Nutrition for Pets
The upside of all the pet food recalls (see
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id74.html
for the most detailed analysis) is that more and
more people are taking a much closer look at what
they are feeding their cherished companions.
With so many of the foods, what rules is cheapness
of ingredients which leads to very low quality not
only of the rice bran that led to the recalls, but of
the meat products, too. Far too frequently those
are from diseased animals loaded with chemicals
and much, much worse. Additionally, they tend to
be nutritionally unbalanced with indigestible
minerals and artificial vitamins. And even some of
the brands that health-conscious individuals
purchased, have been shown by the recalls to use
some marginal ingredients.
Kibbles
The simplicity of feeding grain-based kibbles, plus
massive advertising and cheap, low-grade
ingredients, has made kibbles the "accepted" pet
food route. However, in reality, grains are neither
natural nor particularly healthful for dogs, although
certainly some are far better than others. I consider
the Dynamite Dog Diet to be an excellently
balanced (Dynamite's forte is exceptional bio-
available mineral balance) kibble, but for grain-
sensitive animals, it does contain grain. The Natura
Company does offer a grain-free product called Evo
(http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp), but
the ingredients are only human-grade meaning
animal products will still contain grain-fed meat
products from agri-business animals rather than
organic, or ideally, free-range.
In truth, NO kibble comes the least bit close to a
good, meat-based omnivorous diet for your dog or a
virtually all-meat carnivorous diet for your cat (cats
are obligate carnivores). It's just that simple. Those
are the diets these animals evolved upon and those
are the diets they should continue to receive.
People are so skewed in their thinking that one
checker at the store actually was aghast when John
explained much of the meat he was purchasing was
for our dogs. She actually exclaimed: “Can dogs eat
meat?”
BARF Diet
Actually, the best food for dogs (and cats) is what
they would eat in nature: viscera, meat, stomach
contents, and bones. Dr. Ian Billingsly, an early
proponent, calls it the BARF Diet or Biologically
Appropriate Raw Food. Another proponent is
Richard Pitcairn, DVM, who suggests the raw, BARF
diet in his book, Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to
Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, 3rd Edition, http:
//www.drpitcairn.com/index.html.
The BARF diet, or Ultimate diet as some say, tends
to result in healthier animals. Many owners feeding
the BARF diet observe:
The diet consists of the following 4 food groups,
plus a fifth consisting of "extras", each of which is
essential if feeding this way. Cats, being "obligate
carnivores", require mainly the first two items, with
just a bit of the last three:
1. Raw Meats
Here we have protein foods including beef, fish,
poultry, lamb, rabbit, game, etc. By far the best is
from free-range, natural animals and includes both
muscle and organ meat including the valuable
stomach lining known as green tripe. Meat can and
should have a high fat content consisting of Omega
3 fats which alkalize the natural acidity of meat. If
the possible bacteria content in raw meat alarms
you, remember what species you are feeding it to.
Canine and feline digestive systems have evolved
over millions of years to obtain the nutrients
necessary for good health from raw meat. They are
short and acidic, perfect for handling bacteria. And
you know how much some of them relish something
old and really gross! Canus lupus eats not only
fresh prey, but also old buried meat that is teeming
with bacteria and that stinky, but vital, raw green
tripe. Also remember that there are NO chefs
cooking up gourmet foods in the wild!
2. Raw Bone
Dogs have relied on eating raw meaty bones as a
superior source of nutrients for millions of years. A
prey animal's body consists of about 25% bone.
Remember always feed bones raw. Cooking the
bone changes its molecular structure, making it
splinter and difficult to digest. However, raw edible
bones offer wonderful nutrition in a form that is
very natural and usable for your dog plus they help
keep teeth clean.They are full of edible cartilage
and provide nutritious marrow, amino acids/protein,
essential fatty acids, fibre, enzymes, antioxidants,
and a vast array of species-appropriate minerals
and vitamins, all in soluble form. Bonemeal is not a
substitute for raw bone: it is a cooked and
processed product, often high in lead content and
cannot match the nutrients found in raw, edible,
meaty bones. Edible bone is bone that your dog can
consume completely. Raw poultry bones, such as
chicken and turkey, are munched and crunched up
quite easily. Raw poultry necks, backs, head or feet
are great for this. Longer marrow bones and
rounded knuckle bones can keep them occupied for
hours and can be thrown away once the nutrition is
gleaned from them.
