Raw Pet Digest August/September 2017

RAWPETDIGEST

August/ September 2017

I N THI S I SSUE: -Natural puppy care -M eet th e model s -Raw f eedi ng adv i ce to l i v e by -A nd much more!

Onyx, a German Shepherd. Phot o credit : Erin O'Connor

Raw Pet Digest Editor-in-chief: Kristin Clark

To get an annual subscription (6 issues): -Go to the Store at Canine Health Promotion: www.caninehealthpromotion.com -Using PayPal: send $20.00 USD to kristin@rawpetdigest.com -Using Square: go to mkt.com/ rawpetdigest -Email kristin@rawpetdigest.com for alternate forms of payment

All emails and letters become the property of Raw Pet Digest and may be reprinted in future issues.

Our mission at Raw Pet Digest is to share information that supports natural health with a broad audience to help improve the lives of our carnivore pets. We believe that only the body is capable of achieving and maintaining true health, but we also believe that there are many things that we can do to help support the body in its quest to maintain balance (health). Raw Pet Digest aims to help educate and inform you about those things so that you can help your pet live a long life and thrive naturally.

DISCLAIMER: All information contained in Raw Pet Digest is intended for educational purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, prevent, or treat any disease, illness, or injured condition of the body or pets, and the author(s), publisher, and contributors accept no responsibility for such use. Anyone or their pets suffering from any disease, illness, or injury should consult with their physician or veterinarian. The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, all views expressed herein by those being interviewed or featured are their own views and do not necessarily represent the views of Raw Pet Digest.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the author(s) and Editor-in-Chief. The articles herein are for educational purposes only. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader.

Lycan, Merlin, Midge, and Pansy. Photo credit: Bre Altherr

FEATURES ANDCOLUMNS Letter from the Editor - 4 Meet the Models - 5 6 Pieces of Raw Feeding Advice to Live By - 22 Raw Pets Thrive! Puzzle - 30 The Beginner's Corner - 32 Living in Gratitude - 38 Red Meat, White Meat, and Your Dog - 41

Lady Viola, Great Dane. Photo credit: Deb McMurdie

Raising a Puppy Naturally - 45

Nugget the kitten. Photo credit: Devin Nelson

Letter fromtheEditor Happy August, my fellow pet parents! I hope that you?re all enjoying the summer.

This has been a fun issue to put together, especially because we take time to celebrate some of the beautiful dogs that have graced our pages and welcome some new models that will be joining us here in Raw Pet Digest. Putting the "Meet the Models" article together was especially gratifying because each of the dogs is raw fed, and they range in size from a tiny Chihuahua (with only about 10 teeth!) to huge Great Danes, and they range in age from puppies to seniors.

When I was laying out the article, I thought about how amazing it is that each of the owners of the dogs shown here have figured out ways to feed their dogs a species-appropriate raw diet so that they thrive. These owners have been able to overcome the usual concerns about cost, the ?ick? factor, and hesitations about potential inconvenience? and all of them have been feeding this way for years.

They've learned how to find affordable meat and how to make raw feeding a convenient part of life? in short, they've learned exactly how to make it work for them and their dogs. And it made me hopeful that they and their dogs might inspire others who want to give their pets the best lives possible but aren't sure if they can.

This issue was also fun for me because one of the articles, written by Dr. Erin

Kristin with Cleo, Motley, Elle, and Barkley.

Photo credit: Adam Gilbert

O?Connor, focuses on natural puppy care.

It?s full of great, easy-to-implement advice about raising and caring for puppies naturally, and the sheer adorableness of her own naturally reared puppy, Onyx, can't be overstated.

This issue marks another first: a new regular puzzle feature that we hope is fun and challenging. If you complete the puzzle and email it back to us by August 15, 2017, you?ll receive a prize, so check it out!

Here at Raw Pet Digest, we're considering how to make the magazine easier for you to access. We?re also considering publishing once a month. There are always new and exciting things in natural pet health and raw feeding, and publishing once a month would enable us to bring you more information faster. So, stay tuned? we?ll have a final decision on that soon.

I truly hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

Until next time, Kristin 4

MEETTHEMODELS We are incredibly lucky here at Raw Pet Digest to have so many beautiful doggy models gracing our pages. Now, you get a chance to meet some of them...both those that have been a part of our magazine for many issues and some newer models we're excited to welcome. Each of the models we feature here eats a species-appropriate prey model diet, and as you'll see, they're every size, age, breed, and gender. We hope that you'll enjoy "meeting" them, and we hope you'll be inspired to think about what you feed your own dog so they can achieve optimal wellness. Diet is the foundation of health, and as these dogs show, feeding a carnivore diet will help your dog thrive throughout their whole life. We present our gorgeous models in no particular order. Enjoy!

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BELLA(ITALIANGREYHOUND)

Age: 11 years Weight: 12 lbs On raw since: 4 years old Favorite protein: Quail!

