The Natural Raw Food Diet, a guide

[labmaniac View labmaniac's Profile Find labmaniac's Posts Find labmaniac's Threads Send labmaniac a message E-Mail labmaniac]

NATURAL RAW FOOD DIET

LISTS OF MOST RECOMMENDED FOODSTUFFS
GRAINS - BROWN RICE, BARLEY, BUCKWHEAT,CORNMEAL (MAIZE), MILLET, ROLLED OATS. IF YOU RUN OUT OF SUPPLIES, WHOLEWHEAT BREAD CAN BE GIVEN CRUMBLED AND TORN UP INTO THE BOWL, BUT NEVER WHITE BREAD, IT CAUSES BLOAT.
DRIED LEGUMES - KIDNEY BEANS, RED BEANS, LENTILS, SOYA BEANS, SPLIT PEAS
RAW VEGETABLES - PARSLEY, CARROTS, CELERY, BABY MARROW, RED OR GREEN PEPPERS, BEETROOT, SPROUTS, GARLIC (CRUSHED) ONIONS ARE TOXIC TO DOGS, AND AVOID SPINACH IN ANY QUANTITY, IT INTERFERES WITH CALCIUM ABSORBTION.
COOKED VEGETABLES - GREEN BEANS, CABBAGE, BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, POTATOES, BUTTERNUT. (potatoes must be peeled, the skin, if greenish or sprouting contains solanine, which is toxic for dogs and humans)
LARGE MEATY BONES - THE RULE HERE IS THAT THE BONES MUST BE LARGE ENOUGH TO GNAW ON AND NOT BREAK INTO SHARP PIECES WHICH CAN BE SWALLOWED WHOLE AND DAMAGE THE DIGESTIVE TRACT. ASK YOUR BUTCHER TO CUT UP FIST-SIZED BONES FROM THE HIND QUARTER JOINTS OF A BEEF CARCASS AND FREEZE THEM. ONE LARGE BONE PER WEEK IS ENOUGH TO KEEP THEIR TEETH CLEAN, AND THEY LOVE IT!
FRUIT - SOME DOGS ENJOY AN OCCASIONAL SNACK OF FRUIT, BUT DO NOT INCLUDE THEM IN MEALS. DO NOT FEED RAISINS OR GRAPES THEY ARE TOXIC TO DOGS. SOME DRIED FRUIT CAN BE QUITE NUTRITIOUS, SUCH AS DRIED APRICOTS OR PEACHES, BUT NOT AT ALL NECESSARY.
NUTS AND SEEDS - MOST DOGS ENJOY AN OCCASIONAL TREAT OF A SPOONFUL OF PEANUT BUTTER, BUT IT IS NOT REALLY ALL THAT GOOD FOR THEM, AND SOME NUTS ARE TOXIC (MACADAMIAS, FOR EXAMPLE)
DAIRY PRODUCTS - EGGS, COTTAGE CHEESE, YOGHURT, BUTTERMILK, FULL CREAM MILK
MEATS AND FISH - IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO VARY THE TYPE OF MEAT GIVEN, CHICKEN, BEEF, TURKEY, GAME FOWL OR MEAT, AND NOT ALWAYS THE SAME MEAT IN THE DIET. LABRADORS LOVE FISH, BUT PLEASE BE CAREFUL THAT IT DOES NOT CONTAIN LARGE BONES. CANNED TUNA IS FINE, CANNED PILCHARDS, AND CANNED MACKEREL, BUT IT MUST NOT CONTAIN ANY FLAVOURINGS, ONLY OIL.
SMALL WHOLE FISH SUCH AS SARDINES , HERRINGS OR HARDERS ARE ALSO VERY GOOD RAW BUT NOT TOO OFTEN OR TOO MUCH. ANOTHER VERY GOOD SOURCE OF PROTEIN , CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS IS WHAT SOME BUTCHERS CALL “BONEMEAL”. IT IS THE WASTE THAT IS REMOVED FROM THE MEAT SAWS DAILY, AND YOU CAN ASK YOUR BUTCHER TO KEEP AND FREEZE IT FOR YOU. THIS SHOULDN’T BE FED TO THEM DAILY, BUT ONCE A WEEK IT IS VERY GOOD, AND IS VERY CHEAP. SOME BUTCHERS EVEN GIVE IT TO YOU FREE.
CHICKEN NECKS ARE ALSO VERY GOOD AS THEY CONTAIN BONE, MEAT AND CARTILAGE.
ORGAN MEAT MUST BE GIVEN AS WELL, BUT IT IS VERY RICH (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HEART MEAT, WHICH IS PURE MUSCLE MEAT) AND IF GIVEN TOO OFTEN OR IN LARGE QUANTITIES COULD CAUSE DIARRHOEA. HEART MEAT IS VERY GOOD, IT CONTAINS THE NUTRIENTS WITHOUT THE RICHNESS OF OTHER ORGAN MEAT LIKE LIVER OR KIDNEYS. BEEF HEART IS FAIRLY EASY TO GET AND NOT EXPENSIVE, AND SO ARE CHICKEN HEARTS.

