My Senior Dog (Pt 1)

This series of posts is going to be really hard to write.
The whole reason I started I Own a Carnivore! is to document my journey feeding raw and also to help myself learn more and keep up with learning more. I learn best through teaching others.

isn't he just the most beautiful old grey dog you've ever seen?

This part of the journey is hard to write about, and hard to set foot on. This one is harder than others because this one is about my Coaly Moley. I don't write about him that much because Coal is my old guy, he's been through it all with me. He's my Heart Dog. For the most part, Coal is just a really awesome dog. Everyone loves him who meets him. He's got so much character and such a zest for life. He's not the reason I switched to raw, Unit's allergies are. However, I decided to take the risk of switching him to raw at 10 years old because I wanted to help him age gracefully. I fed raw before Coal, and when I got him as a 9 week old puppy I made the decision to feed him kibble. If I had to do it all over again, I would have tried harder to feed him raw, but switched back to kibble because of the convenience. I didn't have a lot of money or time to feed raw. I told myself that as long as he was a healthy dog I had no reason to switch.

What I didn't think about was even if I didn't see it, kibble was killing my dog from the beginning. Did you know the average life expectancy of the average dog (Coal falling into that category) is actually 25 - 30 years? These days the average life expectancy is 10 - 15 years. A dog use to be classified as senior at the age of 10, now it's 8. Coal is 10 going on 11 next February.

Since the cold has started I've noticed him slowing dog a lot more. He's riddled with little lumps all over. He was diagnosed with a benign form of skin cancer just over a year ago. These little lumps are always going to come back, my vet told me, but are likely to only spread within the skin, not to other organs (which is a good thing). That being said, I also didn't spend the money to have a full blood-work and biopsy analysis done, just from what my vet could tell looking at a slide in her office. You have to do what you can for your pets, and if you can't afford the fancy treatments I don't think there's shame in that. I would love to be able to afford all that extensive testing, of course! But I refuse to feel guilty for not being able to afford it.


So now that I can't ignore it anymore, I know 100% Coal is a senior citizen, it's time to see how I can help ease his aging as gracefully as I can using as natural methods as possible. Because Coal was switched to raw at the age of 10 it doesn't mean that the raw diet will eradicate any ailments caused from a live time of processed kibble. It just means it can help slow the process and maybe even help ease his pain and suffering in a way that doesn't also come with a bunch of nasty side effects and other ailments.

One of my first steps will be a vet check. I'm very fortunate to have a wonderful vet who supports natural remedies like raw feeding. She's the one who helped me a LOT in starting out to uncover Unit's allergies. Dr. Cori Stephen at Nechako Valley Animal Health Services. A lot of veterinarians will recommend pain meds and all sorts of treatment to help your senior dog, but these treatments often come hand in hand with awful side effects.

Switching to raw was probably one of the best things I could have done for my senior canine friend. A diet consisting of raw, whole foods is much easier to digest than processed kibbles. Senior dogs require fewer calories for their daily activities because their daily activities aren't quite as active as they use to be. I can't help but notice I find Coal sleeping in his bed in my closet a lot more often than I find him about the house or in the yard doing his usual activities (usually involve "chasing shadows", did I mention Coal has had OCD his whole life?). So the average senior dog requires less  protein, fats, vitamins and minerals and require more digestible foods to continue to support their system against the natural process of aging. Since raw foods are natural and easier to digest they spend less time and energy converting the nutrients from them. This contributes to a reduction in need for digestive tract and organ performance and allows those vital nutrient conversions to last and preform longer.

So while I didn't fully understand it at the time, I knew that switching to raw was the best thing I could do to help my aging companion.

Once he's been checked by my vet we'll be able to decide from there what extra nutrition he may require.



Resources:
Senior Dogs Blog - Nutrition for Our Older Dogs
Senior Dogs Blog - Older Dogs and Raw Food
Senior Dogs Blog - Dog Supplements

Liver

 Liver, my most hated organ and the dogs favorite. It's slimy, it's smelly, it's bloody. The dogs slurp it up like candy! Liver is also one of the most nutritious of organs and should be fed as at least half of the organs fed. A variety of liver sources (beef, pork, chicken, etc.) over time is of course, best (a variety of all foods over time is what you want to aim for!). Kidney is the next most nutritious organ, with lung and pancreas to follow. Heart and gizzard are not organs, but are in fact muscles. They should be fed as well, but remember that they're not organs but muscles!

Organ meats are high in vitamin D, a hormone precursor that regulates numerous functions in the body. Vitmain D deficiency is related to muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases. A lack of vitamin D is also known to cause depression, which is why depression is in higher rates in northern places (the sun being an optimal source of vitamin D). I'm not sure if dogs can suffer from depression, but I wouldn't be surprised. Humans share a lot of conditions and diseases with our canine friends. Supplementing a little extra vitamin D during the winter can help your dog avoid vitamin D deficiency due to the lack of sunshine during winter months.

Liver is known as the premium part of the animal because it's so full of vitamins and minerals. In New Zealand the livers of animals older than 2 years aren't allowed to be sold for human consumption. This is because the phosphate fertilizer historically applied to New Zealand soils had a higher cadmium content than that used in other parts of the world. The cadmium accumulates in the liver, and can exceed maximum recommended levels as the animal gets older. Calves liver is a "milder" taste. Liver from young, pasteurized cows is the best choice for not only your canine family but human too!

Liver from Silver Spring Country

I noticed the difference recently, between the liver I got from a local farmer and the liver I've bought at the super market. The liver from the farm was dark, rich and not nearly as slimy or smelly.  It was by far a lot easier to handle than the liver I'd gotten at the super market. The liver's job is to neutralize toxins in the body, so it only makes sense to avoid liver from animals that received a lot of antibiotics and hormones. Organic, grass fed animals is the best source for any meat, but especially liver.

Liver is an excellent source of high-quality protein. It is nature's most concentrated source of Vitamin A and contains all the B vitamins in abundance, especially vitamin B12. It's often known as the "cure for anemia" because of this (pernicious anemia is a debilitating disease caused by B12 deficiency). Vitamin A works to aid digestion, keep reproductive organs healthy, and is a powerful antioxidant.