3. Vegetables
Vegetables include plants that grow above and
below the ground such as: green leafy vegetables,
asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery,
chard, dandelion greens, dark leaf lettuce, kale,
okra, parsley, sprouts, squash, pumpkin, etc.
(above) and: sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, etc.
(below). However, they must be in a digestable
form, similar to what would be in a prey animal's
stomach. We can mimic this by chopping in a food
processor or blender or chopping with a knife and
lightly steaming them. It is best to leave out
potatoes, onions and rhubarb. Limit or avoid raw
legumes (peas and beans), but do use their
sprouted seeds. Make sure that there is only a low
level of the starchy vegetables like pumpkin
(although sweet potatoes do tend to be extremely
digestible especially for those with allergies), and
not a preponderance of the sugary vegetables such
as carrots.
4. Raw Fruit
Use whatever fruit is in season and as wide a range
as possible. The fruit should be well ripened to over-
ripe, but not rotten. Use raw whole apples, oranges,
pears, bananas, grapes, berries, papaya, apricots,
or plums (without the stone), mangoes, and kiwi
fruit. Raw fruits are chock-full of essential nutrients
such as: enzymes; phytochemicals; anti-oxidants;
vitamins (C); minerals; and essential fatty acids.
5. Extras include:
Kelp and Alfalfa - A combination of these two green
foods is a powerful addition to the BARF diet, due
to their impressive nutrient and medical value.
Alfalfa contains an antibiotic action against gram-
negative bacteria such as salmonella. It also
contains a protein with anti-tumor activity. Alfalfa is
often used as a general tonic to detoxify the body
and it is very high in chlorophyll. Most of us have
seen our dogs "grazing" occasionally, and the alfalfa
takes care of this need healthfully.
Kelp also contains anti-cancer, anti-rheumatic and
ant-inflammatory properties plus a wide variety of
trace minerals. It is good for the glands and organs.
Kelp is also used for protection against hair loss,
obesity, arthritis, heart and circular disorders,
mineral deficiency and as a general tonic.
Quality is extremely important. Use fit-for-human-
consumption alfalfa and kelp. Equal parts of alfalfa
and kelp in your dog's food provide a vast array of
health-enhancing nutrients and act as a complete
vitamin and mineral supplement. The quantity in
tablet or powder form is the same as for humans.
Essential fatty acids - Every living cell in your dog's
body needs essential fatty acids (EFA's), among
which are the Omega 3s,which help support healthy
skin, hair, joints and hearts. EFA's must be fed raw
and unheated. Good food sources of EFA's include
wild fish (salmon, anchovies, sardines), fish oil,
free-range meats and poultry, free-range animal fat
and eggs. Fats are the best source of species-
appropriated energy (body fuel) and are used like
carbohydrates by dogs. Raw meat contains useful
fat, and the fattiest cuts of meat are good for most
dogs, unless they have a liver or pancreas
impairment.
Vitamin C - Dogs do make vitamin C in their bodies,
but large breeds especially can use some extra for
joint health. Vitamin C is found in raw foods such
as fruits, vegetables and organ meats.
Feeding the BARF diet . . .
Puppies - Feed three times per day from three
weeks until four to six months old, then twice daily
from four to six months old until one year of age,
and once daily after one year of age. Large and
giant breeds may need to be fed twice daily during
growth spurts from one to three years of age. Feed
approximately 6% of the puppy's body weight per
day and include raw, meaty bones daily. Fast
puppies over 4 months of age 1/2 day per week
Over 1 yr - Feed between 2-4% of a mature dog's
body weight and include raw, meaty bones daily.
