Diet

There are a lot of food options for dogs, from kibble, wet meat, raw food and fresh. Each type has budget options, standard prices and premium ones.

I highly recommend the following website www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk

You can input your dog's food brand and check the nutritional value on the website. The website provides a score- the higher the score, the more likely that brand is a high quality food providing many health benefits.

 We feed our pack members raw for many reasons. We buy complete minces in the ratio 80:10:10 (protein:bone:offal).  We provide a minimum of 7 proteins, including fish, red and white meat and ensure they get a mix of offal (heart, liver, kidney, etc).

Advantages of a raw diet:

• Their poo is solid, and smaller than those fed on kibble and it barely smells due to the dogs digestive system digesting the majority of the raw food.
• there are no fillers, cereals, preservatives and questionable ingredients- all of which can lead to health, digestive and behavioural issues.
• Dogs drink less water due to the high moisture content- great for their bodies and in particular kidneys. This is great for when we need to toilet train them. Dry foods are obviously dry and can contain high levels of sodium which means dogs have to drink a lot of water to quench their thirst.
• It is great for their gums and teeth- chunky minces help to remove any plaque and raw does not contain sugar.
• They will have a stronger immune system. Research has shown puppies born to raw fed parents have a stronger immune systems too.
• They will be less prone to allergies.
• Improves coat condition.
• Complete meals provide everything a dog needs at any stage in their life.
• Raw fed dogs receive natural energy from their food. Carbohydrates in kibble provide excess energy so a dog's energy levels will spike leading to hyperactivity.

I know raw feeding is not for everyone. You need to have freezer space and for multiple dogs, you need a freezer just for their food. It is usually more cost effective to buy in bulk to take advantage of discounts. We also have a small fridge just to thaw out their food. 

I am aware that people worry about salmonella and the risks of other bacteria. We follow a strict hygiene protocol, buy from DEFRA licenced raw food companies and our dogs have never had an issue. My family has never had any issues from raw feeding the dogs. 

Trips away and holidays may be of concern to people when it comes to raw feeding. Depending on the location, there may be decent raw food shops around and you may have fridges/freezers to store their food. Food can be safely transported in certain coolers too.

Handling raw food isn’t pleasant- it stinks, it contains blood, and it doesn’t look particularly nice. We soon got used to it and we use gloves when preparing food. 

Many vets are against raw feeding. They haven’t done training around raw feeding and they see pets come into surgery when owners have fed raw diets in the incorrect ratios. There are more and more vets that are pro- raw and I have seen holistic vet surgeries open up.

All of our puppies will be weaned onto goats milk and then raw. They will leave with a minimum of 7 days worth of raw food and feeding guidelines in the packs.

High quality kibble

I have checked the All About Dog Food website and the following kibble brands are high-quality: Orijen, Eden, Millies wolfheart, Canagan, Acana. Low quality kibbles have fillers, questionable ingredients and their main ingredient may not even be meat so it is worth doing your research. Feeding guidelines are included on packaging and I strongly recommend weighing your dogs food and adjust accordingly. 

Wet Meat

The following brands of wet meat are of high quality according to the website: Forthglade, Barking Heads, Lukullus, Rocco, Lovejoys, and Butchers.

Chews and Treats

I like to use meaty bones, natural chews and treats. They provide nutritional benefits, help clean teeth, provide enrichment and natural chews are overall kinder to their digestive systems. 

Please note most natural chews smell.. They are dried animal parts (or raw if it's the meaty bones) so they are bound to smell. Some are worse than others but you get used to it. They don’t last long in my house and I can clean the floor or dog bedding afterwards.

Our puppies will be able to try some natural chews whilst they are with me. They will leave with a box of natural treats in their starter packs.

I do recommend supervising puppies and dogs whilst they eat something new and especially if it is easy to swallow. Meaty bones should be bigger than their head until they understand to chew them or can be held in the owner's hand (depending on the dogs temperament around food). Hairy chews are great to clean teeth and act as a natural dewormer.

Examples include:

Chicken feet, trachea, cows ears (hairy and non-hairy), rabbit ears, pigs ears, beef scalp, camel scalp (long lasting), antlers (split antlers are gentler on puppy teeth), buffalo horns, yak chews, cows hooves, pigs noses, cows noses, pizzle, moon bone, sprats and there are many more. 

Supplements

Supplements can be great for additional health benefits and to support dogs through different phases of their lives such as seasons, old age, and exciting situations. 

I use a variety to support overall health such as Dorwest keepers mix. I use Proflax skin and coat as I find this a great addition with their shedding coats. I also add salmon oil to their food. 

My boys have wheatgerm oil to aid fertility and to promote healthy skin. I use Dorwest tree bark powder if any of the pack gets sloppy poo (usually due to new treats). The powder helps to ease any stomach discomfort, aid gut transit and helps to maintain good bowel regularity. Dorwest have a huge range of products to support their bodies in many ways. I highly recommend supplements as I have seen the differences they have made in my dogs.

A little tip:

Before I used tree bark powder I used to miss a meal or 2, then feed 1 to 2 meals of scrambled egg (1 egg per 10kg weight) and then a mix of whitefish and cooked chicken breast. 

Vets recommend chicken and rice but it never worked for my dogs. Rice acts as a filler and rice comes straight out of the other end looking like worms in their poops. 

If they ever get unwell with an stomach upset, then I would use a mix of scrambled egg, cooked chicken and whitefish. 

Case story- Mitzy (no longer with use but will always be remembered)

Years ago, I supplemented my elderly Lhasa apsos diet with Yumove tablets. She had started to get stiff, struggling to stand from a laying position and walked slower. Within 8 weeks of being on the tablets, she no longer struggled and she could run! I used to get asked her age as she acted like a puppy. 

After a little while, I noticed she struggled again so I bought the higher strength joint tablets and they worked wonders. I had taken her to the vets and they were very impressed with the condition she was in- especially her joints.

I know a younger dog (with arthritis) whose owner thinks supplements don't do anything… they spend a lot of money every month paying for pain medication. The issue with pain medication is that the initial problem isn’t being treated. The pain tablets are covering it up in a way so I use supplements to support and maintain their joint health. A dog's diet, good exercise and supplements can maintain overall good health to prevent issues from arising.

Claire 🐾