Favorite activities: Erin says, "Bella's favorite things to do include cuddling under her various blankets and in her various beds, sunbathing, doing agility, and being rightfully pampered by her humans."

Part of the family since: 2 months old Ph ot o cr edit : Er in O'Con n or

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LOLO(BORDERCOLLIE)

Age: 8 years Weight: 32 lbs On raw since: the age of 1 Favorite proteins: Rabbit and lamb Favorite Activities: Erin says, "Her faves are playing fetch, running agility, learning tricks, cuddling with her human, swimming, going to work, and herding sheep and ducks."

Part of the family since: 2 months old Fun fact: Lolo is also the cover model of the book Let Food Be Their Medicine: Using Nature's Principles to Help Your Dog Thrive Ph ot o cr edit : Er in O'Con n or

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MERLIN(AMERICANPITBULLTERRIER)

Age: 10 1/ 2 Weight: About 60 lbs Favorite proteins: Something larger to chew on, like a bone, beef trachea, beef gullet, or whole prey animal like beaver, deer, rabbit.

Favorite activity: Bre says, "He's a momma's boy, so anything from cuddling to walks to training to tug of war, as long as it's with me he's happiest."

On raw for: The past 8 1/ 2 years Part of the family since: 3 weeks old Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r

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LYCAN(BELGIANMALINOIS)

Age: 8 years old Weight: About 65 lbs Favorite protein: Prey model rabbit or large chunks of tripe Favorite activity: He loves protection work, chuck it (fetch), or just being a dog and running freely through the woods and creek followed by downtime with something large like a goat head to gnaw on before crashing for the night.

On raw: For as long as we've had him (since he was 12 weeks old) Fun fact: Bre says, "I chose his name because he reminded us of a little werewolf as a puppy!"

Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r

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PANSY(CHIHUAHUA)

Age: 8 Weight: 4 1/ 2 to 5 1/ 2 lbs, depending on how large her meal was!

Favorite protein: ANYTHING. She lives for food and cuddles with me.

Favorite Activity: Bre says, "Cuddling in blankets with me or getting out and about visiting different people and places. Pansy knows no stranger, human or animal."

On raw since: 14 weeks Part of the family since: 10 weeks old Fun fact: Pansy only has about 10 teeth, but she doesn't let that stop her from enjoying her raw meaty bones and species-appropriate meals!

Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r

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MIDGE(REDBONECOONHOUND)

Age: 5(ish) Weight: 35 lbs Favorite protein: Turkey necks and duck heads Favorite Activity: Bre says, "Cuddling for sure. She's never close enough in her mind and has no concept of personal space! She also enjoys playing chuck it (fetch) and swimming."

On raw for: The last 4 years Part of the family for: The last 4 years Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r 11

SCHATZIE(CAROLINADOG)

Age: About 11 Favorite protein: Lamb, but she also loves rabbit Favorite activity: Kim says: "Eating and going on long morning walks with me. She also loves having her weekly massage with raindrop oils. " On raw for: The last 4 years Part of the family since: 7 years old Ph ot o cr edit : Kim Bloom er 12

KING(AMERICANBULLY)

Age: 5 Favorite protein: ANYTHING. Kim says, "The only thing he has ever hesitated with is trachea but he sure eats it now!"

Favorite activity: Kim says, "Eat! His second favorite thing to do is go for his daily walks and sniff every single thing he can. He loves to chase rabbits, lizards, and mice. He also loves sunbathing, playing tuggie with my husband (their macho thing), and playing the barking/ howling game with me."

On raw since: 6 months Ph ot o cr edit : Kim Bloom er

Part of the family since: 13 months old 13

ODIN(GREATDANE)

Age: 5 Favorite activity: Tom says, "Life is just one big game to Odin. He has a habit of jumping straight up, about a foot or two in the air, before commencing play with the other dogs, which is a sight to behold in such a large dog. His favorite game is chase, but he is the one being chased. He has the sweetest temperament and couldn?t be serious if he tried? but he would never try. He loves attention and isn?t too keen on any other dog getting attention in his presence. Oh yes, it is ALL about Odin!"

Ph ot o cr edit : Th om as San dber g

On raw since: he was a puppy 14

CAMELOT(GREATDANE)

Age: 10 Favorite activity: Tom says, "Camelot loves nothing more than a good old ear rub at the end of the day. He never demands affection but once you start, he will pull your hand back with his paw again and again, so that you keep on petting him."

On raw since: 1 1/ 2 years old Part of the family since: 1 1/ 2 years old Fun fact: Camelot has only been to the vet one time, for a poisonous spider bite that we healed naturally. His health is exceptional, and he's still keeping up with Odin (who is half his age).

