does this make sense?

[charliebbarkin]

So here's a thought. When humans don't consume enough calories, we go into starvation mode, which then causes the body to feed off fat. The body stores fat so it can rely on it later. Wonder if that happened?

[HappyTokyo]

Sounds more like he has been more active and exercising lately as you said...

[Berna]

Since starting Cookie on raw (about a year ago) he looks like he has filled up, he looks heavier, but actually it's all muscle.

It may depend on the dog, or maybe you have to do some corrections in the raw meals you prepare (i.e. less fat). If I were you I'd definitely try to do things differently, and perhaps increase the amount of exercise.

[indybindy]

I think exercise is your big variable. It makes such a difference!

And Indy, like many, gained much needed weight when put on raw initially.

[shelly]

Both our dogs gained weight on raw. Muscle or not they are both on a diet now. We followed the percentages and it was just too much. I think part of it might be that their bodies process the raw food so much better and keep/use all the calories because it certainly isn't coming out the other end. We went on vacation and fed them freeze dried raw and that increased their poop by almost double. Back on the plain raw they are back to small poop but we have cut them way back from 16 oz per meal to between 8-10 per meal. They aren't starving and are loosing very slowly.

[Lainie]

Just to chime in here....Jessie's ideal weight is about 56 lbs. She weighs 60 & has for the past several years. When we put her on entirely raw about a year ago, she held that weight & still does, although when she gets more exercise in the summer she often drops a pound or two. She gets 10 oz. raw twice a day plus several home made dog biscuits. She is not the stocky English type Lab, but what is commonly called the smaller American bred or some say "Field Trial" breed. Whatever, lol!

[DuryLane]

Any dog that I had that was converted from kibble to raw, same weight for weight in the food, always lost weight on raw. For those who needed to lose a few pounds, raw allowed them to eat more food without gaining weight -- they always liked that part!

What will add on the pounds in a raw food diet is when the percentage of fat in the diet may be too high -- feeding fatty cuts of meat, keeping fat chunks and trim on meat, or leaving the skin and fat on poultry will increase the fat percentage in the diet quite a bit. I've switched to leaner cuts of meat and remove poultry skin and fat to help my dog maintain her weight. If I don't do that, she will require that her food amount be reduced and that may lead to her becoming food obsessed. I don't want a food obsessed state of mind in my dog and I don't think being in that state of mind would be good for her mentally, either....she's always been a good girl and minds her manners in the kitchen and around food when it's sitting on the coffee table or wherever, so I wouldn't want her behaviour to change.

[Georgie]

Any dog that I had that was converted from kibble to raw, same weight for weight in the food, always lost weight on raw. For those who needed to lose a few pounds, raw allowed them to eat more food without gaining weight -- they always liked that part!

What will add on the pounds in a raw food diet is when the percentage of fat in the diet may be too high -- feeding fatty cuts of meat, keeping fat chunks and trim on meat, or leaving the skin and fat on poultry will increase the fat percentage in the diet quite a bit. I've switched to leaner cuts of meat and remove poultry skin and fat to help my dog maintain her weight. If I don't do that, she will require that her food amount be reduced and that may lead to her becoming food obsessed. I don't want a food obsessed state of mind in my dog and I don't think being in that state of mind would be good for her mentally, either....she's always been a good girl and minds her manners in the kitchen and around food when it's sitting on the coffee table or wherever, so I wouldn't want her behaviour to change.

Excellent response. I hate when raw food is misrepresented when problems occur due to what you describe and when people fail to do adequate research or adjustments as circumstances change.

I am very cautious about what excess fat is on the meat. The best and essential fat is inside the meat itself. I stopped buying the butchers frozen minced chicken bone because there was no telling how much chicken fat was going into the grinder. I cut off most skin and fat off all meats, apart from occasional allowances for treats.