|
Morning Meal |
|
Raw muscle and organ meat, eggs, dairy, vegetables |
– muscle meat: beef heart, hamburger, lamb, pork, buffalo, venison, elk, rabbit, goat
– canned mackerel, salmon or sardines water packed
– organ meat: beef kidney, beef liver, pork liver, chicken liver, chicken gizzards (no more than 20%)
– eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir
– Flax Seed Oil or two Salmon Oil capsules
– pulped or steamed vegetables: broccoli, celery, collards, mustard greens, spinach, romaine lettuce, bok choy, cabbage, summer squash, cucumbers, cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash |
|
|
Evening Meal |
|
Raw meaty bones (RMBs). |
– chicken necks, wings, backs and frames
– turkey necks
– beef necks and ribs
– pork necks, breast, feet and tails
– lamb ribs
– Flax Seed Oil or two Salmon Oil capsules
– Berte’s Daily Blend |
|
|
|
|
Benefits of a Natural Raw Diet |
|
The raw diet specifically meets the dietary needs of the dog (a carnivore) for amino acids, fats and chewing hard foods that contain bones for calcium. For more information on canine dietary needs and to learn about how dogs are adapted to eat raw meat and bones, read my Spring 1999 newsletter. The many benefits of this diet for dogs include small, dry, odorless stools, fresh breath, great reduction in body odor and sparkling clean teeth! A raw diet offers higher bioavailability in the nutrients that canines need and is easily digested. This diet is often helpful for dogs with IBD, colitis, cancer and autoimmune disorders. |
|
Recipe Suggestions |
I recommend feeding dogs twice a day at a ratio of about 2% to 3% of their body weight. An example of this would be feeding:
– a 100 pound dog 2 to 3 pounds of food a day
– a 50 pound dog 1 to 1-1/2 pounds of food a day
– a 25 pound dog 1/2 to 3/4 pounds of food a day |
|
The morning meal is approximately 50% of the diet, consisting of mostly red meat, some organ meat, eggs, dairy and vegetables. Organ meat, rich in amino acids and minerals, should not exceed 20% of the meat portion. I suggest feeding a variety of mixed vegetables at least three times a week. Vegetables must be lightly steamed or pulped for dogs to be able to digest them, as dogs do no have the enzymes to break down the outer cell wall. It is easiest to do this with a juicer, food processor or blender. |
|
Feed large dogs about three to four tablespoons of vegetables, medium dogs about two tablespoons and small dogs approximately one tablespoons. Some dogs are not fond of vegetables (while others love them!), so mixing these with the mackerel or salmon meal, or ground red meat will make these more appetizing to fussier dogs. |
|
Some dogs do better with more vegetables in the beginning, so don't worry about exact amounts when your dog begins this diet. You can feed as much as half vegetables and half meat of this meal, too, which can be helpful for dogs who are overweight or have calcium oxalate bladder stones. If your dog is obese or has a yeast infection, avoid feeding starchy vegetables that are higher in sugar, like carrots, sweet potatoes and winter squash. |
|
The evening meal is meat with bones, which is important for balancing the calcium/phosphorus ratio in your dog's diet. These must be raw and do not use weight bearing bones of large animals (this does not include poultry). Leg bones of large animals are hard and most dogs have difficulty chewing them and getting the calcium for bones. For those first starting out and feeling less confident, try feeding chicken necks and wings. Ask the meat manager at your store if they can order these for you in case lots of 40 pounds or more. At home, you can cut these into daily portions with meat scissors, repackage and freeze them to save time and money. Countertop meat grinders can also be purchased to grind the raw meaty bones and vegetables, too. But, as you gain more confidence and experience, you will find this unnecessary. |
|
Canine Nutrition Resources |
|
It may be helpful to join K9Nutrition, where there is a knowledgeable group of people willing to answer your questions and share their experiences regarding nutrition for dogs. A good raw diet book for beginners is Sue Johnson's "Switching to Raw." It has easy-to-follow guidelines for simple preparation of a raw diet that includes detailed information on supplies and equipment. See our links page to find other web sites that offer more information and variations of a raw diet. The most important element to remember is to include calcium in the diet in the form of bones, as the calcium/phosphorus balance is of utmost importance. The next important point is the one of variety – don't get stuck in a rut of feeding the same food items over and over. Change the types of meats and vegetables to insure balance over time. |
By Lew Olson, PhD Natural Health
