from dry to raw

If your dog appears unwell, vomits slightly or has poos slightly looser than normal, this can be expected. If this happens, revert back to the previous days programme and transition at a slower pace. There’s no rush! It’s better to get there at a slower pace than not at all.

(If symptoms persist more than 24 hours, seek veterinary advice)

10 things to remember when feeding raw.

1#   Puppies and dogs must have a form of calcium and phosphorus in their diet. These are essential minerals required for bones development.

A meat only diet will not contain the required levels of these minerals, therefore it will be necessary to add other sources of calcium/phosphorus rich ingredients into their diet such as:

• Chicken wings, necks, legs, or thighs
• Whole fish (sardines, mackerel)
• Turkey necks (other bones are large)
• Beef tail bones (great for larger dogs)
• Lamb or goat necks or ribs
• Eggs with shells on.

His/her diet should contain on average 12%-15% bone. If you are worried about giving your dog a raw bone, start them on a complete mince with a ratio of 80/10/10 = 80% meat/10% bone/10% offal. You can make the rest up by adding into it.

 

2# Dogs do not have to have consume starchy foods as part of their diet, in fact it is not that good for them!

Starchy foods such as cereals and grains, contribute to the production of the insulin hormone. This can cause your dog to store his/her food as fat, which can lead to a multitude of health implications.

Cereals are in most commercial dog kibble and they help to form (bind) the kibble together. Even kibble that claims it is ‘Grain free’, is not always so. They may not add the actual grain but can still incorporate ingredients such as beef or chicken (which could have been reared on grain) into their recipe.

Consuming excess starch can disrupt the microbes within your dog’s digestive tract. Once disrupted, these microbes can affect the immune system which may lead to yeast, allergy, and inflammatory issues.

Putting cereals into foods is cost effective for the manufacturer as they are a cheap product to buy, but the benefits are little to none for our canine companions.

 

3# Organs are super-rich in vitamins and minerals and are an essential part of a balanced raw diet.

It is recommended to incorporate 10%-30% of organs into your dog’s daily diet.

If you are feeding them a complete mince (80/10/10), reduce the amount of extra organ you put into the feed as your levels can raise above the recommended amount.

If you are feeding up to 30% a day, mix up the types of organs and try to avoid putting only one type in to his/her bowl. Adding a variety provides your pooch with a variety of essential nutrients. If you are feeding liver, try not to exceed 10% as it is rich in Vitamin A as it can give your dog very loose stools if they eat too much. If you only have liver available, don’t panic! Just limit the amount of organ until you can access other varieties.

Organs include: Liver, heart, brain, pancreas, spleen, lungs, testicles, thymus, and kidneys.

I would not recommend starting your dog on organs to begin with. Give your dogs digestive system time to adjust to the meats and bones until it becomes acclimatised to the changes. Organs can be quite rich and cause a dog to have loose stools. This is where some people start to panic and give up! If this happens to your dog, remove the organ from their diet and reintroduce it later on but start off with smaller doses. If you are concerned about them lacking nutritional properties, you can substitute by using a herbal supplement powder or fresh fruit and vegetable for a period of time.

 

4# Muscle meats are your main ingredient.  

Approximately 80% of his/her diet should contain lean meat. This is the protein rich source of the diet and is responsible for supporting the hormones and enzymes they need to survive and strive.

Lean meats are meats that are no longer attached to the bone. These can include beef, turkey, lamb, pork, and chicken.

 

5# Just like us humans, fat can be a good for dogs as it benefits the nervous and immune system and assists with the functioning of the skin, but too much fat is never a good thing as it contains large numbers of calories.

Be careful when buying your meat! Some cheap meats can have a higher fat content, especially minced meats such as ground beef or lamb. Most butchers will add animal fat to their minces to give it flavour and bulk out the product. If you intend on giving your dog ground meats, the best way to guarantee your dog is not consuming excess fat it to buy your lean meat and mince it at home with a domestic mincer. These can be purchased online at a reasonable price.

Lean meat should be lean meat!

Ideally, your dog’s fat content should be around 10% of his/her diet. Anything more or less can cause health implication.

Here are some examples of some high-fat meats you will want to avoid and low-fat meats that are easy to find

High fat meats (avoid)	Low fat meats
Certain ground meats	Most fish
Pork belly	Pork loin
Chicken/Turkey dark meat with skin	Chicken or Turkey without the skin
Domestic duck	Chicken necks
Chicken necks with skin	Rabbit

 

6# Providing your dog with a variety of meats, offal, and bone, gives them the opportunity to ingest the wide range of nutrients these foods have to offer.

(Read the page on ‘Feeding your dog Fruit and Veg’ and ‘Why feed organs’) It will give you a list of which vitamins and minerals are in what foods.

Offering your dog a variety can give you both the opportunity to establish which foods he/she is keen on and which ones they react to (loose stools etc).

