How to prepare and feed these foods to your dog;
Mistakes to avoid making.
Fresh whole foods including muscle meat and organs, eggs, dairy, leafy green, vegetables, fruit, healthy oils, herbs and spices offer our dogs digestible, nutrient rich food without the dangerous ingredients, additives, toxins and carcinogens in highly processed pet food.
Protein
Beef
Bison
Lamb
Venison
And other ruminant meats.
Don't use carnivore meats.
Chicken
Duck
Emu
Turkey, etc.
- free range, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, GMO-free, pastured or organic preferred.
For more information on appropriate fish, and how to select the best options you can go here.
Note that shellfish must be cooked/steamed for 8 to 10 minutes before served to your dog or cat. Never give your dog or cat raw shellfish. Shellfish is a supplemental food, it is not a main dietary component.
Kefir
Yogurt
Flax Seeds (brown or golden, use ground flax seed as opposed to whole flax seed)
Hemp seed
Sesame seed
You can find out more here.
Eating fresh fruit and vegetables also plays an important role in:
- Helping to boost the immune system
- Helping the body eliminate toxins
- Keeping organs, eyes, teeth etc. healthy
- Support joint health;
- Preventing colon cancer
- Reducing the risk of developing heart and vascular problems, stroke and cancer
- Reducing the risk of inflamed anal glands (which result in ‘scudding’, burst glands and discharge)
- Aiding in good oral health
- Diabetes
- Stress on joints
- Inflammation of joints is another contributing factor to the onset of cancer
The following is a partial list:
Acai berry
Cactus fruit (prickly pear)
Canary Melon
Cherries (remove the pit)
Clementines
Cranberries
Dragon fruit
Golden berry
Guava
Kiwi
Loquat
Mangosteen
Oranges
Papaya
Peaches (remove the pit)
Pears (remove the seeds)
Persimmons
Pineapple
Plums
Quince
Strawberries
Tamarillo
Tomatoes
Watermelon
Yuzu fruit
The following is a partial list:
Asparagus
Broccoli
Broccoli Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Clover sprouts
Chicory
Cucumber
Fennel
Green beans
Kohlrabi
Leafy greens - beet greens, green or red leaf lettuce, frizzy lettuce, kale, radicchio, romaine, spinach, cilantro, dandelion, parsley
Tomatoes
Squash - various types of winter squash.
Sweet Peppers - green, yellow, orange and red, purple, etc.
Mushrooms - Chaga, Maitake, Shiitake, Reishi and other dog-safe mushrooms. Please note many other types of mushrooms are toxic to dogs, just as they are to people.
Pumpkin
Okra
Zucchini
The following is a partial list:
Beets
Carrots
Fennel (bulb and greens)
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Turnip
Vegetables
In order to make sure your dog gets the full benefit of nutrients from fresh fruit and vegetables you need to understand a little about the difference between a dog's and a human's GI Tract.
Optimizing The Absorption of Nutrients
- Dogs have a shorter intestine than humans, this means that food moves through the dogs GI tract faster than it moves through a humans GI Tract; To ensure that your dog's digestive system has the opportunity to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from vegetables and fruit it is important (especially with vegetables which have a tougher cell wall structure) to help the dog's GI tract by breaking down the vegetable's (or fruit's) cell-walls before you feed it to your dog.
- You can breakdown the cell walls by choosing one of the following methods:
1. Finely chop fruit and vegetables - either by hand or with a food processor
2. Lightly steam vegetables
3. Freeze the vegetables or fruit first, thaw and then give them to your dog - Make a smoothie as per the example further below.
- By choosing one of these four methods to breakdown the food's cell-wall you:
- Perform the first stage of digestion, so your dog's GI tract has the opportunity to absorb nutrients properly
- You greatly reduce the chance of your dog choking on a hard piece of vegetable
The photo above is a freshly pureed batch of fruits and vegetables for my own dogs. I make a large batch to last about 20 days. I package and freeze the puree into daily portions.
