Are you interested in raw feeding your dog?
Raw food diets can be successful in eliminating allergies (especially skin allergies) as well as extending your pets lifespans.
Why? Because some cooked and commercially produced dog foods lack the nutrients required for some dogs. Also most contain fillers and lower quality ingredients like potato, wheat, corn or legumes which, depending on the amount, can lead to health issues in dogs. Raw feeding can also help with issues like pancreatitis as you are able to limit the fats and oils they eat, that are contained within processed food.
A raw diet means you know *exactly* what your dog is eating, and if it is balanced you know your dog is getting the nutrients, vitamins and enzymes it needs to be super healthy.
So what does Raw Feeding mean?
It means feeding them food that is appropriate for our little wolves, and has not been cooked.
There are 2 basic schools of thought regarding raw feeding - PMR (Prey Model Raw) and BARF (either Bones and Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). PMR is just meat, offal and bones and BARF adds fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. PMR people believe that in the wild wolves would just eat meat and BARFs say they’d eat the intestines too, which would contain vegetation. There is heaps of info on the internet if you want to know more.
How much food do I feed?
As a rule it is recommended you feed 2-3% of your dogs bodyweight per day, depending on its level of exercise. So, for example, my 35kg dog would need between 700g-1kg a day. He is a young, active dog so he gets near the top range.
A 15kg dog would eat between 300g-450g a day. A 10kg dog would eat 200-300g. To calculate, just take the weight (say 12kg) divide by 100 (say 120g) and times it by 2 or 3 (say 240g-360g). This is your daily range.
What food should I feed?
This is the important bit. Your pets diet needs to be balanced, some proteins such as offal are great for dogs but only in moderation - too much can be harmful. Some other proteins such as venison are great but don’t give all the other nutrients your dog needs. So a balance is needed.
Okay, this may sound like its going in the too hard basket but it’s really not once you get your head around it and give it a go. Sure kibble (biscuits) are easier but most are not that healthy - if your dog is overweight too much kibble will be the reason. And kibble is a shocker for teeth, especially in little dogs. As ours would be if we only ate biscuits and didn’t clean our teeth.
So how do I get the right balance?
Well, the BARF model goes like this:
70% muscle meat (eg venison, beef, lamb, chicken, fish)
10% raw edible bone (eg wallaby, chicken)
5% liver
5% other organs
7% vegetables
2% seeds or nuts
1% fruit
Sound a bit complicated still?
Well, you don’t need to be totally exact. Also, some commercially available raw meat mixes include small animals like rabbits, hares and chickens that have been minced whole so they already include organs and bone. Win win!
But don’t just feed them a meat mix, as too much bone may bung them up. Ideally dogs should have 3 different proteins a week, so mixes can be great for part of a meal, but balance them out with another pure form of meat.
An example: how I feed my dog
My dog isn’t keen on whole vegetables so I pop veg, fuit, nuts and seeds with a little water for a wizz in the Nutribullet and he happily has them mixed in with his meat. The veggies I give him are a mix of beetroot, broccoli (stems and head) carrot and zucchini depending on the season. The beetroot needs to be peeled to remove any bacteria. If you feed beetroot don’t freak out when you see their wee and poo as it will be red!
He gets around 50% pure muscle meat (venison, hare, lamb or beef) and around 30% of whole minced meat (eg chicken/rabbit/heart) as that contains meat, bone and offal. He also gets about 10% green tripe (lamb), which is a bit stinky but is excellent for digestion and to helps with his gut biome. On top goes a slosh of pureed vegetable/fruit/nuts and a sprinkle of probiotics just for good measure. He also gets a raw egg a couple of times a week.
He also gets a bone, maybe wallaby or chicken frame or foot or a whole pilchard every other day. This is good for teeth, anal glands and dog happiness. Chicken frames/feet need to be frozen for 3 weeks in order to kill any bacteria. Bones should be appropriate for the size and not be weight bearing bones like legs as they are too tough to chew and eat and may splinter or break teeth. Always supervise while they are eating them to make sure they go down ok. Plus its fun to see their happy little faces as they are doing things that dogs are meant to do.
