Step Two If It’s The Bowl
If my dog is well, but still backing away from the bowl, I’ll transfer the food to a pasta dish and spread it out. The traditional dog dish is fine for many dogs, but for some dogs the smells in the dish can be overwhelming. Spreading the food out so that the dog isn’t overwhelmed has worked for me in the past. It allows them to choose what they eat and in which order.
Moisture And Renal Function
We all know that water is essential, but you may not realize that kibble and other dry diets can leave your dog dehydrated. Dehydration can decrease digestive function, slow the process of waste removal, and lead to recurring urinary tract problems like infection and crystals.
The high moisture content in raw animal protein helps the kidneys flush these toxins through the urinary tract. This support can also reduce unnecessary strain on the kidneys and prevent possible kidney diseases in their senior years.
A moisture-rich diet will encourage more frequent and healthy urination, which will dilute urine and flush out bacteria. Canned diets provide additional moisture and aid in digestion but lack the nutritional equivalency of raw, unprocessed ingredients.
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Your Dog Makes The Decision For You Not All Dogs Are Food Obsessed Many Are Not Interested In Eating Twice A Day Others Choose To Fast Themselves From Time To Time When A Meal Is Presented Honor This And Dont Force Your Dog To Eat Twice A Day If They Dont Want To Assist With Housebreaking Once A Day Feeding Can Lessen The Number Of Bathroom Trips And Will Allow You To Control When Your Dog Goes Poop This Is Especially Important For Dog Owners Who Cant Let Their Dogs Out Throughout The Day Its Ancestral Dogs In The Wild Have Long Breaks Between Their Meals Feeding Once Per Day Better Mimics This Routine Feeding Once Per Day Keeps The Doctor Away Once A Day Feeding Puts Your Dogs In A Semi
Absolutely. In fact, once a day feeding is a great way to mimic nature. In the wild, wolves eat only when they can catch food. Wolves and other wild dogs arent eating 3 times per day, or even 2 times per day. Theyre lucky if they eat once per day. Instead, wolves and wild dogs are fasting for 18+ hours. And they do this while running around, expending energy looking for their next meal.But dont worry.Like their wolf counterpart, dogs evolved with a superior capacity for fasting they can handle eating less often. And many argue this is how we should feed them.Heres the rationale behind once-a-day feeding:
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Is Fibre Good For Dogs
Dietary fibre plays an important role in the dogs digestive process just as it does in humans. However, again as in humans, fibre is very difficult to digest and because the dogs digestive system is so short the majority will be expelled in the dogs faeces. Too much crude fibre also reduces the dogs ability to digest and absorb protein.
Do All Dogs Thrive On A Natural Diet
With only a very, very few exceptions all dogs thrive on raw food.
Indeed, the only dogs that shouldnt eat a 100% natural diet are those with a compromised immune system or that have recently had bowel surgery. Whats more, a well-planned raw diet can really help dogs with health issues. If you would like to know more about how raw food can benefit a poorly dog see the .
Remember, too, that Honeys Chief Veterinary Surgeon is available to supply dietary advice, free of charge and without any obligation on your part.
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Feeding Too Much Dog Food & Weight Gain
Unfortunately, it is often only when extremes of weight gain or loss have occurred that they are noticed. If such changes have occurred and you are confident you are not feeding the incorrect amount then veterinary advice should be sort out immediately.
If, however, you suspect that it could be you have your feeding rates incorrect, then adjust them, having checked first the amount of dog food by weighing it.
Acknowledge and record your dog’s current weight and body condition.
Regular use of a BCS chart however can help indicate when changes are in their infancy. Using a BCS is not only helpful at highlighting early signs of body condition changes, but it helps bonding with the dog, due to the close contact and can assist in you noticing other changes that may need attention, such as injuries, skin conditions, ticks / fleas and so forth.
Use a dog body weight chart to give you a good starting point to work from when assessing your dog’s ideal weight. But, if you really want to be accurate, have your dog weighed and evaluated by a vet.
The hiding and or obvious showing of the ribs and changes to the base of the tail fat cover are clear and good signs of changes in condition.
Adjusting the amount fed should help to rectify adverse changes over a few weeks. You usually reckon and changing body weight by about 1% per week so, for a 30kg Labrador, you would be looking to change weight by around 300g per week.
Dogs Fed Less Live Longer
It seems as if some dog owners are caught up with their dogs being big. Others seem to perpetuate the humor in fat or obese pets. Extremes in size and weight can be awe-inspiring and even funny.But understand they may put your dog at risk for future health problems.If theres anything you take away from this feeding guide consider this little-known secret for longevity:
Adult dogs with a body score condition less than 5 live 16% longer than their overweight peers.And studies show that by keeping your dog lean and reducing food intake from early puppyhood through adulthood, you could add two years to their life.
