Thanks for the replies! Just to clarify, I already know what to feed him, the muscle/organ/bone ratios and all that. Like I said, we did a ton of research before starting. I was more wanting to hear people's personal experiences--whether they stuck with it or just tried it for awhile, how their dog did on the diet, any unexpected problems, etc.

We started three days ago, and so far so good! Right now he's getting chicken thigh and chicken liver, and chicken neck as a treat. In a couple of weeks, we'll start introducing more of a variety. We're definitely going to give him green tripe regularly. Gapeach22, is there a reason your friend only gives it once a month? I was thinking more like once a week.

Sarasum41, I will check out Nature's Variety. But in a patty, wouldn't the bone be ground up and less beneficial for his teeth? That and the cost make me hesitate to use pre-made raw food, but if we have someone else watching him while we're on vacation or something that's probably a great option.