Other amazing attributes of liver are:

• One of our best sources of folic acid
• A highly usable form of iron
• Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper
• An unidentified anti-fatigue factor
• CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
• A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA 

How to Serve Liver to your Dog:
Like most of the bones meat and organs you should be feeding your dog, liver should be fed raw. It's a nutrient dense organ and is very effected by heat. Cooking will lose the digestive enzymes and nutrients. Since the whole purpose of feeding organs to your dog is for their dense nutrient value, cooking them will remove the benefits you're feeding for in the first place!

Some dogs don't like the texture of organs, specifically liver (can you blame them?). If your dog refuses to eat liver whole, you can blend it in a food processor and add that to his regular food.



What Source of Liver is Best?
Weston A. Price Foundation has a liver comparison chart on their website (also available here). This is a great place to start when looking for what animal sources liver is best.

Resources:
Raw Feeding 101
The Natural Food Guide - Liver
The Weston A. Price Foundation - The Liver Files 
Dogs Naturally Magazine - Why Organ Meat is Important for the Raw Fed Dog

Getting Started

I haven't written a "getting started" post yet because I Own a Carnivore! has been about my journey, not necessarily guiding others. But if you're here out of curiosity and are considering starting your carnivores on a "biologically appropriate diet" then why not help point you in the right direction?

What Does a "Biologically Appropriate Diet" Mean?

“Biologically appropriate” foods are those for which we are physiologically adapted. A diet that is naturally appropriate for the species and will fuel them to run optimally.

I first got into feeding raw in 2002 with my Australian Shepherd cross. Back then there wasn't a lot of information on raw feeding, and back then it was called the "BARF" diet (Bones And Raw Food). More recently it is called "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food", but can often still be found with the same BARF acronym.

What is "Prey Model"?

"Prey Model" is a relatively new, but fast growing concept that dogs are carnivores. The Prey Model diet is intended to feed dogs appropriately using raw meat bones and organs (no fruits, veggies or grains).

The concern with feeding a PM diet is that the dog won't get all the nutrients required from such a limited food source. This is untrue. A dog can not only function well but thrive on a PM diet. As long as you are feeding a large variety of meat, bones and organs (organs being very important as they're jam packed with vitamins and minerals essential to the body) a dog can thrive without other food sources.

If you know that finding a variety of BMO (Bone Meat and Organ) may be a problem for you, the Prey Model diet may not be best for you for this reason. Supplementing with veggies, fruits or herbs can fill in the nutritional gaps if you cannot provide a full range of BMO.

How Much & What Do I Feed?

This is always a common question. Most people are use to reading the label on a bag and it tells you 'two scoops' if Fido is 60lbs and up, etc. so the idea of having to regulate your dogs food on your own can be a bit daunting. It was for me. I was quite worried I'd be under feeding or over feeding my dogs when I first started.

Part of this is math and part of it is just experience and time. The recommended amount when you first start is 2-3% of your dogs ideal body weight. If your dog is under or overweight to begin with you want to make sure you're feeding for his ideal weight, not his current weight. If your dog is more active you may choose to feed more than 2-3% of his ideal body weight.

Other factors to consider is whether your dog is a puppy, senior, nursing or pregnant mother or performance dog. Each of these factors may require different amounts and different nutrition. This is something that would take far too long to explain here, so if your dog falls under one of these categories you'll need to do some more research to get you started on how much to feed, sorry!

Raw4Dogs has an excellent Raw Feeding Calculator. This is what helped me get started feeding my dogs, and I didn't have any problems with it.

What you feed your dog may depend on the type of diet you choose to feed. About 50% should be raw meaty bones, 35% muscle meats and 15% organ meats.

Raw Meaty Bones: turkey necks and backs; beef ribs and tails; lamb goat and venison necks and ribs; chicken or duck backs and necks. If you're feeding bonier meals such as ribs and backs feed closer to 40% RMB than 50%. RMB's are meaty bones that your dog can completely consume.

Muscle Meats: heart is a common muscle meat that can be fed often but should not be the main muscle meat. Gizzards are also muscle meats, not organs.

Raw Eggs With Shell (count as a meat meal when buying organic or farm fresh): Raw eggs with shell are a perfect ratio of calcium to phosphorus as well. These should be fed about 2 or more times a week. Raw egg whiles to pose a threat and that is that they contain a protien that binds with biotin and can cause a biotin deficiency. To combat this, make sure you feed the whole egg. Egg yolks are where most of the nutrients comes from and are an excellent source of magnesium, calcium, iron, folate and vitamins A, E and B6. Omega-3 or free-range eggs are best. Commercial eggs are most likely sprayed with wax and other chemicals to improve their appearance (but toxicities don't matter because humans don't usually eat the shell!).  Shells can cause tears if eaten whole. For safety reasons I prefer to feed the shells in a powder form. See How To Make Calcium Powder From Eggs for more information!

Raw Offal (organ meats):  Organs should be fed in a variety of meat sources for 1-2 meals a week or 10-15% of your dogs diet. Some dogs do not tolerate offal well, so it may be best to divide it up and feed it a little each day to avoid loose stools.

Recreational Bones: Recreational Bones are those your dog can't actually consume, but rather can chew the meat off and suck the marrow out of. Recreational bones are one of those things that can be a hot button topic in the raw feeding world, as they pose a higher risk to your dog, especially when it comes to breaking teeth. Feeding recreational bones help strengthen your dogs jaw and neck muscles, cleans teeth, and provides the very nutritious bone marrow. It also keeps your dog busy! I personally do feed recreational bones, but this is a decision you will have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself.

Fruits & Vegetables: If you're not feeding a Prey Model diet you may wish to incorporate fruits and veggies into your dogs diet to fill in any nutritional gaps. Dogs will not get the entire nutritional value if fed raw and whole. Veggies must first be run through a juicer or food processor or can be lightly steamed to break down the cell wall that dogs cannot properly break down themselves. Dark green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin B. Ripened fruits are more easily digested by dogs and are also packed with vitamins. Nutritional herbs can also be fed, such as dandelion leaf, nettle, spirulina and alfalfa which are all high in vitamins and minerals.


