. I have this one pup, he is about 16 weeks now or in a few days will be. He came from the south when it was 80 degrees but up north it was closer to 30 so he was kept inside.

He's on a raw feed, no kibble at all no rice or noodles neither, straight raw. He started off with Thighs & Drumsticks at 6 weeks but has been on Quarters last 6-7 weeks with gizzards, livers, eggs and greens. He won't drink water, not bottled water not boiled water not faucet water. I do realize with the raw, thirst goes down bc of the water in the meat but all the others still drink water. I've ran him and played with the hide with him even had him chase the kids but this pup will not hit the water bowl.. I noticed it and started to add chicken broth to his feed at night and either broth or pedialyte in the morning but I don't get it. He still playful as ever, jumps and runs everywhere is nonstop energy but i cannot get him to drink water. I have an appointment lined up for him but when a buddy seen him (he's a vet) to give him shots he said the pup was healthy and possibly just didn't need the water bc of the raw and because he eats some meat 2x a day it might have enough liquids for him. He also said the climate hasn't dried out and he's not outside running as much as the others on the chain so his need of water might not be as much since he’s in a cooler environment during the hotter parts of the day with my brother stealing him and having him inside.. He said not to add broth to see if he will drink some water but i didn't want to do that.

Now since the pup has been up here, he only hits the puppy pen in the afternoon around 4, but typically by 12am, he's stolen from the pen and hidden inside.. I feed all my pups with a little hit of gizzards, livers in the morning before giving them their main course at night.. Anybody who feeds raw experience this with pups??

Don't sweat over it. If the pup doesn't want to drink then he probably doesn't need it. Some will drink more than others.

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Originally Posted by Pit Bull Committed

Don't sweat over it. If the pup doesn't want to drink then he probably doesn't need it. Some will drink more than others.

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That's my assumption as well, i'm not worried bc he doesn't act any different then he has.. Still very high energy I was just wondering for others who feed raw if they experienced this. I've been feeding raw for some years now but this is 1st time I had pup who won't drink any water. I have some that if you left it then would take a week to drink but I was like this mofo won't touch it. Even if you sit his food in water he will take it out then eat it lol.

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Originally Posted by CrazyRed

That's my assumption as well, i'm not worried bc he doesn't act any different then he has.. Still very high energy I was just wondering for others who feed raw if they experienced this. I've been feeding raw for some years now but this is 1st time I had pup who won't drink any water. I have some that if you left it then would take a week to drink but I was like this mofo won't touch it. Even if you sit his food in water he will take it out then eat it lol.

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As long as he is urinating properly, I wouldn't sweat it.

Different dogs have different metabolisms.

If his needs are minimal, then my guess is his stamina will prove to be phenomenal ... so I bet this one will have great air :D

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Originally Posted by CA Jack

As long as he is urinating properly, I wouldn't sweat it.

Different dogs have different metabolisms.

If his needs are minimal, then my guess is his stamina will prove to be phenomenal ... so I bet this one will have great air :D

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Thanks Jack, yes still pees regular and still has good stool.. Crazy analysis you made because the first trait that comes to mind with the history of his pedigree up close and going back is very good winded and game dogs.. Mouth shows up here and there but its game dogs with great wind and smarts.. I've come to learn that's all we need..

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Originally Posted by CrazyRed

Thanks Jack, yes still pees regular and still has good stool.. Crazy analysis you made because the first trait that comes to mind with the history of his pedigree up close and going back is very good winded and game dogs.. Mouth shows up here and there but its game dogs with great wind and smarts.. I've come to learn that's all we need..

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Think about it conceptually :)

If a dog's metabolism is burning up food, burning up water, to where it has to replenish its fluids much more rapidly than normal ... the odds of it being a truly 'long haul' animal are slim :idea:

By contrast, if a dog's metabolism is such that it requires little food, uses almost no water, then the odd are that this dog will be able to retain its energy levels for a longer period of time.

It's the difference between one dog "burning its candle at both ends" while another burns very slowly ...

Jack

That is a great analysis Jack and kind of something I've been kinda shush about. :)

I have a buddy who also had a pup that refused water. She was fed kibble though, the only way he could get her to drink was to pour it out of the bowl onto the floor. She was about the same age but only shipped a few hours away from where she was born. His thought was if she's to dumb to drink life sustaining fluid I don't need her. She was becoming dehydrated so he felt it was best to euthanize.