Some fruit has a softer cell wall than vegetables;
- You don't have to chop berries such as blackberries and raspberries
- But you should cut most other fruit up in smaller pieces
- Harder fruit like apples and pineapples are best if chopped finely
Green Leafy Smoothie
If you want to give your dog fresh leafy greens - such as romaine, kale, spinach, beet greens, etc:
- Chop the greens either by hand or in a food processor and mix a little into your dog's food
- You can toss the greens into a blender with some homemade chicken stock and make a smoothie - store in the refrigerator for up to three days and just add to your dog's food once a day
- General Guideline:
- X-Small Dogs and Cats - 1 tbs
- Small Dogs and Cats – 1/8 cup
- Medium size dogs – ¼ cup
- Large dogs – 1/3 to ½ cup
- Every dog has his / her own metabolic rate, and unique needs, so keep in-mind that above is a general guideline - some dogs may thrive with less and others with more
If you want to give your dog fresh or frozen fruit in a nutrient rich smoothie:
- Toss the fruit into a blender with some kefir or yogurt or use homemade chicken stock to make a smoothie - store in the refrigerator for up to three days and just add to your dog's food once a day:
- X-Small Dogs and Cats - 1 tbs
- Small Dogs and Cats – 1/8 cup
- Medium size dogs – ¼ cup
- Large dogs – 1/3 to ½ cup
Don't
- Don’t give your dog produce that is going bad - moldy, rotting, slimy, you can make your dog very ill
- Don't mix fresh whole or coarsely cut fruit and veggies with a main protein meal
- You CAN add fruit and vegetables to a main protein meal if you do one or a combination of the following:
- Finely chop, mince the fruit or veggies before adding to the meal
- Steam the fruit or veggies before adding to the meal
- Use thawed frozen fruit or veggies
- Wash the food item to remove dirt, contaminates, and as much pesticide/herbicide as can be removed if the produce is not organic
- As mentioned above do cut/chop/shred fresh vegetables into small pieces - a food processor is great for finely chopping fruits and veggies
- Finely chopped or minced fruit and vegetables::
- Can be properly digested
- As explained further above a dog cannot properly digest uncut, whole fruit and vegetables
- Larger pieces of vegetables and hard fruit pose a choking hazard
- An example:
- Zoey my 12 lb Pomeranian once got a piece of cauliflower caught in his airway - completely blocked
- Zoey quickly became unconscious and if I had not known how to and did not administer the Heimlich maneuver and mouth to mouth resuscitation he would have died in front of my eyes
- When you introduce new fruits and veggies to your dog's diet it is best to introduce each new food one at a time. If there is any kind of negative reaction, such as stomach upset or allergies you will be able to pinpoint the culprit.
Fats
Holistic Wellness and Behaviorist Services
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Article and graphics by Karen Rosenfeld
This is a thoroughly researched and intelligent article for anyone considering upgrading the food their dogs eat. It should be recommended by veterinarians knowledgeable about canine nutrition!
ReplyDeleteI am feeding a raw dehydrated food to my dog and it has the veggies and fruit with the protein. Is that bad. NRG Salmon is the name. Now I'm worried
DeleteProvided the veggies and fruit are prepared as per the article above there is no issue mixing with protein. However you do have an issue with NRG Salmon as it contains oatmeal. Oatmeal is a grain which is not an appropriate food for a dog. It is used in the NRG to save NRG money - it is not included for the health of your dog. Also you should check with NRG to make sure that the salmon is wild caught. If the salmon is instead farm fish sourced you have another big health issue to deal with. This article explains the issues with farm fish http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2014/06/how-to-choose-good-omega-3-fish-oil-for.html
DeleteThank you so much for this article! I am in the process of switching my dogs over to fresh food, and I will be referring to this article a lot. I love the picture of all of your dog's bowls lined up. So cute. What lucky dogs you have!
ReplyDeleteI'm confused as to exactly what is included in their "fresh food" that you give them later in the evening. I see the recipe for the homemade food and the homemade treats, but not the fresh food.
ReplyDeleteFruits, veggies/fresh herbs, garlic, aloe vera juice, rooibus tea, yogurt or kefir, sauerkraut.
DeleteHerbs & Spices Are Good For Your Dog’s Health
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/herbs-and-spices-for-your-dogs-health.html
Garlic For Dogs - Health Benefits, Preparation and Use, Safe Dosage
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/garlic-for-dogs-health-benefits.html
Rooibos Tea for Dogs - Immune System Health, Cancer Inhibitor, Allergy Mediator and free of oxalic acid.
