FRESH WHOLE FOOD FOR YOUR DOG'S HEALTH

 

Fresh whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat, healthy oils, herbs and spices offer our dogs digestible, nutrient rich food without the dangerous additives found in many pet store food products.

Some people like to remove kibble completely from their dog’s diet and go to a completely whole food diet. If you would like to learn more about what makes a commercially produced dog kibble good or bad for your dog you can click here.

My dogs get homemade cooked dog food  and homemade treats in the morning and early evening and then, later in the evening they get their bowl of fresh food.

As an example - per day:

• My larger dogs (German Shepherds and my Boxer) eat 1¹/₈  to 1¹/₄ cup of home made cooked dog food but they eat about 3 cups of fresh food a day;
• My medium size dogs (Australian Shepherd and a smaller female GSD) eat 3/4 cup of cup of home made cooked dog food and 2¹/₂cups fresh food a day;
• My small dogs (Sheltie and a Cocker Spaniel) eat 1/2 cup of home made cooked dog food and 1 cup of raw food.
• My Chihuahua eats 1/8 cup home made cooked dog food and 1/2 cup fresh food a day. 
• My 4lb Pomeranian eats 2 tbs of home made cooked dog food and 1/4 cup fresh food. 

Their daily ration of fresh food is shown below...

Feeding your dog fresh whole foods as part of a balanced diet can have a profoundly positive affect on a dog's overall health and can be a great aid in avoiding, treating and remedying many health issues - for example periodontal problems and GI tract problems.

Protein

Meat is a rich source of protein, amino acids and contains many nutrients necessary for the health of dogs. Organically raised or chemical free raised is always a better choice than meat coming from farms that use antibiotics, steroids, pesticide and herbicide grown feed etc. Some people like to feed their dog raw meat, while others prefer to provide their dog with cooked meat. I feed my dogs cooked fish and cooked chicken rather than raw meat. They all get yogurt on a daily basis, some get cheese as well.  

Lean red muscle and organ meat such as:
Beef
Lamb

Pork

Poultry such as:
Chicken
Duck
Turkey

Fish (cooked or canned) in particular fatty fish such as:

Anchovies

Salmon

Sardines

Shad

Smelt

Mackerel

You can also add other forms of protein such as:

Eggs

Dairy

Cottage Cheese

Hard Cheese such as cheddar cheese, mozzarella for example

Yogurt

Seeds
Flax Seeds (brown or golden, use ground flax seed as opposed to whole flax seed)

Pumpkin Seeds (best if pulverized or ground)

Legumes

Split Peas (cooked)

Lentils (cooked)

Peanuts - Peanut Butter

There are some facts that you need to be aware of when it comes to whole food protein...

Raw pork…Never feed your dog raw pork as doing so can cause trichinosis - a parasitic disease caused by eating raw of undercooked pork or wild game infected with the larvae of one species of round worm.

Raw fish…Never feed your dog raw fish as it may contain flukes - a parasite that infests the liver.

Dairy products…Just like with people, some dogs are lactose intolerant. None of my dogs have any adverse reaction to cheese or yogurt. Yogurt is a good source of protein and also a source of acidophilus which helps to prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria in the digestive track. Plain yogurt or yogurt with natural fruit sweetened with honey is best. Yogurt sweetened with sugar is alright but your dog does not require sugar. Yogurt sweetened with artificial sweeteners should be avoided. Xylitol is especially dangerous for dogs and can result in liver damage.

Raw eggs…Some people advise that dogs should not be given raw eggs due to the chance of salmonella poisoning. It is also true that a dog’s stomach acids are stronger than a human’s and a dog produces more bile than a human does. While dogs are better at fighting salmonella than humans, dogs still get salmonella poisoning, but they can tolerate higher levels of salmonella than we can. If you want to be on the safe side you can cook your dog’s egg. Also, it is important to note that eggs contain avidin, an enzyme that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). Bioten deficiency can lead to hair and coat problems - so don’t give your dog eggs on a daily basis - once a week is ok.

Peanuts… Aflatoxins grow mainly on grains but they also grow on legumes - like peanuts, walnuts and pecans. aflatoxins cause liver cancer. This is one reason why you will hear some people say do not give your dogs nuts. While there are some nuts that you should never give your dogs ( like walnuts and macadamia nuts) it is fine to give your dog peanuts and peanut butter - they are a good source of nutrition - just make sure you are giving them human grade peanuts products. Peanuts sold for bird and livestock feed are permitted to contain aflatoxins, while human grade peanuts are banned from containing aflatoxins.

