Natural Dog Food.What Is It Exactly ?Let's Define Natural Dog Food "There is so much information -- and misinformation -- about pet foods, it's understandable that people are confused about what to feed their dogs and cats," said co-author Dr. Lisa Freeman, professor of nutrition at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. "To counteract these myths, people are accustomed to turning to the labels on food -- but, as this study shows, packaging might not always be a reliable source of information." This quote was taken from an article published this month (Jan.2010 )in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
It has taken me some time to write this page on natural dog nutrition. It is a topic that is worthy of some discussion. ~ How do we decide what is the best diet for our dogs? ~ How can we make sure our dogs are getting all the nutrients they need? ~ How can we provide the best nutrition possible for our dogs, without breaking the bank? ~ How can we provide good natural dog food and still conveniently fit it into our busy lifestyles? and... ~ Will my dog like this new better quality food? 
Heaven forbid he won't like it. Some dogs are addicted to their junk dog food.Every time you turn the TV on, or talk to your veterinarian, or do research on the internet about the best dog diet, you come away from the conversation more confused than when you started. There are as many different opinions on natural dog food and canine nutrition, as there are dogs on the face of the earth. The pet food recall scandals of the last decade, or so, have brought this to the forefront of the news media...but, I'm not going to go into all of that. It's been done already. It seems to me that, as with all things in life, a reasonable approach and some education can go a long way towards making a good informed decision about natural dog food. I choose to live with dogs. I have always chosen to live with dogs. I will continue to live with dogs, until the day comes that I am unable to care for them. I want my dogs to live a good, long healthy life. I will share with you what works for me. I will offer you my experience and my expertise, blended with some good common sense. I hope you will learn something. I hope you will use what you can, and discard the rest, if it doesn't sit right with you. The bottom line is, just make some upgrade in the choices you make for your dog. Make the food you provide a higher quality, more natural dog food. The closer the food is to it's natural state, the better it will be for your dog. What Constitutes Healthy Dog Food? Good question. First, there is no such thing as a perfect dog diet, using commercially prepared dog food. Mother Nature knows best. She is the only one who can provide really natural dog food. In the wild that would be a completely raw diet. I am not going to discuss dog food brands...or weigh the pros and cons of raw dog food versus homemade dog food. I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both. First, I'd just like to remind you that dogs are carnivores. That means that they are, by nature, meat eaters, like this wild coyote in the picture.
Mother Nature has provided your dog with his own wisdom. Mother Nature has provided everything in Nature, that your dog requires to keep healthy. He would instinctively know what is the best natural dog food to maintain his optimal health. So why don't we all just feed our dogs raw meat, and raw meaty bones? A raw diet...that's the most natural dog food you can give your dog, isn't it? Sure it is. My First Experience Feeding a Hunk of Raw Meat. We all need to eat food to nourish our bodies. I think so many people have actually forgotten that. I think most people now, eat what tastes good to them, without giving much thought to the nutrient content of the food. ...and we live in the age of convenience. Most people think they don't have time to prepare and cook food properly. Thus the increase in refined, packaged, and convenient food. The same goes for dog food. It is much easier to open the can or the bag. But, your dog never gets any fresh food. Think how you would feel, if you could never eat a salad, or a raw apple, or pear. See my point? ...anyway here's my story. I had been reading about feeding a raw diet for dogs and decided that I would give Jack and Maggie half a raw chicken each. Little Tuxedo got a leg and thigh. I separated them outside. I didn't want a dog fight. They each had their own corner of the yard. First, I gave Jack his half chicken. I put it on the ground in front of him. Next, Maggie got hers on the ground too. Finally, Tuxie got his. I gave them the signal to start eating. ...but wait...nothing was happening! Usually, they would have devoured their food in a split second. All three of them looked at the chicken, then gave it a good sniff, and then very slowly picked it up in their mouths. All three dogs then looked at me, as if to say..."What's this? Are you sure we can have this?" ...then waited a few seconds longer, to be sure it was OK. The three of them circled a few times, as dogs do, and then settled down with the chicken. They sniffed at it, licked it slowly, and finally started to chew on it. With their eyes semi closed in bliss, they ate the chicken. It took a long time, about fifteen or twenty minutes. When they were done, they looked at me with a look of complete satisfaction and happiness. Their eyes said " What did I do to deserve such a wonderful meal? I can't believe my good luck! Thank you!" The Most Natural Dog Food...Raw Meaty Bones Here's a great picture of my boy Jack with his raw meaty beef shank marrow bone. It will keep him occupied for hours and will clean his teeth naturally. The marrow is extremely nutritious and nutrient dense, providing all sorts of benefit for him including much needed calcium. There is also an emotional component for dogs that comes from chewing bones. See how happy and contented he looks!
