Going Raw For Your ‘Little Wolf’

Really, I knew it would happen…it was just a matter of when.  When would I take that leap and ‘go raw’ on feeding my dogs? Right around the time I started my Advanced Canine Nutrition Course, I began reading a book written by Lew Olson, PhD titled ‘Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs'.  It was really a hard book to put down.  I’ve high-lighted, doggie-eared (no pun intended), and post-it marked so many of the pages.  Then as my canine nutrition lessons progressed, I began realizing how important feeding this way is to the health of the dog.

I already home-cooked for my dogs, adding about 25% kibble (dry dog food) to their meals.  The more I read and learn about this dry dog food, the less of it I want to feed to my dogs.  You see, in nature, wild dogs and wolves hunt their prey and eat it…which consists of protein found in the meat, fats, organs, bones and any ‘vegetation’ present in the stomach and intestines at the time of the kill.  So, it only seems reasonable that even though our dogs are domesticated, that this would be a proper diet for them as well.

So, where does one start? I began looking on the Internet and found some suppliers, but they were so far away, and the shipping costs made it rather pricey.  Then you have to know something about the reputation and quality of the product being offered.  You certainly don’t want in your zeal to purchase meat that isn’t quality, as that could have detrimental consequences.  You want to feed raw to help your dog be healthy, not to make him/her sick.  Recently, I was very blessed to hear about a raw food supplier in my area from a friend of mine. 

When you consider, which you probably didn’t know, in the wild dogs and wolves obtain about 14% of their diet from carbohydrates.  Since dog food manufacturers don’t put the carbohydrate content on the bag, unless you know how to derive at that number, you don’t have a clue as to what percentage this food your dog(s) eats provides.  Here’s how to figure it out: 100 minus % protein, minus % fat, minus % ash, minus % moisture = % carbs (ash may not be on there, and fiber is not calculated/considered in the final number).  Example: 100 – 27% protein – 18% fat – 12% moisture = 43% carbs.  I found the high end food I was feeding contained about 50-55% carbs! Yeah, I was a little taken aback.  It was then I started feeding less of the kibble and more meat, realizing this was what my dogs truly needed.  Dogs do not require lots of carbs in their diet; in fact it can cause health problems.  When over-fed carbs too long it can stimulate an internal environment susceptible to disease.

The company in my area is My Pet Carnivore (www.mypetcarnivore.com).  Their website is very informative.  It has a very good article about ‘The Hidden Dangers of Denatured Meat’.  I have read before about 3-D and 4-D meats…which is mentioned in this reading.  These are animals that are diseased, dying, down (non-ambulatory) or dead.  The 4^th ‘D’ is animals already dead upon arrival to whatever processor they are sent to.  Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?  The article goes on to define denaturing.  ‘Beef leaving a USDA plant not intended for human consumption must be denatured.  The denaturing agents can vary a great deal from simple charcoal additives to a cocktail of different chemicals and dyes.’  See, charcoal can still be classified as ‘all natural’.  (Gotta watch out for that!)  The fact that it’s even there, as stated in this article should cause alarm.  My Pet Carnivore (MPC) does not use meats that have undergone this process.

MPC has a wide variety of meats, mainly packaged (frozen) in 1-2 lb. plastic containers.  Beaver, beef, chicken, duck, goat, lamb, muskrat, mutton, ostrich, emu, pork, rabbit, turkey, tripe and a variety of raw treats.  In case you are not familiar with tripe, this is a very beneficial addition to your dog’s diet.  It is the stomach of ruminating animals.  I’ve seen tripe in stores (the local Walmart sells it), however, this type has been bleached and processed to a point where it is of little value…do not feed this kind of tripe to your dog!  The type MPC carries is green tripe (not because it is green in color, but rather referring to its truly ‘natural’ state).  These raw meats, which can be purchased in chunks, coarse ground, or fine ground contain bone and organs as well.  MPC delivers locally (I’m close enough I can pick up from the warehouse in Indianapolis).  They also ship throughout the continental U.S.  Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Chicagoland, Chicago suburbs, Wisconsin, Michigan and Michiana, Kentuckiana and Ohio are all on their list via their delivery truck.  You can also sign up for their newsletter.