Supplements and Power Foods: Raw fish (preferably whole) can be fed for one or two meals per week. Fish oil can also be supplemented. Grain-fed animals lack Omega-3 fatty acids, so if you're feeding mostly meats from animals that are not grass-fed you can use fish oil as an Omega-3 supplement. Flax seed oil can also be a good Omega-3 supplement but is plant based and some dogs do not do well on it (or you may choose to feed a Prey Model diet, in which case you'd want to use fish oils instead). If you can't or don't feed Flax seed oil and cannot get your hands on fish or the mercury and toxins are a concern in fish, you can feed Organic Butter or Omega-3 eggs. Cod Liver Oil is known as one of the "super foods" or "power foods" and the benefits of this fishy supplement seem endless. Raw green tripe is also an amazing power food that should be fed two or more meals per week if you can. Not the bleached white stuff you'll find for human consumption, it has little to no nutritional value. Raw green tripe (it's very stinky, to be warned!) is a perfect balance of calcium to phosphorus (1:1), is rich in digestive enzymes and Lactobacillus Acidophilus, vitamin B, and contains essential fatty acids; Linoleic and Limolenic in the proper ratio. Tripe from grass-fed animals is preferred.

Balance Over Time

"Balance Over Time" is something you'll hear a lot in the raw feeding world. Too many people fret about whether or not their dog is getting a nutritionally balanced diet when being fed a non-commercial diet. It means you shouldn't worry about whether each meal is perfectly balanced, this will make your job of feeding your dog a lot harder than it needs to be! Instead, keep notes (mental or not, I have an entire notebook I scribble in) of what you feed your dogs and over time it should balance out.

Don't spend too much time worrying about balance. To help ease your mind, think of it this way; do you make sure your meals are balanced? You probably don't spend a lot of time and effort into balancing your meals, as long as the majority of what you're eating is from most of the food groups, you're probably satisfied at that! It's no different from feeding your dog; in the wild they wouldn't be coming up with meal plans to make sure it's all nutritionally balanced so why should you?

There are a few ratios you should aim for. Calcium and phosphorus ratio should be 1:1. This is your meats and bones. Meats are high in phosphorus and bones are high in calcium. Whole prey such as fish, eggs and tripe have a balanced ratio.

Organ meats should be 10 - 15% of your dogs diet. Liver should be fed at least once a week (or split into smaller pieces with each meal throughout the week. Liver is also responsible for filtering toxins in the body, so an organic source should be used for it. If you can get your hands on a variety of other organ meats (lungs, kidneys, etc.) then make sure you do! The more the better!

 As gross as they are, some of the more gross parts of an animal are the more nutritious. Chicken feet, beef trachea, tails, lung, kidney, testicles and pizzles (beef penis) are all commonly fed in raw food diets. Beef trachea, trim, chicken and turkey feet are loaded in natural chondroitin and glucosamine, which help to build healthy joints (excellent for senior dogs!).

Safety Rules for Feeding Raw:

Never feed cooked bones to your dog. Cooked bones become brittle and splinter easily. They can cause ruptures and blockages in the stomach and intestine and cause serious damage that may result in a very pricey vet bill or even death!

It's best if you supervise your dog during meal time to be better safe than sorry. Even raw, uncooked bones can cause blockages, splinter or break teeth. This is a risk you just have to become comfortable with, and eventually will. 10, 000 dogs were killed by contaminated kibble in 2007, and that's just from one contaminated bunch. Food recalls and contamination have been happening in the pet food industry for years, and haven't stopped since 2007. It's far riskier and your pet is worse off feeding even a high quality kibble vs. feeding a raw, home prepared diet.

Salmonella and other bacterial risks are a factor to consider when feeding your dogs. An argument is often that dogs mouths are cleaner than humans, and this is true; your dog does contain more digestive enzymes in his saliva than you do and thus it is a cleaner environment than your mouth. This odes not, however, mean those threats still can't be lingering in your dogs mouth after a raw meal. Your dog licks your face, you now have that bacteria on you and none of the defenses against it that your dog has (or not as good!). The solution is proper hygiene; wash all surfaces and devices before and after you prepare your dogs meals. Wash your hands often (I  probably wash my hands at least 5 times while preparing my dogs food). The space in which your dog eats is important too; it should be an easy to clean surface! The dogs often clean up every tiny scrap left behind, but doing a good cleaning afterwards would help ease your mind if bacteria is a concern for you. If you have kids crawling about the floor you may want to even consider feeding your dog in his crate (children shouldn't be allowed to bother the dog while he's eating anyway!).

When it comes to safety and feeding your dog; just use your common sense!

Prepare Your Kitchen!

You will need enough counter space near your kitchen sink. Meats, especially organs, can cause a real bloody mess if you're not prepared! Clean, spacious counters are best to work on. Make sure you have a large cutting board and sharp knives to work with. A food processor or blender can come in handy if you make your own supplements or choose to feed vegetables. A scale that measures in oz:lbs is necessary for measuring your dogs food.

Do Your Homework!

If you're still uneasy about the idea of feeding raw, keep researching. The worst thing you can do is dive in unprepared. The more you learn, and the more you do it, the more comfortable you will feel with feeding raw over time.


Resources:
Dogs Naturally Magazine - Raw Food Primer

Sweet Potatoes for Dogs

Sweet Potatoes vs White Potatoes

There is debate among dog nutritionists whether any and all potatoes should be written off for dogs. White potatoes are from the Solanaceae family. These plants contain solanine in the green area of the peel and sprout. Solanine is poisonous to dogs whether eaten raw or cooked. Symptoms of solanine poisoning range from gastrointestinal disturbances to neurological problems. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are not in the same family. They are a member of the Convolvulaceae plant family and do not contain solanine.  Moldy sweet potatoes can cause serious respiratory distress. It's important to always wash and peel your sweet potatoes thoroughly for your dog! Ingesting the sweet potato vine can also cause your dog to hallucinate, so if you're growing them in your back yard make sure to grow them somewhere your dog can not have access too.

