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light reading dogs giets
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION
When I first began to seriously investigate nutrition for dogs and cats over 10 years ago, I was confronted with the problem of where to begin. It is fair to say that the subject had been given little consideration in scientific or veterinary literature, prior to the development of commercial pet foods some 50 years ago. Since then, it has become "big business", and there is a wealth of biased information available, to both veterinarian, and dog owner. But what about prior to that? How did people feed dogs before tinned and dry food became available? What nutritional problems did they encounter? Who advised them on how to feed their dogs? The answers are all quite simple. Dogs were fed fresh meat, bones, and left over table scraps. The nutritional problems encountered were very few, and simple to correct (calcium deficiency, rickets, hypervitaminosis A). Veterinary advice was limited to suggesting additional calcium in the diet for growing puppies. A majority of dogs were kept for specific purposes, i.e. working dogs, guard dogs, hunting dog's etc., and had access to a wide range of different food sources via scavenging on the job. Dogs were, in no way, as strictly limited to the confines of the back yard, as they are today. Some breeders and working dog trainers used various supplements in their dog's diets, like yeast, cod liver oil, raw eggs and garlic, to improve their dogs' fertility and performance. But on the whole, homemade diets were basic, uncomplicated, and perfectly adequate. The dogs of yesteryear enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases. It was during the post-war era of the 1950's and 60's, when processed foods began to gain popularity with people. Tinned and dehydrated foods of all description began to infiltrate grocery stores and fill the pantries of modern households. And riding on the back of the success of the convenience era, came the first processed foods for dogs. It took nearly thirty years for the medical profession to realise that this type of nutrition was detrimental to human health, and begin to emphasise the importance of fresh food, fruit and vegetables as part of a balanced diet. Unfortunately (for dogs), the bulk of the veterinary profession is still yet to come to terms with these same health issues, and begin recommending fresh food (raw food) diets for dogs. To fully understand the detrimental impact of commercial pet foods on the general health of dogs, we must first understand the basic principles of what dogs should eat. These answers can be found by tracing the evolution of dogs, and understanding how contemporary wild dogs eat. return to top THE TRUTH ABOUT DOGS The process of evolution is designed to "fine tune" every living species to best survive and reproduce in its given environment. Every structure of the living organism is affected by this process, right down to the cellular level. The process causes minute changes that accumulate over millions of years, with the end result being an organism that is ready to thrive, survive, and reproduce. Dogs are no exception. They have been evolving for 40 million years (before human intervention) existing on a natural diet of raw prey, vegetable matter, fruits, nuts, insects, and all manner of scavenged food. They are omnivores by definition, meaning they consume both meat and plant based food sources. In fact, they are the ultimate scavengers, able to exist on a purely vegetarian diet, when necessary, and thriving on a meat based diet, when available. They will eat almost anything to stay alive, and have a cast iron constitution to reflect this. A wild dogs diet can include up to sixty different ingredients in one day, varying from live prey, carrion, grass, nuts, fruits, insects, bark, soil, clay, decaying vegetable matter, animal excretions, and more. Despite the immense variation, the one common factor is that they are all consumed raw. The dog's entire digestive tract, from teeth and saliva, to organs and intestines, digestive enzymes, microbial flora, and ultimately the entire metabolic process to the cellular level, has been finely tuned, over millions of years, to be able to process, digest, and absorb the products of a raw food diet. The breakdown process of the raw ingredients in the intestinal tract is critical for normal assimilation of all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other metabolic factors essential for optimal growth and function. When a dog (or dog pack) catches prey, there are well-defined eating patterns that emerge. Apart from the hierarchical order in which the dogs are allowed to participate in the feast, there is a systematic approach to consuming the various parts of the prey. The abdominal cavity is opened quickly, and the gut contents and organs (what we call offal) are consumed first. The organs, like liver, kidneys, spleen etc, are rich in vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. The gut contents, including stomach, intestines and colon, are full of semi digested plant and grain material. It is this "mush" of plant matter that the dogs devour immediately, almost