So, in trying to be a good dog guardian/adoptive mother to my dogs, I like to read a variety of dog resources. Since I’ve picked up more hours doing volunteer dog training at WARL, I revisisted Patricia McConnell’s blog, The Other End of the Leash. A recent post talked about dog food and healthy diets/nutrition for dogs. Click here to read it.
McConnell’s post, along with information that WARL’s trainer shared during a class for new dog guardians that I assisted with, confirmed that I need to feed my dogs better to ensure they stay healthy and active. This is more important than ever as Daisy is about 6-years-old and Zeke is starting agility. Every source I’ve found, that isn’t funded by a pet food company, says that the less processed the food, the better–it’s the same for humans too! While I’m confident that I feed my dogs one of the best kibble available since it is grain-free and protein-heavy, I rarely feed them other foods besides training treats (Zuke’s salmon treats or Natural Balance food rolls) and peanut butter in Kongs.
So, I’m currently creating a plan to gradually add healthier and more diverse foods in my dogs’ diets. Thus far, I’ve started using canned pumpkin (no sugar added) and fresh veggies in Kongs. I’m researching which meats to add and how to prepare them now. The basic idea is that dogs, like humans, need a variety of nutrients to function at their best–while avoiding foods high in salt, sugar and fats. They also get bored with eating the same processed food every day. I’ll try to post my dog diet plan when it’s finished. Definitely feel free to post suggestions of what raw foods you feed your dogs.
A word of caution: There are a few human foods that are toxic to dogs. Never feed your dog:
- Grapes or raisins
- Advocado
- Baking chocolate
- Onions or Garlic
- Baby food
- Meat with small bones
- Alcoholic beverages
- Macadamia Nuts
- Mushrooms
- Cabbage
I also learned that it’s best not to feed dogs from a bowl. Apparently, dogs are supposed to spend a few hours a day getting/eating food–like they would in the wild. So, games that involve finding or earning food and toys that hide food are great enrichment and slow down a dog’s eating. I use a food ball, Kongs, disc toy and tennis ball muffin tin. I plan to get a few more food enrichment toys to add more challenge for the dogs. Happy eating!
