For those contemplating home cooked or raw diets

anne

Yes this is from a commercial site that sells supplements but their newsletters are very good. This may be a place to start for those that are interesting in exploring home cooked or raw diets.

Their newsletters are archived here:
http://b-naturals.com/newsindex.php

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Subject: B-Naturals Newsletter - October 2007 - FAQ on Home Made Diets
From: "Brenda Warner" <rotts4life@comcast.net>
Date: Wed, September 26, 2007 8:00 pm
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;

FAQ on Home Made Diets
B-Naturals Newsletter
October 2007

By
Lew Olson,
PhD Natural Health, LMSW-ACP

After publishing the August newsletter on dealing with terminal illness that was
written by Doug Koktavy, I lost my beloved Bean on August 4, 2007 to renal failure.
I took a little a time off which is why there was no September newsletter. Bean
would always want us to celebrate his life, and nothing pleased him more than a
fresh food diet. This month, I will address frequently asked questions for people
just starting out, or considering changing their dog's menu. I can tell you, Bean
would approve very much!

Blackwood The Green Mile, (Bean) July 9th, 2002- August 4th, 2007

Frequently Asked Questions on Home Made Diets

1. How much food do I feed my dog?

Answer: The general rule of thumb is to feed 2% to 3% of the dog's "ideal"
body weight. For instance, if you feel your dog needs to weigh more, use this
percentage for the weight you would like your dog to weigh. If you think your dog
needs to lose weight, feed to the percentage that meets that goal.

Example: One pound equals approximately two cups.

100 lb dog = 2 lb to 3 lb daily, or two meals of 1 to 1-1/2 lbs each meal.

75 lb dog = 1-1/2 lb to 2-3/4 lb daily or two meals of 12 oz. to 18 oz. each meal.

50 lb dog = 1 lb to 1-1/2 lb daily or two meals of 8 oz. to 12 oz. each meal.

25 lb dog = 8 oz. to 12 oz. daily or two meals of 4 oz. to 6 oz. each meal.

2. How often should I feed my dog?

Answer: Two meals per day are recommended. However, many dogs do fine with
one meal per day. If you are feeding two meals per day, it is suggested you feed one
raw meaty bone meal and one muscle and organ meat meal. If you are feeding a raw
meaty bone diet and only feed one meal per day, you may want to feed raw meaty bones
one day and muscle and organ meat the next.

Do not fast a dog, unless medically indicated, as dogs need to eat every day, just
like we do.

3. What kind of diet is better? A raw diet or a home cooked diet?

Answer: Both are fine. It is a matter of deciding what is easiest for you
and what you are most comfortable feeding your dog. Each diet has its own pro's and
con's. Raw diets don't involve cooking, which saves time, and they have their own
calcium source (the bones) already in place. Cooked diets can be made in advance,
put into individual servings, and are ready to feed once thawed. Both offer the
benefit of serving your dog unprocessed, fresh food.

4. What are the benefits of a fresh food (raw or home cooked) diet?

Answer: When I first started feeding a raw diet, it was for a specific health
reason. The side effects were not only unexpected, but a welcomed surprise. Some of
these included loss of 'doggy' odor, clean skin, sweet breath and clean teeth. And
lastly, the stool size decreased, along with the odor. My dogs have leaner, more
muscled bodies and their energy levels and endurance are better in the show ring,
performance ring and home at play. Nothing beats the nutrients from fresh food. A
home made diet, either raw or home cooked offers better nutrition than a processed,
commercial diet.

5. How will I know if my dog is getting a balanced meal?

Answer: A "Balanced" diet is a commercial food issue. When a dog's diet
consists of only a particular brand and flavor of one commercial dog food, that food
must be complete and balanced. When you serve home prepared meals, you offer variety
in those meals. The variety of foods you feed help to give more nutrients to your
dog for a more nutrition packed menu. What we do need to ensure with home prepared
diet is proper calcium to phosphorus ratio. In home cooked diets (no bones added),
you need to add about 900 mg of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate to each pound
of food served. When using raw meaty bone meals, you would make 40% to 50% of the
diet in raw meaty bones and the other portion in muscle meat and organ meat (about
5% to 10%). You can add to this meat meal pureed vegetables, dairy and eggs if
preferred. To both of these meals, you can add EPA fish oil capsules (for the omega
3 fatty acids, at about one per 20 lbs of body weight daily), vitamin E, vitamin C
and B complex. You can find these vitamins in the Berte's Daily Blend and the
Berte's Immune Blend).