like a prize to the hunter. The remainder of the carcass, comprising mainly muscle meat and bones, is then consumed slowly, often over several days if the prey is large. If there is an abundance of meat and bone, dogs will bury some, to ensure a feed for themselves later on. What we have learned from this, is a simple understanding of the basic ingredients in a dog's natural diet. Apart from the vast array of scavenged material a dog may eat, when available, a diet of live prey is the ultimate in nutrition. This consisting of pre-masticated (chewed), semi digested plant material and grains, a serving of rich organ meats, and a larger portion of muscle meat and bone. So what does this mean with regard to dog nutrition? It is certainly clear that dogs are best adapted to eating their food raw, but does cooking a dog's food really make that much difference? The message became very clear when pet food manufacturers first began making processed pet food. return to top COOKING CREATES DEFICIENCIES The process of cooking food is unique to humans. We are the only living species to have harnessed fire, and used it to modify our natural food sources. Cooking is the oldest and simplest form of preserving food. The process of heating destroys the natural enzymes in food, and microbial content, thus preventing the natural process of decay. Unfortunately, it is not limited to just enzymes and microbes, it also destroys natural vitamins, essential fatty acids, amino acids and proteins, and renders many minerals unavailable for absorption from the gut. These problems became very evident in the early stages of pet food manufacture. Severe, and sometimes fatal, deficiencies were quickly identified. Deficiencies of Vitamins A, D, E, B1, and several essential amino acids were discovered in early tinned pet foods. Most of these were overcome by adding large amounts of synthetic vitamins and amino acids to the original ingredients, to overcome the levels that were destroyed by the cooking process. Modern processed dog foods have advanced a long way in nutritional science, and have overcome many more problems along the way. But there is still a range of subtle deficiencies that cannot, and never will be, overcome in cooked pet foods. Man has been domesticating animals for thousands of years, for use as food, for transport, and as companions. Food animals have always held an important position, and animal husbandry techniques (the care of animals for growth and reproduction) have always placed supreme emphasis on correct nutrition. The basic understanding of how to feed an animal for maximum growth, development and reproduction has come from observing the animal in its natural state (in the wild), and trying to reproduce the same environment in the domestic situation (same types of feed, grasses, foliage etc). Due to the enormous economic importance of cattle and sheep, there has been intensive and ongoing research into nutrition for these animals. We possess a total understanding of the importance of soil types, mineral content, plant growth, and ultimately the physiology of the cow or sheep, eating the grass, and turning that into fleece, milk, or meat. In the veterinary field we have identified a myriad of mineral deficiencies, or toxicities, that affect health, and a vast array of diseases that can be easily corrected using mineral supplements and salt licks, or with simple dietary changes. Much of the work in this area is actually a direct result of the unnatural effects of domestication and modern farming practices on domesticated animals. I may be exaggerating if I said there had been 10% as much research on canine nutrition, with very little information on the effects of long term dietary deficiency. This may reflect a lower economic value placed on dogs' health, but it also reflects a lack of necessity in the past to perform this type of research. The majority of deficiency syndromes in dogs, that have been adequately researched, are as a direct result of the commercial pet food industry, and the nutritional problems they created when they first began cooking pet food. The major flaw in modern canine nutritional research is that it has focused on the immediate effects of nutrition. Deficiencies that create an obvious short term, readily identifiable problem in health, have been extensively studied, and corrected. But long term, subtle, non-life-threatening deficiencies have not been investigated in much detail. The effects over an animal's life span, the altered absorptive capabilities of older dogs, the accumulation of years of low-grade deficiency, have not been addressed by nutritional research. It is these types of deficiencies that are creating the enormous "epidemic" of long-term degenerative diseases that afflict modern dogs. Chronic skin diseases and allergies, osteoarthritis, dental problems, autoimmune diseases, and ultimately cancer, can all be linked to long term deficiency. There are over 76 macro and micro minerals available in natural raw foods. Modern nutritional research has focused on studying only the importance of the major groups, the ones that show an immediate short-term health disorder if deficient. This comprises only 30% of known nutrients. In fact