DIET AND WHAT TO FEED YOUR PUPPY
NOTE:
Every person that buys a puppy from us will get diet sheets, also you can unlock the hidden pages which leads to more information on diet.
This page is just a taster so that new people can read alittle bit about how we feed dogs.
Please note each person will get 7 days supply of dog meat, plus a dried alternative in our puppy pack. Plus a snuffle ball, blanket and our “Special cushion”. The image above the yellow call outs is what you will get from us. The diamonds are what you should include in feeding dogs.
We do advise you purchase from us a snuffle mat to keep your dog entertained. As the snuffle ball is more of a toy they chuck around from what I can see. Lick mats also are a good investment, but of course never leave a puppy unattended with snuffle mats or lick mats.
The Kong ball is another great entertainment as it either dispenses biscuits if rolled around or they have to lick out what you’ve put in.
Every person that buys a puppy from us will get diet sheets, also you can unlock the hidden pages which leads to more information on diet.
This page is just a taster so that new people can read alittle bit about how we feed dogs.
Please note each person will get 7 days supply of dog meat, plus a dried alternative in our puppy pack. Plus a snuffle ball, blanket and our “Special cushion”. The image above the yellow call outs is what you will get from us. The diamonds are what you should include in feeding dogs.
We do advise you purchase from us a snuffle mat to keep your dog entertained. As the snuffle ball is more of a toy they chuck around from what I can see. Lick mats also are a good investment, but of course never leave a puppy unattended with snuffle mats or lick mats.
The Kong ball is another great entertainment as it either dispenses biscuits if rolled around or they have to lick out what you’ve put in.
With so many breeders telling you one thing and so many saying another it can get a bit confusing as to what is the right food to feed. Plus we have big food companies now with brands sitting on shelves all tempting you to feed their product, it gets confusing to know what is right for dogs. Cleverly some brands even have the dog breed you like sitting on the packet so some assume this is the right dog food for them.
So how do we know that we are feeding the right diet for our dogs? Simply they are in top condition, their skin supple, their hair shining, great muscle tone, not over weight, not underweight, they eat every bit up. They look forward to meal times, and they have great behaviour. We have been dog breeders for many years, and trialled and tested so many brands in the early days, we are at the point now where we are totally satisfied with feeding our dogs. Do we ever go to the vets for diet information or have unhealthy dogs? NO! That says it all. Its working.
So how do we know that we are feeding the right diet for our dogs? Simply they are in top condition, their skin supple, their hair shining, great muscle tone, not over weight, not underweight, they eat every bit up. They look forward to meal times, and they have great behaviour. We have been dog breeders for many years, and trialled and tested so many brands in the early days, we are at the point now where we are totally satisfied with feeding our dogs. Do we ever go to the vets for diet information or have unhealthy dogs? NO! That says it all. Its working.
“You are What you eat”
BARF - Biological appropriate raw feeding.
This diet came to the forefront by Dr Ian Billinghurst in America, and he named it the barf diet. But this diet has been around for centuries, before actual names were given.
I always go back to my fathers teachings on dog food. I asked him one day what did you feed the farm dogs as a kid ? His answer was scraps off the table, raw meaty bones. In world war 2 lots of people fed tinned meat, but when their became a steel shortage manufacturers had to look towards not using tin. In America you had the beginnings of the dried food companies which came to the UK. Dried food took the dog owners by storm as it was easy to feed, easy to store. But not all dogs suited this dried food, intolerances were born.
I brought a Weimaraner which had the worst intolerance I had seen. She could do 14 pools of diarrhoea a day. It got me thinking, Ive got coeliac disease, could in fact a dog have intolerance to something ? People didnt know much about dog diets 30 years ago did they. We just thought carry on feeding and that would be that. It was a dog after all. But it pricked my interest to sort this dog out. I took away gluten, and although better was still pretty bad. I then cut out maize, and suddenly saw a big difference. I then thought why dont I feed her dog meat. I went to my butcher and asked if they could make me up some dog meat. He obliged and I fed it, and suddenly this dog had perfectly formed stools, and did 2 per day. I couldn't believe it. That experience lead me to the next 15 years learning more and more about diet in dogs.
In raw feeding dogs stomach acid breaks down bone they break down fats easily, fur. It goes back to their original heritage really the wolf.
Okay dogs are so called domesticated, but their insides are built differently to humans so we shouldn’t put them in the same box. Some people choose to cook their dogs dinner every day which is okay but you must not use salt in the product, so no gravy.
Dogs which suffer from allergies be it internal or external are healthier on raw diet because you can simply exclude that food group that upsets them and its much easier to find out what you can eliminate.