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/health-benefits-of-red-rooibos-tea-for.html
Foods Rich in Probiotics - Beneficial for Your Dog
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html
Flax, coconut oil, fish, turmeric, papaya, cinnamon, olive oil etc. is provided with their dog food.
So excited about this site ! Karen could I get your help in setting up a real food diet for my 2 goldens ? My big guy is 9 and has titanium knees and also fatty tumors that we check. He has had a surgery for removal of some of them a couple years ago. He is my baby and pride and joy. My other baby I rescued at 2 months old and he is 2. He had a very hard life as a baby and is finally becoming the trusting boy he should be...they do remember !9 year old does well on human food...sensitive stomach to dog kibble and baby was on Blue Buffalo and kept getting yeast in his ears. As soon as I took them off that ears were fine...now on Science Diet but I like the idea of cooking for them and I am sure I could join in and eat right with them. Sounds very healthy. We would love to hear from you ...thank you Anne and the Boyz.....dameyouanyway@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteGreat Advise.
ReplyDeleteI currently make my dog's meals. I usually combine the veggies with cooked chicken - Should I just give her chicken in AM and veggies in PM?
I am confused by your section on the absorption of nutrients.
Thanks!!
If the veggies are cooked you can serve them with the chicken. If they are raw serve them as a separate meal :>)
DeleteThank you for this very comprehensive, helpful article. I did note one error. Under the section FATS, you say that the proper ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 is 1:2, which I believe is backwards. In your article Omega Fatty Acids for Dogs, as well as elsewhere, I've seen the ratio noted 2:1 (even 3:1) Omega 3 to Omega 6. Since the ratio balance is critical not only for good health, but safety and not causing a health problem, I thought it was important to mention this so that you could make the correction. Given the breadth and depth of information you cover on your blog, I imagine people see it as credible and place total trust in what they read. For the reader who only reads this article, they will get the ratio wrong, and I know none of us would want that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your great work! Keep it up.
Hi Shawn, indeed I did make a typo! It is corrected now thanks to your observation ❀ᵔᴥᵔ❀ thank you very much, woof and cheers, Karen
DeleteHow about raw diet? Commercial raw food meal all have fruits and veggies mixed in? Is it still better to separate protein from veggies?
ReplyDeleteThe fruit and veggies found in commercially prepared raw food has already been flash frozen or cooked. The meat is raw.
DeleteThank you! There's so much to read here, and it's what I've been looking for. Both my dogs have issues that I think could be solved by improving their diet. My vet is NO help. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Jacquelyn,
DeleteI think it would be helpful for you to go to my index page of articles as this will allow you to view articles by category - i.e. Dog Food - Kibble, a series of articles on real food and herbs, health care, illness, etc. :>)
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/p/index-of-articles.html
The reason why your veterinarian was of no help is explained here http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/05/conventional-practitioners-of-modern.html
Cheers, K
p.s. it is sad but most veterinarians that have 'Nutrition Experts' in their office don't know anything about diet, real nutrition and preventative strategies. Many such veterinarian offices sell http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/05/is-prescription-dog-cat-food-sold-in.html and their nutritionists have no problem with it. Its shocking really :<(
DeleteI've tried feeding my rescue raw veggies and fruits but she really doesn't seem to go for it at all - ive found adding a little chicken stock (made specifically for the dogs) seems to get her to eat some if she's really hungry but sometimes even that doesnt work - how do introduce whole foods into her diet in a way that would actually get her to eat it
ReplyDeleteTo get her interested in veggies - You can lightly steam the veggies, or finely chop fresh veggies - drizzle some olive oil on top with some grated cheese or cottage cheese.
DeleteTo get her interested in fruit you can try this http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/07/dairy-products-cheese-kefir-yogurt-are.html
You can also make homemade food with fruit and veggies included http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/home-made-diy-dog-food-recipes-grain.html
I bet she will be interested in these options!
