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FeedWell
The dog guardian’s guide to healthy, natural feeding
Erica Williams
FeedWell This edition published 2008 by VIVID Publishing www.vividpublishing.com.au Printed in Perth, Western Australia All Rights Reserved ISBN 9780980493450 Copyright © 2008 Erica Williams Cover design by VIVID Publishing Cover illustration by Richard Geraghty Proofreading by Adrian G. Bogers National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication: Author: Williams, Erica, 1966Title: Feedwell : the dog guardian’s guide to healthy, natural feeding / Erica Williams. Edition: 1st ed. ISBN: 9780980493450 (pbk.) Subjects: Dogs--Nutrition--Requirements. Dogs--Food--Recipes. Dewey Number: 636.7085 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, audio, visual, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the copyright owner. Nor can it be circulated in any form without similar conditions including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
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CONTENTS What’s Natural for Dogs?...........................................10 From Wolf to Woof....................................................12 Dogs 101 ....................................................................15 The Raw Factor ..........................................................17 Enzyme Power............................................................18 So What Do I Feed? ...................................................20 Raw Components (per Grandma Wolf’s list).............21 Extras..........................................................................31 Cooked Components ..................................................36 How Much do I Feed? ................................................38 Meal Plans for a week ................................................45 Natural Nutrient Balancing ........................................48 Shopping List .............................................................50 Buying Meat ...............................................................53 Commonsense Meat Handling ...................................55 Water ..........................................................................56 What About Grains?...................................................57 What About Milk Products?.......................................60 Home vs Processed Food ...........................................62 A Few Rules ...............................................................63 What Can’t I Feed My Dog? ......................................65 Yes, But…. (FAQs)....................................................67 Overweight Dogs........................................................71 Processed Dog Food...................................................73 Food Pyramid for Dogs ..............................................77 Recipes .......................................................................78 Action Plan.................................................................98 Work With Your Vet................................................100 Who’s Doing It? .......................................................102
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Keep Learning.......................................................... 111 Making The Transition............................................. 113 Changes You Can Expect.........................................116 Last Thoughts........................................................... 117 About the Author...................................................... 118 Helpful Routines ...................................................... 120 The Big Picture ........................................................ 121
FOREWORD Erica is a client of mine who came to see me several years ago with her dog. As part of his treatment plan, I suggested she feed a natural diet. Recently, she gave me the manuscript for this book to check. By one of those big coincidences that sometimes happen in life, I was then in the process of correcting the manuscript of my book on natural diet, “Real Food for Dogs and Cats”. It was very obvious to me that Erica’s book “Feedwell” was the perfect partner for my book for dog owners wanting to learn to feed their dog naturally. My book contains the scientific background to feeding dogs naturally. It is intended for veterinarians, dog and cat breeders and pet owners who like all the facts. “Feedwell” gives an easily readable introduction to the theory. This is followed by a great section with recipes similar to a human recipe book. I think this format is ideal for dog owners who want an easy and enjoyable read with some recipe ideas to start them off with feeding their dog naturally. I am very pleased that Erica has a written a book from the dog owner’s viewpoint, as well as the dog’s! I am sure “Feedwell” will be read and enjoyed by many dog owners, and that it will provide many dogs with a diet I think they would choose for themselves. Dr Clare Middle BVMS CVA CertIAVH August 2007
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ou love your dog. He gives you love, fun times, protection, more love, exercise and always listens to your problems. As his guardian, you do the best you can and feed him, house him and perhaps even clothe him. Come with me and learn to feed your dog the food that is natural to his species, kind on his digestive system, bursting with life and thus truly healthy for him. On the way, expect to see your friend blossom with clean teeth, shiny coat, clean ears, small stools, good breath, a happy disposition and exceptional vitality. Who knows? You may even make a change or two in your own lifestyle and explore your own nutrition as you see the benefits your dog is reaping.
This way
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Last Thoughts For all creatures on earth (including man) to be healthy, they should eat a variety of unprocessed nutrients from fresh foods that are appropriate to their species. People are realising this after many years of eating processed foods and science is now backing this up with research. We’ve all managed to get where we are by eating the food we were raised on. However, now that we understand the foundation of true nutrition, we are moving to a higher level of health which will improve all areas of our lives. As we change our diets back to a more wholesome, natural way of eating, let’s do the same for our beloved pets and grow in health together. If you haven’t already experienced the benefits of a more wholesome, fresh way of eating for yourself, then step out and discover it with your best friend at your side. Rekindle the relationship that time has tested and still holds true today, by letting your dog clear away and recycle your leftovers. Only this time your leftovers are of fresh, wholesome foods that support and encourage life and when they are added to the foods that are biologically appropriate for your dog, you have a pet that is truly healthy through good nutrition and happy to be a contributing member of your family.
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About the Author Some years ago, I changed my diet due to health problems and saw an almost immediate improvement in all aspects of my life. I was careful about eating processed foods and learned to check labels before I bought anything, an action that is instinctive now. When I realised the enormous benefit to my health and state of mind, I began exploring food options for my beloved animals. They really weren’t all that excited about their mealtimes and always looked at me as if to say, ‘what, this again?’ I began by looking at the ingredients in the food I was feeding them and was amazed at what was in the purportedly ‘top of the range’ pet food I was buying. I simply knew there was something better for my dog and cats and I was determined to find it. I read everything I could lay my hands on, importing books and even foods from America at one early stage. I’ve made mistakes in this journey – plenty of them. Because I wasn’t aware of the concept of species appropriate nutrition, I tried my dog on various feeding programmes with special imported supplementation, at huge cost. I soon realised he ate these with as little enthusiasm as he had been eating his kibble. Eventually I learned of species appropriate feeding and – wow! Suddenly Webbie began to eat everything at mealtimes and you just knew he was enthusiastic about his food. Actually, for the first time, so was I. Many of you will understand the frustration of not being able to provide an enticing meal for your pet.