Dogs are carnivores but also herbivores. So dogs needs meat, bone, offal, and then vegetable, herbs, fruits, berries. I have noticed very oddly that my dogs love fruit and berries but only when they are in season. They can smell the chemicals put on say raspberries in winter time and will not eat them. But give them raspberries in season and they will eat them like candy.
Dogs require protein as the majority of their meal, as in the protein it builds blood, muscle, amino acids come from proteins, and a dog can not live properly with out amino acids as they are building blocks to other things. Dogs require vitamins and minerals. Dogs require fats, and a small percentage of carbohydrates which can be got from vegetables.
Positives to raw feeding.
This diet came to the forefront by Dr Ian Billinghurst in America, and he named it the barf diet. But this diet has been around for centuries, before actual names were given.
I always go back to my fathers teachings on dog food. I asked him one day what did you feed the farm dogs as a kid ? His answer was scraps off the table, raw meaty bones. In world war 2 lots of people fed tinned meat, but when their became a steel shortage manufacturers had to look towards not using tin. In America you had the beginnings of the dried food companies which came to the UK. Dried food took the dog owners by storm as it was easy to feed, easy to store. But not all dogs suited this dried food, intolerances were born.
I brought a Weimaraner which had the worst intolerance I had seen. She could do 14 pools of diarrhoea a day. It got me thinking, Ive got coeliac disease, could in fact a dog have intolerance to something ? People didnt know much about dog diets 30 years ago did they. We just thought carry on feeding and that would be that. It was a dog after all. But it pricked my interest to sort this dog out. I took away gluten, and although better was still pretty bad. I then cut out maize, and suddenly saw a big difference. I then thought why dont I feed her dog meat. I went to my butcher and asked if they could make me up some dog meat. He obliged and I fed it, and suddenly this dog had perfectly formed stools, and did 2 per day. I couldn't believe it. That experience lead me to the next 15 years learning more and more about diet in dogs.
In raw feeding dogs stomach acid breaks down bone they break down fats easily, fur. It goes back to their original heritage really the wolf.
Okay dogs are so called domesticated, but their insides are built differently to humans so we shouldn’t put them in the same box. Some people choose to cook their dogs dinner every day which is okay but you must not use salt in the product, so no gravy.
Dogs which suffer from allergies be it internal or external are healthier on raw diet because you can simply exclude that food group that upsets them and its much easier to find out what you can eliminate.
Dogs are carnivores but also herbivores. So dogs needs meat, bone, offal, and then vegetable, herbs, fruits, berries. I have noticed very oddly that my dogs love fruit and berries but only when they are in season. They can smell the chemicals put on say raspberries in winter time and will not eat them. But give them raspberries in season and they will eat them like candy.
Dogs require protein as the majority of their meal, as in the protein it builds blood, muscle, amino acids come from proteins, and a dog can not live properly with out amino acids as they are building blocks to other things. Dogs require vitamins and minerals. Dogs require fats, and a small percentage of carbohydrates which can be got from vegetables.
Positives to raw feeding.
- No bad breath
- Less Tartar on teeth
- Skin is not dry or flakey, no dandruff.
- Skin is supple and feels well hydrated.
- Coat shines in the sun.
- Eyes are bright and healthy.
- Anal glands self empty.
- Stools are smaller, firmer and easier to pick up.
- Less Stools in the day.
- Food digests slower.
- Less wind.
- Good weight and good muscle development.
- Grows slower, which in turn is beneficial to skeleton growth.
Its Okay to be different to the rest
Silvestre Puppies.
Your puppy will be reared on raw food. They start with a chicken paste and milk. Soon as they are readily eating 3 meals per day. Mum is still feeding them also as they must have mothers milk. By 6 weeks our Vizsla puppies are usually weaned from mum, but they are still getting interaction with the mum. Pug and French bulldogs will still be on mum at 7 weeks of age, we wean them slowly.
Some mothers their milk dries quickly up, and others it doesnt. The ones that are still bursting with milk have to be monitored properly so they do not get mastitis. But puppies soon go to 4 meals per day and they are then given different food groups. Duck is a favourite of mine to give, beef tripe as they are then getting the fats. Beef heart for offal and also a high protein which gives the dog lots of amino acids. A dog can live on chicken alone, but it wont be healthy, it needs the variety of food groups to get all the nutrients it needs. But I also add in SF50 powder which has an abundance of minerals and vitamins in. So we know that our puppies get absolutely the best of everything. Do not worry about this diet as its made easy by some food companies. I have noted however that some do not add in extras required to give the dog a balanced diet. So avoid just one food group if you can do.
