Choosing what to feed your dog can be difficult with the market offering so many different brands and options. Although every dog is unique, they all need the same fundamental nutrition within their diet. And I believe strongly that we can prevent many food-related diseases like diabetes, arthritis, dental disease, organ failure, and cancer by providing the best quality kibble, fresh meals, and natural supplements, that we can. And this does not always mean the most expensive.
Dogs have been sharing food, real food, with their humans for thousands of years. Fresh meat, raw bones and some plant material. Although dogs are true carnivores, they have adapted and have come to eat a more omnivorous diet.
When I was a child, many dogs were fed table scraps of meat, bones, vegetables, and the occasional leftover school sandwich. They didn’t have a huge regime of immunizations or medications to ingest or put onto their skin.
But as time went on and as our knowledge of human nutrition evolved and we learned more about what is ideal for best human health, so did our understanding of canine nutrition and well-being.
The last 30+ years has seen a massive increase in Canine Cancers, and unfortunately many cheap mass-produced kibble (with up to a 20-year shelf life) contain known carcinogens.
For example, BHA: Butylated hydroxyanisole is a food preservative in kibble. Please note this chemical has been banned in Australia, Japan, and many other countries. And this is just one of many.
I’ve owned dogs all my life and when it comes to caring for and feeding my dogs, here’s where I would like to quote the late great Maya Angelou “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”
Well, we know better now, my own dogs have been thriving on a mixed diet for over two decades. They have always had a premium kibble, for the past 5 years we have been feeding them Meals 4 Mutts which is made right here in Australia. We are also now feeding this to our whelping mothers and their puppies.
With this kibble we also add an assortment of raw and cooked lean animal proteins, bone, organ meat as well as fruits, vegetables, seeds, and Omega Oil. By doing this we strongly believe our mothers bounce back from their pregnancies better, and their pups will have the very best start in life once weaned.
You don’t have to make the full commitment to raw, even just feeding a little more fresh or home cooked in a nutritionally sound way will absolutely benefit your dog. Adding some extras on top of a nutritious kibble, will also benefit your pets. For me and my dogs I don’t believe it needs to be either or.
Here are some links :
· Bryce & Kenzie are a couple of my Favourite Canine Nutritionists https://thebkpets.com/
· Renee is a fantastic Animal Behaviouralist https://www.rplusdogs.com/
Darling Labradoodles
Breeding Happiness, One Dog at a Time