Fast most mature dogs one day per week.
Condition - Most dogs are healthiest if kept
"healthy lean." This means there is about 1/8" fat
covering the ribs.
IMPORTANT: Carnivore digestion requires a lot of
their body energy, and an adequate break between
meals is necessary to utilize that energy for healing
and other body functions. Do not feed so much that
the stomach becomes over extended. Do not let
your pup become obese. You will quickly learn how
much to feed your dog. If your dog is large and
obese feed less. If your dog is skinny and feeble
feed more. If your dog is pregnant or has a litter
she will obviously need more food.
PERSONAL NOTE: Interestingly enough, when I
was little, our 2 Boston Terriers received raw
hamburger (yes, purchased especially for them and
back then, it was all pastured-no additives),
vegetable leavings from our plates, and weekly raw
knuckle bones. They were so very healthy and shiny
with bright eyes and clean teeth. John has told me
that his Boston and later his English bulldogs all
received essentially the same thing as this was
prior to the big dry food push. His dogs were all
equally healthy.
We currently are feeding both our 2 GSD's and 2
geriatric cats raw meat pet-mix from Slanker's,
some daily canned green tripe, and a weekly raw
egg plus shells plus their individual supplements
(additionally, dogs both get Dynamite Showdown
and cats both get Dynamite Purrrformance). They
are doing the best ever. The dogs also get some
veggies but no bones although they do get some
marrow broth. We, as well as other individuals who
have followed this methodology, have found skin
and coats to become shiny and healthy, eyes
become bright and matter-free and teeth become
totally tartar-free. All of these result in an odor-free
pet which is a special added, and delightful, bonus!
RAW FOOD CHART scroll down for chart
Many people have been hesitant to feed the BARF
diet because of the difficulty of obtaining the raw
meat products. However, with increased demand,
more options are now available than ever before. In
order to present you with different possibilities, I
have prepared a chart, which you’ll find below (just
scroll on down), of those prepared/ground, or plain
meats,raw diets (most frozen, some freeze-dried) I
have located with doing web searches. Personally I
prefer those that offer range-free animal
meat/bones/viscera as a base because of the
Omega 3 benefits. After that would come the
organic followed by human-grade; see the
description of each above. Do remember that
viscera and bones are vital for healthful raw food
diets. None of these companies offers "green tripe"
or the stomach lining of prey animals which
carnivores eat voraciously in order to receive all the
beneficial enzymes; white tripe is bleached and is
deleterious. However, green tripe is very difficult for
most humans to feed their dogs due to the odor. in
place of this, do consider adding pro-biotics to your
"extras"; we choose the Dynamite DynaPro.
Also, I prefer formulas without supplementation
thus leaving room for Dynamite Showdown for
dogs or Purrrformance for cats, especially if you
do not want to give the separate extras mentioned
above. Some have veggies and fruit added; for
those that do not, it is relatively simple to add
fresh or frozen raw berries or other fruit and
steamed (or processed raw in a blender) raw or
frozen veggies (just thaw and chop large ones; the
freezing breaks down the cellulose enough for
canine digestion) to add to the meat base.
However, choices may depend on local availability
and the status of your checkbook.
Please let me know if you find changes that should
be made to the chart.
Home Cooking
Although not as optimal as raw food, home cooking
might be appropriate for you and is certainly better
by far for your pet than standard prepared foods.
Use the freshest, most toxin-free ingredients
possible limiting grains to those known to be gluten-
free. My personal preference is no grains at all,
rather using sweet potatoes as a base. Dogs who
are very allergic may need variety in the toxin/grain-
free meat source as well.