The one company that I really like is www.cotswoldraw.co.uk they sure do think about their dog food. Its an 80% muscle meat 10% offal and 10% bone. Plus they add in other food groups to make it a complete diet.
Your puppy will be reared on raw food. They start with a chicken paste and milk. Soon as they are readily eating 3 meals per day. Mum is still feeding them also as they must have mothers milk. By 6 weeks our Vizsla puppies are usually weaned from mum, but they are still getting interaction with the mum. Pug and French bulldogs will still be on mum at 7 weeks of age, we wean them slowly.
Some mothers their milk dries quickly up, and others it doesnt. The ones that are still bursting with milk have to be monitored properly so they do not get mastitis. But puppies soon go to 4 meals per day and they are then given different food groups. Duck is a favourite of mine to give, beef tripe as they are then getting the fats. Beef heart for offal and also a high protein which gives the dog lots of amino acids. A dog can live on chicken alone, but it wont be healthy, it needs the variety of food groups to get all the nutrients it needs. But I also add in SF50 powder which has an abundance of minerals and vitamins in. So we know that our puppies get absolutely the best of everything. Do not worry about this diet as its made easy by some food companies. I have noted however that some do not add in extras required to give the dog a balanced diet. So avoid just one food group if you can do.
The one company that I really like is www.cotswoldraw.co.uk they sure do think about their dog food. Its an 80% muscle meat 10% offal and 10% bone. Plus they add in other food groups to make it a complete diet.
What Raw foods are available to dogs?
1) Chicken mince, including bone. 2) Turkey mince including bone. 3) Chicken necks, wings, carcass. 4) Turkey necks, wing, carcass.
2) Duck mince including bone. 3) Duck wings, Duck carcass. 4) Rabbit carcass, Rabbit mince. 5) Beef mince excluding bone, beef chunks. 6)Lamb mince excluding bone, lamb chunks, lamb ribs, lamb bones. 7)Pheasant mince, pheasant carcass. 8) Quail mince, quail carcass. 9) Wild boar mince. 10) Venison mince. 11) Salmon chunks, salmon heads. 12) Sardines, mackerel, cod. 13) offal, liver, beef heart, kidney. 14) fruit. 15) herbs. 16) Vegetables. 17) Eggs including shell.
1) Chicken mince, including bone. 2) Turkey mince including bone. 3) Chicken necks, wings, carcass. 4) Turkey necks, wing, carcass.
2) Duck mince including bone. 3) Duck wings, Duck carcass. 4) Rabbit carcass, Rabbit mince. 5) Beef mince excluding bone, beef chunks. 6)Lamb mince excluding bone, lamb chunks, lamb ribs, lamb bones. 7)Pheasant mince, pheasant carcass. 8) Quail mince, quail carcass. 9) Wild boar mince. 10) Venison mince. 11) Salmon chunks, salmon heads. 12) Sardines, mackerel, cod. 13) offal, liver, beef heart, kidney. 14) fruit. 15) herbs. 16) Vegetables. 17) Eggs including shell.
KIBBLE
Kibble is another word for dried dog food. It is a complete dog food in a sack. Everything your dog needs in is the form of a biscuit. It will either be 2kg weight 10 kg to 15 kg weight. Quite often vegetarians prefer to feed dried food so they do not have to handle meat.
With kibble foods you will need to choose a better quality one. I would advice you check out:
www.edenfoods.co.uk.
If your dog has dry skin, sore skin, itchy skin, yeasty ears or loose stools to diarrhoea, then the food is not suiting and you need to find an alternative. When looking at dried foods avoid chicken, maize, wheat and potato.
If you choose a grain free dried diet check it has added Taurine in. The lack of taurine in some breeds of dog triggers Dilated Cardio Myopathy, now known to specialists as to be a major factor.
TRAY FOODS
This would always be my second choice to raw with my own dogs. Because I travel a lot with dogs, and can be gone for a weekend, I need an easy way of feeding the dogs but still giving them quality and I dont want an upset stomach on my travels either. So the best food for my dogs is forthglade tray food. You can purchase one with out any grain called “JUST RANGE”, or you can buy it with rice as a complete food. It doesn't store in the freezer, you put in the shed. So I can store in the car for the weekend whilst I’m showing. Plus easy trays to open and feed direct from. www,forthglade.com or www.naturediet.co.uk
This would always be my second choice to raw with my own dogs. Because I travel a lot with dogs, and can be gone for a weekend, I need an easy way of feeding the dogs but still giving them quality and I dont want an upset stomach on my travels either. So the best food for my dogs is forthglade tray food. You can purchase one with out any grain called “JUST RANGE”, or you can buy it with rice as a complete food. It doesn't store in the freezer, you put in the shed. So I can store in the car for the weekend whilst I’m showing. Plus easy trays to open and feed direct from. www,forthglade.com or www.naturediet.co.uk
Questions I’m asked all the time.