And remember, this only a place to start.Each dog is different, and their needs will change. Understand you may need to make micro adjustments over time .Lets put this into perspective Do you eat the same amount of food every day or does it vary? Remember this is something that is easily adjusted.Get out of your head. Choose a quantity and begin.
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What Bones And Treats Should I Feed
For most dogs, a good bone will help clean their teeth and give an essential calcium boost. Make sure you supervise your dog while chewing bones and feed an appropriate bone size. A good rule is a bone at least the size of their head. Greedy chewers need extra attention to prevent a choking hazard.
We have plenty of raw meaty bones to browse in our bones and treats section.
Where can I find your catalogue?
You can browse our entire raw dog food catalogue here and by using the main menu at the top of this page.
How Much To Serve
To begin with, you will need to monitor the quantity of food quite closely but once you get the hang of it, providing your dog is about the correct weight and looks fit, you can do it by feel. Lots of successful raw feeders simply watch their dogs carefully and adjust the quantity as they go.
There is no hard-and-fast rule but for a dog over 10kg roughly 2% of their body weight in food every day should be about right. In other words, a 20kg dog should be eating roughly 400g. If you have a working dog, an underweight dog or a dog that exercises a great deal then up this amount to between 2 and 5% of body weight per day. If you have an elderly or overweight dog then reduce the amount to between 1 and 2% of bodyweight per day.
You can serve it in as many meals as you want and at whatever time, but it should never be left down for the dog to eat when he or she feels like it. You might be interested to know that because wolves exercise so much they need about three times as much food as a typical dog.
For dogs under 11kg in weight try:
- 12kg: 10% of bodyweight
- 34kg: 7% of bodyweight
- 58kg: 5% of bodyweight
- 910kg: 3% of bodyweight
- 11kg+: 2% of bodyweight
If you would like more detailed advice please get in touch with Honeys. These percentages are for guidance only.
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Raw Dog Food Recipe Proportions
- 80% meat with fat
- 5% vegetables/fruits
- 5% dairy/supplements
Using those simple proportions, you can pretty much make up your own recipe from whatever you have on hand or find on sale at the store or.
Meat with fat: I will usually buy ground meat of some sort for this just because its easier than breaking down other cuts. Beef, chicken, pork, bison, gamey meats, etc.
Organs: The good news is organs are cheap. The bad news is organs are kind of gross. Nothing like some slimy chicken livers getting pulsed up in your food processor. Liver and kidneys are the two easiest to find in the grocery store.
Vegetables/fruits: Ginger happens to hate vegetables and fruit. Shes literally spit them out before or eaten around them if weve tried to feed her some in her bowl. So I choose sweet things here like apples and carrots and they get processed real fine so she cant tell. Avoid onions, grapes and raisins as they can cause kidney failure in dogs.
Dairy/supplements: Whole eggs are a great source of calcium. Ill also use some plain yogurt to help bind the patties. Supplement wise, ground flaxseed meal, olive oil and fish oil are great additions too.
What To Do If Your Dog Is Vomiting
Some of the most common reasons your dog is vomiting:
Empty stomach: If your dog is vomiting on an empty stomach you will usually see yellow bile. This is a sign that they need fed.
Drinking too much water on an empty stomach: If your dogs vomit is clear with white foam or globs of mucus, its a sign that they drank too much water on an empty stomach. They will need fed.
Detoxing: Vomiting may also be a part of the normal detox process that dogs go through when transitioning to the raw diet. You can add honey or apple sauce to their meals to settle their stomach during this process.
Ingested a foreign object: If you suspect your dog swallowed some type of foreign object , you will need to monitor them closely. If the object doesnt pass within 24 hours you will need to contact your veterinarian.
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Is It More Expensive To Make Raw Dog Food
2. It can be more expensive. Preparing raw dog food is generally a bit more expensive than buying commercial dog food brands. It depends entirely on what ingredients you are using, of course, but assuming you are feeding your dog with high quality and diverse foods, it will usually cost you more, and theres no way around it. 3.
How Much Offal To Add To Raw Dog Food
To decide how much offal to add to my raw dog food, I do the following calculation: 15.6 pounds / 2 = 7.8 pounds of offal and 7.8 pounds of liver Step Three: calculate the total amount of muscle, offal, and bone 15.60 pounds of bone / 10% = 156 pounds of total meat
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Transitioning To Raw Dog Food
Making the switch to raw dog food is different for every dog. Some easily swap from one diet to the next with no adverse effects, while others need a slower and softer transition.