I know there are many dog owners out there who feed just kibble to their canine companions.  Any addition of home-cooked or raw supplementation will greatly benefit your furry friend, and provide a more suitable diet.  This is how they are designed to eat.  My dogs have now made that transition, and they are bonkers over it!  It is actually less expensive for me to feed my dogs this way than purchasing and cooking meats from the store as I had been doing for so long.  I want to do everything I can to safe-guard my dog’s health and well-being.  This is a first step in that direction.  Granted, there are no 100% guarantees, but knowing I am feeding them properly is one more way I can give them an advantage against disease.  I will definitely be blogging more about the raw meat canine diet, and adding raw recipes as well.  I hope you will check out MPC’s website and give it a try.  I believe you will see positive results, and have happier, healthier dogs…the way nature intended.

Nutrition and Environment - The Link To Disease?

Have you ever considered your environment, internal and external to be a factor in disease? What about the water you drink, the food you eat? Even personal habits.  All these can lead to issues down the road, many of which could be prevented.  Then you walk out the door of your house, and you enter other surroundings  that are just as bad if not worse.  That 'little corner of the world' you occupy could be the catalyst to disease...and you're not even there all the time, but your dog spends the majority of his/her time there!  And also, most dogs are smaller in size than a human, and age quicker; so conditions such as these can set up sometimes rather quickly.

Inside your home, you can totally control what you use to clean with.  There is simply no reason to use harsh cleaners.  There are many reasonably priced 'green', 'natural' and 'herbal' cleaners for just about every purpose under the sun.  Green Works, which is a Clorox brand (www.greenworkscleaners.com), has a non-chlorine bleach.  BioKleen (www.biokleenhome.com), Seventh Generation (www.seventhgeneration.com), Watkins (www.jrwatkins.com) all carry safer products to clean with.  If you live in a good sized city, many of the larger grocery store chains carry their own 'generic type' of organic/natural cleaners.  You can also make your own...fairly simple and cost-saving.

In your yard, if you just absolutely have to spray with something, use organic products.  Gardens Alive (www.gardensalive.com) and Planet Natural (www.planetnatural.com) carry products that are safe, not just for your pets, but for you too!  Your pets walk around the yard, and these chemicals get on their paws, and when they groom themselves, they ingest some of that.  Over a period of time this along with poor nutrition can cause problems, and allergies might just be the first symptom you notice.  (By the way, dandelions are not weeds, they're herbs.  The flower, the greens and the roots are all usable product.  You're better off eating them and using them in tea, than eradicating them.)

I put a lot of thought into these blogs and research before I write them, but I also put these things into practice, and most times have applied them to my own life, because I want you to have not only useful, but accurate information.  When I began my canine nutrition studies, I did not realize how much disease affects our pets.  By the time I finished, I had determined I wanted to zero in on cancer and obesity in dogs.  Those are two areas that are quite troublesome.

It is very important that you have the earliest diagnosis possible and be very pro-active in treatment.  I most certainly believe nutrition is the first line of defense for successful outcomes, although there are no 100% guarantees.  Many times there are no symptoms, or ones that would not be alarming until it's too late, or later than necessary to turn it around or slow the progress.  Different cancers have different symptoms.  One new thing I've learned is the connection between people and their pets both having cancer.  It does not surprise me however, because both are in the same environment, and chances are, if the pet parent isn't eating right, they are not feeding their dog properly either, so this is the first issue that needs to be dealt with.  I will definitely be blogging about this more.

I am very excited about a new pet cancer trial that is available through Ketopet.  They will be testing the effectiveness of ketogenic diets and metabolic therapeutics to treat pet cancer.  This is something that is right up my alley for sure! I will be one of the advisers on this open research and be looking at how to use the data.  This is very exciting!  I strongly urge you if you have a dog (or cat) that has cancer, or know of someone who does, to check into getting involved in this.  Go to www.ketopet.com.  Let's get this going and truly find a CURE for cancer in our canine companions! And be looking for more blogs from me regarding this ever-growing disease.

