Raw feeding whole fish?

elsien

Browsing the reduced counter and ended up with a whole fish complete with head.
I want to give it to Gitdog raw, but am a bit concerned about fishbones. He's a bull terrier and has had raw chicken wings and carcasses as an occasional treat without problems.
Can anyone who raw feeds tell me the best way to give it to him safely? I'm tending towards chucking him and it into the yard and letting them get in with it, if that's safe to do.
Thanks.

krlyr

The raw bones will be soft enough to be digested. However, raw fish tends to be one of those things even raw feeders introduce with caution. It can have quite a tendency to make a reappearance! Generally better to introduce in small quantities, and also tends to be more successful if fed frozen for some reason. Freezing will also eliminate any parasites, which can be found in some kinds of fish.

suki1964

Fish can be really rich to a dog so I'd chop it into a few chunks and feed one chunk every couple of days

My lad loves fish but as I say it can ruin his guts so it's only once or twice a week

Fosterdog

As above whole oily fish can be a bit too rich for some dogs, my boy could eat fish every day with no digestive issues but my girl can only have smaller portions or with some other meat added to dilute the fish content of the meal or she either brings it back up or has explosive diarrhoea the next day.

It really is down to the individual dog but probably best to start small just in case.

no1catman

Why would you consider - 'chucking him and it into the yard'??

Is the dog a pet, or a feral animal you are afraid of.

With a 'pet' surely it's more normal to prepare the food, put it into the pet's food bowl/dish, and then put it down for the 'pet' to eat.
Why would you not do that?

suki1964

no1catman wrote: »

Why would you consider - 'chucking him and it into the yard'??

Is the dog a pet, or a feral animal you are afraid of.

With a 'pet' surely it's more normal to prepare the food, put it into the pet's food bowl/dish, and then put it down for the 'pet' to eat.
Why would you not do that?

It's quite common to raw feed outside. I chuck my dog out the garden when I'm feeding him chicken wings and carcasses. I don't want it all over my kitchen floor

sheramber

A whole fish wouldn't stay in the dish for very long. It would be carried elsewhere to be consumed.

One of my dogs wouldn't eat the back bone in whole sardines. She nibbled off the flesh on one side of the back bone then turned it and nibbled the flesh off the other side, leaving the back bone.

The other one had no such inhibitions.

Beckyy

Quite safe to give it as it is, but as others have said you might want to give him a 1/3 or 1/2 first instead as he might well bring it back up if it's something he isn't used to.

Feral_Moon

no1catman wrote: »

Why would you consider - 'chucking him and it into the yard'??

Is the dog a pet, or a feral animal you are afraid of.

With a 'pet' surely it's more normal to prepare the food, put it into the pet's food bowl/dish, and then put it down for the 'pet' to eat.
Why would you not do that?

Because it's something many raw feeders do. I'd like to know how on earth my dog is supposed to cope with a whole 2kg rabbit fed to him in a dog bowl :rotfl:

My boy will eat a whole mackerel in one go but prefers them to be frozen.

elsien

no1catman wrote: »

Why would you consider - 'chucking him and it into the yard'??

Is the dog a pet, or a feral animal you are afraid of.

With a 'pet' surely it's more normal to prepare the food, put it into the pet's food bowl/dish, and then put it down for the 'pet' to eat.
Why would you not do that?

I have carpets to consider. I would prefer them not to be covered in bits of raw fish that have escaped him. Especially stray eyeballs.

suki1964

Mmmmmm

Eyeballs

Don't be listening to the squelch lol