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Natural Diet for Dogs
DOGS SHOULD BE FED ON A NATURAL DIET CONSISTING OF RAW, NATURAL FOOD. PROCESSED, CANNED AND DRY FOODS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH.
RAW MEAT & BONES
Free-range Chicken, rabbit, mutton, duck, roo, lamb, turkey and beef. All should be fed with the bones and some of the fat left on.
Cooked bones should never be fed to dogs. Raw meaty bones are safe to feed to dogs. In the wild, dogs ate bones of small and large animals with no problems.
Fresh or lightly steamed fish with bones removed.
Free range organic chicken livers, heart or other offal once or twice fortnightly.
Free range eggs, including the shell if the dog likes them. 2 or 3 per week.
VEGETABLES, FRUIT & SPROUTS
Raw vegetables finely minced or pureed, include carrot, celery, beetroot, sweet potato, cauliflower and broccoli stems and leaves, zucchini, parsley, wheat grass or other vegies.
Avoid feeding any onions and it is best to also avoid tomato, potato, avocado & eggplant.
Sprouted grains and seeds are a rich source of nutrients.
Any soft, ripe fruits that your dog likes.
NON ESSENTIAL EXTRAS
Raw nuts are usually enjoyed by dogs, as occasional treats but avoid macadamia nuts and most seeds.
Raw goat's milk or cow's milk may be fed to puppies, but is not necessary for adult dogs. A small amount of natural yoghurt or cottage cheese is okay occasionally but not essential.
Grains are not necessary; they can be very hard to digest and should only be fed to underweight dogs or those living in cold climates.
Barley, oat and rice flakes soaked overnight in water to soften are the best grains to use.
SUPPLEMENTS RECOMMENDED:
It is not always possible to obtain sufficient nutrients from foods today, so we recommend adding a quality supplement. such as -
How To Prepare Natural Food For Your Dog
Place vegies, sprouts, etc; in food processor and blend until finely minced (or use the pulp from vegetable juicer) and mix this with a little meat and process until well combined. Serve with meaty bone.
If you do not have a juicer or food processor, then lightly steam and mash vegies.
You can make food up fresh each day, or prepare a weeks supply and freeze in daily portions. Remove the following days serve and allow to defrost in the fridge for 24hours.
Vary the types of meat used and also the vegetables, to provide variety and ensure a balance with foods eaten. You would never consider eating the same food in day-in-day-out, and neither should your dog.
It is not necessary to balance or measure out each meal exactly. A dog in the wild would eat plenty at times and other times sparingly, and their stomach is fully equipped to deal with this variation.
Most healthy dogs can safely have one 'fast' day each week or at least a 'meat-free' day.
Start introducing raw bones gradually if your dog has not eaten them in the past.
Chicken necks & wings are good to start with.
Do not leave food out all day, feed only once or twice daily, unless otherwise recommended.
Remove any leftover food once dog has had enough. Reduce quantity for next meal, as you may be feeding too much. If your dog is burying food, then he/she is getting too much.
On the other hand, if your dog is waiting around after eating, then he/she may need more.
FOR FUSSY DOGS
Make changes gradually if you need to, by adding a little of the new food to their usual diet, gradually increasing the new and decreasing the old. But most importantly be consistent.If you weaken and give favourite foods, then it gives the message "that if I nag for long enough they will give me what I want" so they will continue to refuse the new diet. Start by adding a tiny teaspoonful of minced vegies to favourite meat or fish, and increase gradually.
If the dog refuses to eat raw meat, then lightly cook outside and reduce cooking gradually until eating meat raw.
If the new food is refused, then take it away and wait until the next meal-time. No healthy animal will voluntarily starve themselves, when fresh food is offered. They may be very stubborn, but they are not stupid! Please be strong and persevere with it for their health's sake.
Serve all food at room temperature for best digestion. Meat or bones may be plunged into hot water to warm before serving straight from the fridge. Do not warm in a microwave oven!
If diarrhoea or constipation occurs after changing to natural bones & raw food diet, then contact your vet.
This Web site is intended for Australian residents and is not a substitute for independent professional advice. Information and interactions contained in this Web site are for information purposes only and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Further, the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information available on this Web site cannot be guaranteed. Lifestyle Home Services, Its Affiliates or agents do not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information made available via or through this Website whether arising from negligence or otherwise.
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