SUGAR IN MOST FORMS IS NOT GOOD FOR DOGS, BUT CHOCOLATE IN PARTICULAR IS TOXIC, AND THE DARKER THE CHOCOLATE, THE MORE TOXIC IT IS.
CHOCOLATE CAN ACTUALLY BE FATAL TO DOGS IF CONSUMED IN LARGE QUANTITIES, SUC H AS A SLAB OR BAR OF DARK CHOCOLATE OR PRODUCTS SUCH AS CHOCOLATE CAKE OR BISCUITS WHICH CONTAIN PURE CACAO.

HEALTHY SUPPLEMENTARY POWDER
BREWERS YEAST - i would suggest the vital product here, as it contains calcium and phosphorus in balanced amounts, which the other brands do not. Grind it up if bought in tablet form.
LECITHIN - this is available in granule form, and also in liquid form. If you are using the liquid form, please check with the consultant what the equivalent dosage would be. I do not believe that the liquid lasts, and it cannot be stored out of the fridge, so it isn’t very practical, and it would have to be added separately and not with the powders. The best thing to do for this is actually ask one of the pharmacists at the health food counter or aisle.
KELP POWDER - the best one is the natures choice pack which is available at dischem.
BONE MEAL POWDER - this is not the fresh ground bone and meat mentioned earlier, but a powder available from pharmacies and health shops.

SALMON OIL AND EVENING PRIMROSE CAPSULES - also available at springbok pharmacy or dis-chem, they come in plastic tubs of 180 or 270 either in 500mg or 1000mg. buy the 500mg, and give 1 capsule per 10kg of dog per day. So, as your puppy grows and puts on weight, you increase the amount of capsules you add to the food daily, until at adult weight it should be getting 3 capsules for bitches and 4 capsules for dogs.


AT FIRST GLANCE THIS SEEMS VERY COMPLICATED AND TIME CONSUMING, BUT IT REALLY ISN’T. ONCE YOU GET USED TO ADDING THESE ITEMS TO YOUR NORMAL SHOPPING LIST, AND MAKING UP YOUR FOOD IN BULK PORTIONS TO BE FROZEN, IT IS VERY EASY, AND WELL WORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT IN THE IMPROVED HEALTH AND CONDITION OF YOUR DOG.
OF COURSE, I DO REALISE THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT AS DEVOTED AS I AM TO PURE NATURAL HEALTH, EVEN FOR THEMSELVES, LET ALONE THEIR PETS!!!!!

RECIPE
3. ONE ON ONE
THIS DIET IS THE BEST ONE IN MY OPINION FOR EVERYDAY GENERAL FEEDING, AND THE OTHERS ONLY TO BE USED FOR EMERGENCIES OR HOLIDAY OR WEEKEND LAZIES.
2 CUPS VERY SOFT COOKED BROWN RICE.
1CUP CHOPPED OR GROUND RAW MEAT OR OFFAL
1 CUP WHOLE CHICKEN NECKS, WINGS, OR OTHER SAFELY CHEWED AND DIGESTED MEAT HIGH IN BONE AND CARTILAGE CONTENT. EACH COUNTRY WILL HAVE DIFFERENT CHEAPEST TYPES. I DO NOT FEED MY DOGS RAW PORK EVER BECAUSE IT CAN CARRY TAPEWORM.
1 CUP RAW CELERY, PARSLEY, CARROTS, AND COOKED BROCCOLI, CABBAGE, GREEN BEANS.
1 TABLESPOON OF HEALTHY POWDER (THE RECIPE FOR THIS IS ABOVE IN THE BOOKLET)
1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL (OR OLIVE OIL EVEN BETTER)
1 SALMON OIL/EPRIM . CAPSULE (500MG, 1PER 10KG OF DOG PER DAY, IE. UP TO 4 CAPS)
1 LEVEL TEASPOON CRUSHED GARLIC, RAW OR COOKED. (IT HELPS TO KEEP THE TICKS AND FLEAS OFF)
1 RAW EGG
½ CUP OF FULL CREAM YOGHURT OR BUTTERMILK (THE KEY HERE IS THAT IT MUST BE A LIVE CULTURE)

THIS RECIPE YIELDS ABOUT 4 CUPS OF FOOD, AND A LABRADOR WOULD NEED ABOUT 4 CUPS PER DAY

IN ADDITION TO THIS I ALSO GIVE MY DOGS A VERY LARGE BONE ONCE A WEEK - IT MUST BE A BONE CUT FROM THE LARGE KNEE OR HIP JOINT OF A COW, PREFERABLY, AS THESE BONES ARE "SUGARY" IN TEXTURE AND CONTAIN NO SPLINTERS OF HARD BONE AT ALL. IDEALLY IT SHOULD TAKE YOUR LAB ABOUT AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET THROUGH IT, THAT WOULD BE THE RIGHT SIZE, AND THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TOOTH CLEANING.