You might want to consider these proportions as
generally suggested by Martin Goldstein, DVM,
whose book, The Nature of Animal Healing: The
Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your
Dog and Cat, all pet owners should have. It is
interesting to note that Dr. Goldstein, in recent
years, supports the BARF diet:
Treats
Some veterinarians warn against feeding rawhide
and pig ears because they can contain chemical
residues (from chemicals used to remove the fur)
that can be harmful to your dog's health. Also,
larger pieces can break off and be swallowed,
getting stuck in the intestines and causing
blockages. When the rawhide gets wet from the
stomach juices, it swells to twice its normal size
causing serious stomach blockage. Soft and slick
rawhide can also become a choking hazard. And
most baked treats are grain based. Best to stick
with jerky from the companies on the chart.
Avoid:
Beyond Nutrition
Nutrition is only the start of having healthy, happy
pets.
The upside of all the pet food recalls (see
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id74.html
for the most detailed analysis) is that more and
more people are taking a much closer look at what
they are feeding their cherished companions.
With so many of the foods, what rules is cheapness
of ingredients which leads to very low quality not
only of the rice bran that led to the recalls, but of
the meat products, too. Far too frequently those
are from diseased animals loaded with chemicals
and much, much worse. Additionally, they tend to
be nutritionally unbalanced with indigestible
minerals and artificial vitamins. And even some of
the brands that health-conscious individuals
purchased, have been shown by the recalls to use
some marginal ingredients.
Kibbles
The simplicity of feeding grain-based kibbles, plus
massive advertising and cheap, low-grade
ingredients, has made kibbles the "accepted" pet
food route. However, in reality, grains are neither
natural nor particularly healthful for dogs, although
certainly some are far better than others. I consider
the Dynamite Dog Diet to be an excellently
balanced (Dynamite's forte is exceptional bio-
available mineral balance) kibble, but for grain-
sensitive animals, it does contain grain. The Natura
Company does offer a grain-free product called Evo
(http://www.naturapet.com/brands/evo.asp), but
the ingredients are only human-grade meaning
animal products will still contain grain-fed meat
products from agri-business animals rather than
organic, or ideally, free-range.
In truth, NO kibble comes the least bit close to a
good, meat-based omnivorous diet for your dog or a
virtually all-meat carnivorous diet for your cat (cats
are obligate carnivores). It's just that simple. Those
are the diets these animals evolved upon and those
are the diets they should continue to receive.
People are so skewed in their thinking that one
checker at the store actually was aghast when John
explained much of the meat he was purchasing was
for our dogs. She actually exclaimed: “Can dogs eat
meat?”
BARF Diet
Actually, the best food for dogs (and cats) is what
they would eat in nature: viscera, meat, stomach
contents, and bones. Dr. Ian Billingsly, an early
proponent, calls it the BARF Diet or Biologically
Appropriate Raw Food. Another proponent is
Richard Pitcairn, DVM, who suggests the raw, BARF
diet in his book, Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to
Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, 3rd Edition, http:
//www.drpitcairn.com/index.html.
The BARF diet, or Ultimate diet as some say, tends
to result in healthier animals. Many owners feeding
the BARF diet observe:
- Exceptional muscle tone
- Shiny luxurious coat
- Healthy skin & bones
- Shiny, white teeth & clean breath
- Clear, bright eyes
- Small, firm stools
- A happy, healthy attitude
- The clock turned back for older dogs.
The diet consists of the following 4 food groups,
plus a fifth consisting of "extras", each of which is
essential if feeding this way. Cats, being "obligate
carnivores", require mainly the first two items, with
just a bit of the last three:
1. Raw Meats
Here we have protein foods including beef, fish,
poultry, lamb, rabbit, game, etc. By far the best is
from free-range, natural animals and includes both
muscle and organ meat including the valuable
stomach lining known as green tripe. Meat can and
should have a high fat content consisting of Omega
3 fats which alkalize the natural acidity of meat. If
the possible bacteria content in raw meat alarms
you, remember what species you are feeding it to.
Canine and feline digestive systems have evolved
over millions of years to obtain the nutrients
necessary for good health from raw meat. They are
short and acidic, perfect for handling bacteria. And
you know how much some of them relish something
old and really gross! Canus lupus eats not only
fresh prey, but also old buried meat that is teeming
with bacteria and that stinky, but vital, raw green
tripe. Also remember that there are NO chefs
cooking up gourmet foods in the wild!