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Once or twice, just to satisfy my curiosity, I offered canned pet food or kibble and got a definite response of, “you are joking, aren’t you?” Our pets are well. People are often amazed when they hear that Purdy, our eldest cat, is 15 years old. She had a blood test a while ago and the vet was very pleased (and a little surprised) at her optimal body function. We’re a good few years down the road now and have never looked back. I hope you and your dog enjoy this amazing journey too.
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Helpful Routines Morning 1. Put fresh, filtered water in bowl 2. Put frozen packs on a plate in the fridge to defrost for the evening, i.e. meat and bone, and VegePops if using Evening 1. Replenish water bowl 2. Give your dog her yummy meal 3. Portion any family leftovers, place in freezer bags and freeze Weekly Make ‘VegeMight’ or cook and mash veges for the week and store in airtight container in the fridge Monthly 1. Buy meat and bone packs for the month Weigh, pack into freezer bags and freeze 2. Make a batch each of Bella’s Eintopf and Rhonda’s Rissoles Weigh into portions, place in freezer bags and freeze 3. Make a batch of KHL Weigh into portions, place in freezer bags and freeze
4. Make a couple trays of VegePops
5. Get the kids to make a batch of treats and/or biscuits Place in airtight container and keep in fridge or freeze
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Don’t limit his intake at first – his body is eagerly using those new nutrients. A time will come when his body is satisfied with the correct portion. If he is one of those dogs who will continue eating regardless, then after a couple of weeks you may need to regulate his meal sizes. Just keep watching his weight and you will know whether the amount is correct or not.
Start with a tiny bit of mashed baked pumpkin mixed well into his meat. Consider using some minced meat to mix with the veges, then mixing that into the meat and bone chunks. Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top. Increase vege ratio slowly. When he’s eating that happily, try a little ‘VegeMight’ mixed in with the above. Stay relaxed. Feed meal from fridge Raw meaty bones Take 2 pks complete frozen meal from freezer (see Frozen Eintopf on pg 54). Defrost and feed one. Cover and refrigerate the other in a feeding bowl to defrost. Feed defrosted meal from fridge Fast food night. Open a tin of sardines, and crack a raw egg over the top Whole raw chicken
Tue Wed Thu
Fri Sat Sun
Remember the fast food section Be kind to yourself – the odd bowl of kibble is OK
Make up a double quantity of a meal (try Tuesday’s basic chicken meal on pg 45). Feed half and place half in the fridge in a feeding bowl, covered with clingwrap
Mon
Make sure that on at least 4 nights of the week you have to do no more than take a bowl of food or some bones out of the fridge and set it down. Here’s a weekly suggestion:
He’s enjoying the new food but you’re finding the preparation takes you too long
Have him skip a meal (just one) so he’s hungry when he tries the new food. Make up a meal and mix a small amount into his regular food. If his regular food is dry kibble, you could soften the kibble with a little boiling water so the new food mixes better. A trick that works well is to mix the new food with a bit of fish like tuna – the strong smell will entice him. If he doesn’t finish the whole meal, just take it away without fussing and offer a fresh batch at his next regular mealtime. Sometimes just cooking the outside of the meat slightly will entice him to try it. Slowly increase the ratio of new food. Show him with your tone and body language that you fully approve of the new food. Be patient.
He won’t touch the new stuff!
If you’re not sure about your dog’s health or your dog has any kind of illness (acute or chronic), then check with your vet first
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He loves the food so much much he won’t stop eating
Your dog is healthy
He loves the meat but leaves the veges behind
Keep offering varying meals, organise wellness checkups and have fun!
He loves the new food, you’re enjoying preparing it and he’s doing well
Start feeding mostly raw, natural food
Commit to feeding natural food
The Big Picture
FeedWell
FeedWell FeedWell
The dog guardian’s guide to healthy, natural feeding
www.vividpublishing.com.au/feedwell
Fontaine Publishing 34E West Street Perth, WA 6023
$24.99 AUD
ISBN
The dog guardian’s guide to healthy, natural feeding
Your dog's nutritional wellness is in the hands of you, his guardian. As you read this book, you may feel that some things are not true for you and your dog but if this information starts you on the path to looking closer at what you believe to be real nutrition and why, then you and your dog can only benefit.
FeedWell
Erica Williams
Many of the recipes have evolved in busy households and are thus imaginative, resourceful and wholly original. Great practical ideas mean that producing nutritious meals every day for your dog can be easily integrated into the family routine.
the dog guardian’s guide to healthy, natural feeding
Welcome to species appropriate feeding. This book is about food that the canine species is designed to eat and which thus truly nourishes their bodies. Learn about meals that are easy to prepare, varied so as to fulfil your dog’s nutritional requirements and yummy enough for his pure enjoyment.
FeedWell FeedWell
The dog guardian’s guide to healthy, natural feeding
the dog guardian’s Erica Williams guide to healthy, natural feeding