Canine Cancer - A Closer Look -- Can It Be Prevented?

Cancer is a disease that your dog can get, much in the same way humans do. Bladder, kidney, breast, nose...it can happen.  And probably more often than most people would think.  There are many factors that enter in.  Genetics does play a role sometimes, environment is a big factor, but I believe diet...what dogs eat is the first area where it can be prevented, delayed, slowed (once in progress) or even reversed if caught early. The majority of dog owners don't realize how big a deal it is what they feed their furry companions.  They go to the grocery (please don't buy that 'commercial' stuff there! -- or anywhere for that matter), pick up a 15 or 40 pound bag, and as long as it says 'dog food' on it, they buy it...usually the cheaper the better.

I believe in majority of cases, canine cancer can be prevented.  There are challenges, especially in rescue where a dog's background is unknown.  So much of what we eat is deficient in some way, and then we think we are supposed to feed our dogs this food that crowds the shelves in the supermarkets, and never question what this special creature really needs.  This isn't what dogs need, and this is just the beginning of setting up a potential problem down the line, some sooner than later. Oxidation, a process that causes a cut apple to turn brown or metal to rust, causes free radical damage in the human and canine body alike, setting up an internal environment that is more susceptible to disease. 

According to Alice Villalobos, DVM, "more than half of the senior dogs in a veterinary practice will die of cancer such as cutaneous, soft tissue sarcoma, lymphatic, mammary, skeletal, oral, nasal and visceral and neuro-endocrine tumors."  How sad. This should not be or become what our precious furry family members succumb to in their golden years.  Cancer, any kind can be very complex, and treating it through nutrition along with herbs (and hopefully little conventional intervention and only when absolutely necessary) can be quite successful.  When you consider radiation is one of the predisposing factors of cancer, and is often used in Western medicine to 'treat' cancer, it seems like perhaps that's not the best option.

Even though the United States is 'the land of plenty', most people and their pets suffer from mal-nutrition...it's not that we don't eat enough...it's that we don't eat properly.  The possibility of cancer to form increases when our bodies become unbalanced or weakened.  This can occur in many ways.  Stress is a factor, and dogs do experience stresses on their bodies, emotionally, physically and mentally.  Most pet owners think that just taking their dog to have a blood test will ease the worry, if nothing shows up, all is fine.  Typically, once a blood test shows cancer, it's been there for awhile.  Fur mineral analysis is a much better and earlier indicator for cancer and other ills.  Since a blood test only shows what is happening in the body right now,  it's not the most accurate.  A fur mineral analysis can show what's been going on for several months, and this allows opportunity to hopefully catch it early, allowing for a better outcome.

If your dog should develop cancer, and you've been feeding it a commercial kibble...stop using it, and switch to a raw or home-cooked diet, also adding proper whole food supplements.  If you don't know where to start, contact a certified canine nutritionist or a holistic veterinarian to get an accurate diagnosis (from the vet), and then build a food regimen that will best suit the type of cancer you are dealing with.  Writing about cancer is never a short article, and this one simply sets the ground work for what yet lies ahead, and the need to tackle it in a manner that will benefit and heal, not tear down.  I want to specialize in treating cancer naturally/nutritionally in dogs, so I will be writing many blogs in regards to this disease.  I want my readers to know there is more treatment options than just conventional medicine would lead you to believe.  This is unfortunately a disease that is being seen more and more in veterinary practice, and thus one that needs to be addressed.

