There is really nothing better than a fresh meat-based dog diet. And, there is limited information on the pro’s of feeding dogs fresh food from an Indian context. We have summarised the relevant quantities in our feeding guide for the reference of any first time dog owner.
Our number one recommendation is, to feed your dog the closest dog diet to nature. Which is a fresh meat based dog diet, with a balance of vegetables & whole grain for roughage and minerals.
A good balanced dog meal has 55% cooked protein with equal portions of vegetables & whole grains. This translates to, 78% of your dog’s raw food ingredients being animal protein. This intake can vary, if your dogs been advised to stay on a low protein diet. Wherein, the cooked meat quantity comprises 40% of the meal. In raw ingredient weight, this would be approximately 55% animal protein. Basically, meat is the main ingredient in a balanced dog diet with a healthy portion of fibre from vegetables and wholegrain.
The best dog food practice is to feed your dog a variety of meats like chicken, beef, pork, fish and mutton. Not only will it provide the goodness of each of these meats. It will also avoid developing allergies to any one particular meat in the future. In a species appropriate dog diet, meat is what keeps their meals healthy and interesting. After all, 55% of a dog’s diet is cooked meat. It is more important to rotate their meats than their vegetables.
An ideal meal would comprise a single protein source along with a little amount of carbohydrate (rice) & fibre (vegetables like pumpkin, carrot, beans). This helps, especially, in the initial stages of getting your new dog home. In case your pup is allergic to a particular meat, it is a lot easier to find out. If your dog vomits, within a few hours of being fed and it happens repeatedly, no matter how you cook the protein. Avoiding that protein would become necessary. So rotating the protein you feed your dog, weekly or fortnightly, at the initial stages will help you determine any allergies.
Whilst we recommend a certain portion based on body weight, your dog’s body is a good marker to being overfed or underfed. A simple hand test at home will help. When in doubt, please visit your veterinerian.
It is safe to start with a smaller quantity and then move up, based on your dog’s activity level and acceptance of the food. This is applicable to a few of the dog breeds like labrador retriever, golden retriever, beagles who have a higher tendency to put on weight. Our feeding guide table is a good reference point to start on homemade dog food portion.
If you have been advised by your veterinary doctor or you feel your dog needs to lose weight, the best way to do so would be to increase the activity level and reduced food intake. For dog’s who need to shed some puppy fat, we recommend to bring down the quantity to 3% of their body weight goal and opting for a low carb diet.
And for treats, choose single ingredient treats with no carbohydrates. Meat is essential even for dogs on a diet.
For young pups, who are active and exploring new flavours, liver, kidney, lungs work well. These are rich treats, hence treat only the recommended quantity and start slow, with a few pieces every two days.
Chicken feet and chicken neck are great for all dogs, including a fast chomper. These natural chews have very few bones which are soft. It mostly contains cartilage and skin and is full of collagen and calcium, which is beneficial for a dog’s joint health. It is a trusted source of glucosamine, in a good diet chart for dogs prescribed for dogs with hip dysplasia or arthritis.
Chicken gizzards are lean organs and suitable for older dogs whose activity levels have reduced and young puppies who are just getting introduced to organ meats.
They should ideally be on 4 meals a day. And can be achieved with initially splitting their day’s meal into 4 portions. As they grow and get comfortable with their meals, split the day’s meal into 2 portions with the other 2 more feeds including broths, organ meats, chews, curd. Introducing your pup slowly to a variety of new, healthy, interesting foods.
It is best to move to 3 meals, preferably with equal intervals between meals. At 12 months, your puppy is at a good age to move to two meals a day. Preferably with a 12 hour gap. However, it needs to be an attainable goal for you too as their care giver. Here, you can start reducing the number of times treats & snacks are being fed to your pup.
Having said that, an adult dog may suddenly develop gastric issues, like frequent regurgitation, not eating their usual meals for days together, will have to be diagnosed by the veterinary doctor. Post recovery, it is a good idea to either feed 3 meals a day or two meals with a light mid day snack. Some great options are buttermilk, broth, chicken feet, organ meats, to balance the gastric juices and reduce the time between meals.
Some dogs thrive on just one meal a day and that too is normal.
Meat is an essential part of a dog’s diet. Including muscle meats or organ meats with their meals is a great start to a meat based dog diet. Keep them hydrated with bone broths. Stimulate their dog instincts with chews!
Drop your comments and let us know what you think. Each dog is different and experience is one of the best teachers. We’d love to hear your experiences on feeding a fresh meat based dog diet.