Too much protein? Yes, the ongoing debate about how much protein is too much for a dog’s diet. While I think it is best to provide a variety of foods to dogs, I think we need to fixate less on worrying about too much protein and be more concerned about the quality of the protein. In particular the protein source in kibble! Ingesting and processing high quality protein does not strain and damage a dog’s organs the way poor quality protein does. This is one reason why you need to be mindful of the protein source in the kibble you feed your dog. If you would like to learn a little more about this subject you can click here. 

Fruits and Vegetables

Many people think that giving a dog fruit and/or vegetables will give the dog diarrhea. In actual fact high quality soluble fibre helps prevent diarrhea and constipation. 
 

Soluble fibers attract water and form a gel, which slows down digestion thereby delaying the emptying of the stomach and makes a dog feel full, which helps control hunger and weight. Slower stomach emptying can also have a beneficial affect on controlling blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, which helps control diabetes. Apples, oranges, pears, berries, cucumbers, celery, and carrots are examples of fruits and vegetables that provide soluble fibres.

Insoluble fibers are gastrointestinal tract (GI Tract) friendly as they have a laxative effect, add bulk to the diet and help prevent constipation. Insoluble fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the GI tract primarily intact speeding up the passage of food and waste. Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, fruit, and root vegetable skins are examples of fruits and vegetables that provide unsoluble fibres. 

As noted above, fruit and veggies contain a lot of good soluble and unsoluble fibre, but they are also rich in vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and are naturally low in fat while being filling.  

Eating fresh fruit and vegetables also plays an important role in:

• Helping to boost the immune system;
• Helping the body eliminate toxins;
• Keeping organs, eyes, teeth etc. healthy;
• Preventing colon cancer;
• Reducing the risk of developing heart and vascular problems, stroke and cancer;
• Reducing the risk of inflamed anal glands (which result in ‘scudding’, burst glands and discharge);
• Aiding in good oral health;

If your dog is overweight one of the best ways to help it to lose weight is to add veggies to the dog’s diet. The herb turmeric can also help as can coconut oil. While delivering great quality nutrients they also help:

• Keep weight under control - thereby reducing risk of:
• Diabetes, and:
• Stress on joints. 
• Inflammation of joints is another contributing factor to the onset of cancer. 

These are just a few of the many benefits that fruits and veggies offer to our dog’s health.

In the wild, dogs eat pre-digested fruits and vegetableswhen the consume the digestive organs of herbaceous prey, as well they also consume some plants, fruits, vegetables to self-heal and boost their immune systems. Grass is one such example.

  

The fruits and vegetables that I give to me dogs on a daily basis vary a little depending on the season,for instance watermelon in the summer and oranges in the winter. The following provides a partial list of fruits and vegetables that are good for dogs. You can use fresh, canned or frozen fruit. If you are going to give your dog canned fruit, make sure it is packed in juice not syrup - sugar is not good for dogs. You can use fresh, canned, frozen and/or cooked veggies. 

Fruit
Apples (remove the seeds, as they contain arsenic which is toxic to dogs)
Apricots
Avocado in small amounts is OK for dogs. Avocados contain persin - a fungicidal toxin. When a dog is fed large amounts of the fruit vomiting and diarreha can result from overdose of persin.   The pit of the avocado is toxic to dogs and should never be consumed by dogs.
Bananas
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Canary Melon
Cherries (remove the pit)
Clementines
Cranberries
Coconut (fresh or dry non sweetened, shredded)
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Kiwi
Mangos (remove the pit)
Nectarines (remove the pit)
Oranges
Papaya
Peaches (remove the pit)
Pears (remove the seeds)
Pineapple
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries
Thimbleberries
Tomatoes
Watermelon

Vegetables
Alfalfa Sprouts
Apricots
Asparagus
Anise
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Celery
Chicory
Cucumber
Green Beans
Green or Red Leaf Lettuce
Kelp
Yellow Beans (wax beans)
Tomatoes
Squash
Sugar Snap Peas (in the pod or out)
Sweet Green Peppers
Sweet Red Peppers (yellow, orange and purple peppers)
Peas
Pumpkin
Romain
Zucchini

Roots Vegetables
Beets
Carrots
Corn
Parsnips
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Yams

When feeding your dogs fruits and veggies…

• Don’t give your dog produce that is going bad - moldy, rotting, slimy, you can make your dog ill;