- Will my dog worms from feeding a raw diet? No
- Do I have to cook this meat ? No
- Why shouldn’t I cook the food? Because you break down important enzymes a dog needs for nutrients. Plus you will harden bone which can puncture intestine. All food must be raw.
- Can I swap from Kibble to raw straight away ? Yes you can. It takes two weeks for a dog to detox from the dried food, and you should see more energy in your dog after two weeks.
- Can I swap from raw to Kibble straight away.? No you can not. It never works, and you must do so gradually.
- Can my dog get salmonella from raw dog food? Not really unless your unhygienic with storing your product. A sack of dried food can contain salmonella just like any food can do.
- My batch of tray food came in from manufacturer and the box is damaged and I can see mould on the food. Can I still use it ? No way! Contact the company and they will replace the product.
- What food bowl is best with raw feeding ? Stainless Steel, because stainless steel doesnt harbour germs, and this is why professional kitchens in restaurants have work surfaces of stainless steel.
- My dog is not drinking much water on the raw diet, should I be concerned? No because a dog will drink when it’s thirsty but raw foods contain blood, which is fluid so some dogs feel they are getting enough. If you do get worried you can also add a mug full of water to the food if you wish to include more fluid.
- Can you feed a Frenchie and Pug raw foods? Yes you can do. But be warned they do not tolerate fats as much, due to short palate and they can burp or regurgitate food. So not too fatty a product.
- My Hungarian Vizsla is thin, why isn’t it gaining weight? Your not feeding enough fat to the dog. This is a high energy breed of dog. They can burn off their meal quicker than any other breed. Go to your butcher and ask for some offcuts from their meat. They may mince it for you, and it will contain fats cut off from beef. Add this food to your food and you’ll find the dog putting on weight again. Or up to 3 meals per day again so small and often but increase quantity.
- Do I have to feed tripe to my dog? No you dont but they do benefit from the fat in tripe, so alittle in the diet is a good thing.
- How much should I feed per day ? Dr Ian Billinghurst set out quantity of 10% of its body weight for puppies and 2-3% of its body weight for adult dogs. BUT and this is a BIG BUT. He wasn't feeding a Vizsla and your dog may need double to look good.
Do not forget your dog needs a varied diet. One food group simply wont do!
So how do I go about feeding raw food as it sounds complicated ?
- Think storage, so a freezer in the garage for the dog, or shed.
- You’ll need plastic containers that have sealed lids for storage.
- Food should not be on the same shelf as your food.
- Foods for dogs should be prepared on their own chopping board.
- Disinfectant for cleaning down afterwards such as anigene is brilliant. It kills salmonella.
- If you purchase human grade animal foods you can store easier in your fridge.
- If you was to purchase animal grade foods then you may want a small fridge for the dog also. As some people feed prey specific to their dogs and then you have smell, hair, bone, feet, heads etc. (PUKE that goes too far for me, but even so people say its the way to go)
- Be hygienic. You cant leave the food down for hours. If the dog doesn't eat it pick it up and put in sealed tub and fridge until later.
- Dont leave food out for flies.!
- Wash bowls straight after feeding.
- Use latex or vinyl gloves handling raw foods.
- Any utensil should be designated for the dog, and it should not cut your food up.
- Buy some special bone cutting scissors as you can cut up meat and bone then if you need too.
- Minces are easier, but check theirs bone content in them.
- Never give a cooked bone as it hardens the bone, the dogs stomach can not dissolve it as easily and it can puncture intestines. Raw bones only.
- I never give lamb leg raw bones as the bone is too hard.
- I avoid pork products because raw pork carries tape worm. Thats the reason you need see a human eat rare pork meat in cooking.
- My dogs a picky eater, what can I do ? Add brewers yeast to the diet, plus a mineral and vitamin supplement. It will encourage appetite.
- My dog still wont eat is their anything else I can do? Yes get a tin of pilchards in tomato sauce and mash up and pour over top of food. Or grate some cheese over the top.
- My dog has a blocked anal gland, can I add something to the diet ? Yes their are supplements out there which help the anal glands work better. But get your vet to empty first, and make sure its not infected.
- My dog is constipated why is this? You are giving too much bone content. Add in more muscle meat. Also add in 1/2 mug water to ease the food through.
- My dog seems to poop out stools that are firm first thing in the morning, but at the end of the day they are loose. Why is that ? Quite simply their intestines are not shaped like humans, so dogs can empty themselves on a walk and it can be food which is hardly digested yet. Do not worry about it.