2. Raw Bone
Dogs have relied on eating raw meaty bones as a
superior source of nutrients for millions of years. A
prey animal's body consists of about 25% bone.
Remember always feed bones raw. Cooking the
bone changes its molecular structure, making it
splinter and difficult to digest. However, raw edible
bones offer wonderful nutrition in a form that is
very natural and usable for your dog plus they help
keep teeth clean.They are full of edible cartilage
and provide nutritious marrow, amino acids/protein,
essential fatty acids, fibre, enzymes, antioxidants,
and a vast array of species-appropriate minerals
and vitamins, all in soluble form. Bonemeal is not a
substitute for raw bone: it is a cooked and
processed product, often high in lead content and
cannot match the nutrients found in raw, edible,
meaty bones. Edible bone is bone that your dog can
consume completely. Raw poultry bones, such as
chicken and turkey, are munched and crunched up
quite easily. Raw poultry necks, backs, head or feet
are great for this. Longer marrow bones and
rounded knuckle bones can keep them occupied for
hours and can be thrown away once the nutrition is
gleaned from them.
3. Vegetables
Vegetables include plants that grow above and
below the ground such as: green leafy vegetables,
asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery,
chard, dandelion greens, dark leaf lettuce, kale,
okra, parsley, sprouts, squash, pumpkin, etc.
(above) and: sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, etc.
(below). However, they must be in a digestable
form, similar to what would be in a prey animal's
stomach. We can mimic this by chopping in a food
processor or blender or chopping with a knife and
lightly steaming them. It is best to leave out
potatoes, onions and rhubarb. Limit or avoid raw
legumes (peas and beans), but do use their
sprouted seeds. Make sure that there is only a low
level of the starchy vegetables like pumpkin
(although sweet potatoes do tend to be extremely
digestible especially for those with allergies), and
not a preponderance of the sugary vegetables such
as carrots.
4. Raw Fruit
Use whatever fruit is in season and as wide a range
as possible. The fruit should be well ripened to over-
ripe, but not rotten. Use raw whole apples, oranges,
pears, bananas, grapes, berries, papaya, apricots,
or plums (without the stone), mangoes, and kiwi
fruit. Raw fruits are chock-full of essential nutrients
such as: enzymes; phytochemicals; anti-oxidants;
vitamins (C); minerals; and essential fatty acids.
5. Extras include:
Kelp and Alfalfa - A combination of these two green
foods is a powerful addition to the BARF diet, due
to their impressive nutrient and medical value.
Alfalfa contains an antibiotic action against gram-
negative bacteria such as salmonella. It also
contains a protein with anti-tumor activity. Alfalfa is
often used as a general tonic to detoxify the body
and it is very high in chlorophyll. Most of us have
seen our dogs "grazing" occasionally, and the alfalfa
takes care of this need healthfully.
Kelp also contains anti-cancer, anti-rheumatic and
ant-inflammatory properties plus a wide variety of
trace minerals. It is good for the glands and organs.
Kelp is also used for protection against hair loss,
obesity, arthritis, heart and circular disorders,
mineral deficiency and as a general tonic.
Quality is extremely important. Use fit-for-human-
consumption alfalfa and kelp. Equal parts of alfalfa
and kelp in your dog's food provide a vast array of
health-enhancing nutrients and act as a complete
vitamin and mineral supplement. The quantity in
tablet or powder form is the same as for humans.
Essential fatty acids - Every living cell in your dog's
body needs essential fatty acids (EFA's), among
which are the Omega 3s,which help support healthy
skin, hair, joints and hearts. EFA's must be fed raw
and unheated. Good food sources of EFA's include
wild fish (salmon, anchovies, sardines), fish oil,
free-range meats and poultry, free-range animal fat
and eggs. Fats are the best source of species-
appropriated energy (body fuel) and are used like
carbohydrates by dogs. Raw meat contains useful
fat, and the fattiest cuts of meat are good for most
dogs, unless they have a liver or pancreas
impairment.
