Nutrition for happy, healthy dogs Part II

"If you are one of the many people who are still on the fence about changing your dog's diet, you are not alone. Many people are skeptical about making a complete switch to a raw or home-cooked diet. Don't worry. Changing your dog's diet does not have to be an all or nothing affair." (Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs by Lew Olsen PhD)

There are many ways to maximise the health and nutrition of your dogs without breaking the bank or frying your brain. Here are your options listed from the freshest food for dogs to the most processed: 

1. Raw food: raw muscle & raw organ meat, raw meaty bones, lightly cooked veg   
2. Home cooked: cooked muscle & organ meat, cooked veg +/- raw meaty bones* (RMB are optional but if given, bones must always be raw, never cooked)
3. Kibble with "real" food added: see recommended additions to boost nutrition below
4. Kibble and/or tinned dog food

 
Whether you decide on a home cooked or raw food diet for your dog is a personal choice. I feed Zuma and Perro raw and I cook for Gracie. Some people jump straight into feeding raw, others are happy that home-cooked is good for their dog and do-able for their lifestyle. And many people begin by simply adding fresh food and gradually reducing kibble or tinned. 

Two common concerns about switching dogs from processed to fresh food are the cost and the complexity.

Taking cost first; meat is definitely more expensive than kibble, particularly here in Switzerland. So yes, your dog's food will cost more. But there are ways to reduce the costs and ultimately, your vet bills should be far, far lower in the long run. My biggest advice is to figure out when your local supermarket discounts short dated meats and buy up as much as you can. In my case it's Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. Migros sells fresh meat for dogs at CHF10/kg but because its very short dated, I often get it at half that price. Get to know your butcher. Add lower cost ingredients such as tinned tuna, courgette and eggs to bulk out meals for hungry dogs. And of course, keep any leftovers from family meals (no onions, seasoning, potato or cooked bones). 

In terms of complexity; feeding your dog a fresh food diet is no more challenging than feeding your family a fresh food diet, despite what the pet food industry would have us believe. There are online forums, books, DIY options, pre packaged frozen complete meals and home delivery services. There is an initial learning curve and you will need freezer space, but once you're up and running, you will see how easy, cost effective and rewarding it is. And you will have a healthy, happy, slim, fresh smelling dog with a shiny coat, good teeth and just the right amount of energy.

If you think raw food is the right option for you and your dog, here is some more information on getting started. If home cooking is your preferred route, I really recommend buying my book of the month as a starting point. And if dry or tinned food is the right option for your dog, or you're not ready to make the switch to fresh food for whatever reason, here is some practical, easy advice on maximising the nutrition of kibble.

Boosting the nutrition of dry or tinned dog food:

1. Buy the best quality dry or tinned food. Check this website for impartial nutritional advice about the most popular dog food brands. If asked, I suggest Orijen and Acana dry food and Terra Canis tinned food but it is strongly advisable to switch brands from time to time. Here is a good website for buying the brands mentioned above, delivery from Geneva is quick and free. 
2. Rotate the food - buy a different brand and change the protein type each time you buy a bag. This is very important. Every pet food manufacturer adds a standard vitamin mix to their dry foods. Switching manufacturer means your dog will benefit from different vitamin pre-mixes as well as different proteins. 
3. Add cooked fresh food: meat (beef, pork, chicken, lamb, turkey), organ meat (liver, kidney), tinned mackerel and sardines in water, eggs, cottage cheese, bone broth and/or natural goats milk yoghurt. Introduce each new food slowly and gradually to avoid tummy upset. Also, reduce the amount of kibble as you add fresh food so your dog is not over eating. If you want to introduce raw food, please read this guide. It is advised that up to 20% fresh food can be added  to kibble/tinned diets without disturbing the nutritional balance.  
4. Why not start by having a kibble free day once a week - maybe join us for Sardine Saturday and give your dog tinned sardines, eggs, some turkey or chicken and broccoli that day. 
5. Add pre and probiotics to improve gut health - you can buy supplements from your vet or online here
6. ​Add lightly steamed veg - broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale and a little fresh fruit.
7. Do NOT add any carbohydrates, dry food already contains far too much.
8. Do NOT feed onions, avocados, macademia nuts, grapes, raisins, potatoes, chocolate, peas, beans or cooked bones. All are dangerous for dogs.

​Why not boost the kibble or bite the bullet entirely?! Feed your dog fresh food for three months and see for yourself? You can always switch back if you don't see the benefits. PLEASE let me know if you take up the challenge! And IF you want to jump directly to feeding raw food please read this article next.
​