Pup-Sauce! (Homemade Doggie Applesauce)

Another Chaplin Doggie Diner exclusive recipe! Easy to make and your doggies will love it! <3

2-medium organic apples - Gala or Fuji
1-Tablespoon organic Coconut Oil
1-Tablespoon (local) raw honey
1/2 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon

Peel, core and slice apples and place in a small pan.  Cover with water.  Cook until apples are soft.  Use a potato masher to mash cooked apples in pan.  Cook apples down (do not drain any water off), add cinnamon, stir.  Add coconut oil and raw honey.  Cook for about another 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Be sure to cool (can be served warm or cold)

Simply Nourish - Dog Food Review

When looking for a dry dog food, I want the quality of the product to be evident.  If you are not in the habit of reading the ingredient label on the food you buy for your dog, you need to start doing it.  First, it is important to know what your dog's true nutritional needs are.  I have numerous blogs on this site that have discussed this, so scan through the previous articles and read some of these.  After familiarizing yourself with what is what in ingredients, check the food you are buying and see if it falls in line.  There are very few that you'd really want to consider buying and feeding your dog.  Do not purchase your dog food at the grocery store.  Go to a pet food store where you have better options.

My dog's diet is home-cooked.  They only get about 25% of their nutrients from dry dog food (a.k.a. kibble).   Extrusion, the process used to make the majority of dry kibble, heats the ingredients to a very high temperature, which causes physical and chemical changes to the product, and destroys any naturally occurring vitamins and minerals there in the ingredients previously.  You will notice certain vitamins and minerals listed on the label...these have been added back in after the cooking process, so they are certainly not whole complexes, or really anything that resembles 'natural'.  Since few pet parents feed raw diets or home-cooked, it is important if you are going to feed a kibble only diet (which I do not recommend), that you at least buy one that isn't just simply total junk that could actually make your dog sick, or worse yet, cause health issues down the road.

I think the draw back for the high quality dry dog food for most people is the price...a 15 lb. bag can cost $50 and up.  Keep in mind, you get what you pay for.  (A cheap junk dog food only costs about $12 for a 36 lb. bag)  Simply Nourish is a brand that I have come across that is a good, lower-priced kibble that is worth considering.  The company it is distributed by does not have a website, unfortunately, so any information you'd want, you will have to get off the dog food bag.  Their address is: Simply Nourish Pet Food Company, 19601 N. 27th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ  85027, or you can contact them at: 1-888-299-PETS.  The Small Breed Adult Dog Food I purchase (Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe) costs about $26 for a 15 lb. bag.

I look at the first 10 ingredients listed to make my decision when purchasing dog food.  For the Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe I mentioned above shows: chicken, chicken meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin), oatmeal, brown rice, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed, dried chicory root and dried carrots.  There are several other dried vegetables/fruits listed after this.  So for the price, and for as little as I use kibble, this is a decent product.

I hope you will consider adding some home-cooked foods to your dog's diet, as it is certainly better for them, and closer to what they would consume in the wild.  Nutrition is just as important for your canine companion as it is for you.  They are not immune to disease, and years of feeding improper food can culminate in issues down the road that could have been prevented by feeding properly in the first place.  How much money do you really save if you buy cheap, junk dog food only to have a mountain of vet bills years later?  It does not have to be complicated...any addition of real meat and some fresh fruits/vegetables can benefit.  If you consider your dog to be family, as I do, you want them to be healthy, happy 'relatives' for a long time!

Doggie Meat Loaf

I thought I had posted this recipe I use, but I looked and found out I had not.  This is a great recipe that's fairly easy to make.

1 lb. ground meat (beef, turkey or chicken)
2 Tablespoons dried organic parsley
1 organic egg (raw)
1/2 cup finely diced organic celery
organic quick cook oats (dry, not cooked)
organic low-sodium tomato juice
1/2 small organic squash, cut into small pieces (yellow or zucchini)
 (Note: you do not need to peel the squash, but be sure to wash it off)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly beat egg and pour onto ground meat, add parsley,celery and squash, mix well (it works best doing it with your hands, clean hands of course!), mix in enough tomato juice and oats to get the mix to hold together well...form into a loaf and place in a pan that has been rubbed with some organic extra virgin olive oil (to keep from sticking).  Bake for 30-45 minutes (check for doneness by sticking a toothpick down the middle.  It should come out fairly clean when the meat is baked enough).Cut into bite size pieces (or mash with fork for doggies with no or few teeth or small dogs).  Be sure to allow it to cool enough that it doesn't burn their little mouths).