Ph ot o cr edit : Th om as San dber g

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SMOKEANDTRIS(GREYHOUNDS) Smoke Age: 5 Weight: 85 lbs Favorite protein: Ground beef hearts Favorite activity: Going for walks On raw since: He joined the family at the age of 3 1/ 2

Tris Age: 3 Weight: 73 lbs Favorite protein: Ground beef hearts Favorite activity: Going for walks On raw since: She joined the family at the age of 1 1/ 2

Ph ot o cr edit s: Jen Th ack er y 16

BARKLEY,ELLE,ANDMOTLEY

Barkley (English Shepherd)

Elle (Lhasa Apso mix)

Age: 10

Age: 5

Motley (Portuguese Podengo Pequeno)

Favorite protein: Lamb

Favorite protein: Turkey

Age: 5

Favorite activity: Going for walks, barking at the mailman, and playing in the water

Favorite activity: Running and playing with Motley and Barkley

Favorite protein: Anything!

On raw since: 6 1/ 2 years old

On raw since: 1 1/ 2 years old Part of the family since: 3 years old Part of the family since: 3 months old Ph ot o cr edit : Kr ist in Clar k

Favorite activity: Bossing everyone around, eating, walking, and hearing himself talk On raw since: We adopted him 2 years ago 17

ANDINTRODUCING...

Duke (Danu's Snappin' One Of f )

Cassie (Danu's Cassiopeia's Expl osion RN)

Age: 2 1/ 2 years

Age: 6 1/ 2 years

Weight: 160 lbs

Weight: 110 lbs

Favorite protein: Chicken

Fun fact: Deb says, "Cassie is gregarious, loves everyone, and can't contain herself when showing it. She's the fun one! But, she won't tolerate any 'smack talk,' especially from little dogs."

Favorite activity: Playing!

Viol a (Windycit y's Orion's Edge of Gl ory RE CGC CGCU CGCA) Age: 6 years Weight: 140 lbs Favorite protein: She loves ALL MEAT. Favorite activity: Loves to just hang out.

Ph ot o cr edit : Deb M cM u r die

Dru (Danu's Druant ia Bringin' Ya' More RN) Age: 8 1/ 2 years Weight: 110 lbs Fun fact: Very reserved, but breaks out after a bath or a sprinkler dousing! Loves to be the mama to everyone else.

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ONYX(GERMANSHEPHERDDOG)

Age: 11 months Weight: 65 lbs and growing Favorite proteins: Deer, Rabbit, Goat, Lamb, Trout, Chicken, Beef, Quail, Herring, Emu, Duck, Turkey, Muskrat, Sardines....he wants it ALL. Favorite Activity: Erin says, "Playing outside, fetch, eating, training, bird watching, figuring out what activities he wants to do when he grows up."

Part of the family since: 2 months old On raw since: Forever! He was naturally reared, so besides his mom's milk, raw food is all he knows!

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Ph ot o cr edit : Er in O'Con n or

BETTIEANDWILLYS Bet t ie Breed: Ibizan Hound Age: 5 years Weight: 45 lbs Favorite protein: Anything Favorite activity: She loves hunting, running, barking, and eating.

Wil l ys Breed: Great Dane Age: 2 1/ 2 years Weight: 150 lbs Favorite proteins: Chicken, beef, and pork Fun fact: Crystal says, "He needs one more point to become an AKC champion. We believe he's the first uncropped black Dane to be awarded a group placement in AKC conformation competition."

Ph ot o cr edit s: Cr yst al Han n ah

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CINNAMONANDMOCHA Cinnamon Age: 17 Breed: Miniature Dachshund Fun fact: Tom says, "She is the old girl of the pack and as the eldest, she has earned her right to be Queen Bee? a role she fills well.

You can tell she is from New York as she has New York style. She likes nothing more than snuggling next to me on the sofa in the evenings."

On raw since: Joining the family 3 years ago Mocha Age: 14 Breed: Miniature Dachshund Fun fact: Tom says, "She joins the pack for almost every walk and doesn?t seem to realize she isn?t a Great Dane. She is very affectionate but don?t even think about stopping stroking her or she will put her head under your hand and demand more love. She is very expressive with her whole body and is always happy."

On raw since: Joining the family 3 years ago Ph ot o cr edit s: Cr yst al Han n ah

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6PIECESOFRAWFEEDING ADVICETOLIVEBY

Lolo with a raw meaty bone. Photo credit: Erin O'Connor

I work with lots of people who are new to raw feeding. Often, their dog has had a health problem, and they turn to raw feeding hoping it will miraculously ?cure? the issue. Sometimes, they?ve had a dog pass away too young from a preventable disease, and they begin to explore raw feeding with their new dog, determined to do whatever they can to make sure this time will be different. It?s incredibly rewarding to see the profound effects raw feeding has on these dogs, and time and time again, people find their dogs are able to flourish and thrive on a raw feeding regimen.

assumptions. As a result, I often spend quite a bit of time with them working to sort fact from fiction, information from misinformation. Trust me, I can relate to where they?re at, and where I?m sure many, many people who are starting the raw feeding journey are at. I had to spend quite a bit of time sorting through what I ?knew? to be true and what was actually true when I first started. And, I?m still learning (and will be, for the rest of my life)! That being said, though, there are some pieces of raw feeding advice I?d like to share that might make your raw feeding journey easier, smoother, and better.