The carbohydrate content of white potatoes and sweet potatoes is similar, except white potatoes are high on the glycemic index, which causes a dog's blood sugar to rise quickly. This should be avoided, especially for dogs with diabetes. A spike in glucose requires the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin to lower the blood sugar levels. Sudden fluctuations of blood sugar levels can lead to hyperactivity (which often leads to behavior problems), nervousness, aggression and reactive or compulsive behavior in dogs. Sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index, which, along with their high fiber content, allows the dog's blood sugar level to rise more gradually, which is preferable. [1]

Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

 Sweet potatoes are a high source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, they're also classified as an anti-diabetic food due to their ability to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance. They also contain vitamin A which helps protect against emphysema. Sweet potatoes are a common filler source because of their easy digestibility, and seeing as how they're jam packed with not only vitamin A but also vitamin C, maganese, copper, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and iron.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked sweet potatoes the most nutritious of all vegetables. Sweet potatoes contain higher levels of the antioxidant beta-carotene than most other vegetables. Receiving high marks for dietary fiber, natural sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium, sweet potatoes earned 100 points more than white potatoes, the second place vegetable. Sweet potatoes are also natural stool hardeners that ease the discomfort of dogs who have diarrhea. [1]

Downfalls of Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are good for dogs if served properly. Dogs cannot break down the cellulose (the large celled plant walls) so any fruits or vegetables need to be puréed or cooked before serving to dogs, or they will serve zero nutritional benefit. Raw sweet potatoes are unsafe for dogs because uncooked sweet potatoes contain a substance that inhibits trypsin, a natural enzyme necessary for the pancreas to digest proteins. The best way to feed sweet potatoes is cooked and puréed. I was unaware of this when I originally fed sweet potatoes to my dog, but am not concerned due to the very low amount that was in the filler mixture.

Both white and sweet potatoes can exaggerate health conditions such as allergies. Because potatoes are high in carbohydrates and sugar, they can aggravate canine candida. White potatoes feed yeast, and this can cause or intensify yeast infections. Sweet potatoes are problomatic as well, as they have more naturally occuring estrogen than white potatoes which can trigger or worsen food allergies. It can also be detrimental to any dog with a hormone antibody imbalance.

Conclusion:

Sweet potatoes are worth the risks they also carry, as long as they are fed properly there is little to no concern when feeding. To sumarize above, here are some points to keep in mind when feeding sweet potatoes to your dog:

• serve sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for best results
• never feed white potatoes to dogs with allergies, hormone antibody imbalances, yeast infections or diabetes
• never feed sweet potatoes to dogs with allergies or hormone antibody imbalances. Sweet potatoes are safe for dogs with diabetes
• wash and peel potatoes to remove mold and chemicals
• cook and purée for best digestibility and eliminate trypsin risk
• do not over feed potatoes as they can cause weight gain

But wait, isn't this a dog blog about how dogs are carnivores? Yes, but adding a bit of fruit or veggies once in a while will not hurt your dog (unless you feed them something you're not suppose to!). Fruits and veggies can add extra nutrients your dog may be lacking on a limited meat diet (if a large variety of BMO aren't available to you) or if you're feeding on a budget and happen to have some sweet potatoes growing eyes in your pantry, as was my case. Variety is the spice to life, and this greatly applies to feeding a natural diet to your dog! Dogs are naturally "scavenger carnivores" and a variety of all types of foods can help them thrive.

Dogs Naturally Magazine
published a brilliant article about dogs being carnivores vs. omnivores, I recommend checking it out if you can!

BONUS Post: How To Make a Sweet Potato Filler

 


Resources:
I-love-dogs.com - About Sweet Potatoes for your Dog
The Daily Puppy - Sweet Potato vs. White Potato for Dogs [1]

Sweet Potato Filler

the gloop that kind of looks like cat vomit
is the "sweet potato filler"

All dog food companies make "fillers" to go into their dog foods. They make claims of great nutrients and benefits for your dogs, but really all they're doing is trying to pad their dog food with cheap ingredients and thus, pad their wallets a little more. I can't say ALL dog food companies do it for this reason or that they are ALL terrible sources, but I can feel comfortable saying that most do. Most commonly grains and starches are used as fillers. A homemade diet filler kind of proves the same benefit; you aren't spending as much money on Bones Meats and Organs (BMO's) but at least you know exactly where those whole ingredients are coming from and what form of nutrition they provide. A lot more comforting than knowing that a dog food company can have a food that passes AAFCO standards with just sawdust, leather and canola oil (true story, and if you don't think that's terrifying enough, same goes for our own foods!). If you're feeding raw on a budget, knowing how to make a little nutritious filler to add once in a while can help save some pennies for you!


 Sweet potatoes can actually be a great source of nutrition if you're feeding real whole ingredients, but it's one you don't want to feed too often. More information on how to prepare and feed Sweet Potatoes can be found here.

Below is the most recent filler I made with sweet potato and pork liver. Of course, there are many different fillers you can come up with, so get creative and remember to research the ingredients first!

Filler ingredients:

•  1  sweet potato
•   pork liver
•   about 1 tbsp of coconut oil
•  green lipped mussel
•   flax seed powder
•   calcium powder from egg shells 
•   1-2 tbsp water
•  about 2 tbsp of deer meat (ground)

Preparation

The sweet potato should be washed and peeled. Cook the sweet potato. I think the quickest, easiest way would probably be to boil the sweet potato.

 When I first made this filler I did not cook the sweet potato, and did not learn until later that uncooked sweet potatoes are unsafe for dogs because they contain a substance that inhibits trypsin, a natural enzyme necessary for the pancreas to digest proteins. I didn't feed that much potato though, and my dog didn't seem to have any ill effects. Due to this new information, the next time I make it I'll cook the potatoes first! 

After cooking the potatoes, cut them into chunks and put them in your blender or food processor. I use the NutriBullet and so far it's worked really well and stood up to what I've dished it.

Slice the pork liver into small chunks and throw them into the food processor as well. Add deer meat at this point too.