If your dog has just transitioned onto raw or has been eating the same foods for a long period, do not introduce a large selection straight away, bring it in slowly!

For example: as mentioned before, liver is high in Vitamin A and can give your dog loose bowel movement if they consume quantities that they cannot cope with, so add in small amounts every couple of days. This gives you the opportunity to see if the dog can digest the produce without any adverse reactions.

Another thing to bear in mind…. If your dog reacts to grain-based foods, ensure your meats are sourced from farms that do not feed grains to their animals. This is quite common in cattle and chicken.

 

7# Adding fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices to your dog’s diet can provide them with the essential vitamins and minerals that they may not receive by eating meat-based products alone.

When you are preparing your evening meal, why not chop up a few extra carrots and pop them into your dog’s bowl? You could even blanche them off and pop them in the freezer for a later date.

Dogs are natural scavengers and have been since the dawn of time. They have the ability to source out and consume foods that their bodies need to survive, this would include eating berries, fruit, and vegetables.

It is only since the human has domesticated the beast, that we feed them what we believe is the diet they need, and we don’t allow them to make their own choices. If you gave your dog the option to either stroll on down to the pet shop and buy the fancy sack of complete kibble, or chase a rabbit in the field and secure it as prey, what do you think your dog would choose? Most likely the natural option, the rabbit! So, try and provide your best pal with as many natural options as possible, but make sure you do your research first on herbs and spices. Not all are good for dogs!

(Read the page on ‘Herbs and spices’)

 

8# Try and feed your dog fish. You can either serve smaller portions several times a week or a larger portion once or twice a week.

If you can’t access fish or handle the smell, you can apply a fish oil that contains omega oils such as salmon oil onto your raw food.

Sardines and mackerel have a high oil content in them so you will not need to add oil to the diet.

Fish should account for approximately 5% of your dog’s weekly diet.

 

9# KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!!!! The key is not to panic! Too many who try to transition onto raw, experience their dog with a loose stool and go straight back the kibble. Your dog’s digestive system has to adjust and build up the enzymes required for breaking down the natural ingredients he/she has been introduced to.

If necessary, take it slow! Sometimes this method is better as it gives you a chance to observe any physical or behavioural changes when introducing new foods. I have a large number of Danes and I know from experience that they do not all like the same types of raw. One doesn’t fair well on the recommended offal portions, one doesn’t like pork, some can devour a chicken carcass in minutes and others won’t even entertain a chicken wing!  

Don’t be concerned if your dog doesn’t like everything! We can be just as bad as them when it comes to being a fussy eater!

If your dog appears to dislike certain foods and you find yourself giving them the same foods week in, week out, try a small amount again at a later date. There is no harm in trying!

Be considerate as to what you expect your dog to eat! Certain breeds have the strength and ability to break certain foods down better than others. For example: A Rottweiler has an incredible psi level (pounds per square inch). Their ability to break done bone leaves you to consider whether it’s wise keep your hands in your pockets the next time you meet one? Brachycephalic breeds may have difficulty breathing while trying to eat large chunks of meat and small breeds may find it too difficult to break down certain bones, so try and accommodate to your dogs capabilities.

 

Advice!!!!

When feeding raw, remember you are handling a raw biological food source that contains micro-organisms. Care must be taken in the handling, preparation and storing of such products.

Ensure that products are fully defrosted before serving. Some people will serve certain foods frozen, but please make sure your dog can tolerate his or her diet before doing so.

Keep all areas clean before and after serving to reduce the risk of cross infection/contamination.

Your dog may not drink as much water on a raw diet as natural foods contain a higher moisture content than kibble. Even if he/she reduces his water intake, ensure fresh water is provided daily.

Do not leave your dog unattended when eating bones!!!!

Make notes of your dogs feeding programme. Dates, times of feed and what he or she has been given. Record any positive or negative changes. These notes are particularly helpful if you are starting to transition your dog onto raw. It allows you to establish what foods he/she responds well to or rejects and what improvements or deteriorations you can see.

For example:

Monday 9am	Lean beef, tripe and broccoli	All finished
Monday 6pm	Rabbit, chicken wings, 15% liver	All finished
Tuesday 9am	Lamb mince, sardines.	½ eaten, appeared quiet in himself Loose stools
Tuesday 6pm	Lean chicken, mixed vegetables	½ eaten. Stools still loose
Wednesday 9am	Lambs ribs	All finished, appeared well in himself
Wednesday 6pm	Lean beef, kidney and heart 20%, mixed fruit and vegetables	All finished.
Thursday 6pm	Mackerel, beef bones.	All finished. Very energetic this evening.
Friday 9am	Venison mince ,5% liver, fresh veg	¾ eaten
Friday 6pm	Pork, quail, sardines	All eaten. Loose stools but not as bad as Tuesday.