It is important to only serve Primal raw foods when completely thawed.
Frozen foods can be difficult for animals to digest. Never microwave any
pet food. Microwaves cause the fat molecules to radically change, making
fats less digestible, and ultimately they can become harmful to your pet's
long-term health. To learn more on warming Primal Formulas, see the warming
instructions on the Transition page.
How to Feed Primal Raw Frozen Formula
How to Feed Primal Freeze-Dried Formula
How to Feed Primal Raw Meaty and Recrational Bones
Portions
As a result of the increased digestibility of a raw-food diet, you are able to feed your
pet less food daily in comparison to the feeding quantities of a processed-kibble or canned-food
diet. Our suggestion is to feed your pet based on the 2-3% rule. Feed 2-3% of your pet's body
weight daily. Our cups-per-pound recommendations are based on a ratio of 2.5%. We recommend
feeding your pet twice daily, so you should divide the total daily feeding weight in half and
feed once in the morning and once in the evening.
See our Primal Feeding Calculator for estimates on how
much to feed your pet.
Factors such as level of activity, age, health, metabolism and breed play a part in the
necessary feeding quantities of all animals. Please be sure to monitor your pet's dietary
needs and adjust the feeding quantities accordingly.
Detoxification
As you begin to introduce your pet to this new diet, you may notice changes
in physical appearance. Do not be alarmed. This is simply the natural process
by which pets heal themselves by eliminating toxins from the body. Discharge
from the eyes, excess wax in the ears, loss of coat, minor skin rashes and soft,
loose stool are just a few of the common signs. By gradually transitioning Primal
raw foods, you will allow your pet's body to adjust properly. We suggest consulting
your pet's practitioner during the transition process.
Puppies
In the wild, when puppies reach 4-5 weeks of age, the mother dog will naturally
begin to regurgitate some of her raw foods for her puppies to consume. Thus, when
domestically reared puppies reach approximately 4-5 weeks of age, you can begin
introducing them to Primal Canine Formulas. Puppies should be fed one to two small
(1-2 teaspoons) raw-food meals daily in conjunction with either the milk they consume
from nursing and/or other foods you may be supplementing. Puppies should always be fed
from separate bowls, as competitive feeding can promote overeating and indigestion.
Gradually increase the quantity of Primal Canine Formulas foods every 2-3 days until 8 weeks
of age, when the puppies are consuming two tablespoons of Primal Canine Formulas
twice daily. At this point (8 weeks), the puppies should be fully weaned and can be
fed a diet solely of Primal Canine Formulas and raw meaty bones. Puppies 8 weeks
of age and older should be fed approximately 4-8% of their body weight daily in Primal
Canine Formulas. Factors such as breed, overall health and level of activity play a
part in the necessary feeding quantities of all puppies. Please be sure to monitor
your puppy's dietary needs and adjust the feeding quantities accordingly.
Kittens
At 4-5 weeks of age, you can begin to introduce your kitten to Primal Feline Formulas.
Kittens should be fed one to two small (1 teaspoon) raw-food meals daily in conjunction
with either the milk they consume from nursing and/or other foods you may be supplementing.
Gradually increase the quantity of Primal Feline Formula every 2-3 days until at 8 weeks
of age, when the kittens are consuming two tablespoons of Primal Feline Formulas twice daily. At this
point (8 weeks), the kittens should be fully weaned and can be fed a diet solely of Primal
Feline Formulas and raw meaty bones. Kittens 8 weeks of age and older should be fed
approximately 4-8% of their body weight daily in Primal Feline Formulas. Factors such
as breed, overall health and level of activity play a part in the necessary feeding
quantities of all kittens. Please be sure to monitor your kitten's dietary needs and
adjust the feeding quantities accordingly.
Tips
Thawing and Portioning
To simplify the handling and feeding of our raw frozen products,
try staging a few containers of a day's worth of food in
your freezer. When you use the last of the thawed product
from your refrigerator, simply grab a portioned container
and place it in your refrigerator to thaw for your pet's
next feeding. A real time saver!
Standard Thawing:
Primal 2 lb. Chub Rolls will thaw within 18-24 hours in the refrigerator.
Primal 5 lb. Chub Rolls will thaw within 24-36 hours in the refrigerator.
Primal Nuggets will thaw within 6-10 hours in the refrigerator.
Primal Patties will thaw within 6-10 hours in the refrigerator.
Quick Thaw Tips:
To quickly thaw our 2 lb. and 5 lb. Chub Rolls, plug up and fill your kitchen sink with cold water. Place chub into the water and let thaw. Using this method, the chub with thaw completely within 2 hours. If you prefer to portion the chub for individual feedings, you can thaw for 10 minutes in your sink, remove and slice into patties using a sharp, serrated knife. Patties can then be refrozen and thawed as necessary.
To quickly thaw our Primal Nuggets and Primal Patties, place the appropriate number of nuggets or patties per feeding into a zip-seal, water-tight bag. Plug up and fill your kitchen sink with cold water. Place the bag with nuggets into the sink and let thaw completely. Using this method, nuggets will thaw within 30 minutes.
Food Energetics
According to Chinese theory, foods play an important role in well-being.
Below are protein temperatures indicating general heating/cooling properties of common foods.
Neutral Foods
Neutral foods can be used in combination with other foods to decrease the harshness of a very cold or very hot diet.
Cooling Foods
Cooling foods are foods that allow the body to cool.
Warming Foods
Warming foods are foods that allow the body to develop and maintain warmth.
Hot Foods
Hot foods are the most heat generating foods that allow the body to develop and maintain warmth.
Optional Components
Eggs
If your pet is not allergic, we recommend incorporating one whole organic egg
yolk into your pets' Primal raw foods two days per week for added amino acids.
If your pet has a very tolerant stomach, you may include the finely ground eggshell
for additional calcium supplementation.
Fasting
Another important component in feeding your pet a raw diet is the process of fasting.
This age-old practice used to aid digestion and cleanse toxins is common among animals in
the wild. We suggest fasting your adult pet one day per week, from breakfast to breakfast.
The necessary amount of fasting time will vary from animal to animal. Be sure to provide
plenty of fresh, purified water and extra love and attention to your companion throughout
the fasting day. Fasting is an optional component of feeding a raw diet and is not crucial
to your pet's overall long-term health.
My dog was diagnosed with nasal cancer 5 months ago. His nose frequently bled. I could not believe the IMMEDIATE differe...