Add coconut oil and  other supplements (in this case, flax seed and green lipped muscle powders).

Blend into a nice goop. You may have to add a tablespoon or two of water, as the meat often blends into a fatty pulp at the bottom and mucks the whole thing up. I found a bit of water de-mucks it, but too much water will make your goop too runny!

 Storage

 If you're planning on freezing your goop, I mean filler; you can do it in a number of ways. A zip lock baggie, container, or ice cube tray (I kind of like the latter best, if you have the time and patience to pour it all into little cubes). The way I did it I wouldn't recommend, I'm not sure what I was thinking. I thought I could just pop out a little frozen ball of filler and feed it that way, but there was no way it would come off the Saraann wrap and the only way to do so was to thaw it (which made the Saraann wrap moot).

I froze over night, along with the rest of the pork liver which I'd cut into portion sizes easier for serving (I managed to snag several ginormous bags of pork liver for very cheap at Overwaitea).

You don't need to freeze it either, you can always serve it in it's goopy state, I just found it lest revolting to deal with if it was frozen, and only one of my dogs can have sweet potatoes so there was plenty left over from even the small amount I made.

Serving

You can serve on it's own, since it has meat, organs and "bones" (calcium powder), or with other foods. I chose to serve it with a large chunk of liver and small bits of deer left over, as well as few pieces of sweet potato raw.  Again, at this time I did not know this was bad! I figured even if they didn't get any nutritional benefit it would help clean their teeth. Scratch that though, don't feed it raw!

I Love Hunting Season!

I use to hate hunting season, I hated listening to people talk about killing animals. I have no problem with people hunting if they're going to eat as much as what they kill as possible. If they're just hunting for the sake of killing a living creature, that's just sick. I don't support that. Anyway, I'm getting beyond the point... I use to hate hunting season, as an animal advocate, now as a raw feeder I love it!

Everything in the plastic bin is the dogs food, the brown
packaged items are from our beef order we just got!
I'm excited!

Hunting season means people are cleaning out their freezers to make room for the new season. Every now and then I post on my Facebook page, and group Dog Gone Good Training or on my sisters Facebook group Naturally Living in Fort St. James that I am looking for meat. I try to explain bones are okay, any type of meat I will take including organs and freezer burnt or refrozen meat. I will even take it if it's SLIGHTLY past the expiration date (and not frozen), as long as it's not too ripe. Dogs are capable of handling bacterias a lot better than we are and will often eat rotting carcases they come across, the scavengers they are. I've never had a problem feeding them slightly past the expiration date on the packaging.

The last couple weeks I've had a few people contact me, cleaning out their freezers and wondering if I wanted the meat. Most just honestly do not want to see the animal they killed (or the money they spent) to go to waste and knowing it will go to feed my doggies another day makes them feel good too! So not only do I get a few free meals for the dogs but the people giving me the meat are getting something from it too! It's a win/win/win situation if you ask me (the other win being the dogs benefit of course!).

Anyway, I've gotten some interesting types of meats for the dogs, and have had to be careful not to overfeed on the more rich foods like wild game. I left a couple goat heads and a package of goat stew on the counter earlier this afternoon.

Usually I will soak the frozen package in warm water or just let it sit in the sink to thaw. Today I was trying to catch up on dishes I'd gotten behind on so the goat got put on the counter. I'd been puttering around the house all day, doing chores, laundry, up-potted my African Violets (lets hope they don't die!), etc. so the goat on the counter got kind of forgotten. I was finally catching up on the chores and thought awesome, I'll finally get a chance to work on a trick with Unit I'd planned (see my Facebook group posted above for more info), and then I saw it. It looked like something straight out of a horror film. Blood and water had crept across the kitchen counter from the goat as it thawed. Well, the trick would have to be put off again and I would spend the next 20 minutes disinfecting my counter tops and all the items that were on it (including some large jars, my kettle and toaster).

The dogs seemed to really enjoy their goat and coconut oil though!







I've been working on "wait" with Unit for a week now. It may seem kind of cruel, but it's actually an important part of a behavior program for her. Unit is very dog aggressive and has managed to attack 3 dogs since we've had her for just barely a year now. So while it may seem mean to make her wait, it is important for her training and the safety of the dogs in our neighborhood!

This video doesn't work for me! Click HERE to see the original!  

Happy Rawiversary!

Today marks one full year since I first dove elbows deep into feeding raw - literally.
Switching the dogs to raw was a decision I made based out of necessity for their health. Most people who met PU when she was "falling apart" can't believe the difference now. I use to worry about infections, oozing sores, missing fur and the general unhappiness of my irritated dog. Now the worst she seems to get is patches of dry skin if I don't bathe her often enough or if I fed her a bit of chicken. Every now and then I try to give her a bit of chicken and monitor her. There's improvement, but she still can't seem to handle it. She may never be able to, but I will keep trying for now! Not just chicken, but many other foods I've found to trigger her old Seborrhea Oleosa ways.

I switched Coal because; why not switch both at the same time? Coal's coat has never been shinier and blacker (excluding all the grey of course!), and his general mood seems improved as well. He's more bouncy like he use to be as a young dog.

Unit

Coal

Both dogs teeth are amazing now. Unit's especially, since she was started on a raw diet at a younger age. Coal had 9 years of eating kibble to ruin his teeth. That said, even his teeth are quite beautiful now!

People ask how I keep their teeth so clean, the answer is simple; bones! Raw meaty bones (RMBs) are the best way to clean your dogs teeth. Much cheaper and much less risk than sedation and teeth cleaning at the vet, that's for sure!

Raw feeding over this past year has also proven to be quite challenging. I've had to learn to get creative to feed the dogs on a budget, and while I still exclaim "ewwww" and "yuck" and occasionally gag still while preparing dog food (I despise handling liver), it's all worth it!

When I see my dogs beautiful coat shinning in the sunshine. When he creaks and groans less while moving from a down to a standing position, and vise versa. When I see Unit playing and happy, without having to stop and scratch or rub her back on the grass constantly (only occasionally and it's purely for the joy of scratching one's back on the grass!).

