This is a specific conversation about Raw dog food — what to know before you start — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Chicken reactions in raw-fed dogs are more common than people expect — it's actually one of the higher-allergen proteins, and older dogs especially can develop sensitivities to it even if they tolerated it fine for years. Before we find the right next protein for your Weimaraner, it helps to know a couple of things: was the vomiting acute and immediate, or did it build up over several meals? And was the chicken a complete raw meal, or just a single protein source you were rotating in?
It was a complete raw meal from a brand we'd been using for about three months. The vomiting happened pretty consistently after every meal — not immediately, maybe an hour or two later. He's 8 years old and about 32kg.
inparticular.ai
That pattern — delayed, consistent, over weeks — points strongly to a dietary intolerance rather than a one-off stomach upset. At 8, Weimaraners can start showing intolerances they didn't have before, and chicken is a frequent culprit. The good news is that duck tends to be very well tolerated by dogs who react to chicken, partly because it's a genuinely novel protein for most dogs with no prior exposure. I'd recommend switching to Natures Menu Country Hunter Duck as your next trial — it's a proper complete raw meal with duck as the sole meat protein, no chicken, no fillers. For a 32kg dog you'd be feeding around 480–640g per day depending on his activity level. Give it a clean 4-week trial with nothing else new added.
Is duck nutritionally similar enough to chicken that it won't leave any gaps? I was a bit nervous about switching proteins entirely.
inparticular.ai
Country Hunter Duck is formulated as a complete meal, so it includes bone, offal, and added taurine and vitamins — you're not losing anything nutritionally by switching proteins. Duck actually has a slightly higher fat content than chicken, which suits an active breed like a Weimaraner well. The key thing is to choose a complete product rather than switching to raw duck mince alone, which would genuinely leave gaps. With a labelled complete meal, the protein swap is safe.
He's reasonably active still for his age — a decent walk morning and evening, the odd longer one at weekends. Is 8 old enough that I should be thinking about anything else with his diet?
inparticular.ai
At 8 a Weimaraner is in the early senior range, so it's worth keeping an eye on joint health and kidney function alongside the diet change. Raw feeding suits seniors well because it's naturally low in processed carbohydrates and high in moisture, which supports kidney health. One thing I would add: once he's settled on the duck and you're sure it agrees with him, consider asking your vet for a routine senior bloodwork panel. Not because raw feeding is a risk — but because 8 is a good age to get a baseline, and it helps you know whether you need to adjust protein levels down the line. On the diet side, though, the duck complete should be a solid fit.
That makes sense. I'll give the Country Hunter Duck a go for the four weeks and book a vet check. Thanks.
inparticular.ai
Good plan. Stick to the duck exclusively for those four weeks — no treats with chicken in them either, since a lot of standard dog treats contain it and can muddy the picture. If he stays settled and his digestion is good, you'll have a reliable protein base to build from. Hope it suits him.
