DOGS SHOULD BE FED ON A NATURAL DIET CONSISTING OF RAW, NATURAL FOOD.  PROCESSED, CANNED AND DRY FOODS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH.

RAW MEAT & BONES - Approx. 60 -70% DAILY RATION
Free-range chicken, rabbit, mutton, duck, roo, lamb, turkey and beef.  All should be fed with the bones and some of the fat left on.

Cooked bones should never be fed to dogs. Raw meaty bones are safe to feed to dogs.  In the wild, dogs ate bones of small and large animals with no problems.

Fresh or lightly steamed fish with bones removed.

Free range organic chicken livers, heart or other offal once or twice fortnightly.

Free range eggs, including the shell if the dog likes them. No more than 2 or 3 per week.

VEGETABLES, FRUIT & SPROUTS –Approx. 30 - 40 % DAILY RATION

Raw vegetables finely minced or pureed, include carrot, celery, beetroot, sweet potato, cauliflower and broccoli stems and leaves, zucchini, parsley, wheat grass or other vegies.

Avoid feeding any onions and it is best to also avoid tomato, potato, avocado & eggplant.

Sprouted grains and seeds are a rich source of nutrients.

Any soft, ripe fruits that your dog likes.

NON ESSENTIAL EXTRAS -

Raw nuts are usually enjoyed by dogs, as occasional treats but avoid macadamia nuts and most seeds.

Raw goat’s milk or cow’s milk may be fed to puppies, but is not necessary for adult dogs.  A small amount of natural yoghurt or cottage cheese is okay occasionally but not essential.

Grains are not necessary; they can be very hard to digest and should only be fed to underweight dogs or those living in cold climates.

Barley, oat and rice flakes soaked overnight in water to soften are the best grains to use or ‘Complete Mix food’ which is simply soaked and served with raw meat or can be served with natural yoghurt as a morning meal. Complete mix dog food comes in 1kg and 5kg bags to help simplify natural feeding without fuss for busy people.

Frozen BARF food is also available from the clinic. We regret that fresh food cannot be sent by mail. Phone (07 5449 1453) or email us for prices.

SUPPLEMENTS RECOMMENDED~
It is not always possible to obtain sufficient nutrients from foods today, so we recommend adding a quality supplement such as –

Greenpet supplement is excellent for all dogs to provide extra nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and trace elements to compliment a natural diet.

Contains – flaxmeal, rice bran, dolomite, kelp, rosehips, spirulina, green barley, alfalfa, nettle, blackstrap molasses & garlic.

Flaxseed oil or Greenpet Omega Plus helps to provide EFA for healthy skin & coat.

HOW TO PREPARE NATURAL FOOD FOR YOUR DOG ~
Place vegies, sprouts, etc; in food processor and blend until finely minced (or use the pulp from vegetable juicer) and mix this with a little meat and process until well combined. Serve with meaty bone.

If you do not have a juicer or food processor, then lightly steam and mash vegies or use Complete Mix food.

You can make food up fresh each day, or prepare a weeks supply and freeze in daily portions. Remove the following days serve and allow to defrost in the fridge for 24hours.

Vary the types of meat used and also the vegetables, to provide variety and ensure a balance with foods eaten. You would never consider eating the same food in day-in-day-out, and neither should your dog.

It is not necessary to balance or measure out each meal exactly. A dog in the wild would eat plenty at times and other times sparingly, and their stomach is fully equipped to deal with this variation.

Most healthy dogs can safely have one ‘fast’ day each week or at least a ‘meat-free’ day.

Start introducing raw bones gradually if your dog has not eaten them in the past. Chicken necks & wings are good to start with.

Do not leave food out all day, feed only once or twice daily, unless otherwise recommended.

Remove any leftover food once dog has had enough. Reduce quantity for next meal, as you may be feeding too much. If your dog is burying food, then he/she is getting too much.

On the other hand, if your dog is waiting around after eating, then he/she may need more.

FOR FUSSY DOGS~
Make changes gradually if you need to, by adding a little of the new food to their usual diet, gradually increasing the new and decreasing the old. But most importantly be consistent. If you weaken and give favourite foods, then it gives the message “that if I nag for long enough they will give me what I want” so they will continue to refuse the new diet. Start by adding a tiny teaspoonful of minced vegies to favourite meat or fish, and increase gradually.

If the dog refuses to eat raw meat, then lightly cook outside and reduce cooking gradually until eating meat raw.

If the new food is refused, then take it away and wait until the next meal-time. No healthy animal will voluntarily starve themself, when fresh food is offered. They may be very stubborn, but they are not stupid! Please be strong and persevere with it for their health’s sake.

Serve all food at room temperature for best digestion. Meat or bones may be plunged into hot water to warm before serving straight from the fridge. Do not warm in a microwave oven!

If diarrhoea or constipation occurs after changing to a natural BARF (bones & raw food) diet, then contact the clinic.