by Sue Barns | on November 10th, 2009 | in Features, Your Questions
http://www.flickr.com/photos/druidicparadise / CC BY 2.0
A few weeks ago, Grayson posted some tips on how to prevent your dog from wolfing down his food. That post drew a criticism for referring to dogs as scavengers rather than straight-up hunt-kill-eat carnivores.
Physiologically, dogs are certainly carnivores. This is evident in the structure of their digestive tract, from their sharp, flesh-tearing teeth, through the bone-dissolving acidity of their stomachs, to their short span of intestine—useful for absorbing fat and protein but wholly inappropriate for digesting vegetable matter. I’ve fed my dogs a raw diet for 10 years. Assistance Dogs of the West also advocates and feeds a raw diet, and has for many years. We have seen remarkable benefit of this sort of feeding in the health, temperament and longevity of our service dogs. Here’s some more info on the how and why of feeding raw.
Although dogs share the majority of their genetic makeup with wolves and can interbreed, in many ways they are distinct. Since their hook-up with humans tens of thousands of years ago, many physical and behavioral changes have taken place. There are many theories on how wolves came to be domesticated into dogs, but a likely route was by learning to scavenge for scraps around human settlements. This behavior was the source of my suggestion that dogs be fed more than once a day—together with personal experience, and veterinary recommendations. Certainly dogs can get by on a single, large meal per day, and there are people who feed this way. As with all interactions with our dogs, it is up to each of us to determine what best serves the health and happiness of our companion animals.
Sue – can you please share the raw diet recipes you feed your dogs? Also, how do you feed them? One of the challenges I’ve found in feeding my dog bone-in meat cuts is that she dragged them out of her bowl to chew. Thanks.
Louisa – You don’t need recipes, just Feed a Species Appropriate Diet. 2% of their Ideal Adult Body Weight. “Raw Feeding” should be 80% Raw Meat, 10% Raw Edible Bone, 5% Raw Offal, 5% Raw Liver. That can be Bone In Chicken Quarters or Half, Bone In Pork Hocks, Bone In Duck Quarters or Half, Bone In Lamb, Turkey, Venison, etc. You can feed Red Beef Meat, such as Chuck, Braising Stewing, etc.
NO weight baring bones as these WRECK teeth! You can feed Oily Whole Raw Fish, such as Mackerel, Sardines, Salmon, etc. This will give them Omega 3. Just throw it down on the floor and feed it to them. No need for bowls. Wipe the floor afterwards with a solution of 1 part Vinegar to 10 parts Water. Use this solution to wipe anywhere you feed or prepare your “Raw Food” for your Dog, it’s safer than bleach! Feed a “Variety” of Raw Meats, Edible Bone, Offal, Liver over time and your dog will have the BEST food that there is ever!