even the most premium brand pet foods are lucky to contain 50 of the 76 nutrients available. Some cheaper pet foods may only have 30-40. It is the damage caused by cooking and artificial processing of modern pet foods that creates these deficiencies (rendering minerals unavailable for absorption from the gut), and results in subtle disease syndromes that accumulate and worsen over an animal's life -span. The average dog will maintain reasonable health on commercial pet foods for about 5-6 years, but it is the next half of its life where the problems will become evident. Allergic skin disease and early onset arthritis are the two most common syndromes (omega 3 fatty acid deficiency, calcium deficiency). The more basic and cheaper pet food brands will result in signs of deficiency much sooner. A dull, dry, flaky coat, itchy skin, poor dental health, blocked anal glands, obesity, diabetes, hypothyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, and a range of degenerative conditions which were previously only diagnosed in people, are just a few of the disease syndromes that can be linked to long term dietary deficiency. And for all the complexities of these deficiencies, for which I can claim to understand only a few, the answer to correcting them is so simple. A well balanced, raw food diet. return to top RAW FOOD IS THE ANSWER A well-designed diet of raw food can provide all the available macro and micronutrients necessary for perfect health. The easy part, is that because it has not been cooked or processed, it supplies all the nutrients in an easy to digest and absorb form. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to formulate a well-balanced raw food diet. The aim is to match the natural components of a wild dog's diet. A generous portion of muscle meat and raw bones, some organ meats (liver, kidney, heart), and a balance of carbohydrate and vegetable matter, equivalent to the gut contents of the prey. In general, it is easiest to use readily available ingredients, like rolled oats for carbohydrate, flaxseed meal or oil for omega 3 fatty acids, and plenty of green vegetables. There are some simple additives you can use to fortify the diet, and fill any gaps that would normally be supplied by a dog's natural scavenging habits. Brewers yeast, kelp, lecithin, calcium, garlic, vitamin C, and powdered barley grass or wheat grass, can all be added to the diet to create a fully balanced, nutritional masterpiece. Using organic meats like kangaroo and rabbit will further enhance the nutritional profile, and purity of the diet. A simple guide for feeding ratios is as follows: Muscle Meat Organ Meat Cereal / Veg Supplement Puppy 50% 20% 30% 20g / 250g Adult 50% 10% 40% 5g / 250g Senior 40% 10% 50% 10g / 250g Weight Loss 30% 10% 60% 15g / 250g Raw bones should be a daily part of the feeding program for puppies, as they are the natural source of calcium for growth. Raw bones should also be fed to all mature dogs at least 2-4 times weekly. Remove the marrow if feeding them to overweight dogs. Vegetable matter should be pulped or vitamised, to aid digestion, and prevent fussy dogs from avoiding eating them. Increase the vegetable component for overweight dogs. Try adding a clove or two of garlic to the vegetable mix, and soak it in some chicken stock overnight. Cereal grains, like rolled oats, should be soaked in an equal volume of water, or stock, for 24 hours at room temperature, before mixing with the rest of the ingredients. This will greatly enhance the digestibility and bioavailability of the grain content. And there you have it. A simple, nutritionally complete, raw food diet, that will provide your dog with the complete array of nutritional building blocks, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, required for perfect health and a long, happy, and active life. return to top PERFECT NUTRITION FOR THE PERFECT PUPPY If we could go back in time to the very first day man befriended the dog, I'm sure we would find it all started with a puppy. Puppies are the picture of innocence, love and affection, and will warm the coldest of hearts with their instant adoring attention and playful antics. And it was these traits, that carry on into adulthood, along with many of the common hunting, protecting and scavenging skills that dogs possess, that ensured the dog's place as "man's best friend". But even though that happened over 10,000 years ago, man's actual impact on the dog, on an evolutionary level, is less than 0.01 %. The dog family (Canidae) have been evolving for over 40 million years, and for the first 39.99 million years, they had no human contact. So if we are to ask the question, what should a puppy eat to get the optimum in nutrition, healthy growth, strength and vitality; should we ask a scientist? a veterinarian? a pet food manufacturer? a zoo keeper? or mother nature herself ? Common sense feeding practices are they key to good health ! In just about every situation where mankind has altered the natural feeding practices of domesticated animals, whether it be for reasons of increased growth and production, better condition or speed, convenience, profit, or simply by the nature of domestication and confinement, which prevents natural migration patterns, we see deterioration in health, and the emergence of new diseases. Mother nature, for want of a better name, or Darwin's theory of evolution, has been at work for millions of years evolving genetic traits and structuring every single organism to best survive and thrive in it's given environment.And the basic essentials are how to eat, how to survive, and how to reproduce. Dogs are no exception. They have been evolving for over 39.99 million years eating raw food (prey) and scavenging scraps. And that is exactly what they thrive on ! Nature has a counterpart for every domesticated animal, be it dogs and wolves, cats and lions, horses and zebra, cows and buffalo, pigs and boars........ and in every situation, you will find diseases and degenerative conditions that are not prevalent in the wild counterpart. Yes, domesticated animals often live longer due to their protected environment and help from mankind, but in almost every situation, the domesticated animal will suffer from diseases that are either not found or are very rare in the wild. And why ? Because in every situation man has changed their natural diet ! Do wolves suffer from allergies, flea hypersensitivity, gingivitis and gum disease, anal gland blockage, sensitive bowels and food allergy, hip or elbow dysplasia, diabetes, thyroid deficiency, early onset arthritis, autoimmune diseases or the vast array of cancers that are diagnosed in dogs today ? No ! Why not ? Because they eat a natural raw diet, the same diet they have evolved to eat over 40 million years. Their whole body, from teeth, salivary glands, stomach, intestines, organs and enzymes, has all been finely tuned over 40 million years to process and digest raw food: meats and organs, bones, fur, feathers, insects, plants, fruits and nuts, grasses...fresh today or weeks old, they can handle it all. And they thrive on it. So how different are modern domestic dogs in 1999 ? ......... about 0.01 % So what should a puppy eat to achieve maximum optimal nutrition, health, growth and longevity........a natural, raw, uncooked, unprocessed, unadulterated diet. What is a natural diet for a growing puppy ? Natural nutrition starts in the uterus, and in the diet of the pregnant bitch. Although you can't always know the parentage of puppies, if you have a choice, try and find a breeder who feeds raw food. The health and vigor of new born pups is a direct reflection of both diet and genetics. The importance of the bitch's nutritional plane continues through lactation, where for the first few weeks the pups are completely reliant on mum for all their nutrition (growth), immunity (collostrum), and waste disposal. You can usually pick the strongest pup (often the pick of the litter) at about 2 weeks. At this age the pup is a direct reflection of his genetic make-up, and the bitches nutritional intake. From the time the pup cuts its first milk teeth ( approx. 2-4 weeks old) he or she is ready to tackle solid food. This coincides with increasing discomfort at feeding time for the bitch ( those nice sharp teeth we all know so well !), who is stimulated to start offering solid food. In the wild state, she does this by regurgitating food (voluntary vomiting) for the pups to eat. Food (or prey) she may have eaten minutes or hours earlier, is then regurgitated ; pre-masticated (chewed), warm (38.5 'C) and part digested, for the pups to devour back in the security of the den (or whelping box). Many bitches today will still start vomiting at this stage of lactation, even if you are offering solids already, which is the cause of many a panicky phone call from in-experienced breeders. And what do the pups then eat ? Exactly what mum has eaten. Pre-chewed, partly digested, raw meat, organs, gut contents, bones, fur, feathers, and any other plant or organic material the bitch has eaten. But remember, the bitch is often eating for herself and 6 or more pups, and as a result, her diet is often more varied and ravenous than usual. Infact, the concept of cravings for certain foods, which are experienced during pregnancy and lactation, may play an important role in ensuring balanced early nutrition of pups and people in the same way. By 6-8 weeks, the pups will tackle whole carcass and food brought back by the bitch intact. And by the age of 6-8 months old, the pup has grown and learnt to hunt and scavenge for itself.. So how does this translate to the modern domestic puppy of 1999 ? Very simply : We try to recreate the core elements of the natural diet, with easily accessible ingredients currently available, that will supply the equivalent constituents of a natural diet. It is not that complicated or time consuming, and there is only one golden rule : Do Not cook Anything for your puppy! The cooking and artificial processing of dog (and cat) foods, that began back in the 1950's with the post-war popularity surge in canned foods, is the single most significant impact that man has had on the domestic dog. It represents the most dramatic deviation from nature that we have imposed on any domesticated animal, and is integrally linked to the rapid decline in health, fertility and longevity that our "best friends" suffer from today. The nutritional damage caused by cooking