Yes, she does eat cooked fruit and veggies - but I can't motivate her to eat raw foods. I tried adding yogurt to the mix and she ate the yogurt and left the rest :( - I'm sure she'll do the same thing with grated cheese. She can be a but stubborn with food - she was severely underweight when I found her and even though she had also just given birth to a litter refused to eat certain foods (fruit, veggies, grains)
DeleteShe still needs to put on weight and unfortunately I Also live in a vegetarian household so it's hard for me to incorporate meat into her diet as much as I'd like to. I'm lucky to have friends that will cook a few meat based meals for her when we visit during the week and keep my supplied with regular chicken stock. A lot of dogs here in India are vegetarian but I'm not sure if that's the way to go.
Thanks,
Aditi
Hi Aditi,
DeleteShe is a smart girl :>) It's a good thing that she refused grains as they are a big trigger for health issues in dogs. I am vegetarian as well, but I do cook chicken for my dogs :)
If she is eating cooked fruit and veggies that is great! As you read in the article above it is best to perform the first part of the digestive process for veggies particularly - by lightly cooking them of flash freezing them.
Hi Aditi, regarding green coconut shell as a dental chew...
DeleteCautions:
- OK if your pup is not an aggressive-hasty chewer and will not try to swallow chunks that she could choke on;
-as long as the coconut is organic...as if not the shell may have a high-content of pesticide residue.
By the way, Coconut oil is very good for dogs http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html
I have been feeding species appropriate raw food diets to my pets for almost fifty years now. The "species appropriate diet" for carnivores includes raw meat, eggs, canned sardines or salmon, ground bones or bonemeal supplement, organ meats, and a small amount of pureed vegetables (optional), No carnivore should be eating sweetened yogurt or legumes (which are starches). The reason nutritionists warn against feeding raw eggs is to avoid biotin deficency, not salmonella poisoning.
ReplyDeletePartially true Erel, however...
DeleteReal yogurt or kefir (no sweeteners, other additives or fillers) have many health benefits to offer dogs. http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/07/dairy-products-cheese-kefir-yogurt-are.html
Raw eggs receive a caution for two reasons - Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella, although the chance of contamination for your dog is low as a dog’s stomach acids are very strong and dog’s also produce a lot of bile. You can cook the eggs to avoid this issue. Due to the avidin it is best not to give eggs every day, but a couple of times a week is fine.
The species appropriate diet can also include other healthful supplements - herbs such as turmeric http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/11/turmeric-and-curcumin-good-for-your.html additional omega-3 fatty acids.
Dogs can also benefit from foods that help to repel insects and parasites http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2013/07/foods-that-help-your-dogcat-naturally.html
Another very important point to consider when feeding raw is the source of the meat. If the meat is obtained from animals that are fed GMO corn, antibiotics, growth hormones etc. the raw diet can be very compromised.
There are many things to consider when putting together a good raw diet.
Also interesting - some dogs will pick their own wild berries, juniper berries, apples, and in the case of a vegetable garden - their own vegetables - tomatoes, peppers etc. I have ten dogs - different breeds and sizes and many of them, in addition to eating grass (the blade, not the seed) will pick their own fruit in the meadow portions of my trails. They do this not having been shown to do so, but instead naturally on their own. The species appropriate diet is not so narrowly defined as some would have it expressed.
DeleteGreat article thank you, my norwegian elkhound is ten years old, and gaining weight, so I have cut the amount of kibble and add mackeral, fish or chicken to his feed but having read your article I think I should omit the kibble and feed him twice a day one protein meal and one veg/fruit meal.
ReplyDeleteYes you could omit the kibble and give him a better alternative that will help him lose and maintain a healthy weight.
DeleteYou could use a better kibble such as Orijen's gain-free products and feed him less while adding real veg/fruit to his diet;
Or much more healthful for him...
Use this homemade grain-free recipe which will also support weight loss and weight management http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/home-made-diy-dog-food-recipes-grain.html
You should also add coconut oil and turmeric to his diet as both will aid weight loss and management along with providing many other health benefits to him...
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/11/turmeric-and-curcumin-good-for-your.html
Cheers, Karen
This is such a wonderful resource! I was wondering, what fruits and veggies can I dry-out as Chewy-Treats(if any)?? Thank you so much for all of the Information!
