Our dogs eat an all-natural diet that keeps them healthy and fit. I make their food myself, so I know exactly what’s in it and where the ingredients came from. As with human food, fresh ingredients that don’t have a lot of chemicals and preservatives are the best.
At our house, we mostly serve two types of dog food:
-
Raw food in stainless steel bowls
raw food for dinner
- “brownies” for breakfast and whenever we travel
Variety can, and should, be included in both of these types.
Raw food is exactly what it sounds like: food that is not cooked. Raw food has more nutrients than cooked food. Also, the canine digestive system evolved to process raw food.
Since the menu varies, the dogs are always curious about “what’s for dinner tonight?” Variety means better nutrition and a well-entertained dog! Besides, since the food isn’t pre-processed and does include bones, the dogs can’t wolf it down the way they do with prepared food. Dinner can take 15-30 minutes, which makes the meal an interesting experience for them.
Before you object, let me assure you: this is pure, untainted food –and trust me, the dogs don’t let it sit around long enough to become otherwise! We buy our meat and bones from reputable sources, and suggest you do too. We like buying directly from free-range farms, in bulk, and keeping a supply in a large freezer.
To keep the kitchen clean, we’ve taught the dogs to stay on their rugs and eat out of oversized stainless steel bowls. Meal time is an easy time to teach something like “stay on your rug.” Dogs are eager to figure out what you want when the reward is their food bowl!
A few trusted books and our veterinarian helped us figure out the healthiest proportions. (We asked around until we found a vet that was knowledgeable about food.) Our dogs get:
- 80% meat, including bones. The bones are a tremendous source of nutrients, and also excellent on the teeth and gums.
- 20% glop: a mixture of vegetables and other ingredients that provide the nutrients meat doesn’t offer.
Raw Meat
Our “hunt” for raw meat has become an easy routine. Once a month, or even every other month, we load up a large cooler at a chicken farm, beef farm, or butcher. We divide our haul into manageable-size bags and put them in the deep freeze. Each week we grab a bag or two for the fridge.
In our routine, chicken is our most regular meat. We give our dogs bones that still have a lot of meat on them: breastbones, backs, wings, and necks. You may have heard that chicken bones kill dogs because splinters get stuck in their throats or stomachs. That’s true of cooked chicken bones, but raw chicken bones are as good for your dog as any other kind.
Then we add some variety each week. Good choices are:
- Beef ribs
- Ox tail
- Whole rabbit
- Turkey necks
- Lamb shanks
In addition to the raw meat, several times a week we serve our dogs “veggie glop.” This concoction provides a variety of foods that your dog needs in smaller doses – such as calcium (through egg shells), garlic, veggies, fruits, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, etc.
Raw chicken and veggie dog food mix
Occasionally we take a shortcut and serve veggie dog food mix instead of veggie glop, along with the raw meat. The dogs love it but I don’t believe it’s quite as healthy, so we only do it about once a week or so.