When I see my floors are covered in less hair. It's not all gone of course, I still have two medium-large sized double-coated dogs! The fur will never go away! But it use to look like really dirty carpet. Unit would scratch and you could see a cloud of fur and skin flying off her!

When I can enjoy the company of my dogs, without the awful doggy smell, even a month + after bathing and they still don't smell nearly as bad as they did before the diet! I never even realized how bad they smelled!

It's all worth it. Every nasty liver, heart, etc. every time I've had to rush to the store and buy some pigs feet because I ran out of things Unit can eat. All the poop monitoring and occasional vomiting from a bone that wasn't quite swallowed right. Every time I worry they'll choke on said bone. It's all worth it because my dogs are healthy.

I end this post now because I have a furry face staring at me, expectantly, waiting for breakfast! Deer meat and sweet potatoes for breakfast this morning, with of course, some calcium powder, green lipped mussel, and flax seed mixed in. Delicious!

Natural & Safe Cleaners

I forgot to take a "before" photo, her collar
wasn't nearly this orange to begin with!

For Nylon Collars
I tried this method once with Coal's leather collar and I'm pretty sure that was a terrible idea. The vinegar dried it right out, so I recommend only using it on nylon or fabric collars!

 You Will Need:

•  vinegar
•   baking soda
•   warm/hot water
•   a bowl large enough to submerge your collar(s) in

I don't measure the ingredients, but I'd say it's about 1 part vinegar and 5 parts water with about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of baking soda (depending on how soiled your collars are).

Fill bowl with water and vinegar. Submerge collar. Sprinkle with baking soda and watch it sizzle away! Soak for 10 minutes - 1 hr, it all depends on how dirty your collars are. Soaking for longer won't hurt the collar (in my experience).
Rinse and repeat if necessary, otherwise let dry and enjoy!

Refresh The Bed Without Washing
I usually take the slip cover off and wash it in the washing machine. However, I was running a lot in the wash that day and decided I'd see if a similar method I read for human mattresses would work for the dog bed too.

You Will Need:

• dog bed
• vacuum
• baking soda
• vacuum brush head attachment or a stiff bristle brush
• essential oil of your choice (optional)

 Vacuum as much loose dog hair off the bed as you can. Sprinkle baking soda over bed evenly. Add a few drops over the bed of your choice of essential oil - make sure to check that it's safe for your pet! Use the vacuum attachment (as I did) or a stiff bristle brush to gently work the baking soda into an even coat over the entire bed. Let sit for 20 minutes - 1 hr. Use a power-head vacuum to remove the baking soda from deep within the bed. Let the dog enjoy!

I would recommend you still wash the slip cover from your dogs bed, but this is an easy way to remove odors between washing!

The Ups & Downs to Sharing a Meal...

Up until now, I thought one of the more awesome upsides to feeding raw was the fact I could cut off the fatty bits, the ugly bits, whatever and feed those to the dogs. It didn't feel like a waste like it did before I switched the dogs to raw. We often eat the same food as the dog (well, the meat at least!) And so far it's been great! Even a bonding experience with my dogs and our "pack".

Until today... I had the option of buying a whole fish for $7 or a filet already cut up and ready to cook for $22. I decided the choice was obvious, a  bit more work, but at least those -  you know - "fish looking" parts I could feed to the dogs! Not only was I saving money on our food, but the dogs too! What a deal!

So this morning I got to work cutting up this giant salmon. My whole house smelled like fish. I gave Unit the tail, the bits by the head and the fins... Then shortly later she barfed it up on our living room floor and kitchen floor.

My grilled salmon dinner was not very appealing after that...

Sometimes, I think my life would be easier if I fed my dogs kibble. But then I think, my dogs wouldn't be as healthy either.

How to Make: Calcium Powder from Eggs

Rinse the Shells
After cracking open an egg, rinse the shell out and put it back in the carton to store it until you feel you have enough shells. A whole carton yields a few tablespoons generally.

Try not to remove the membrane, it's packed full of nutrients!

Boil the Shells
Boil the shells for about five minutes to clean the shells.

Shells from a previous batch in the
Toast R Oven.

 Lay Them Out
Lay the shells out on a towel to let the water drip off.

Dry The Shells in an Oven. I used my Toast R Oven because it's been so hot out.

Conventional Oven: 200° F for about 10 minutes (varies based on egg size. Keep checking on them to make sure they don't burn!

Toast R Oven: 180° F for 5 minutes, pull the eggs out and flip them over. Let cool for a few minutes and put back in for another few minutes. Keep an eye on them, my first batch in the toaster oven burnt very fast!

 Mill or Blend
I used my NUTRiBULLET and milled the egg shells into a small power. You can also use a blender (sift out any large pieces afterwards if it does not make such a nice fine powder!) or use a coffee grinder. Coffee grinders can be bought fairly cheap (less than $20 at WalMart) so if you do not have something to grind the shells and don't want to invest in an expensive product, a coffee grinder will work just fine!

 Store in an Air-Tight Container
Half of the power is dark, that is from the burnt batch. The colour of your shells will determine the colour of your powder. If yours isn't an eggshell white, it may be due to the eggs being burnt (like in my first batch!) and the colour of the shells themselves will make a difference too!

Add the powder to your pets food according to the appropriate amount (see below). Egg shells are jam packed with calcium, so you don't need much!

Stir in any other supplements and serve with meat!

I've added Green Lipped Mussel from RawPaw for my old guy Coal! Green Lipped Mussels are excellent for old doggy joints!

The amount of calcium powder you add will be determined by the amount of meat you're feeding with it. See the chart below from Pet-Grub.com

Weight of Meat                  Ground Egg Shells


100 grams                       1/4 tsp
200 grams                       1/2 tsp
300 grams                       2/3 tsp
400 grams                       3/4 tsp




1/4 pound                       1/4 tsp
1/2 pound                       1/2 tsp
3/4 pound                       3/4 tsp
1 pound                         1 tsp



1 Jumbo Egg or 1 Large Egg      1/8 tsp
2 Jumbo Eggs or 2 Large Eggs    1/4 tsp
4 Jumbo Eggs of 4 Large Eggs    1/2 tsp
6 Jumbo Eggs of 6 Large Eggs    3/4 tsp
8 Jumbo Eggs of 8 Large Eggs    1 tsp

For more information about the amazing benefits of eggs, 

read my blog entry: Eggs are Excellent! 

