What do I feed my dogs?

I am frequently being asked what I feed my dogs and where I get my dogs food. 

I firmly believe in feeding a diet, which is as natural as possible. Feeding a diet of raw meat, raw bones and raw vegetables. This is what dogs and their wolf ancestors have been eating for millions of years and benefits include: a glossy coat, healthy skin, lean muscle tone, robust immune system, sweet smelling breath, healthy teeth and gums, better digestion, strong heart and more energy.

Dogs eating a raw food diet can be expected to live longer and to suffer less illness, allergies and disease. 

It doesn’t matter which brand of dog food you use or how much it costs, its never going to be as good for your dog as raw, fresh meat, bone and vegetable. The key problems with processed dog food are:

•  It’s cooked. Cooking destroys 70% of the nutritional value of the food from a dog’s       perspective and makes it exceedingly difficult to digest.
• It can contain inappropriate and damaging chemicals (binders colourings, preservatives and other additives.) These may be absorbed through the bowel wall and transported to other organs, with a range of harmful effects.
• The quality of the ingredients is usually poor. Even expensive dog food often has very, very low-quality ingredients.
•  Most dog foods contain a high percentage of grain (including rice), which is unsuitable for the canine digestive system and causes allergies.
•  It generally fails to clean the dog’s teeth and gums, allowing plaque to build up. This gives rise to periodontal disease and worse.

What is BARF?

You may of heard people talking about the BARF diet. This is the same thing as natural feeding. BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food an acronym thought up by an Australian vet called Ian Billinghurst. The other big natural feeding hero is Tom Lonsdale (also a vet) who leads up the Raw Meaty Bones Lobby.

So where do I get the meat and bones from to feed my dogs?

Here at Vicky’s dog care I only recommend using ethically sourced meat when searching for a raw food supplier. So for me that is my first priority when looking for good meat and bone to feed my dogs.

I avoid as much as possible any meat containing antibiotics and chemicals and recommend others do the same for their dogs. During my work I regularly see the affects contributed by the overuse of chemicals so for me this is a very important factor to consider when choosing a supplier.

Apart from Intensively farmed animals leading short, painful lives in appalling conditions.  Intensively reared meat is much more likely to be packed with harmful chemicals since they are given many more drugs to keep them alive. Animals reared on feed such as corn and soybeans that may be GMO is also a big issue as it increases the need for chemical and antibiotic use. All of this then goes into your dog if you feed meat and bone from this source.

So for me my first step is to ensure that the meat and bone I buy for my dogs has NOT been intensively reared and is as free as it can be from chemicals and antibiotics.  

I always insist that:

. Chicken, pork and turkey are free range

. Rabbit and venison are free range or wildMany times

. Lamb and beef have been grass fed or are free range.

Ok I will agree buying meat from compassionately farmed animals is more expensive. However I look at it as an insurance policy for my dogs and my family. The more we avoid unnecessary antibiotics and chemicals the better. Also as an animal lover I will never support intensive farming. Sadly having a conscience these days does cost that little bit extra.

I source my meat and bone for feeding my dogs from Honeys real dog food.

If you give Honeys a call and mention Vicky at Vicky’s Dog Care I know they will bend over backwards to help you.

Tel: 01672 620 260   Email: info@honeysrealdogfood.com

To those of you who perhaps don’t know me that well please be assured that here at Vicky’s Dog Care I do not earn commission for introducing customers to any dog food company. I only recommend products and services I would be prepared to use myself. I can only give my personal opinion. This is based on over 25 years of owning, grooming, showing, handling and breeding dogs. My advice is always based on my personal experience and knowledge. 

I particularly like Honeys as a company as they are a traditional, family-run, old-fashioned, ethical business. They most certainly DO NOT support intensive farming and for the experienced raw feeder who enjoys a bit of DIY dog food style, they can supply ethically sourced ingredients including free-range meat, wild meat and organic meat which is sourced as locally as possible (never from abroad) and are as good as you would eat yourself.

For the dog owner who wants to feed raw but prefers the no DIY approach they are also able to supply and make your dog’s food to order, meaning they can adjust the ingredients and quantities to suit your needs.

Visit Honeys Real Dog Food

Recommended reading

Honeys Natural Feeding Handbook For Dogs By Jonathan Self

ISBN 978-0-9570753-0-6

This plain English, comprehensive, easy to follow guide contains everything you need to know about natural feeding.

• Why naturally fed dogs lead longer, happier and healthier lives.
• How to switch your dog to a natural diet in three easy steps
• How canine digestion works
• Why tinned and dried food is 'junk food' for dogs
• Lots of tips, recipes and advice
• Special diets for poorly dogs
• How to give your puppies the best start in life
• Details of popular BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diets