Eat Like Bruiser

     This picture is from the day I picked him up.  I knew the second I met him he was meant for me and I promised him I would do everything and anything to give him the best life ever!  Bruiser's journey to the RAWside started with poop.  Yes poop!  He never had a good poop.  It was always mushy, or watery, and just a mess.  So we asked our vet for some advice.  Their first advice was to check for worms and parasites.  So we brought in a sample and they tested it. No parasites, worms, etc.  All clear.  Ok so now what.  Their second round of advice was adding pumpkin to his diet.  So for two weeks we added pumpkin and guess what NOTHING (honestly from what I know now...giving pumpkin is pretty much their go to response and a horrible response).  So two weeks in with pumpkin and still messy poops.  So back to the vets.  Third round of advice:  put the dog on probiotics, antibiotics, and prescription dog food.  Making his food was a task in itself, we had to shake something on his food and he had to have some kind of pill before and after.  And guess what 1 formed poop the first day and back to messy pudding poop the next!  This poor guy hasn't had a formed poop since he was born!

     So now my quest to figure out what I can do to help him.  There had to be something!  So I turned to the internet and my Google skills and went to work.  I found a page with other American Bulldog owners and that’s where I first heard of people feeding their dogs RAW.  So I began full on researching!  For those who know me, this is one of my biggest flaws...I research the hell out of anything and everything.  I want to know everything I can before I jump into something.  So for about a year I read everything I could find on RAW, I joined groups, I asked questions, and I researched some more.  Meanwhile, Bruiser still isn't having a good poop, he’s itchy, his skin is dry, his coat is dull, his pink skin is suffering these nasty red breakouts, basically he's a HOT MESS. So I did it....I MADE THE SWITCH!  No more kibble, this baby is going RAW!  It was one of the best decisions I have ever made for this wonderful pup!

     We had hiccups in the beginning.  Common user errors that many who first start have to work through.  Following bad advice of starting with just chicken backs did not help either!  Explosive, death like smelling poops.  I was ready to give up.  My house was rancid smelling and my beautiful tile and grout were ruined by the stank.  I wanted to throw in the towel and go back to kibble.  He may not have had a formed poop but at least he didn't smell like he was dying from the inside!!  But I didn't.  Instead, I reached out to one of the groups and was fortunate to receive a message from someone recommending chicken quarters or half chickens.  I started him on quarters for his next meal and VIOLA! FORMED POOPS!!  

     Since we ditched the kibble his skin has improved, he is not itchy, his coat is fluffy and soft, his breath is no longer disgusting, he doesn't carry the "farting" trait that so many bull breeds suffer from, and the best part...he poops way less and it's tiny!!  Yes you read that right...on raw your dogs will poop less and it will no longer be those big piles of mush!

      My only regret...I should have made the switch to RAW the day I picked him up!