is insidious and far reaching, and too involved to go into in great detail here. As a bare minimum, it damages/destroys essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and trace elements in the diet.It denatures (mutates) proteins, inactivates natural enzymes, and kills all natural bacterial flora (sterilises food). It results in decreased nutritional content, increased digestive effort and enzyme output, poorer absorption and intestinal vitamin production, and greater waste production. This all adds up to a diet that is nutritionally deficient, has lowered bioavailability (harder to digest and absorb), and contains mutated protein fragments that may be absorbed across the bowel. Cooking is a completely unnatural, man-made process, and should not be involved in the preparation of a dog's natural diet. What are the ingredients for a modern 'natural puppy' diet ? The ingredients in a natural diet vary only slightly from puppy to adulthood. They comprise the four basic food groups : Proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vegetables. The ratios of these in the diet will vary with the different nutritional requirements of age (stage of growth), metabolism, energy expenditure or exercise levels and reproductive status. A diet based on raw meats (both muscle meats and some organ/offal), bones, mixed cereal grains, vegetables and fruits, and a few basic natural supplements to ensure vitamin/mineral balance, can be adjusted to suit all stages of a dog's nutritional needs. Our aim is to mimic the omnivorous diet (both animal and vegetable) that wild dogs consume. The basic constituents of a weaning diet are no different to that of a growing diet, except that the very act of pre-digestion and regurgitation introduces several key points. The meat portion must be finely chopped or ground to match the pre-chewed state. This increases the actual contact surface area for easier digestion and absorption. The time spent in the gut of the bitch also introduces both a mix of digestive enzymes, and a mix of pro-biotic bacteria (normal bowel bacteria or flora), which are both underdeveloped in the weaning pup. This can be re-created by the addition of enzyme supplements (e.g. viokase, pancrease, Thrive-D), and pro-biotic supplements (live culture, non-harmful, bacterial additives e.g. Protexin powder, live culture yogurt). These two additives will greatly enhance the digestive and absorptive capabilities of the pup, which results in vigorous healthy growth.The mix should also be highly moist, and served at body temperature (38.5"C) . The weaning mix should be made available to the pups as soon as you see or feel the milk teeth erupting (2 weeks plus). Spend some time introducing the food to the pups; let them suckle your finger and then dip it in the mix and repeat the suckle, show them where the bowl is etc. Make sure your bitch is well fed if she is in with the pups during this process, as it will lessen the chance that she will eat the lot herself. The mix should be available as often as possible (ad lib), but the pups should still have full access to mum's milk at least until 5-6 weeks old, or ideally, when the bitch naturally dries up and weans the pups herself. The practice of making weaning diets that are high in dairy products, and often high in cereals, is unnecessary while the bitch is lactating. There is no substitute for the bitch's milk, and certainly not pasteurised milk from a cow. If you must use a milk substitute for any reason, raw (un-pasteurised) goats milk is the best alternative. High cereal diets (farax, porridge etc.) are not ideally suited to the pup's needs. They provide a rich source of energy and easily processed starch and sugars, but the pup has not developed a normal glucose metabolism at this age, and will experience sugar highs and sugar lows (bursts of high energy followed by collapse and sleep). Cereals are also too low in protein for the rapidly growing pup (proteins are the building blocks for body tissues), who is doubling his/her bodyweight every 3 weeks at this stage. The basic nutritional ratio for the growing pup is 70% protein (raw meat), 20% carbohydrate (cereals), 10% vegetable/fibre. The final ingredient is access to raw bones. Bones are a vital ingredient in any dog's diet ; they provide for good abrasive dental action, which maintains healthy teeth and gums, they are the best natural source of calcium in a dog's diet, and they provide solid matter for proper stool formation which aids bowel cleansing and appropriate anal gland function. Bones should be raw, soft enough to be chewed completely, and therefore digested completely, and of a size large enough to prevent swallowing whole. The ideal puppy bones are raw chicken carcasses or frames. They can be made available as soon as the pups are starting to chew solids (or chew on soft toys), and can be continued for life. The pups we raise can easily devour a chicken frame at 4 weeks old. The growth diet (from weaning as a pup to mature adult size) is designed to provide the pup with all the raw materials required for rapid growth. The pup needs higher levels of protein and fats, and more concentrated vitamin/mineral content to keep pace with the rapid growth of body