• Wash the food item to remove dirt, contaminates, and as much pesticide/herbicide as can be removed if the produce is not organic;

• Cut/chop/shred (as appropriate) the produce into small pieces. It is easier to digest and you would not want your dog to choke on a piece that became lodged in their throat. If the dog is very small - 15lbs to 2 lbs cut the produce in finer pieces. Zoey my 12 lb Pomeranian once got a piece of cauliflower caught in his airway - completely blocked. Zoey quickly became unconscious and if I had not administered the Heimlich manoeuvre and mouth to mouth resuscitation he would have died in front of my eyes;

• When you introduce new fruits and veggies to your dog's diet it is best to introduce each new food one at a time. If there is any kind of negative reaction, such as stomach upset or allergies you will be able to pinpoint the culprit. None of my dogs have any allergies to fruits and veggies with the exception of Robbie my Boxer. Robbie is allergic to some green vegetables.

Herbs

People have used herbs and spices to add flavour to food and to treat ailments for thousands of years. So it should not be surprising that there are many herbs and spices that are good for our dog's health. Herbs and spices can boost the  immune system and are rich in vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidents to name just a few benefits. If you would like to find out more about herbs and spices you can add to your dog's diet click here. Herbs such as Turmeric and/or Curcumin can also help your dog loss weight and maintain a healthy weight.

Grains

Make sure that you only provide your dog with human quality grains. If the grains are not from human grade they will contain aflatoxins. Aflatoxins cause liver cancer. Grain that is sold for bird and livestock feed is allowed to contain aflatoxins. Always cook the grains. Grains absorb liquid, so ingesting uncooked or grains that have not been pre-soaked can lead to swelling and bursting of the stomach…dangerous at the least, lethal at worst. If you want to use grains in your dog's diet these are the better grains to use…

• Oatmeal
• Barley
• Bulgur
• Quinoa
• Millet
• Brown Rice
• Pot Barley 

Grains can be completely replaced by (for example) substituting a combination of sweet potato, chickpeas and lentils as demonstrated in these recipes for homemade dog food.

Fats

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are very important for the overall health of a dog. However the intake of Omega-3 and Omega-6 must be balanced correctly. The ratio should be in the range of 2:1 for Omega-6 to Omega-3. An out-of-balance ratio can disrupt the balance of pro and anti-inflammatory agents in the body resulting in chronic inflammation and elevation of the risk of health issues such allergies, arthritis and diabetes.

Omega 3 fatty acids help with:

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Atopy
• Behavior problems
• Bone health
• Digestive disease
• Eosinophilic granuloma complex
• Excessive blood clotting 
  
• Flea allergies
• Hair/fur problems
• Helps prevent cancer growth
  
• Heart disease
• Learning difficulties
• Lowers the amount of lipids (i.e. cholesterol, triglycerides) circulating in the bloodstream
• Immune-mediated skin disease
• Inflammation throughout the body
• Inhibits thickening of the arteries 
  
• Kidney disease
• Reduces risk of obesity
• Seborrhea
• Metabolism regulation
• Military dermatitis
• Maintains fluidity of cell membranes 

Omega 6 fatty acids help avoid and treat: 

• Build cell membranes and support cell health
• Dry coat  
• Mycoplasma
• Regulate blood clotting
• Seborrhea

Good Sources of Omega 3 fatty acids for your dog: 
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

• Atlantic Mackerel 
• Anchovy
• Bluefin Tuna 
• Beans/legumes
• Chia Seeds (whole or ground), Chia Seed Oil
• Dairy Products from pasture fed cows, goats and sheep
• Flax Seeds (ground), or flax oil
• Green Leafy Vegetables
• Krill oil
• 1Pacific or Atlantic Herring
• 1Salmon, salmon oil
• 1Sardines
• 1Sprat
• 1Menhaden fish  
• Wild rice
  1 - Cooked or canned in water. Fish - in large quantities are dangerous, small quantities are beneficial. If fed exclusively or in large amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. A small amount of cooked or canned  fatty fish such as anchovies, salmon, sardines, shad, smelt, mackerel are very good for your dog (on a daily basis is fine - in small amounts) as these types of fish are nutrient rich and a good source of omega fatty acids. Fish - Raw, can be dangerous, use caution. Raw fish can contain flukes, a parasite that infests the liver of animals including dogs. This parasite can cause liver damage and subsequently death. Granted in some places around the world  dogs are fed raw fish. Just be aware that in doing so you may put the health of your dog at risk. If you know for certain that the fish in your area is not infested than there is no threat to your dogs health. But remember if fish is fed exclusively or in large amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. A small amount daily is fine.

