Holistic Approach
All things natural and healthy in the care of your dog
Raw feeding diet
Dogs are carnivores. They do not excel on a diet high in carbohydrates (kibble/dry food). Even if the packet of food says it’s cereal-free, or wheat-free, they will substitute those ingredients with cheap carbohydrates like lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or peas. What you want to look for on the ingredients list is for a meat to be the first (highest proportion) ingredient. NOT a meat derivative. NOT a carbohydrate.
Look at www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk to compare dog foods and treats. Yes treats are important to consider in the overall health of your dog’s intake!
I personally feed my dogs a ‘complete’ raw food diet. No carbohydrates in their intake at all. It is a much more natural way of eating for dogs (carnivores, remember!). It is based on the ‘prey’ model, which follows the theory that wild dogs would eat a carcass of a herbivore which would consist of approximately 80% muscle meat, 10% offal and 10% bones. This fulfils their dietary requirements. You should aim to feed a balanced diet, not necessarily balancing every meal, but achieving it over a week or so. Raw meaty bones act as great teeth cleaners, puppy teething chews, and mental stimulation for adult dogs, as well as providing nutrients and roughage. Hard weight bearing bones, such as marrow bones, are not advisable as dogs can break their teeth on them. Lamb bones can splinter, even when raw. Cooked bones are never good to feed, but make a nutritious bone broth!
More information can be found on www.rawfeedingrebels.com
Raw feeding guidelines: 2-3% of your dog/cat’s IDEAL adult bodyweight
- 80% muscle meat
- 10% bone
- 10% offal (eg liver, kidney, spleen)
Don’t forget you can add the following for variety, nutrition and natural pest control!
- Oily fish
- Raw eggs
- Raw garlic
- Evening primrose oil
Holistic extras
Treats
Look for single-ingredient treats, such as
Dried sprats
Dried liver
Dried Lung
Dried chicken feet
Dried salmon skin
Dried tripe sticks
Bones
Dogs enjoy chomping on a bone. It cleans their teeth, promotes mental stimulation, provides glucosamine, and helps as insoluble fibre to clear the anal glands!
I avoid all hard bones, like marrow bones, or any weight bearing bones from a large animal. These bones can splinter and can also break teeth as they are so hard. Marrow itself can make your dog have loose bowel movements! Raw chicken bones are fantastic as they are soft and come in a variety of sizes to suit every jaw!
Cleaning your dog
Avoid shampoos that are highly scented, colour-enhancing, or contain parabens. I use and recommend Earthbath shampoos as they don’t contain those nasties, leaving your dog clean, fresh and soft.
I also recommend cleaning ears with 50/50 apple cider vinegar (ACV) / water mix, on a ball of cotton wool. It tackles grease, yeast and dirt, without leaving excess moisture in the ear. You can also use the mixture as a paw dip for yeasty feet.
Make sure that when drying your dog, you DO NOT rub a curly coat dry with a towel. It creates knots! Instead, squidge it dry with the towel!
Please ask me about any natural, holistic ways to keep your dog healthy and improve its wellbeing. I’m always happy to impart any knowledge I have gained from my research and experience.
I feed the ‘Pure 80/10/10 Bundle’ from ProDog Raw because the potential carby/sugary veg in other ‘completes’ can affect the yeast balance in my dogs. Here is a link to a referral code, for you to place your first order with ProDog Raw. Then add PROSAVER20 to your basket to receive 20% off your first order.
Address
Serving 10 miles from Chichester City Centre
Call Us
07894 760347