Almost universally, though, when I work with a new client, there is a wealth of information and? dare I say it? misinformation that they?ve picked up? sometimes from Facebook groups, sometimes from friends, sometimes from their vets, sometimes from their own

Raw Feeding Tip # 1: Don?t overt hink it This is probably the most important tip I can give you. Yes, it?s important to balance your dog or cat?s meals. Yes, it?s important to make sure they get variety. Yes, there are things you need to really think about and plan out when you feed a raw diet, particularly if you?ve just transitioned or are in the process of transitioning from a kibble or canned food diet. But feeding a raw diet isn?t rocket science, no matter what some people might have you believe.

Our carnivore pets have evolved an incredible ability to use what they need and shed out what they don?t. What does that mean? It means that, when you?re feeding a species-appropriate raw diet, if you?re providing adequate amounts of meat, bones, and organs, you don?t need to worry if your bone percentage is a little high, or your meat percentage is a little high. Your pet will take what they need and

Dru, a Great Dane. Photo credit: Deb McMurdie

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eliminate the rest. If your pet does better with a bit more bone (perhaps their stools are really loose when you feed a strict 10% bone, especially when you?re introducing a new protein to them), then feed them a bit more bone. Similarly, if your pet seems to be losing weight and you?re already feeding 3% of their ideal body weight, you may need to feed a little more.

Remember, the percentages that people talk about with raw feeding are guidelines, and may need to be adjusted to meet your pet's specific needs.

Like us, every pet is different, and even in the same individual, needs may change over time. So, don?t overthink it? if you end up feeding a bit more

than 10% bone and you feed 4% ideal body weight, and your pet is thriving, then roll with that.

Sometimes, especially when we first start out, we get so worried about making a mistake that it paralyzes us. So, I?ll say it again: don?t overthink it. Your pet will be fine. Start with the general guidelines and ratios, and then from there do what makes sense for your pet. If you aren?t sure, talk to a qualified animal naturopath or an expert raw feeder to help make sure you?re doing it right? to make sure you?re feeding enough variety, to make sure you?re feeding the right general percentages, and to make sure you know what to watch for to determine if your pet is truly thriving or if something is ?off.? And then, just do it.

The whole gang. Photo credit: Deb McMurdie

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Raw Feeding Tip # 2: Let your pet ?s body guide you This is very much related to the previous tip, but it bears mentioning. When you feed raw, you?ll notice changes in your pet?s body, behavior, and so on. Their stool will change. Their coat will change.

Their body shape will change. Their energy will change. Watch them, and learn their new normal.

If you detect something is changing, decide whether it?s a positive change or not; if it is, keep doing what you?re doing.

If it isn?t (if, for example, they?re gaining or losing weight and they shouldn?t be), adjust.

Also, keep in mind that, if you get blood work done, your raw-fed pet may have different values than a ?normal? animal.

The blood work values are based on dogs and cats that have been fed a processed food diet all their lives, and the results may be skewed. This is not to say that these standard values are wrong, but if your pet seems in perfect health but the values are a little different than what you or your vet expected, it?s worth bearing this in mind.

Your pet will give you a myriad of clues as to their state of well-being, every single day, and if you let them guide you, you?ll be able to tell if there?s an issue and move to correct it before it becomes a major problem.

Schatzie and King. Photo credit: Kim Bloomer

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Raw Feeding Tip # 3: Figure out t he best way t o prep For lots of people, the thought of going from scooping kibble out of a bag to prepping and feeding raw pet food is daunting. So, what?s the solution? It really comes down to figuring out a good system for prepping. While everyone?s situation is different, there are a few tricks that can help you with your prep, particularly if you?re feeding prey model or whole prey.

If you feed whole prey, prep is super easy.

Defrost the whole prey animal and give it to your dog or cat. If the animal is a little bigger than what your pet can eat in one meal, defrost it and then cut it to whatever size is appropriate. Bag the unused portions in Ziploc bags and refrigerate or refreeze them (depending on when you?ll need them? if more than a couple days, it?s best to refreeze). It helps if you put each portion in a separate Ziploc bag, so you don?t have to prep for the next meal (simply defrost that portion and give it to your pet). If you?re portioning out whole prey pieces for multiple pets, label each bag with their name so you make sure they get the rest of ?their? portion. That helps ensure each animal gets a balanced amount of organs, bones, and meat.

If you feed prey model, try to get all your pets to eat the same thing, just to make it easier for you (just like you would cook one thing for your family to eat, instead of cooking a different dish for each person).

Defrost the food, cut it into appropriate pieces and/ or portion out what you have,

and then feed it to them. If you want to do lots of prep at once, have separate bags available with each pet?s name on them so you can easily grab them when it comes time to feed. You can prep for a few days at once, and then just refrigerate everything in its own bag until it?s time to feed. I don?t generally find that defrosting food and then spending several hours portioning that food for the next few weeks or month (and of course, refreezing it after I?ve portioned it) is the best way to prep food, but you may feel differently, so if that appeals to you, give it a try.