tissues, organs and bones. Correct ratios of key elements like calcium and essential fatty acids, and micronutrients like iodine, chromium and zinc, are all vastly more important when designing a diet for a growing puppy, than that of a fully grown adult dog. The diet outlined below is the result of years of research and trial. We have fifth generation pups due shortly, that will be weaned and grown on this diet, just as their parents, grand parents and great grand parents were. Every generation raised on raw food benefits both nutritionally, and genetically, as they grow to reproductive age. A natural raw diet is the key to better health, vitality, reproductive vigor and long life. The puppy diet for all breeds There has always been a lot of discussion about the different needs of large and small breed puppies, but with a properly balanced puppy diet, the only difference is in the amount you feed, and the length of time you feed it for. All pups need small regular meals during the early stages (the amount is relative to the size of the pups) ; 4 feeds a day up to 6 weeks old, 3 feeds per day up to 12 weeks, 2 feed per day up to 6 months old. Small breed dogs will reach mature size between 6-12 months old, and can be fed once a day. Large breed dogs continue to grow for up to 18 months to 2 years, and should be maintained on 2 feeds per day until then. As long as the diet ratios are correct, this is the main significant difference. The following recipe is designed to make up 1kg of "ready to eat" puppy mix. (1) 700g raw meat (2) 180g of soaked cereal mix (3) 80g vegetable mix (4) 40g nutritional powder mix (5) One teaspoon of flax seed oil (optional.See below) (1) The meat should always be raw, preservative free, and meat inspected. I prefer kangaroo and rabbit, as they are both free range and organic, they are a likely natural source of prey, they are lean meats (approx. 4% fat), and they are cost effective to boot. It is a good idea to add some organ meats on occasion (once or twice a week). A mix of 100g organ to 600g meat is rich enough. Use liver, kidney and heart primarily, and only buy from a butcher or supermarket. Try and always have a bone offering (chicken carcass or equivalent) at least once daily or every second day. (2) The cereal mix is a combination of 5 parts rolled oats, 2 parts cracked barley, and one part each of soybean meal, linseed meal and whole grain oats (although only add the whole oats when the pups are about 8-10 weeks old). This mix is then soaked in an equal volume of water ( i.e. one cup mix to one cup water), and left for 12 hrs (summer) to 24 hrs (winter) at room temperature. This allows for seed germination, and the un-locking of starch and other carbohydrates in the grain, which improves digestion and absorption greatly. (3) The vegetable mix can be very varied. The more soft and rotten the veggies, the better. We use primarily carrot, pumpkin and parsley, with green beans, peas, and any other greens available. Soft mushy fruits are also great..just avoid fruit stones (seeds) and hard cores. Peelings and fruit juice pulp are also great.... basically the contents of your compost bin. The whole lot is then vitamised or put through the food blender until it is a pulp. I also add about one clove of garlic for every cup of veggie mix and pulp it in. The pulping process is essential to allow the dog to be able to digest and process the veggie mix (dogs have a poor ability to digest plant material in tact), and it also prevents fussy dogs from selectively sifting out and leaving the vegetables. The mix can be refrigerated for about 4-5 days, or frozen. (4) The nutritional powder mix supplies the vitamin and mineral supplements that balance off the diet in regard to content and ratios. It contains 12 parts calcium carbonate powder, 9 parts brewers yeast, 3 parts kelp powder, 3 parts lecithin granules, 1 part barley green or wheat grass powder, and 1 part vitamin C powder as sodium ascorbate. (5) Flax seed oil is used as an Omega 3 fatty acid supplement, which are vital for the development of the brain and nervous system. The diet above will provide adequate Omega 3 levels as it is, but given that many people may not choose to feed this every day, a flax oil supplement will make up for any deficiencies in other diets used (especially if dry food is fed). (6) When making a weaning mix (up to 6 weeks old), chop meat finely (minced), add the equivalent of 2 viokase tablets (or Thrive-D as directed), and one sachet of protexin powder per 1kg of mix. Add extra water to reach a thick soup consistency, and serve warm (not refrigerated). Do not use whole oats in the cereal mix. All of the ingredients listed can be easily purchased from your local produce store, health food shop and pet supply outlets / butcher. Most parts of the mix can be made up and stored in bulk (cereal mix, frozen vegetable mix, powder mix). The fully prepared mix will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, and can also be frozen, however fresh is always best. This simple diet plan will help you to rear strong, healthy , show winning pups every litter. Continuing this dietary advice throughout the lifetime of your dogs will guarantee them optimal health and longevity, and will save you money on both feed bills and vet bills. The ultimate result will be to maximise the genetic potential of your chosen breed(s) by eliminating the damaging nutritional trends of the past 40 years. return to top Dr Bruce Syme B.V.Sc. (Hons), M.R.C.V.S. Vet's All Natural Animal Health Centre, Alpha |