Eggs are Excellent!

Eggs are an amazing nutritional source for dogs and humans alike. We buy our eggs from a nearby farm through our neighbors and recently were offered to try some duck eggs for the dogs. They LOVE them, and will even eat the whole shell! Duck eggs are packed full of nutrients, even moreso than chicken eggs, and are something that Patrol Unit can eat no problem (having allergies means there's lots of foods she can't eat! Duck and duck eggs are foods she should be eating, but until now I've had trouble finding at low cost).

What's the difference between duck and chicken eggs?

1.  Duck eggs have twice the nutritional value of a chicken egg and stay fresher longer due to their thicker shell.
   
2.  Duck eggs are richer with more Albumen making cakes and pastries fluffier and richer.
   
3.  Duck Eggs have more Omega 3 fatty acids ..something you can actually see in the salted pickled eggs the Chinese love to eat. Omega 3 is thought to improve everything from brain health to healthy skin and hair.
   
4. Duck Eggs are an Alkaline producing food, one of the few foods that leave your body more alkaline which is a great benefit to cancer patients as cancer cells do not thrive in an alkaline environment. Chicken eggs are an acid food leaving your body more acid.

There is one reason why many people are scared to try a duck egg and that is that the yolk contains about a 1 day supply of Cholesterol ..which is not good for heart diseases..well ... This depends on what you believe about weight control and fat or cholesterol. We are only just beginning to understand the real effects of eating fat in our diet. In practice we know that healthy active people who exercise need fat in their diet, otherwise their bodies would generate the cholesterol itself. So good (HDL) cholesterol is good and will stop your body from producing its own cholesterol. Your body needs to know how to process fat and get the energy benefits. If it forgets how to process fat or has easier sources of fast energy as from hydro carbons then guess what, your body stores the fat as an energy source ...hence your love handles are really stored energy. [1]

Raw vs Cooked

There is a lot of debate out there whether feeding raw eggs to dogs is good or bad. Cooking depletes nutrients, any raw feeder will tell you that. Those opposed to feeding raw eggs would probably tell you that the harm in feeding raw egg is far worse than losing a bit of nutrients. Here's the thing though, the concerns regarding feeding raw eggs are not very large concerns at all and the nutrients lost is far more valuable!


One of the main concerns is that egg whites cause biotin deficiency and contain enzyme inhibitors which can interfere with digestion (especially in the very young and very old). Biotin is a B vitamin that is important for cellular growth, fatty acid metabolism and good skin and coat. Biotin is abundant in the egg yolk. There are other ways of obtaining biotin as well through the diet (liver is a good source of biotin).


If feeding your dog eggs on a regular basis, simply make sure he gets the whole egg, not just the white.[2] Eggs should not be the staple of a dog's diet, and feeding the whole (and organic!) egg will decrease the chances of biotin deficiency (which is pretty rare to begin with!).


Another large concern is often bacteria, salmonella being a big one. Dogs are designed to eat raw foods. They have a short digestive tract that quickly pushes harmful bacterias through the system faster than they can colonize. Not to mention the digestive enzymes in the saliva and strong stomach acid that often kills bacteria before it even gets to the intestines!



Their saliva has antibacterial properties; it contains lysozyme, an enzyme that lyses and destroys harmful bacteria. Their short digestive tract is designed to push through food and bacteria quickly without giving bacteria time to colonize. The extremely acidic environment in the gut is also a good bacteria colonization deterrent. People often point to the fact that dogs shed salmonella in their feces (even kibble-fed dogs do this) without showing any ill effects as proof that the dog is infected with salmonella. In reality, all this proves is that the dog has effectively passed the salmonella through its system with no problems. Yes, the dog can act as a salmonella carrier, but the solution is simple—do not eat dog crap and wash your hands after picking up after your dog. [3]


When you compare the bacteria naturally found in or on eggs to the amount of things dogs lick or ingest I think you'll find that eggs are the least of your worries! Unless a dog is already unhealthy and has a compromised immune system to begin with, the bacteria found in and on eggs is not enough to harm your dog.

Don't Throw Away The Shells!

Egg shells are jam packed with calcium. You can make calcium powder from egg shells relatively easily and without the cost you would spend on calcium supplements! This powdered calcium can be used not only for your dogs but also yourself! Pregnant or nursing mothers require a lot of calcium and this is a great way to get it at low cost! If you're already buying eggs all the time and composting or throwing away your egg shells, start saving them!







How to Make Calcium Powder from Egg Shells
CLICK HERE to read my blog about how to make Calcium Powder!

Unit shows how it's done.
Eating an egg for the first time whole,
and she did it like a pro!

Organic is Best!

When buying chicken or duck eggs you want to find a good source from an organic farm.


Most eggs (those not labeled as organic) at your local grocery market will contain all sorts of carcenogens that otherwise shouldn't be there!



A 2010 study published in the journal Veterinary Record found that the eggs from hens confined to cages, as they often are in factory farms, had 7.77-times greater odds of harboring salmonella bacteria than eggs from non-caged hens. [4]





Whether you're feeding those eggs to your dog or your family, you should be looking for healthy eggs that come from healthy chickens. Stay clear from farms feeding soy to their chickens and if you can, visit the farm! Are the chickens healthy looking? Are they kept indoors, outdoors and/or in cages? Are they fed a high quality feed that does not contain soy?What's Wrong With Soy?



Originating in China, soybeans have been consumed by humans for thousands of years. It’s only been in the last century that the way we eat soy has changed dramatically. Fermentation is how soy was first prepared for eating. It was a side dish that complimented the rest of the meal. Raw soy is not fit for consumption and can be considered toxic. Today’s soy is processed in variety of methods (not fermented) which denatures the proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.