I generally prep by meal, and since I feed every other day or two, that means I?m prepping 3-4 times per week. However, my prep doesn?t take long? sometimes I have some cutting to do, but with the right tools, it goes really quickly.

Prepping per meal also keeps the fridge clear of our dogs? meals (usually, anyway? sometimes I defrost too much and I need to refrigerate uneaten portions), which frees up space for our food and cuts down on any potential smell. I have a few large Tupperware bins that I use to hold their food in the refrigerator, which is nice to keep their food separate and keep the fridge clean.

Once you figure out the best way to prep, you?re well on your way towards maintaining a raw feeding lifestyle. If you need help, reach out to someone familiar with raw feeding, or talk to a certified animal naturopath. You can find a certified practitioner here.

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Feeding Tip # 4: Don?t be af raid t o f ast your dog Lots of people have a hard time wrapping their minds around the concept of fasting their dog (this tip is for dogs only: you should never fast a cat). As a society, we don?t tend to fast, and skipping a meal is often greeted with dismay. Our dogs (well, us too, but I won?t focus on that here!) evolved to fast, however, and regularly fasting your healthy raw-fed dog can have profound health benefits.

While I wouldn?t necessarily recommend fasting when you?re in the middle of a transition from processed food to raw food (except at the very beginning, if you decide to make the switch cold turkey, as I?ve described in previous issues), fasting once your dog has settled into the raw feeding routine can be super beneficial.

Bettie. Photo credit: Crystal Hannah

Remember tip # 1? If you decide to fast, don?t overthink it. There are lots of different ways you can fast your healthy raw-fed dog. We feed our dogs (in general) every other day. I know people who fast their dogs once per week, others who fast a few days per month, someone who feeds 4 days on and 2 days off, and other people who fast their dogs twice per week on non-consecutive days. As you can see, there's no one "right way" to do it.

Don?t overthink it, and (here?s another place where tip # 2 comes in handy) let your dog?s body guide you.

My dogs have incredible energy when they?ve fasted. They seem happier, bouncier, and spunkier, and when they rest, it seems more, well, restful. Others who fast their dogs report similar outcomes. So, if you?re going to fast, come up with a general plan, see how it

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works for you and your dog, and then adjust it if you need to.

Raw Feeding Tip # 6: Get t he best t ool s you can t o cut up t he meat

Raw Feeding Tip # 5: Find qual it y meat at af f ordabl e prices

When I need to cut up meals for my dogs, one of the best tools is a high-quality meat cleaver. However, sometimes the meat cleaver alone isn?t enough. For example, the chickens I get for my dogs are true free-range chickens that spend their lives moving around, and their bones are dense, heavy, and difficult to cut through. I tried everything, from gardening shears to poultry shears to the meat cleaver alone, and still the chickens and ducks and geese (and even some of the rabbits) were tough to get through. My amazing husband discovered the solution? a rubber mallet.

Cost is one of the reasons that people fear switching to a raw diet. Prey model and whole prey are often less expensive than commercial raw food, and within those categories, you can find less expensive but still high-quality meat.

Look for co-ops in your area, contact local butchers and meat processors to see if you can get their scraps, check for local farmers you might be able to buy from, and so on. Get creative, and you'll probably find some great sources for affordable meat. Just make sure the meat isn?t ?enhanced? (injected with saline and/ or spices, etc.) and that it?s antibiotic- and hormone-free.

Here?s what I do (and, if you find cutting the food annoyingly difficult sometimes, you might want to try this too): put what I need to cut? let?s say it?s a chicken? on the cutting board, put the cleaver wherever on the chicken that I want to cut, and then hit the cleaver with the rubber mallet.

You can whack the cleaver pretty hard without damaging it, and the cut is easy. It also creates less mess, which is a big plus.

So, if you struggle with cutting up the food for your pets, a rubber mallet and a high-quality meat cleaver may be the answer to your prayers.

Bella. Photo credit: Erin O'Connor

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Concl usion Feeding a raw diet to your pet really doesn?t have to be as convoluted and difficult as people make it seem.

Remember, your pet evolved to eat this way, so be discerning, use your best judgment, and trust yourself and

your dog or cat to guide you. If you need help, reach out to a certified animal naturopath or other raw feeding expert.

And then, get ready to truly see your pet transform and thrive throughout their whole life.

-By Kristin Clark

Onyx, a German Shepherd Dog, with a whole prey rabbit. Photo credit: Erin O'Connor

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RAWPETSTHRIVE!PUZZLE If you?re like me, the idea of testing your knowledge and solving fun puzzles and challenges can certainly pique your interest. We are going to start incorporating a regular puzzle or challenge in each issue of Raw Pet Digest, always related to natural pet care. Our inaugural puzzle is a crossword, and all the answers can be found in previous issues (in fact, many of the answers to this puzzle are in our first issue, which can be found here). Future puzzles will range all the way from word searches to crosswords, fill-inthe-blanks, and more.