Looking back at that situation and yours could it be something as simple as not having the competition of her littermates to drink? I know when I've had a small litter 1,2 or 3 pups they mature much slower. But a larger litter they are all trying to be 1st at everything, and if you put down a bowl of water they are trying to out drink the littermates! So like me on a Saturday night maybe she needs a drinking buddy to show her the ropes? lol

Or maybe the bowl you have is to reflective or moves and makes a sound and it spooks her?

Good luck and let us know what happens.

S_B

I have fed raw for over 15 years , what you describe is a normal situation at my place
it has come to the point where I dont even have water bowls for two I keep in the house , I give a bit of water with the meat every 3 or 4 day's

the dogs in the kennel have bowls but seldom drink any water at all

I have seen this in a couple of pups here and there. Sometimes it looks like they are just too busy to take the time to stop and drink. Always into something or after something.

If the water is readily available he will drink when he needs to drink. Like it was said, as long as he is urinating he is getting what he needs thru the RAW diet.

What I have seen is that they are drinking when the water is readily available. Instead of standing over the bowl and lapping til their stomach swells like some, they hit the bowl in 'drive-by' fashion. One quick lap and it's off to see why the couch is on that wall or why the ceiling is painted white or why you didn't take off your shoes when you walked in the house. Real busy. EWO

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Originally Posted by S_B

That is a great analysis Jack and kind of something I've been kinda shush about. :)

I have a buddy who also had a pup that refused water. She was fed kibble though, the only way he could get her to drink was to pour it out of the bowl onto the floor. She was about the same age but only shipped a few hours away from where she was born. His thought was if she's to dumb to drink life sustaining fluid I don't need her. She was becoming dehydrated so he felt it was best to euthanize.

Looking back at that situation and yours could it be something as simple as not having the competition of her littermates to drink? I know when I've had a small litter 1,2 or 3 pups they mature much slower. But a larger litter they are all trying to be 1st at everything, and if you put down a bowl of water they are trying to out drink the littermates! So like me on a Saturday night maybe she needs a drinking buddy to show her the ropes? lol

Or maybe the bowl you have is to reflective or moves and makes a sound and it spooks her?

Good luck and let us know what happens.

S_B

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Glad I wasn't the only one who thought that, because first thing i said maybe he needs the metal pan that he was fed out of when he was back home. So i swtiched it to that and he wouldn't drink so i said maybe the pan too big and he steps in it. So i swtiched to the smaller black bowls still nothing.

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Originally Posted by bulldoghistorian

I have fed raw for over 15 years , what you describe is a normal situation at my place
it has come to the point where I dont even have water bowls for two I keep in the house , I give a bit of water with the meat every 3 or 4 day's

the dogs in the kennel have bowls but seldom drink any water at all

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I was just thinking that as well, the others that are on the chain don't drink much either. I switched the bowls in the morning and later so i don't really measure but i do notice they don't drink water at all neither. I'm wondering if the water missing is from evaporation lol. In fact the only dog that does drink water is one of my buddy's that I'm holding and believe it or not, she is the one and only kibble fed dog here. He don't want her on raw so i told him long as he buys the food she can stay. Her Water bowl is always closer to empty than half way lol.

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Originally Posted by EWO

I have seen this in a couple of pups here and there. Sometimes it looks like they are just too busy to take the time to stop and drink. Always into something or after something.

If the water is readily available he will drink when he needs to drink. Like it was said, as long as he is urinating he is getting what he needs thru the RAW diet.

What I have seen is that they are drinking when the water is readily available. Instead of standing over the bowl and lapping til their stomach swells like some, they hit the bowl in 'drive-by' fashion. One quick lap and it's off to see why the couch is on that wall or why the ceiling is painted white or why you didn't take off your shoes when you walked in the house. Real busy. EWO

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That's what i was thinking, i seen pups here and there who didn't require much water but never 1 who just could never get caught having a sip. yesterday was one of his leg stretch days, so i extended the walk and play time with the ball a little more. He got home he hit the hide and was having fun with that so i prepared his food and instead of putting the food down, i put the water down. I called him in and just like you said drive by, he took 2 quick licks noticed it was no food and ran back to the hide lol.. So then I couldn't call him over so i had to get him off the hide and when i took him back he seen the food bowl and dove in.

What I've also done is, made some home-made broth, put some chicken parts and thighs with a pinch of salt in a crock pot and kept the good old broth from that. I add a little bit more water to it, so when i warm it up i put some of the veggies in it for a quick minute and a half and then feed him with chicken, veggies and broth just to make sure he gets a little bit liquid..