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Raw Food Recipe For Dogs
Can You Feed Your Dogs Raw Food?
Well that is the question that I had been asking for months on end, unfortunately in this time my furry friend spent her time munching on the same dry kibble day in day out. Now that may sound mean feeding your dog the same food every meal, however myself like many others have been lead to believe that this is the safest option, as varying a dogs diet can give them an upset tummy.
However whilst this might be true in many dogs, I have found that varying my dogs diet has not only given her a sudden zest on her palate, it has also helped to improve her energy levels and overall mood!
Anyhoo back to the question at hand, YES you can feed your dogs raw food (unless specifically advised otherwise by your vet), as this is the type of diet that they would eat in the wild if you will. The key to feeding a raw food diet to your dog is to ensure that it is varied and contains the right amount of nutrients for them.
I know this may sound daunting but it is not as difficult as you would think, the art of it is to keep switching or rotating the herbs/spices and veg/fruit. As well as maintaining a sort of standard ratio in the meal. I personally use the following, based on 2% of my dogs weight, split across two meals.
Based on a 20kg Dog.
Per Meal:
150g of raw meat (mixture of heart, liver, offal and straight meat)
30g of veg
20g of fruit
A tablespoon of quality oil (Coconut Oil, Olive Oil or Hemp Oil)
A variety of supplements as well as herbs and spices.
If you follow the above you cannot go far wrong, obviously work on the ratios for your own pooches weight. It is 75% meat and Offal, 15% Veg & 10% Fruit.
In the recipe below I have not added fruit as I have used additional supplements. I use this recipe as a breakfast feed to ensure my furry friends starts her day on the right paw!
Top Tips For Starting A Raw Food Diet
1. Don't get too caught up in which fruit and veg (just research them to ensure they are not toxic for dogs)
2. Keep it grain free, as this may reduce the risk of food allergies.
3. Rotate Meals
4. The organs and offal contain a lot of multi vitamins
5. Muscle meat is a must
Ingredients
I have used the following ingredients for this recipe:
Kale: Is a powerhouse for nutrients and anti oxidants for dogs.
Carrots: Contain high levels of vitamin A and are great for your dogs oral hygiene.
Ginger: Is great for assisting in lowering a number of ailments as well reducing the likelihood of cancer.
Kelp Powder: This is also a powerhouse of nutrients which contains a rich mix of minerals and salts. It helps with a variety of ailments especially irritated and itchy skin/coat.
Tumeric: Has strong anti inflammatory properties and can assist with reducing the risk of arthritis in dogs.
Black Pepper: Helps to increase tumeric absorption rates.
Chia Seeds: Contain essential omega-3 fatty acids along with a great amount of fibre.
Offal: Has a wide range of multi vitamins.
Muscle Meat: Packed full of protein
If and when possible please try to use organic where possible, I know what you may be thinking, and that is that this is going to be expensive. Contrary to that belief I have found that it only costs an additional £3 - £5 a month to make the switch from dry kibble, and that is purchasing organic products.
I am quite lucky as I have a great organic meat shop in my hometown which is only a 10 minute drive from my house. The shop is situated on the farm itself so you couldn't get fresher, even if you tied Daisy the cow to your car roof top and drove off! The farm shop is called Forsters Organic Meats, they sale the meat and offal minced together making it easier and less messy to prepare.
I also have a local Co-Op organic store called Unicorn Grocery which is a half hours drive away, I know this seems far however I also get the produce my partner and I use for ourselves from there, this is also where I get a large chunk of the supplements from as well.
If you don't have anything like the two above then there are plenty of affordable organic retailers online, that deliver to your home.
Purchase Organic
Try to purchase organic or free range produce where possible!
Ingredients
- 150g Mix of Muscle Meat & Offal
- 25g Kale
- 25g Carrots
- 1cm Ginger
- 1cm Tumeric
- 1 teaspoon Kelp
- 2 teaspoon Chia Seeds
- Half teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Weigh out 40g mixture of kale and carrots and add 1cm of ginger.
- Wash and roughly chop the veg then pop it in the food processor.
- Next blitz the veg for 30 seconds, ensure every thing is finely chopped. The reason for this is at it makes digesting the veg easier for your dog.
- Weigh out your meat mixture, remember this is a combination of offal and muscle meat. This should be 150g, and then add this to to the food processor.
- Next add two teaspoons of chia seeds, a teaspoon of kelp powder, a half teaspoon of black pepper and 1cm of tumeric to the blender.
- Give all the ingredients another quick 30 second blitz, and then transfer your mixture to your dogs bowl.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it one simple raw dog food recipe for your dog. I hope you have enjoyed reading this article as much as your furry friend will enjoy eating it.
I will be adding further raw dog food recipes on my hub, so please keep your eyes peeled for them! if you have any recipe suggestions or any questions please let me know in the comments box!
Thanks for reading I appreciate it!