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"Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION When I first began to seriously investigate nutrition for dogs and cats over 10 years ago, I was confronted with the problem of where to begin. It is fair to say that the subject had been given little consideration in scientific or veterinary literature, prior to the development of commercial pet foods some 50 years ago. Since then, it has become "big business", and there is a wealth of biased information available, to both veterinarian, and dog owner. But what about prior to that? How did people feed dogs before tinned and dry food became available? What nutritional problems did they encounter? Who advised them on how to feed their dogs? The answers are all quite simple. Dogs were fed fresh meat, bones, and left over table scraps. The nutritional problems encountered were very few, and simple to correct (calcium deficiency, rickets, hypervitaminosis A). Veterinary advice was limited to suggesting additional calcium in the diet for growing puppies. A majority of dogs were kept for specific purposes, i.e. working dogs, guard dogs, hunting dog's etc., and had access to a wide range of different food sources via scavenging on the job. Dogs were, in no way, as strictly limited to the confines of the back yard, as they are today. Some breeders and working dog trainers used various supplements in their dog's diets, like yeast, cod liver oil, raw eggs and garlic, to improve their dogs' fertility and performance. But on the whole, homemade diets were basic, uncomplicated, and perfectly adequate. The dogs of yesteryear enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases. It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa |
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"Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION When I first began to seriously investigate nutrition for dogs and cats over 10 years ago, I was confronted with the problem of where to begin. It is fair to say that the subject had been given little consideration in scientific or veterinary literature, prior to the development of commercial pet foods some 50 years ago. Since then, it has become "big business", and there is a wealth of biased information available, to both veterinarian, and dog owner. But what about prior to that? How did people feed dogs before tinned and dry food became available? What nutritional problems did they encounter? Who advised them on how to feed their dogs? The answers are all quite simple. Dogs were fed fresh meat, bones, and left over table scraps. The nutritional problems encountered were very few, and simple to correct (calcium deficiency, rickets, hypervitaminosis A). Veterinary advice was limited to suggesting additional calcium in the diet for growing puppies. A majority of dogs were kept for specific purposes, i.e. working dogs, guard dogs, hunting dog's etc., and had access to a wide range of different food sources via scavenging on the job. Dogs were, in no way, as strictly limited to the confines of the back yard, as they are today. Some breeders and working dog trainers used various supplements in their dog's diets, like yeast, cod liver oil, raw eggs and garlic, to improve their dogs' fertility and performance. But on the whole, homemade diets were basic, uncomplicated, and perfectly adequate. The dogs of yesteryear enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases. It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa |
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"Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION When I first began to seriously investigate nutrition for dogs and cats over 10 years ago, I was confronted with the problem of where to begin. It is fair to say that the subject had been given little consideration in scientific or veterinary literature, prior to the development of commercial pet foods some 50 years ago. Since then, it has become "big business", and there is a wealth of biased information available, to both veterinarian, and dog owner. But what about prior to that? How did people feed dogs before tinned and dry food became available? What nutritional problems did they encounter? Who advised them on how to feed their dogs? The answers are all quite simple. Dogs were fed fresh meat, bones, and left over table scraps. The nutritional problems encountered were very few, and simple to correct (calcium deficiency, rickets, hypervitaminosis A). Veterinary advice was limited to suggesting additional calcium in the diet for growing puppies. A majority of dogs were kept for specific purposes, i.e. working dogs, guard dogs, hunting dog's etc., and had access to a wide range of different food sources via scavenging on the job. Dogs were, in no way, as strictly limited to the confines of the back yard, as they are today. Some breeders and working dog trainers used various supplements in their dog's diets, like yeast, cod liver oil, raw eggs and garlic, to improve their dogs' fertility and performance. But on the whole, homemade diets were basic, uncomplicated, and perfectly adequate. The dogs of yesteryear enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases. It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa |
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"Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION When I first began to seriously investigate nutrition for dogs and cats over 10 years ago, I was confronted with the problem of where to begin. It is fair to say that the subject had been given little consideration in scientific or veterinary literature, prior to the development of commercial pet foods some 50 years ago. Since then, it has become "big business", and there is a wealth of biased information available, to both veterinarian, and dog owner. But what about prior to that? How did people feed dogs before tinned and dry food became available? What nutritional problems did they encounter? Who advised them on how to feed their dogs? The answers are all quite simple. Dogs were fed fresh meat, bones, and left over table scraps. The nutritional problems encountered were very few, and simple to correct (calcium deficiency, rickets, hypervitaminosis A). Veterinary advice was limited to suggesting additional calcium in the diet for growing puppies. A majority of dogs were kept for specific purposes, i.e. working dogs, guard dogs, hunting dog's etc., and had access to a wide range of different food sources via scavenging on the job. Dogs were, in no way, as strictly limited to the confines of the back yard, as they are today. Some breeders and working dog trainers used various supplements in their dog's diets, like yeast, cod liver oil, raw eggs and garlic, to improve their dogs' fertility and performance. But on the whole, homemade diets were basic, uncomplicated, and perfectly adequate. The dogs of yesteryear enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases. It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa |
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"Rosa Palmén" wrote in
: "Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION snip information designed to promote diets that are commercially provided by, the biased and interested OP It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa Good points Rosa. And long healthier lives, how so? In comparison to what? Todays dogs enjoy longer average lives than those of yesteryears. |
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"Rosa Palmén" wrote in
: "Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION snip information designed to promote diets that are commercially provided by, the biased and interested OP It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa Good points Rosa. And long healthier lives, how so? In comparison to what? Todays dogs enjoy longer average lives than those of yesteryears. |
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"Rosa Palmén" wrote in
: "Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION snip information designed to promote diets that are commercially provided by, the biased and interested OP It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa Good points Rosa. And long healthier lives, how so? In comparison to what? Todays dogs enjoy longer average lives than those of yesteryears. |
#9
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"Rosa Palmén" wrote in
: "Alpha" wrote in message ... A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANINE NUTRITION snip information designed to promote diets that are commercially provided by, the biased and interested OP It might very well be that the old homemade diets were better for the dogs health, but I think it is very hard to know for sure as there aren't any statistics about how many dogs had what diseases or problems before dogs were fed commercial pet food. The majority of the "dogs of the yesteryears" were not treated as familymembers. To know for sure how many dogs back then "enjoyed long, active, healthy lives, with few degenerative diseases." is impossible. If I have understood correctly dogs were euthanized much easier before. If a dog wasn't a good working dog, why would someone keep it, no matter if the reason was physical or in the dogs head, why keep a dog you couldn't use? Purebred pet puppies that showed faults were also euthanized. The runts of big litters were euthanized or you let them die. So I think it is just natural that the remaining dog population would indeed seem healthier than todays population. Rosa Good points Rosa. And long healthier lives, how so? In comparison to what? Todays dogs enjoy longer average lives than those of yesteryears. |
#10
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Alpha wrote:
The process of evolution is designed to "fine tune" every living species to best survive and reproduce in its given environment. Every structure of the living organism is affected by this process, right down to the cellular level. giggle You really have to read this whole thing to get to the funny bits. --Lia |
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