...but back to reality Realistically, are most people going to throw the side of beef off the front porch daily. What would the neighbors say? ...and where are they going to store the raw carcasses? ...and where are they going to find all this raw meat anyway? ...and what's it going to cost, this new completely raw, natural dog food diet? I appreciate those concerns, and I share them...but I decided that day, that I would find a way to continue giving my dogs, at least some raw, natural dog food. So, here's what I did ~ I bought a small freezer ~ I found an abattoir( meat processing place ), and a butcher, where I can buy raw meaty bones. ~ I am not an advocate of hunting, but I know that hunters will have bones from the deer they kill. I want those raw meaty bones. I ask for them. ~ I can always get raw meat at the grocery store if I'm desperate. Do I Feed My Dogs Commercially Prepared Food ? Yes I do...along with some raw meat and raw meaty bones. I also give them some table scraps and pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables. When I say table scraps, I don't mean the leftover mess you wouldn't eat yourself. I mean good leftover pieces of meat with a little fat, and some vegetables. They love the variety. I believe there is no perfect, commercially prepared dog food. How can food that has been put through an extractor, and heated at high temperatures, have any nutrient value at all? It's like buying white bread that has been bleached, and stripped of all it's good ingredients. The good nutrients are taken out, and then they put them back in. Hello!!! How crazy is that? However, having said that, I believe that there are some good healthy dog food brands out there. Here are some good quality, commercially prepared dog food brands. They are not natural dog food, of course, but they are as good as it gets, nevertheless. ~ Go Natural Grain Free ~ Wellness Core Grain Free ~ Innova Grain Free ~ Fromm Four Star ~ Legacy Grain Free ~ Wysong ...and there are more. You must find them. I think the most import thing is to be able to identify good natural dog food ingredients. You must learn to read food labels. This is critical. Look for fresh whole meat as the first ingredient...not meat meal, or meat by-products. If you see a grain such as corn as the first ingredient, drop that bag like a hot potato! Next time you go to the store to buy dog food, look carefully at the bags. Almost always, they say something like...Holistic Ingredients...or...All Natural Dog Food. This is simply not true. One of the best books I have ever read on natural health for animals is by Martin Goldstein, DVM. His book entitled The Nature of Animal Healing has an excellent chapter on commercial pet foods and how to identify ingredients. It is a broad topic and I will let Dr. Goldstein handle it. He does a good job. ...but there are a few basics to know. Wheat, corn, and soy are known allergens for both people and animals. If you see these ingredients...run. Colors, dyes, and preservatives are not food. You are certainly not buying an all natural dog food, if it contains these things. These types of dog food ingredients are very toxic to your dog. Learn how to recognize them. He also talks a lot in his book, about the importance of your dog's Immune System. A properly functioning immune system is critical for the health of your dog. Included also, is Dr. Goldstein's, tried and tested, homemade dog food recipe. He has used this natural dog food recipe, for many animals with great success. The problem with any homemade dog food, is that, since it is cooked, some of the natural enzymes and nutrients will be lost with the heat of cooking. To fix this problem, I add Garden Essence. This is an enzyme supplement offering a complete range of natural enzymes from plant sources. You can find a good homemade dog food recipe at the bottom of this page. I make this one...here's a picture, still in the pot.
Grains are a poorly digested source of protein and carbohydrates for dogs. In the wild, they would be getting most of the vegetable matter ( carbohydrates ) that they require, from the predigested stomach contents of the prey. Raw Diet Feeding Another excellent book on the subject of a raw diet for dogs is by Tom Lonsdale entitled Raw Meaty Bones.