Although canola oil, soy products, soy oil, walnuts are also high in Omega 3 fatty acids 1) walnuts are toxic for your dog; 2) both canola and soy are from Round-up Ready Genetically Modified (GM) seed crops (i.e. in North America)...
 

Canola and soybeans in the USA and Canada are almost all grown from Genetically Modified (GM) seeds - the long term affect of ingesting GM food is not known. Further to this, large factory farms use a method to process soy that leaves it very high in photoestrogens. Photoestrogens have been proven to interfere with reproduction and thyroid function. Factory farming processing methods for soy also result in a product that is very high in phytates. Phytates prevent mineral absorption as well as substances that prevent the normal function of enzymes required to digest protein. And one last thumbs down for large factory farm produced soy - it has one of the highest concentrations of pesticides found in North American crops. Traditional methods of processing soy by fermentation (as employed in Japan and China) greatly reduces photoestrogens, and phytates, thus making consumption of the resulting soy, safe and nutritional.

Good Sources of Omega 6 fatty acids for your dog:

 Linoleic acid (LA), Gamma-linoenic acid and Arachidonic acid (AA)

• Animal Meats
• Chia Seeds (ground or whole)
• Coconut Oil (see below)
  
  • While virgin coconut oil is 90% saturated fat, when added to a dog’s diet in small quantities, on a daily basis virgin coconut oil has many beneficial qualities. It is also very affective as a topically applied treatment on cuts, wounds and for ailments of the skin. To learn about the extensive benefits of adding coconut oil to your dog’s daily diet click here.

• Chia Seeds (ground or whole) or Chia Seed Oil 
• Olive Oil 
• Pumpkin Seeds

Removing Commercially Manufactured Kibble From Your Dog’s Diet
If you are thinking of completely removing commercially manufactured kibble from your dog’s diet you need to now a few things first. To make sure your dog gets a well balanced diet (without kibble) you need to include the following food stuffs in the right amounts:

• Protein
• Carbohydrates (from starchy roots such as sweat potatoes or from grains)
• Fruits and veggies…you can also include herbs
• Fats
• Minerals such as calcium, you may also need to add vitamins such as A, B complex and E and enzymes depending on the type of food you make.

If you would like to learn more about making your own dog food you can try these simple to make recipes for nutritious homemade dog food.  

If you would like to have additional recipes this site lists many excellent books on the subject.

Related Links

Coconut Oil is Good for Your Dog’s Health

Garlic For Dogs - Health Benefits, Preparation and Use, Safe Dosage

Foods That Dogs Should Never Eat - dangerous, toxic, lethal

Foods Rich in Probiotics - Beneficial For Your Dog

Fatty Acids for Dogs - Omega 3, Omega 6, Health Benefits, Best Sources, Dosage

Herbs Are Good for Your Dog’s Health

Home Made, DIY Dog Food Recipes - Grain Free or Wholesome Grain for the Health of Your Dog

Home Made, DIY Natural, Healthy Treats for Dogs - Recipes and Benefits

How To Choose a Good Kibble for Your Dog

Rooibos Tea for Dogs - Immune System Health, Cancer Inhibitor, Allergy Mediator 

Vitamins, Minerals and Foods That Support Oral Health in Dogs
  

If you would like to help feed Shelter Dog’s for free you can do so by clicking on these links…when you go to these sites and click on the button corporate sponsors donate kibble to homeless pets on your behalf. I click on all three sites every day.

Care2 Click to Feed Pets in Need

Free Kibble.com

The Animal Rescue Site

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Training;
• Behaviour Modification;
• Rehabilitation;
• Nutrition;
• Health

Whether you are experiencing dog behavior problems and would like assistance, or just want to bring your dog up to be a well-balanced canine -  I offer both a local and international service for people with one or multiple dogs. 

I work with all breeds - from small (i.e. Yorkie, Pomeranian, Chihuahua, etc.), medium breeds size (including Pit Bulls) and large breed dogs...

 

International e-Consultation 

Sessions, Advice via email for National and International Clients - Dog Training, Puppy Training, Behaviour Modification, Nutrition, Health 

In-person SessionsDog Training, Puppy Training, Behaviour Modification, Rehabilitation – Ottawa, Ottawa Area, Outaouais, Ottawa Valley

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------