Vitamin C - Dogs do make vitamin C in their bodies,
but large breeds especially can use some extra for
joint health. Vitamin C is found in raw foods such
as fruits, vegetables and organ meats.
Feeding the BARF diet . . .
Puppies - Feed three times per day from three
weeks until four to six months old, then twice daily
from four to six months old until one year of age,
and once daily after one year of age. Large and
giant breeds may need to be fed twice daily during
growth spurts from one to three years of age. Feed
approximately 6% of the puppy's body weight per
day and include raw, meaty bones daily. Fast
puppies over 4 months of age 1/2 day per week
Over 1 yr - Feed between 2-4% of a mature dog's
body weight and include raw, meaty bones daily.
Fast most mature dogs one day per week.
Condition - Most dogs are healthiest if kept
"healthy lean." This means there is about 1/8" fat
covering the ribs.
IMPORTANT: Carnivore digestion requires a lot of
their body energy, and an adequate break between
meals is necessary to utilize that energy for healing
and other body functions. Do not feed so much that
the stomach becomes over extended. Do not let
your pup become obese. You will quickly learn how
much to feed your dog. If your dog is large and
obese feed less. If your dog is skinny and feeble
feed more. If your dog is pregnant or has a litter
she will obviously need more food.
PERSONAL NOTE: Interestingly enough, when I
was little, our 2 Boston Terriers received raw
hamburger (yes, purchased especially for them and
back then, it was all pastured-no additives),
vegetable leavings from our plates, and weekly raw
knuckle bones. They were so very healthy and shiny
with bright eyes and clean teeth. John has told me
that his Boston and later his English bulldogs all
received essentially the same thing as this was
prior to the big dry food push. His dogs were all
equally healthy.
We currently are feeding both our 2 GSD's and 2
geriatric cats raw meat pet-mix from Slanker's,
some daily canned green tripe, and a weekly raw
egg plus shells plus their individual supplements
(additionally, dogs both get Dynamite Showdown
and cats both get Dynamite Purrrformance). They
are doing the best ever. The dogs also get some
veggies but no bones although they do get some
marrow broth. We, as well as other individuals who
have followed this methodology, have found skin
and coats to become shiny and healthy, eyes
become bright and matter-free and teeth become
totally tartar-free. All of these result in an odor-free
pet which is a special added, and delightful, bonus!
RAW FOOD CHART scroll down for chart
Many people have been hesitant to feed the BARF
diet because of the difficulty of obtaining the raw
meat products. However, with increased demand,
more options are now available than ever before. In
order to present you with different possibilities, I
have prepared a chart, which you’ll find below (just
scroll on down), of those prepared/ground, or plain
meats,raw diets (most frozen, some freeze-dried) I
have located with doing web searches. Personally I
prefer those that offer range-free animal
meat/bones/viscera as a base because of the
Omega 3 benefits. After that would come the
organic followed by human-grade; see the
description of each above. Do remember that
viscera and bones are vital for healthful raw food
diets. None of these companies offers "green tripe"
or the stomach lining of prey animals which
carnivores eat voraciously in order to receive all the
beneficial enzymes; white tripe is bleached and is
deleterious. However, green tripe is very difficult for
most humans to feed their dogs due to the odor. in
place of this, do consider adding pro-biotics to your
"extras"; we choose the Dynamite DynaPro.
Also, I prefer formulas without supplementation
thus leaving room for Dynamite Showdown for
dogs or Purrrformance for cats, especially if you
do not want to give the separate extras mentioned
above. Some have veggies and fruit added; for
those that do not, it is relatively simple to add
fresh or frozen raw berries or other fruit and
steamed (or processed raw in a blender) raw or
frozen veggies (just thaw and chop large ones; the
freezing breaks down the cellulose enough for
canine digestion) to add to the meat base.
