What now

If you read all the top books, then join e-lists, or our forum. Ask plenty of questions, and experiment until you feel you are doing the best for your dog. It is much easier than it sounds. It can be a scary undertaking in the beginning, but before you know it, you feel like an old pro. Just remember, "balance over time". If you feel you made a mistake one day, it doesn't matter because you can make it up in the next day, or the next day. "Balance over time" actually can cover a 2 week period. You can make many mistakes and still be doing great!

Highest Quality Food

Is there a difference in food quality? Yes! Organically grown vegetables and fruits are preferred. Look for ones that are grown from soil that has not been depleted of natural minerals and produces a superior product using very few pesticides.

Grass-fed livestock and poultry are raised without added hormones, and in the case of chickens, are outdoor (free-range) in the sun instead of in cramped indoor cages. Some people say the free-range chicken and eggs are more nutritious due to the sun exposure. For more on this subject, check out Dr. Mercola's very informative site.

Grain is not a natural diet for cattle. If we are feeding our pets a natural, species specific diet, it makes sense to feed them an animal that is fed a species specific diet also!

Organically grown fruits and vegetables can have hazards. If not treated properly after harvesting, they can become contaminated. As an example: an organic lettuce farm next to a cattle ranch. The dust from the cattle ranch can blow over to the lettuce farm, and contaminate the harvested lettuce with E. coli. This has happened, albeit, very rarely. I'm only adding this because organic is not synonymous with risk free. There are risks with everything.

For those of us who cannot afford organic foods, regular human grade products are still far better for your pet than any kibble!

Fasting

Most advocates of the raw, natural diet, recommend it. Fasting allows the body to concentrate on eliminating toxins that have built up, rather than using energy to digest the food of the day. Provide fresh, pure water to drink on fasting days. You can give broths or fruit juices during a fast also.

Fasting should be in combination with regular exercise, good nutrition and good hygiene. If your dog has health problems, fasting may be good or bad, depending on the ailment. This means you need to do the research, ask questions and find out if it is right for your dog.

Puppies should not be fasted!

At approximately 12 months of age, start with a 1/2 day fast, one day per week. I usually feed a RMB meal in the morning and fast the second half of the day, skipping the veggie/ground meat/supplement meal. At 18 months you can go for the whole day of fasting. By the way, this is a good idea for humans too!

Extra Details

Feed your pet from stainless steel or lead free glass dishes. Plastic and ceramic dishes can leach contaminants into your pets' food.

Careful with Filtered Water

Fluoride and Chlorine in our water systems can cause problems with calcium absorption in our pets.

Filters using ion beads inside a cartridge will remove calcium and should not be used if feeding kibble or commercial dog food. Raw-fed dogs have excess calcium in their food, that is why their poop is white. Just like the wild dogs and jackals in Africa.

Bacteria in the water system is usually not much of a concern for the raw fed pet...they can handle it. However, the highly active (electronegativity) chlorine we inject into our water systems to make them safe for human consumption are not safe for us or our pets.

To dramatically reduce chlorine, store your water in a vented container in your refrigerator for a day.

Keep food from falling into and contaminating any water that has reduced chlorine content. Use a picture with a lid and vented pouring spout.

Dogs on a raw diet drink far less water than a kibble fed.

We recommend "Pur™" water treatment systems (see side bar for why we prefer Pur™ at home.) The filtering pitchers are fairly inexpensive and can be purchased almost anywhere. Grocery stores, department stores, and warehouse clubs (i.e., Costco Wholesale) all carry Pur.

 

If your dog/pup is getting slim, feed more. If your dog/pup is getting fat, feed less. Check at base of tail for roll of fat.

Pretty darn simple!

 

Download the entire Dog Raw-Diet "Beginner's Guide & Menu" in Acrobat PDF format here.

Return to Pure4m™ page

 

Traveling While Feeding a Raw Diet

It's easy! You can buy RMB's at any grocery store (usually chicken wings). Our pets can go without the veggies and supplements for a short while, thanks to "balance over time". Longer periods can be supplemented with canned pumpkin (not the pie filling with all the extra ingredients), canned mackerel, tuna or salmon.

Another suggestion for traveling or when your pet will be fed by someone other than yourself, is a fermented kibble called Balance Diet™.

The Pur™ difference

The Pur Filter uses two technologies: first, a straining membrane (or filter) that removes larger chunks (not all contaminants). Then, resin (ion) beads pull out impurities and improve taste.

Brita does not have this coarse screen filter.

If bacteria is a concern make sure your water filter contains an adequate filtering section. Many "filters" only have resin beads or only a coarse screening filter. A little carbon or charcoal filter will not protect you from tiny bacteria or viruses.

Good protection is a compressed carbon block or ultra-fine ceramic filter. Look at backpacking stores for excellent hand pumping filters.

Home use systems are not for untreated water. They are only for use on clean drinking water.

Consult medical authorities for systems to treat water in specific areas you will visit.

Better yet, take water from home. Smart travelers and dog show people follow this preventative measure for important events.