To make it more fun, if you complete the puzzle correctly, you may get your name printed in the next issue, and you?ll also receive a prize. To participate, simply print out the page, fill in your answers legibly, then scan it and email it to kristin@rawpetdigest.com. To enter, you must submit the puzzle by August 15, 2017. Make sure to use the subject line ?August/ September puzzle entry?. Include your name and, if you?d like, your pet?s name(s) in your email.

Good luck, and have fun!

Onyx. Photo credit: Erin O'Connor

THEBEGINNER'SCORNER

Ph ot o cr edit : Deb M cM u r die

Here at Raw Pet Digest, we aim to bring you information that will help you support your dog or cat in living the best life possible. We know that each of our readers is in a different stage on the journey of exploring and implementing a more natural approach to health care for their pets. In light of this, we have a regular feature we call the Beginner?s Corner. This series includes a wide variety of topics ranging from feeding to fasting, from basic first-aid care to introductions to natural healing modalities.

If you are a long-time reader of Raw Pet Digest, or if you have been involved in natural health care for your pet for a long time, you may already be familiar with the information we present in the Beginner?s Corner. We hope that, by including it in its own series, we will help those who are new to these concepts understand them in more depth, while at the same time making it easy for those who are already knowledgeable about these topics to quickly decide if they want to review them.

In this Beginner?s Corner, I want to talk about fruits and vegetables and whether they have a place in a species-appropriate raw food diet. Many people point to the power of fruits and vegetables to fight off disease, support the body in health, and provide a vast array of vital nutrients.

There are lots of studies that show how various fruits and vegetables contain extraordinarily powerful properties that aid in health. These studies, which are often done with humans or other omnivores, are often held up as though they are also true for non-human carnivores like our dogs and cats. The rationale seems to be that if fruits and vegetables inherently have these nutrients, they must be good for anyone (human or animal) that eats them.

For example, I often hear people talk about leafy green vegetables being important in warding off cancer. I hear them say that pumpkin can add valuable fiber to a pet?s diet and help firm up their stool (in fact, as I?ve said before, I used to regularly feed

Gryphon. Photo credit: Kristin Clark

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my own dogs pumpkin before I learned about feeding a species-appropriate diet!).

I continually hear prominent veterinarians and raw feeding bloggers tout the value of feeding fruits and vegetables to our carnivore pets, pointing to studies that show the inherent disease-fighting properties of fruits and vegetables as a reason to feed them fruits, vegetables, and even grains.

However, what the people who reference these studies don?t seem to consider is that our carnivore pets have a completely different digestive system than we omnivores do. They cannot break down the plant material like we can, which means they cannot access the nutrients and other healthy properties of the fruit or vegetable being consumed. And actually, it isn?t just a matter of them not being able to access the nutrients. Because their digestive system can?t readily break the plant material down, it stresses their digestive organs when they eat whole fruits and vegetables because they are being asked to do something they weren?t designed to do.

Carnivores don?t possess amylase in their saliva, which means that the digestive process cannot begin in the mouth, as it does for herbivores and omnivores. They don?t produce any cellulase (the enzyme that breaks down cellulose) at all.

Furthermore, carnivores can?t move their jaws side-to-side to chew their food the same way an omnivore or herbivore can, which means they can?t grind their food and aid in the breakdown of plant material.

Allen. Photo credit: Tracy Dion

They are designed to shred, tear, and gulp their food, and they rely on the high acidity in the stomach and their relatively short intestines to break down their food.

This is fine for raw meat, bones, organs, and glands? what they?re designed to eat? because those things can be broken down relatively quickly. Their high stomach acidity and short intestines means food moves through quickly enough that bacteria in the raw meat can?t get a foothold, and whatever bacteria does gain a foothold can?t survive. However, plant matter takes longer to break down than raw meat, bones, and organs. That?s why herbivores and omnivores have longer intestines and a longer colon than carnivores. In herbivores and omnivores, these organs help them pull out all the nutrients in the plant material. Carnivores, though, cannot take advantage of the nutrients in these plants, because their systems are designed totally differently.

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Willys, a gor geou s r aw -f ed Gr eat Dan e. Ph ot o cr edit : Cr yst al Han n ah

Expecting your dog or cat to break down and utilize nutrients in fruits and vegetables is like expecting a human to be able to digest and use the fiber and nutrients in grass or bark. Yes, grass and bark contain nutrients, and there are many animals that survive and thrive eating them. But we humans lack the enzymes, dentition, and digestive system to break down and digest grass and bark. That doesn?t mean that they don?t have nutrients, but since we can?t access them, they are no good to us as a food source, and if we tried to eat them every day, it would tax our bodies unnecessarily.

When carnivores eat a species-appropriate diet, they are eating exactly what they were designed for: raw meat, bones, and organs/ glands. Their prey may have some

vegetable material in their stomach which the carnivore may or may not consume (in many instances, they may shake the stomach out before eating it, but not always). However, if they do end up consuming the plant material that was in the stomach of their prey, it has been broken down already. Their internal systems don?t have to do the work of breaking it down. Also, it is a small percentage of the overall food intake, and certainly not anything their bodies rely on to meet nutritional needs.