Periodontal disease effects the health of the entire animal. He carefully explains why, and all of it makes sense to me. He says that a raw diet is the only natural dog food. Raw meat, raw meaty bones, carcasses and organs will supply all of the nutrients that your dog requires in perfectly balanced proportions. He states that all dog health issues can be resolved with a raw diet. Mr. Lonsdale is heavily involved politically with this topic. He is trying his best, to change the thinking of traditional veterinary medicine. He also talks a lot about the involvement of veterinary associations with the huge pet food conglomerates. Are the Veterinary Associations and the large Pet Food Conglomerates in kahoots? Read his books, and make your own decision. Dr. Lonsdale has also written another small book, an easy read, but very informative, called Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones.
You can find plenty of them at Read a few and make your own decision, about whether or not, raw feeding is something you can realistically commit to. In years gone by... When I was growing up, we always had cats and dogs. My mother prepared food for us, and the pets enjoyed what remained of it, along with a little bit of kibble. The dogs got the skin, the raw bones ( never any cooked bones... even my mother knew that ) and the raw organs...liver, kidneys, heart, gizzards etc. She would also throw them pieces of fruit, and vegetables, as she was preparing our dinner. They never got treats. These leftovers were the treats. They would get some of the cooked leftovers too. They thrived. Whole Foods Only It's important to note here though, that my mother gave our pets whole foods, ( the same meat and vegetables that we ate )not foods that were commercially prepared in any way. They never got anything that came out of a box or a can ( neither did we, as a matter of fact ), except a little bit of kibble as a filler, as she called it. Guess what, those pets lived a long time, way more than nine to twelve years...nine to twelve years being the average life expectancy for a domestic dog to live today. Our dogs lived closer to fourteen, fifteen and sixteen years. I even remember one old dog, our Border Collie cross, named Maggie, who lived to be twenty-two, if my memory serves me correctly. They all finally just died of old age. Back then, you never heard of dogs getting diabetes or cancer. They never had heart disease or thyroid problems. Today, these dog illnesses are rampant and epidemic. Why would that be? The food of course. In Conclusion...My Natural Dog Food Regimen Consists of... ~ some raw meat, raw meaty bones and organs, several times a week. ~ good quality, premium dog food, GRAIN FREE. ~ some cooked home made dog food ( good recipe below ). ~ some table scraps. ~ some treats consisting of pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables. ~ selective supplementing with herbs. Mom had the Answer Basically, I do what my mother did. What worked for Mom, works for me, too. I try to use organic produce and meats, as much as I can. This is just good natural food for us, and good natural dog food for my dogs. By the way, our cats, being obligate carnivores love their raw meat. It took them a while to get used to it...since they were all addicted to their commercial cat food, not unlike people who are addicted to fast food. I do believe in giving some natural pet supplements, though. I do this for the same reason that I do it for myself. These days due to depleted soils, increased environmental pollutants, extra stress...and just to make sure... I feel that this is necessary, and well worth the small added cost. In fact, I feel it is an extra insurance policy against ill health for myself and my pets. I feel confident that I have covered all the bases, with my natural dog food regimen. The good health of all our pets prove it. Here's an Excellent Homemade Dog Food Recipe ~ 1 lb of raw ground chicken or turkey ( lamb and beef tend to be more fat ) ~ one large potato and one large sweet potato ~ handful of organic brown rice (optional. OK if your dog is having a hard time holding his weight. ~ handful of spinach, chard, kale or other green vegetable ~ one large clove garlic minced ~ pinch of organic unbleached ( grey )sea salt ( Celtic ) ~ tablespoon of organic genetically unmodified canola oil ( essential fatty acids ) Put potatoes, brown rice, spinach, garlic, and salt in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer. Cook until VERY soft, about one hour. Add meat and mush up altogether with a potato masher. Simmer for an extra fifteen minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and add canola oil. Swirl the oil throughout the meat mixture. Refrigerate. This is a very yummy, tasty, nutritious, homemade dog food recipe, using natural dog food ingredients. Your dog will love it. Bon Appetit!
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However, our dogs live with us, and so they are not free to roam and provide for themselves. They must eat what we give them. In the wild, dogs would not be checking dog food ingredients. 
