We wanted them to eat real food. That was the main reason we decided to cook for Riley when she came to live with us.
Food has now become a way of bonding with our dogs. Kiko will usually be licking us and stationed between our legs as we make their dinner. Riley will let us know she’s done with her meal so we can clear her bowl.
A concern was that we were unsure whether we were feeding our dogs correctly. Thus the decision to go back to school to properly study canine nutrition.
Here is how we were before:
- had very vague ideas about food groups and their purpose
- didn’t know that fats have a critical role in nutrition
- no idea that certain fats are anti-inflammatory
- vague idea about what antioxidants do for the body
- no idea why too much liver and organ meat was bad
- no idea a healthy gut is key to good health and a strong immune system
- no idea that soluble fibre helps nourish a healthy gut
- did not know how intertwined food intake is to the stools that come out
- close-minded about what to feed our dogs
How we used to cook for our dogs:
- 5 to 6 ingredients per meal
- ingredients never weighed
- 70%-80% of one protein
- 20% of one or two vegetables
- 10% starch from time to time
- yoghurt & diary added regularly for calcium
- little to no fat ~ maybe fish oil from time to time
- turmeric added regularly for antimicrobial effects
- cook a different protein & vegetable each day
- bone broth regularly used as a base to cook ingredients
Here is what's changed:
- realised i had a very poor understanding of how to feed myself and our dogs
- able to see through myths, misconceptions, marketing garbage and fear tactics plaguing pet nutrition
- understand the reason and importance of food diversity
- understand each ingredient’s role in nourishment, health and healing
- know how to create or adjust recipes to be complete and balanced
- am confident that we are not misfeeding our dogs
How we cook for our dogs now:
- careful scrutiny of nutrition labels and weighing of ingredients
- use at least 10 ingredients per meal
- minimum of 2 proteins used
- minimum of 3 vegetables used
- ensuring soluble & insoluble fibre in recipes
- minimum of 2 types of fat used
- ingredients added to support antioxidant, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, vitamin A, D, K, B and anti-inflammatory needs
- incorporating raw and minimally cooked proteins into their nutrition
- attention to stools and adjusting what is fed based on stool condition
Canine nutrition studies helped us understand nutrition more completely.
The most reassuring takeaway is the ability to see through biases and misinformation. We are now confident about what and how we feed our dogs.
Follow this link if you are interested in learning about nutrition for dogs: Canine and Feline Nutrition certification from Southern Illinois University
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