You understand your dog better than anyone. How you transition should reflect what you know of your dog’s eating habits and sensitivities. Their feeding routine should also suit your daily schedule.
Start by determining how much to feed your dog. This will make it easier to be consistent during the transition and track changes and issues in their digestion, appearance, and energy.
Once you’ve found the food or recipe you want to feed, you’ll need to decide how to introduce your dogs new food. There are many different ways to transition your dog to raw food, but here are the three most common methods:
Based On A Maintenance Weight:
The average raw fed dog will require 2-3% of its body weight in raw food daily. 2.5% max is ideal in most cases.
This translates to about ½ pound of food for every 25 pounds that your dog weighs. So, for a 50lb dog thats 1 to 1-1/2 pounds of food a day .
To convert this to cups, the 50 lb dog would need 2 to 4-1/2 cups of raw food a day.
- 1 lb ground meat = 2 cups
- 1 lb chopped meat = 3 cups
The food amount should include all meat, bones, treats, and supplements combined.
This is a good starting point and then adjust up or down from there.
- Inactive you may need to feed less than the 2%
- Active you may need to feed a bit more than the 2.5% to 3% maximum amount to maintain a healthy weight
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Step : Determine Your Dogs Ideal Body Weight
The first piece of the puzzle is to have an answer to the question:What should my dog weigh as an adult?I cant tell you how many people are misguided on this topic so its an important place to start. For some, this question is an easy answer. For others, it may not be.Here are some tips to get the ball rolling.
Review AKC breed information. Or, do some research on your dogs breed to learn what the ideal weight range is for males and females. From here, choose the lower number or the average number from the range provided.If your dog is a mixed breed and you know the breeds, research them. Make your best attempt to come to a logical conclusion on proper weight.
Consider Breed:
Your veterinarian should be able to tell you what a healthy weight for your dog would be, or at least fall within. Give your vets office a call or ask at your next visit.
Ask Your Veterinarian:
Body Condition Should Be the Determining Factor:
Good question.
The number youve determined for your dogs ideal, adult body weight can now be used for calculations.For example, say 40-lbs was a healthy weight for your dog. Youd calculate 2-3% of that number. That would equal a range of 0.8 1.2 pounds of food, per day.At this point you may be thinking, thats nice but which amount should I use?
Now Write Down Your Dogs Ideal Weight:
Well use a few other factors to narrow down to an exact percentage to begin with.
How Much Food Should I Feed My Dog On A Raw Diet
What remains unclear is how much raw food youre supposed to feed. Up until this point, youve heard varied suggestions and arent sure where to start.Dont worry.The question at the forefront of every newbies mind, How much food should I feed my dog on a raw diet? is answered with a simple formula.Heres whats even more amazing:
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Step One Is It The Bowl Or The Dog
I need to figure out if it’s something in the bowl or something in my dog that is turning them off their meal. For example, Scout won’t eat chicken unless it comes from Answers Pet Food. If I don’t mix in the digestive enzymes well enough, Rodrigo won’t eat his food.
If one of the dogs keep sticking their nose in the bowl, then step back licking their lips then I think that they might have an upset stomach. In this case, I will offer them bone broth or raw goat’s milk. If they’ll eat this, then this will be their meal for the day while their tummy settles. If they won’t eat anything, then let them rest for the day while documenting what’s going on should we need to go to the vet.
Four To Six Months Old
At this point, you should be feeding your puppy between 6% and 8% of their body weight each day. You should also decrease the frequency of their meals down to three each day.
This is also a great time to start introducing other types of food. You can provide red meats like beef, pork, and organs. Most puppies are also capable of chewing bones.
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Raw Dog Food Feeding Guide For Puppies
Puppies should be fed a bit differently than adult dogs. With very young puppies, discuss your feeding regimen with your veterinarian first. It may be much better to use a pre-made commercial brand in the beginning that is appropriate for puppies to be sure they are getting the nutrients they need in the right percentages. Calcium and phosphorus as well as protein are particularly important for growing puppies. Puppies, especially younger ones, will have problems eating some types of bones so you should avoid any thicker, weight-bearing bones and bones too large for their mouths. Providing them with calcium supplements, as well as fresh eggshells, are good sources of calcium when their puppy teeth are still coming in.
What To Look For In Kibble
Read the label. Look for a food that has a protein as the first ingredient, not a grain. The best kibbles have a single source of protein, such as lamb or chicken. Grain-free diets exist, but carbohydrates are required for energy, and the choice of grain is important since some dogs have sensitivities to wheat, corn, or soybeans.
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