ReplyDeleteHi Lynna, if you have a dehydrator you can do apples, pears, berries, banana for a start. Veggies - sweet potato, carrot, and other root veggies. You could also try dehydrated tomatoes :>)
DeleteI found this when i was looking up what was okay to give my dog...can i give my dog garlic?? Onions, Garlic, Chives - can cause the destruction of red blood cells known as Heinz body anemia, a form of hemolytic anemia. No clear quantity has been established as to the onset of the anemia. But for garlic, if your dog consumes the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of garlic for every 10 pounds of their weight (1 teaspoon for a 10 pound dog) it can destroy red blood cells. Poisonous reaction can result from raw, cooked or dried onions, garlic, chives, including those included in powdered or dehydrated forms.
ReplyDeleteRead more at http://www.dogheirs.com/dogheirs/posts/141-toxic-foods-for-dogs-fruits-vegetables-and-nuts#GfMh9Qhee7OMUOmj.99
The article that you read regarding garlic on Dogheirs contains incorrect information. Read my article on Garlic - it thoroughly explains why garlic does NOT have the same toxic value as onions - and my dogs are living breathing 100% healthy proof as are my client's dogs. There is a lot of incorrect information on this topic out there - initiated and propagated by those that lack knowledge and simply parrot the false assumptions voiced by other. Read my article http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/06/garlic-for-dogs-health-benefits.html
DeleteKaren, on behalf of my husband and I, our dog Bella, and "natural pet parents", just want to say a big THANK YOU for your wonderful website and sharing your knowledge! I wanted to get your thoughts on something if you have time! Bella eats a home cooked diet, and while she absolutely LOVES vegetables, when it comes to fruits, she just won't eat them...at all! We've tried your suggestions as well making a purees of fruits to mix in with her meals, all with no success. If she even detects (or suspects, lol!) fruit puree has been mixed into her meals, she will walk away and not touch her food!
ReplyDeleteI did some searching around and found a couple companies that make Organic freeze dried fruit powders, which are just 100% fruit, nothing added. I ordered a sample size of Organic Banana powder, mixed it in with her food, and Viola!...Bella loved it! So now I'm thinking about ordering more flavors like like blueberry, cranberry, apple, pear, etc; then mixing them together, and figuring out how much to give her with each meal. However, these fruit powders are NOT cheap, so before ordering, I wanted your opinion on if you think this would be a good way for Bella to get fruits in her diet. Thanks so much, and again thank you for such a wonderful site, I know you work very hard on!! ;) ~Cynthia
Hi Cynthia - the good organic fruit powders retain their nutrients and their Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) so yes that would be a great way of - tricking miss Bella into; getting the benefits of fruit :>)
DeleteWould it be alright to combine fruits and vegetables with my dogs dry food or would it be to difficult to determine how much I can put?
ReplyDeleteYes it is OK provided that you prepare the vegetables and fruit as I have instructed in the article above - when not prepared as noted the absorption of nutrients from the main food - in your case dry kibble - can be seriously hampered leading to health issues.
DeleteAmount - 15% to 20% veggies max to dry kibble in a combined meal.
if i make a smoothie out of raw fruits and veggies i still cant mix with the dogs food correct? only if its lightly steamed? and if i add powdered superfoods can they be added to protein mea,l or given separate also?
ReplyDeleteRe-read the do's and dont's
Deletei feed my miniature schnauzer a New Zealand brand of food called K9 Natural which is dehydrated meat and veges that is formed into pellets that you add warm water to. He also eats most fruits and veges as snacks, loves mandarin segments, and crunching up raw carrots (which go straight through him, now I understand why). Do you think this diet is balanced? Raw food diets are very popular, but we don't have space in the freezer for all the meat you need. After reading these articles i am keen to add garlic to his diet too.
ReplyDeleteK9 is a good product - but no not completely balanced.
DeleteDo you have raw dog food and treat recipes you can post? I am looking to start my dogs on a raw diet but am unsure where to start... (I have 3 shelties.) ...
ReplyDeleteAlso, do you have any advise/ natural remedies to get rid of dog lice? I think all 3 of them have it but am afraid to give them the chemical drops my vet recommended...
There is a link provided in the article above
Delete