6. Won't a diet change upset my dog's digestive tract?

Answer: Normally, dogs make the transition to a raw or cooked diet pretty
easily. Some dogs, however, if they have been on dry food for a long time may react
to the fat in the home cooked or raw diet. Because of this, I generally advise
people to use lower fat foods (remove the skin from the chicken, use low fat cuts of
meat, low fat or non fat dairy) in the beginning and start the diet by either mixing
the new food with their kibble or start the new diet in smaller, more frequent
meals. Most dogs do not have any upset at all. The two main causes of stomach upset
come from feeding too much food (it isn't hard to give a dog too much of something
they like!) or feeding too much fat in the diet.

7. What can I do if my dog gains too much weight?

Answer: One way to tell if a dog weight is too much is to check his ribs with
your fingers. If you have to 'dig' to find the ribs, the dog weighs too much.
Ideally, you don't want to see the ribs, but you don't want to have to 'dig' to find
them. To take some weight off your dog, you can cut meal portions by 10% and reduce
some of the fat in the diet. You do the opposite if your dog is losing weight. If
this is the case, increase meal portions by 10% and add more fat to the diet.

8. What about bacteria in home made diets?

Dogs have a short and simple digestive tract, which is very different than ours.
Their digestive systems are designed to eat raw meat and bones. It is always
important to use USDA approved meat, and of course, use sensible handling of raw
food. This includes proper refrigeration; using clean containers and practicing good
clean up procedures. Remember, dogs handle bacteria much differently than we do.
They walk on the dirt, sniff and lick each others private parts, drink pond water,
grab and eat long dead things on the road and many even eat stool. Store bought meat
is much cleaner than these. For more information on safety of raw meat, please read
Christie Keith's article, here: http://www.caberfeidh.com/Safe.htm. I have been
feeding as many as 15 - 18 dogs of my own, plus rescue dogs a raw diet for over 10
years and I have never had issues with bacteria or parasites from meat. And note
here that the number of dogs I have fed is more than the numbers needed for
laboratory research testing.

9. Are parasites a concern in raw or cooked meat?

Answer: No. As long as you are using USDA approved meat, it is fine. Pork
had concerns with trichinosis some years ago, but this rarely seen. Cooking or heavy
freezing (as is done before pork ever hits the grocery selves) is fine. Most
parasites are found in the stool, and can be a concern in some wild game meat, such
as wild pigs.

10. Are there special considerations for Puppies and Senior Dogs?

Answer: Puppies adapt very easily to a raw or home cooked diet. We do feed
puppies a higher quantity of food (approximately 5% to 10% of their body weight
daily) and feed the more frequently - four meals a day. For more on puppy diets, you
can read the newsletter at this link:

http://www.b-naturals.com/Mar2007.php

Senior dogs actually need more protein than an adult dog, so the high
bioavailability of a fresh food diet is ideal for them. Sometimes we need to feed a
diet lower in fat to our seniors, but keeping them active with regular exercise such
as frequent walks and play time, also helps with weight control.

See the article on feeding puppies and seniors:

http://www.b-naturals.com/Jun2006.php

For more information and additional reading, please read the following newsletters:

Here is a newsletter that includes recipes and instructions for home cooked diets
for dogs:

http://www.b-naturals.com/Apr2006.php

This newsletter is about Raw diets for dogs and includes recipes:

http://www.b-naturals.com/May2006.php

I hope everyone is enjoying the seasonal changes of Fall, I know my dogs are
enjoying the cool, crisp weather! Don't forget to give all your dogs a big kiss and
hug today! I will see you next month!

Lew

Product Specials

a.. No Specials in April.
b.. Free Freight Friday is Friday, October 19, 2007. Any orders placed on this
day only over $75.00 will be shipped freight free (continental US only) via UPS
Ground. Mark this date on your calendar! NOTE: Qualifying orders will have
freight deducted at the time the order is shipped and processed.

No Specials in September.

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