Soy is a prevalent ingredient in almost all processed foods. Those with a soy allergen (it’s one of the top eight food allergens for humans) know this best. It’s in fast-foods, baby food, processed meat, breads, etc. Unless you are very conscious of everything you eat, it is easy to consume an unregulated amount of soy products every day.


Perhaps you are not allergic to soy, here are some other findings that may be important to you. Soy is not a complete protein (as commonly believed), lacking some important amino acids. Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D. Soy increases levels of estrogen (possibly simulating the growth of related tumors) and decreases levels of testosterone. It has been related to pre-mature sexual development in females, and delayed development in males. Animal studies show soy foods causes infertility in animals. [5]


[1] LocalHarvest Duck vs Chicken Eggs
[2] Dogs Naturally Magazine Feeding your Dog Raw Eggs - Good or Bad?
[3] Myths About Raw Feeding: The Bacteria in Raw Meat Will Hurt Your Dog
[4] ABC News - The Truth About Your Eggs
[5] Soy Free Chickens - Why Soy-Free?

Not for the Faint of Heart

I'm not sure I'll ever get fully use to handling, chopping and snapping meat and bones. The organs may be my least favorite to handle, with liver winning by a landslide. On several occasions I find myself gagging or squealing "ewwww, WHY DO I DO THIS?!" I look down at my dogs, both with healthy, full coats, bright eyes and white teeth and I think to myself, "oh right, that's why".

But what if you can't do it? What if handling raw meat every day that is slippery, bleeding, stinky and sometimes slimy is just not your cup of tea? Are there alternatives to raw feeding that still have all the same health benefits?

Of course! They just might put a bigger dent in your wallet, that's all ;) I once recieved a sample packet of dehydrated raw food. I thought I had a photo of it but I can't seem to find it! I can't even remember what the brand was, but it was a mixture of green, dried things that when you added water doubled in size and became an extremely smelly green goop. The dogs loved it though, and according to the packaging, it was packed full of nutrition.

Since pet food recalls appear to be at an all time high, pet owners have been educating themselves about natural nutrition for dogs and cats and how they can provide that nutrition for their pets without the scary addatives and doG-knows-what else that has been responsible for so many pets being sick and dying.

The Dog Food Advisor is a great way to keep up-to-date on pet food recalls and what to avoid. They also have lists of dog foods ranked, so you can quickly and easily research the best for your dog. Check out their 5 Star Raw Dog Foods list. My personal philosophy however, is "avoid it all".  I never go down the pet food aisle at Overwaitea anymore, only to buy cat litter. Instead if I'm going to buy pet food products I do it out of town. There is absolutely no nutritious prepackaged foods or treats available for pets in Fort St. James. The rare times I do buy treats for my dogs, I read every last ingredient.

How to Read Ingredients Labels:

• Look for whole ingredients
  chicken instead of "chicken byproduct/meal", chicken instead of "poultry".
  
  
• What are the top ingredients and do any repeat?
  "ingredient splitting" is when companies split an ingredient to make it appear in a smaller dosage than it really is (since ingredients with the largest amount are listed first). Example: corn, corn gluten, corn meal, ground yellow corn, etc. All of these can be listed separately near the bottom of the ingredients list to appear in small amounts, but when added together that's a lot of  corn!
  the top ingredients should be whole foods (see above)
• Avoid unnecessary additives
  for a full list of ingredients to avoid, check out The Dog Food Project's Ingredients to Avoid
• Avoid long ingredients lists
  Keep in mind though, just because something has a long list of ingredients doesn't mean it's all bad. Use the tips above to judge what's in the list. Very long lists are usually full of more junk, and keep in mind that companies are only required to list 1/4 of their ingredients on the bag they may not be listing what is even the main ingredients!
  
  For more information about reading pet food labels visit The Dog Food Project's Label Info 101

The only true 100% foolproof method of knowing exactly what your dog is consuming is by preparing it yourself, and even then it depends on where you're getting your meat, bones and organs from! Of course, organic is the healthiest and best route, but is not always available in all communities. In the end, do the best you can and do what's right for your pets and there's no way you can go wrong! Do your homework (you can start with the links listed above!) and come up with a meal plan that is most optimal for your carnivores!

Happy Pig Organic Farm

Getting the best for everyone in the family!

On Friday, May 3rd, my mother, sister, nephew and I traveled 638km (in total, there and back) to Smithers, British Columbia, stayed the night, then turned around and went to Topley, B.C. where this adorable organic farm is. Happy Pig Organic Farm is a certified organic farm.

The trip was a bit slow going with a 3 month old in the car with us, but considering we were traveling with a 3 month old it went pretty well!

We stayed the night in Smithers before heading to the farm in Topley. Pigs, cows, goats, alpacas, turkeys, chickens and a very happy black Labrador Retriever who met us with an orange Kong to throw! Marlene and her two boys showed us a bit around the farm and talked to us about how they raise their animals vs farms that are not certified organic.

We met with the pigs, who were all quite friendly and of course, happy!

One story I really enjoyed was about how the pigs root up the land and pull out rocks and other little treasures they find and then stack them in piles! (see photo left/above).

Once the pigs have dug up all the rocks and worked the land they're rotated to a different pasture where they continue to dig up and stack rocks and oddities they find there.

 

Unit: is this for me?!

 I did not place an order for any organic meat for our family, simply because of the price. Buying scraps for the dogs was a lot cheaper than it would have been buying meat for us!

40lbs of meat I'd ordered and it only cost me $90! Of course, that's not counting travel expenses, but since there was three of us going to get orders we were able to cut down on costs (plus my mother is extremely generous and loves paying for stuff for us!).

They've had the chance to try kidney and tongue because of this order, and will also get to try some heart too!

Organs are hard for me to come by around here, other than liver, so I was pretty excited about that!




It was kind of sad knowing that these cute little pigs and other animals around the farm would be sentenced to death from birth, I also felt good knowing I was supporting an organic farm that treats it's animals well as opposed to a commercial one that uses pesticides, vaccinations and growth hormones, and some the animals live in very poor conditions! I had some comfort knowing they did get to live happy little pig lives before being slaughtered for consumption.

These guys were indeed, Happy Pigs!