Because we are omnivores, and because we have been conditioned as a society to eat processed foods, there has been a big push to eat raw, natural food. This is wonderful for us as people, but much of the thinking has spilled over into how we

Bettie. Photo credit: Crystal Hannah

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feed our pets. We know when we eat spinach or broccoli or pineapple, or any of a hundred other fruits and vegetables, we are consuming food that is healthy and nutritious. And of course, we want to share those same benefits with our pets. However, often, it seems we forget they aren?t omnivores like we are. They are carnivores, and that means they rely on meat, bones, organs, and glands for their nutrients.

I understand many of the people who support regularly feeding fruits and vegetables to carnivores are working towards getting a public that has for so long been conditioned to feed processed food to their pets to accept the notion our dogs and cats need fresh, real food. And I understand some members of the public have an easier time wrapping their heads around feeding broccoli or green beans or apple slices to their carnivore pets than meat. But I think it?s important to really understand what we?re doing when we feed a carnivore these things, particularly when we feed them day after day in relatively large quantities

(anything more than a few grams of vegetables per pound of speciesappropriate food). Fruits and vegetables don?t benefit them the same way they do us. This is as true for the indoor cat who spends all day napping and wouldn?t know what to do with a mouse if it ran right in front of her nose, and the geriatric Pug who only ventures outside when it?s time to go potty, as it is for the wild wolf or bobcat who hunts for food and has never known the touch of a human.

Providing your dog or cat with a species-appropriate diet will go a long way towards giving their bodies the support they need to survive and thrive.

The key here is ?speciesappropriate?? we should focus on giving them what is appropriate for their species rather than what is appropriate for ours.

After all, while most of us consider our dogs and cats to be part of our family, they are not the same as us. In loving our pets, we should honor their nature, even though it?s different than ours.

-By Kristin Clark

Daiquiri. Photo credit: Devin Nelson

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LIVINGIN GRATITUDE Lady Viola, a Gr eat Dan e, r om pin g in t h e gr ass. Ph ot o cr edit : Deb M cM u r die

I was at a large industry trade show last week called SuperZoo. It was amazing? there were hundreds of retailers of every sort of product you can imagine, there were amazing people devoted to helping pets live the best lives they possibly could (including some of my personal heroes), and there were lots and lots of gorgeous animals.

for taking the time to speak with me and share their vast knowledge and expertise.

As those of you who have been regular readers know, we always include thoughts about appreciation and gratitude in the magazine. Why? Because we aim for holistic health, and part of true holistic health is nourishing emotional health, and gratitude is a huge part of that. So, in this issue, I want to share my appreciation with some very special SuperZoo people, both those I met in-person for the first time and those I connected with again when I spent time with them at SuperZoo.

And, as always, thank you, reader, for your support of the magazine and your commitment to doing what you can to keep your pet healthy. We are our pets' guardians and their advocates, and I appreciate everything you do to help your dog or cat live the best life possible.

I also want to say thank you to all the people who contributed to this issue of Raw Pet Digest: Erin O'Connor, Bre Altherr, Thomas Sandberg, Crystal Hannah, Deb McMurdie, Krista Powell, Adam Gilbert, Kim Bloomer, Jen Thackery, Tracy Dion, Cheryl Olmstead, and Devin Nelson.

-By Kristin Clark

Krista and Joe Powell, owners of Vibrant K9 (a great commercial raw food), are incredible people and are passionate about helping dogs thrive, and I am so grateful for all they do to help dogs live in optimal wellness.

I also truly appreciate how open, giving of their time, and knowledgeable Daniel Orrego (of Ketopet), Neal Cropper (of Growlies), The Two Crazy Cat Ladies, Nikki White (of Pups and People), Kohl Harrington (of Pet Fooled), and Rodney Habib are. I am so fortunate to have fostered connections with each of these people, and I am grateful to each of them

Deb McMurdie and Lady Viola at a Rally-O competition.

Photo credit: Deb McMurdie

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Gratitudemakessenseof our past,bringspeace for today,andcreatesavisionfor tomorrow.

-MelodyBeattie

Willys. Ph ot o cr edit : Cr yst al Han n ah

REDMEAT,WHITEMEAT,ANDYOURDOG

Photo credits: Deb McMurdie

At some point during your raw feeding journey, you might come across people who have very specific ideas about feeding red meat versus white meat to dogs. There?s a lot of debate and confusion about this topic, so in this article, our goal is to break it down and look at it from a common sense, species-appropriate point of view.

Like everything else in the raw feeding world, there are people with very strong opinions about red meat and white meat for dogs. Why? Some people are adamant that dogs should eat a diet almost exclusively comprised of red meat. Their rationale is that wolves adapted to eat

deer, elk, caribou, bison, and so on, and we should mimic that with our domestic dogs.

