Hi Cheryl. I started Hannah on raw when she was 12 years old. She was 15 last Sept. 9th so I certainly don’t think Pepper’s age is an issue. If she were my dog I would give her a taste (just a tiny taste) and see how she does and probably eventually have them both on raw. As to rotation, you need to do that slowly. When I first starting rotation with my girls I rotated with each bag, then I would have a couple of different raw foods in the freezer from the same brand at the same time and rotated weekly, once I realized that I could do that with no issues whatsoever I realized that I could introduce different brands. Then I realized I could switch and rotate daily and, of course, now I rotate with each meal or sometimes daily. Whatever happens to be in the fridge as far as fruits and veggies and whatever commercial raws are in the house. Twice a week I also give them sardines in water that you buy in any grocery store. I open the can and split it with the three of them. I also keep in the refrigerator a bottle of Nature’s Logic Sardine Oil. On days that I don’t give them sardines I add a tiny splash of the sardine oil, from the fridge, to one of their meals of the day just before I put their bowls down for them. Great source of omega 3’s.
Until you know how Millie (and Pepper) do on the different foods, I would feed the foods for different meals. It’s easier to keep track if they are having an issue with a particular protein or ingredient in a food.
I will say that there are many thoughts about feeding different foods together in the same meal or should they be fed separately at different meals. I’m one that feeds at different meals. I don’t ever mix different foods together. Even when I first started feeding raw, I had been feeding grain free kibble, I did not mix kibble and raw.
Also on THK it did take a while before their poops became normal size. Initially I questioned whether I would continue with it due to the size of the poops but as I had the box which is as you know very expensive and that was the only issue I had with the food I kept feeding it and then without my even really realizing it their poops were a normal size like when I fed grain free kibble. Now it’s a none issue. Of course raw poops will always be smaller, dryer, and no smell whatsoever. Another advantage of raw feeding.
