IMPROVING DIET
NOTE: The following is not offered as advice. It is the answer to the many questions we receive about what we feed our dogs. |
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Anytime you get two or more dog fanciers together the subject of diet is sure to come up. There are so many commercial foods and supplements on the market that it is hard to make sense of it all. There is no one food or feeding regimen that is right for all dogs at all stages of their lives.
About 6 years ago we decided we wanted to do more for our dogs than just feed commercial kibble. We began by adding REAL foods such as small amounts of raw meat, pureed raw vegetables, cottage cheese, yogurt, soft cooked eggs, rice, pasta, etc. to their commercial diet. We were so pleased with the results that we began to read everything we could find on natural or raw diets. After much reading and researching we came up with a feeding program that worked for our dogs. The program consisted of small amounts of a bout 20% commercial kibble made with human grade ingredients and all the rest natural, real foods. After reading "Give Your Dog a Bone", I began to decrease the kibble and grains. I recently attended a seminar by Dr. Billinghurst and have now taken all commercial kibble and most grain products out of the diet.
So what do I feed? Breakfast is raw, meaty bones. I buy 40 lb. boxes of chicken or turkey necks for their breakfast. It doesn't take any longer to toss a turkey neck in a bowl than it does to measure out kibble. Dinner is raw ground meat or meat chunks or more raw, meaty bones served with pureed raw vegetables. We like a lot of variety in the vegetable puree so we may select from carrots, celery, green beans, cabbage, turnip greens, romaine, zucchini, squash, garlic, etc. We don't use corn as one of the dogs seems to get a little gassy from it. Fresh, over ripe fruits such as bananas, apples, mangoes, cantaloupe, etc. are also good additions. Occasionally I add some baked sweet potato which is a real favorite. The ground meat or meat chunks can be beef, turkey, chicken, or lamb. I may also add yogurt or kefir for the probiotics, a little cottage or ricotta cheese, a very small amount of leftover rice or pasta, or maybe a little overcooked oatmeal. Grains are fed in very small quantities and only once or twice over a 2 week period. All the dogs get Vitamin E and C, a fish oil capsule or flaxseed oil, B complex, kelp, and cod liver oil. I usually travel to shows and trials in a motor home so that makes taking the diet on the road pretty easy. However, I have also used it when I was staying in a motel with no problems. I packaged enough for each dog's meal in freezer containers which I kept in my cooler and thawed as needed. I was gone for three days with no problems. The real test may come next summer when I try to do it while spending a week in a hotel at our national specialty.
I would also like to emphasize that since I am feeding Dalmatians who, as a breed, are predisposed to forming urate stones, I dipstick the urine with pH test strips on a regular basis and also have the vet do a routine urinalysis on a regular basis. We have not had any stone formers so we felt fairly secure in feeding raw meat. However, I still feel it is necessary to monitor the urinary pH to catch any problem that might show up.
One question that always comes up is cost. Initially I think it did cost more to feed this way. Now that I have found good sources for my meat and bones I find it no more expensive than the premium grade kibble I was feeding. I buy the necks in 40 lb boxes and then repackage into freezer containers that hold enough for one meal for all the dogs. I buy vegetables every two weeks and puree them and freeze them in containers that hold about a three day supply. I do have a separate refrigerator for the dogs and am seriously considering buying a freezer so I can really stock up when things are on sale. I purchased a meat grinder so I can buy chicken leg quarters which are frequently on sale for as little a $.39 a pound and grind them up, bone and all, for dog food. I have also appropriated two shelves in the freezer section of our refrigerator for storing dog food.
We feel it is beneficial to any dog to have natural, raw foods added to the diet. Owners who do not wish to go all the way with a raw diet can still improve the diet by switching to a naturally preserved kibble (no BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin or other Chemical Preservatives) made with human grade ingredients and adding some raw meat, pureed vegetables and fruit, raw or soft cooked eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. to it. If you do decide to add some raw foods to your dog's diet, do it gradually. Switching all at once can cause digestive disturbances. Vegetables should be pureed to break down the cellulose and make the vegetables more digestible. It is advisable to consult a veterinarian before making drastic changes to the dog's diet. Many proponents of raw diet find that holistic vets are more amenable to natural diets than are allopathic vets. You should definitely consult your veterinarian before making changes to the diet of dogs who have medical problems such as forming stones or compromised immune systems.
I can just imagine what you are thinking. "But", you say, "Everything I have read says not to feed table scraps to dogs." As I researched diet I read some dog books from 20 to 50 years ago. These books advocated raw meat, grains and vegetables for the dogs. Of course, people ate healthier foods then too. It has only been in recent years that we have altered our diet to include so many high fat, high sugar foods. So, yes, if you eat fried foods, high fat foods, and lots of sweets, your table scraps are not good for your dog. However, leftovers of lean meat, steamed vegetables, and very small amounts of well-cooked grains are fine.
I have written two articles on raw diet for the Dalmatian Club of America magaizine, The Spotter. Dr. Billinghurst has also written a new article about BARF for Dalmatians who may be stone formers.
There are several books available about natural diet including "Give Your Dog A Bone" and "Grow Your Pup With Bones" by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, "Reigning Cats and Dogs" by Pat McKay, and "Natural Healthcare for Dogs and Cats" by Pitcairn.
Information About Pet Food Ingredients:
API: What's Really in Pet
Food -- An API Report
Kibble Ingredients
Polluted Pet
Foods
Food Not Fit For A
Pet
Does Your Dog
Food Bark?
Dog Eat Dog: What's Inside
The Foods We Feed
Information About Raw Diets:
Give your Dog a
Bone! Home Page
Canine Nutrition
Info
The
TRUTH about feeding your dog
Whole Living
Foods
Raw, Meaty
Bones
Sterling Akita’s Nutrition
Information
Feeding Chihuahuas
(but informative for all breeds)
Bones of
Contention
Feeding Bones For Healthy
Teeth
Kritter's Kitchen
(recipes)