However, choices may depend on local availability
and the status of your checkbook.
Please let me know if you find changes that should
be made to the chart.
Home Cooking
Although not as optimal as raw food, home cooking
might be appropriate for you and is certainly better
by far for your pet than standard prepared foods.
Use the freshest, most toxin-free ingredients
possible limiting grains to those known to be gluten-
free. My personal preference is no grains at all,
rather using sweet potatoes as a base. Dogs who
are very allergic may need variety in the toxin/grain-
free meat source as well.
You might want to consider these proportions as
generally suggested by Martin Goldstein, DVM,
whose book, The Nature of Animal Healing: The
Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your
Dog and Cat, all pet owners should have. It is
interesting to note that Dr. Goldstein, in recent
years, supports the BARF diet:
- DOGS: 1/2 meats including some organ meats,
1/4 cooked brown rice or other gluten-free
grain or sweet potato/white potato mix; 1/4
steamed organic green/yellow veggies - CATS: 3/4 organic meats including some organ
meats, 1/4 @ steamed veggies
Treats
Some veterinarians warn against feeding rawhide
and pig ears because they can contain chemical
residues (from chemicals used to remove the fur)
that can be harmful to your dog's health. Also,
larger pieces can break off and be swallowed,
getting stuck in the intestines and causing
blockages. When the rawhide gets wet from the
stomach juices, it swells to twice its normal size
causing serious stomach blockage. Soft and slick
rawhide can also become a choking hazard. And
most baked treats are grain based. Best to stick
with jerky from the companies on the chart.
Avoid:
- Sugar
- Chocolate
- Dairy products - although some raw, free-range
is OK - Grain - Carbohydrates or energy from grains is
not required by dogs. Fats are their best,
species-appropiate source of energy, and they
are also able to derive energy needs from
protein. - Yeast - it is a fungus, and most dogs cannot
tolerate it. It can unbalance your dog's
calcium/phosphorus ratio and can also lead to
many health problems
Beyond Nutrition
Nutrition is only the start of having healthy, happy
pets.
- Always remember your pet is first and foremost
an ANIMAL and NOT a "furry human" -
respecting and honoring the differences is what
will make your pet secure
- An excellent source of information for this is
Cesar Millan, the "Dog Whisperer" on National
Geographic, Friday nights. Cesar truthfully
claims that he "Rehabilitates dogs and trains
people." All previous episodes are available on
DVD and his recent book actually gives "how-
to's" to help guide you into becoming a Pack
Leader. And yes, his concepts calm
assertiveness and energy also work for other
animals including cats and horses. www.
nationalgeographic.
com/channel/dogwhisperer/cesar.html
- Be very wary of ANY flea/tick repellent! Click
here for a report on what happened to one
family with the new ProMeris.
- Locate a good holistic vet in your area and
include alternative-type care rather than
always reaching first for a drug...
- www.ahvma.org .... locate a holistic vet near
you
www.theavh.org ... The Academy of Veterinary
Homeopathy
www.animalchiropractic.org
www.aava.org ...The American Academy of
Veterinary Acupuncture
www.ivas.org ... International Veterinary
Acupuncture Society
www.animalacupressure.com .... offers books,
videos, charts, seminars, etc
www.909shot.com.... National Vaccine
Information Center
www.homeopathyworks.com .... Washington
Homeopathic Products
www.lightsoundtechnology.com ... offer
affordable light/sound machines for home or
breeder use
www.animalaccupressure.com ... acupressure
seminars, books & charts for horses, dogs &
cats
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Tarryall.net
. . . a Guide for Living Energetically
. . . a Guide for Living Energetically
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| The information contained on this webpage has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information in not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material provided is for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program. |
| "You can boost your pet's health profoundly by making one simple decision. All you have to do is to change his diet from unhealthy, commercial-brand fare to something you may have never imagined giving him: real food!" Martin Goldstein, DVM, The Nature of Animal Healing |