Salmon and lamb are naturally a little fatty so I mix that with venison or other game meat that is low in fat. Fat is good, especially for an active dog, but not too much.
So how do you transition a dog to a raw diet?
You need to get their stomach enzymes up to speed. Raw food is digested in a couple of hours whereas cooked and kibble take 7-8 hours so if they are kibble fed their gut biome will be a little lazy.
I’d recommend using a dog probiotic daily for a week beforehand. Then start with 1/4 raw for 3-4 days, then 1/2 for another 3-4, then 3/4 for another few days before transitioning completely.
Check their poos - they will probably be a little loose to begin with but that should settle as their gut starts to work better. Wait till they have settled before increasing the raw. If they are picky eaters, delay their meal so they are hungry.
Their poos are the best indicator to their general health. They should be on the firm side but not like bullets. If they are too hard, reduce the bone content. And the other bonus of raw feeding is that they will be smaller in size and their breath (both ends) should not be as stinky!
If you want any recommendations for probiotics do message me.
What’s in Raw Meat - vitamins, minerals and other goodies
Venison is a healthy food that is low in fat, saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. It is full of healthy B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and thiamin, which are vitally important for maintaining energy levels. Venison's naturally high levels of Vitamin B6 helps regulate blood sugar, while B12 protects against anemia. Venison is also rich in easily-absorbed minerals such as iron, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, which are essential for good health.
Beef is a good source of Vitamin B12. Animal-derived foods, such as meat, are the only good dietary sources of vitamin B12, an essential nutrient that is important for blood formation, brain and nervous system. Beef also includes Zinc, Selenium, Iron, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and Phosphorus.
Beef Heart is a great source of folate, zinc, and iron, taurine, as well as a range of vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, K and B vitamins.
Rabbit is higher in protein than chicken, turkey, veal, beef, duck, lamb, and pork which means it's packed with lots of lean and mean fuel for your dog's muscles, and essential amino acids necessary for tissue repair and to help boost the immune system. Rabbit meat is lower in cholesterol than most other protein sources, containing minimum amounts of saturated fats. The healthy fats in rabbit meat will keep your pet's joints lubricated and coat shiny.
Wallaby is a low fat, low cholesterol protein source. High in protein, vitamins & minerals. A great source of long-chain Omega 3 fatty acids - DHA & EPA - perfect for heart health. Also helps to build lean muscle.
Wild goat is an easily digestible protein, perfect for feeding to pets who have allergies to other meat proteins. Goat meat is hypoallergenic, low fat, low cholesterol, high in Omega fatty acids, high in zinc, iron, copper, potassium & magnesium.
Chicken is a great source of lean protein for pets, it also is a source of Omega 6 fatty acids that are important for helping keep pets skin and coat in top condition.
Hare is an excellent source of iron, B12 and Niacin. Perfect for an active cat or dog as it gives them energy and helps with healthy blood flow.
Lamb is high in protein, B vitamins and essential amino acids, also a great source of dietary fat.
Lamb Green Tripe is an important addition to a dogs meal. It is loaded with probiotics to help keep your pet's stomach acids working effectively - this helps breakdown their food, especially bones, aiding digestion. It is important to feed Lamb Green Tripe with other food, not as a sole meal.
Lamb Heart is rich in vitamins A, C and B complex, as well as thiamine, zinc, manganese, selenium and copper. Also being a great source of Omega 3. These are all essential minerals and vitamins which contribute to healthy organs, optimal brain function, efficient metabolism and boosted immunity. It is high in protein, which is essential for muscle growth and the production of enzymes and hormones. Cats and dogs both love lamb heart, it is high in taurine so is great to add to your cat's diet.
Salmon is packed with Omega 3 & 6. Beneficial for pets joint health, brain function, cardiovascular health and skin. Salmon Bites are made from premium, sustainably farmed whole freshwater salmon - these are minced and cut into bites. Perfect for small dogs and cats.
