Puppy mince brings happiness and good for the health as puppy raw food diets
Q1 – “Does (my dog) need any fruit and vegetables (she does not like them).”
A1 – In the wild puppies would only be introduced to eating these through the stomachs of their prey, but this is only incidental ingestion. And the prey stomachs are often just full of the local grasses anyway.
Wolves and dogs in the wild will eat decaying fruit and berries if they are desperate and there is no meat around. Dogs do not need the carbohydrates (sugars) in fruit/vegetables for energy or to regulate their body. They get energy from meat proteins and meat fats.
‘Dog Food‘ pellets are mainly grain based (wheat, rice etc) because it is cheap to make, not because it is good or natural for your dog. Dogs can extract nutrition from nonmeat things, but their bodies are set up to use the proteins in meat. So their immunities can suffer and they won’t be as healthy as a raw diet dog.
Dogs you see that enjoy vegetables are those that have owners that have fed their dogs these from an early age, or the dog was exposed to them previously. Dogs trust their owner as a surrogate parent, and they are willing to please their parent. This is the reason that dogs get ‘hooked on food’ that is not natural or good for them. Vegetables are not a natural diet for dogs. Dogs don’t graze in wheat fields in the wild. Vets sell pellets and wet ‘food’ with vegetables in them, because they have a high margin and they can’t sell raw meat off their shelves. They are just maximizing their sales, and repeat customers.
So no, there is no reason to force or give your dog vegetables or fruits. If they naturally pick them up in the garden (and the fruit is not poisonous to them) then that is fine. Dogs may like the sugary taste, but it is completely unnecessary to feed your dog vegetables or fruits. Dogs are carnivores, not omnivores like humans.
If you have not read my articles before, you can find the core article on raw dog food diets here.
Q 2. “I am getting a 9 week old puppy soon. Can she go straight onto the raw meat diet or will this be too much for her tummy?”
This is a concern that all new dog owners have. All you have to do is consider what a wild dog would do. It would accept food from the pack and its mother/father. These parent dogs would hunt game (meat) and regurgitate semi digested meat for them. The reason they do this is that their stomach contains enzymes that break down the meat making it easier for the dog to digest.
Typically though, domestic dogs are weaned at 12 weeks. If your dog is going straight from mother’s milk to what you are feeding them, you may consider bridging the gap with genuine puppy milk (has lactose removed) and small amounts of finely ground meat. People often start with chicken and beef for convenience.
My articles go through how much and how often to feed a dog. And that once its second teeth are strong enough, to introduce bones as well, ideally in the 80/10/10 ration for meat/ bones/ offal.
You should probably buy puppy mince from the markets so it is cheaper and freeze meat and offal (to ensure it is safe). Though if it is human grade, it should be fine. There is no point buying puppy mince meat, as you often cannot be sure of what has been added to it. Raw whole meat can have the fat trimmed as much as you need.
I should also make a point of feeding your dog Omega three. This is a genuine miracle essential fatty acid that can solve or prevent many dog skin and allergy issues.
With a puppy it is also very important to VARY the diet regularly (meat type, and offal amounts etc) so that your dog gets used to the different smells, tastes and proteins. If a dog is not exposed to a lot of different meat types when it is young (depending on breed, i.e. not Labrador) it may struggle to eat more unique, raw meats like kangaroo, goat etc. Varying the meat type can help boost their immunity and provide different amino acids to them.
Some dogs may take a while to adjust to meat, so introduce it slowly and be persistent. Tummy gurgling, while the body adjusts can occur. Likewise a short period of diarrhea is also possible, but this is also generally short term. Only introduce one new meat at a time for a puppy or adult dog. For instance our dog had about a week of difficulty getting used to raw beef but now loves it. Because we only fed him cooked chicken when he was young, he will eat raw chicken bones (necks, wings and carcass) but not straight raw chicken breast or thigh. He can still can get sick if we feed him too much pig fat, but this highly saturated fat can be too rich for many dogs.
With a puppy, once their age and teeth are ready, you can introduce them to small raw bones. Remember to supervise them while eating bones to avoid choking hazards. I also have an article on what types of bones are best for your dog .
CONCLUSION
The reality is that while a raw meat and bone diet is best for all dogs, people do not do so because their vet convinces them to buy man made rubbish. In the modern world people also highly regard convenience and if they buy meat from a major supermarket they can find meat to be very expensive. If you truly love your dog and want to provide the best natural food for it to be healthy, a raw meat based diet is the ONLY way to go.
You may also wonder why I sell dried meat dog treats. I do this because the vast majority of the population feed their dogs a grain based diet that is no good for them. If you think that pellets or canned dog food has meat in it just because there is a picture on the front of the can, you may be very surprised by this article on how manufacturers deceive people who buy dog food.
This and many other reasons are why healthy dog treats are often the only way of introducing quality meat into their system. And of those owners that do feed their dog a raw diet, it is inconvenient to keep raw meat in your pocket when out and about training or visiting people. Hence the need for quality dried meat treats.
I also find that my dog doesn’t like raw kangaroo or liver, but I can feed him these meats (proteins) in dry form, and he loves them. Just make sure that when you buy treats for your dog, that they have no artificial colouring, flavours or additives.
All the best with your puppy.
Article by Bruce Dwyer. If you wish to use any of this information please refer to the article as a reference and provide a link to our WEBSITE.
CUSTOMER ORIGINAL QUESTION: “I have started feeding my 10 month dog on a completely raw meat diet. I would like to ask two questions please. Does she need any fruite and vegetables (she does not like them). Second question. I am getting a 9 week old puppy soon. Can she go straight onto the raw meat diet or will this be too much for her tummy? Thank you very much.”