THEY ARE ALSO ALLOWED THE ODD CRUNCHY BISCUIT TREAT, BUT I DO TRY TO EITHER COOK THESE MYSELF, OR BUY A BRAND I KNOW CONTAINS NO ARTIFICIAL COLOUR, FLAVOUR OR PRESERVATIVES.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN EXTRACT ONLY FROM MY BOOKLET ON THE NATURAL FOOD DIET, AND MY BOOKLET IS ASSEMBLED FROM INFORMATION GLEANED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, ARTICLES AND BOOKS.
ANY OF THESE I WILL BE WILLING TO FORWARD TO YOU BY PRIVATE MESSAGE OR E-MAIL ON REQUEST.

[Andy View Andy's Profile Find Andy's Posts Find Andy's Threads Send Andy a message E-Mail Andy]

very useful info thanks for this, should be very useful to members.

[labmaniac View labmaniac's Profile Find labmaniac's Posts Find labmaniac's Threads Send labmaniac a message E-Mail labmaniac]

As requested by Andy, I have added a list here of the health and other benefits of feeding this diet, as observed by myself personally, and confirmed by various studies, all of which are available on the web on links to the BARF DIET, DR. PITCAIRN, THE NATURAL HEALTH FOR CATS AND DOGS DIET, RAW FOOD FOR DOGS, and I daresay countless other sites and also discussion forums by the hundred.
1. Improved immunity to diseases and allergies.
2. Dramatic improvement in coat condition.
3. "doggie breath" syndrome practically non-existent.
4. Pungent doggy smell in coat disappears entirely.
5. Coprophagia (eating of poo) disappears.
6. Poos are dramatically reduced in size (by more than half), and offensive odour. They also degrade far more rapidly, and turn into powdery white substance.
7. Teeth naturally clean and never need de-scaling.
8. Increased alertness and general enthusiam and well-being.
9. Improved appetite and general enjoyment of food and mealtimes.
10. Far smaller need for water intake.
11. Dramatically reduced incidence of torsion gut, kidney and liver disease and cancer.

Do please take the trouble to read up about this diet and its benefits on the web? There is so much information available that I couldn't possibly put even a fraction of it here! All I can say is that since I began my dogs on this type of diet I have never looked back or regretted it.

[Andy View Andy's Profile Find Andy's Posts Find Andy's Threads Send Andy a message E-Mail Andy]

Thanks i'm sure this will be useful to all members, new and old and also visitors to the site

[Tinglesnark View Tinglesnark's Profile Find Tinglesnark's Posts Find Tinglesnark's Threads Send Tinglesnark a message E-Mail Tinglesnark]

Wow! I have been interested in this way of feeding since i first heard of it a few weeks ago but it really does seem a lot of faff for someone in my position (im a childminder with a young family of my own)
How much would you expect to pay for this feed?
I remember a lady mentioning that you had to feed either/or meaning that you couldnt feed cooked/processed with raw as a dog stomach digests both at different rates.
I would be interested to see your replies

[Andy View Andy's Profile Find Andy's Posts Find Andy's Threads Send Andy a message E-Mail Andy]

There are many people that feed a mixed diet, of raw and a complete dog food with no problems.

[Tinglesnark View Tinglesnark's Profile Find Tinglesnark's Posts Find Tinglesnark's Threads Send Tinglesnark a message E-Mail Tinglesnark]

oh brill, thanks its amazinghow much conflicting onfo that you get isnt it?

[Andy View Andy's Profile Find Andy's Posts Find Andy's Threads Send Andy a message E-Mail Andy]

There is a lot of conflicting info, thats the trouble with the internet.

[Tinglesnark View Tinglesnark's Profile Find Tinglesnark's Posts Find Tinglesnark's Threads Send Tinglesnark a message E-Mail Tinglesnark]

Yep! It can be a minefield (sorry for the typos - I use my Iphone a lot When I get a spare 5 mins with a cuppa and I'm rubbish on the touch screen!)

[Andy View Andy's Profile Find Andy's Posts Find Andy's Threads Send Andy a message E-Mail Andy]

Understandable i'm pretty rubbish at spelling to, and the i and o are right next to each other.