I know typically for people we add onion to meatloaf...DO NOT ADD ONION TO YOUR DOGGIE MEATLOAF!

Springtime, Inc. - Supplement Review

I really like to search out and use quality supplements for my dogs as much as I enjoy feeding them a healthy diet.  It's great when you find a good article or book that helps in this quest.  However, in this blog, I want to introduce you to a company that has a wealth of information that is contained in their supplement catalog!  I have mentioned this company before in blogs, and I have now added them to my 'Websites and Dog Resources' section of my blog.

I have used Springtime, Inc. over the past 4 to 5 years and have been very pleased with the quality and effectiveness of their product.  They carry a variety of natural supplements for dogs, horses and people.  (Note: Right now until April 30th, they are offering free shipping to 48 states...great deal!)  You can go to their website, www.springtimeinc.com and request a free catalog.  Another great 'perk' to their products is their 'save up to 50% specials' and the 'free product' offerings. (for orders $75 and over)

I am going to hi-light some of the invaluable information in this catalog, and also some of their products.  The 2013 Spring Catalog has a nice spread over 8 pages on 'Safe Raw Food Secrets for Dogs & Horses'.  First off, I'd like to point out that they conduct 20 tests for safety and purity on their products, which are made in the U.S.A.  The desiccated raw beef liver used in their supplements is from Argentina and comes from 'hormone free cattle raised in pristine wild areas'. 

For dogs they have Advanced Hip & Joint Chews, Bee Pollen, Bug Off Garlic (available in air-dried granules or chewables), C-Complex (if you've read some of my previous blogs, I have touted the benefits of using complex vitamins, and not fragments), Joint Health Chewables, Omega 3-6-9, Stress Free Calmplex  and several other beneficial products for our canine friends.  There is a nice article on 'Quick Tips to Evaluate Your Dog's Health', written by Trista Reeder, M.S., Ph.D.

For my order this time I am trying Springtime's 'Fresh Factors'.  I understand this works great with the joint supplement, and it highlights 'itch-free skin and enhancing digestion/reducing stool size, cleanup', among other listed benefits.  I have purchased in the past their 'Joint Health Chewables', but this time I am trying the 'Advanced Hip & Joint Chewables', as I have several aging doggies in our home.  This product contains Boswellia extract and 'is by far the most potent herbal pain reliever available for dogs'.  It also contains chondroitin sulfate extract along with other high grade ingredients.  (Note: always tell your vet what supplements you are giving your dog(s), especially if they are on prescription medications).

I periodically use their Omega 3-6-9 which provides 'complete full-spectrum omega 3-6-9.'  It is ' distilled  wild fish oil (that) has been purified - no heavy metals, PCBs, etc., absolutely clean & safe.'  The 'Bug Off Garlic Chewables for Dogs' is a wonderful alternative to chemical use for flea control.  I have used various garlic supplements over the years (15 plus years) on my dogs, and I do not have flea issues.  It is a great insect repellent, and this one 'provides a 24-hour shield against fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, etc.'  Garlic is of course, one of the world's most powerful antioxidant foods.  This product 'promotes friendly bacteria in the digestive tract, provides four times more organic sulfur than any other food, and contains natural MSM' (an effect joint enhancer).

On page 39 there is a picture list of recommended reading, several of these are already in my library....and I'd certainly like to add these others as well.  Page 42 hi-lights 'Spot-On Flea & Tick Toxicity'.    This is something every pet parent needs to be aware of.  I have blogged numerous times about keeping a safe, healthy, natural environment inside and outside the home.  I hope you will consider adding these wonderful supplements to your dog(s) regimen.  Even if you are feeding a home cooked diet, or raw; it's very challenging to have it all.  The addition of these natural products will prove to be a valuable compliment.