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Diet Basics
The staples of my raw diet are
raw meaty bones, boneless meats, organ meats, and eggs. Approximately 40-50%
of the diet is RMBs, 10% is organ meat, and the remainder is mostly boneless meats and eggs, with a number of things tossed
in, including some cooked foods.
Amounts vary by the dog, but they
each get somewhere between 2-3% of their ideal body weight in food per day. Activity can cause this number to go up,
such as in hunting season when the dogs are working hard in the field.
My diet does not contain grains
of any kind. Grains can aggravate ear problems, arthritis, and auto immune problems,
and are not necessary in a carnivore’s diet. My diet also does not
contain much in the way of veggies, as they are also not necessary in a carnivore’s diet. Both have been included in the past, but health improvements were seen when they were removed from the
diet, particularly in senior boy Radar (now passed). Since one of the reasons I
feed this diet is to increase health and hopefully to increase longevity, any minor changes made in Radar’s diet were
included for all dogs.
A typical week here has me feeding
chicken leg quarters, ground beef, beef ribs, pork neck bones or ribs, eggs, beef or chicken liver, beef kidney, beef heart,
and canned fish, with usually some healthy leftovers thrown in, though they make up a very small part of the total diet. The meals are supplemented with salmon oil, vitamin B complex, C, and E; and some
kelp and alfalfa for trace minerals is thrown in a few days a week. I do believe
it is necessary to supplement… ALL DIETS. Modern farming practices often
deplete the soil of nutrients and all of our food supply is impacted, so while I believe I am doing my dogs a great service
by feeding them raw foods, I don’t feel that I can confidently assume those foods contain all the nutrients they need. I know MY foods don’t!!
Vaccinations and medications
Part
of my holistic approach includes limiting unnecessary vaccinations and medications. Studies have proven that most
core vaccines last at least 7 years, so annual vaccination is simply not needed and may be risky, especially to older or health-compromised
dogs. Puppies are minimally vaccinated according to their history and by discussion with my vet, and adults
only get rabies boosters in compliance with the law every three years. Medications are only given as needed, and more holistic
remedies may be used first. I do not dismiss all vaccinations and medications, but rather carefully consider
the benefits and drawbacks of each approach for each individual situation. A good realtionship and open communication
with my vet assists me in making the best choices I can.
Diet Resources
Books
"Give Your Dog a Bone" by Dr Ian
Billinghurst (available from www.dogwise.com/)
"Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats" by Kymythy Shultz (available from www.dogwise.com/)
"Switching to Raw" by Sue Johnson (available from www.switchingtoraw.com/)
Websites
www.dogaware.com A wonderful site with a wealth of information on starting a raw diet or tailoring a raw diet to health issues,
as well as links for sources.
www.b-naturals.com Another wonderful site, even if you don't buy a thing from it, the articles make
it well worth a visit.
www.caberfeidh.com/HHC.htm A bunch of terrific health articles here, from diet to vaccination.
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