They also point to the nutrient profiles of red meat versus white meat, saying that red meat contains various nutrients that are vital for dogs. Finally, they also often mention that many dogs (if they are going to have trouble with a protein) seem to have adverse reactions to poultry. While some of these arguments have some truth to them, when you look at them from a holistic, common-sense perspective, they don't always hold up.

Let?s take the first argument I mentioned? that wolves adapted to eat deer and other large 4-legged mammals, 41

and we should feed our domestic dogs the same thing. While it?s true a wolf pack will frequently bring down deer, elk, and so on, what?s really important? for all canids, wild or not? is variety. Wild canids such as wolves (who have virtually identical digestive systems to the domestic dog) did adapt to eat diets of primarily red meat when it was available, but they will eat white meat as well when they catch it. Feeding a variety of red meats, poultry, and fish (or if not feeding fish, supplementing with quality fish oil) mimics what happens in nature far more closely than feeding a diet of red meat exclusively.

It?s important that dogs consume a balanced spectrum of fats; to do this, they should consume a variety of red meats and poultry supplemented with fatty fish or fish oil.

Finally, while it?s true many dogs seemingly have problems with poultry (especially chicken), what they are often reacting to are the hormones and antibiotics in the poultry. When those same dogs are fed antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken that was free range and raised on organic feed (and allowed to roam and supplement their feed with

In addition, different meats have different amino acid and nutrient profiles, and by feeding variety, you help ensure your dog gets all the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that they need, in the amounts and ratios they need.

Different meats also contain different types of fat: poultry is high in polyunsaturated fats (especially linoleic acid) and low in saturated fats and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); ruminants are high in saturated fats and low in polyunsaturated fats and DHA; and fish is, typically, rich in DHA. Feeding your dog a variety of different protein sources will help balance the fats in their diet.

Merlin. Photo credit: Bre Altherr 42

bugs and other species-appropriate food), the problems the dogs were presenting with often disappear.

What makes meat ?red??

By definition (according to nutritional science), red meat is meat that is higher in myoglobin than white meat from chicken or fish. For example, according to the USDA, chicken breast (which is white meat) is 0.005% myoglobin, while beef (which is red meat) ranges from 0.40?2.00% myoglobin, depending on the age of the meat. Generally speaking, we tend to classify red meat as meat from mammals and white meat as meat from fowl, but there are exceptions to this.

Red meat has lots of iron, phosphorous, zinc, and B vitamins, all of which are important for dogs. It?s also a good source of lipoic acid, which is important in aerobic metabolism/ cellular respiration.

When looking at meat for the purposes of raw feeding, it?s generally safe to assume meat from mammals, whether livestock or wild game, is red meat. Alternately, poultry and fish are generally considered white meat. However, there are some exceptions to this: goose and duck, for example, are considered red meat.

If you want to get really complicated, you can also find definitions that look at the cut of meat or the age of the

animal when slaughtered to determine if it?s white meat or red meat. For example, many consider pork to be red meat if the animal was slaughtered as an adult, but white meat if the animal was slaughtered when they were young. Sometimes people classify wild game as ?dark meat? that is in a category all its own. And some people consider chicken breast to be white meat, but chicken thigh to be red meat.

I mention all this to show you that, if you really want to dive down the rabbit hole, even a simple question like, ?Is this meat considered white or red?? can get extremely convoluted. But it doesn?t have to be difficult. If you feed a variety of meats, and make sure to include mammals, poultry, and fish in your dog?s diet, you go a long way towards ensuring your dog receives all the nutrients he or she needs to thrive.

To make things easier, I?ve included a list of various proteins you can feed your dog, as well as indicating which of them are red meat and which are white meat (in general, anyway? as I mentioned, it often depends on which definition you use).

Red meat prot eins: -

Alpaca (very lean) Antelope Beef Bison (leaner than most beef) Caribou Deer Duck (red meat, even though it?s poultry. Relatively fatty) 43

-

Elk Goat Goose (red meat, even though it?s poultry. Very fatty) Kangaroo Llama Moose Muskrat Pork (depending on age and cut) Sheep (depending on age and cut) Squirrel

Whit e meat prot eins: -

Chicken Emu Fish, such as sardines, herring, mackerel, trout, and anchovy

-

Ostrich Pigeon Pheasant Pork (depending on age and cut) Sheep (depending on age and cut) Quail Turkey

As you can see, you have lots of options when it comes to both white and red meats you can feed your dog. Aim for variety, and experiment with different proteins. As long as you do that, your dog will get all the nutrients they need, and the variety will also help keep mealtime a fun and novel experience for them.

-By Kristin Clark

Barkley with a whole prey chicken. Photo credit: Kristin Clark 44

RAISINGAPUPPY NATURALLY

Nat u r ally r ear ed Ger m an Sh eph er d Dogs. Ph ot o cr edit : Er in O'Con n or

My St ory

Onyx?s St ory

I found that I love German Shepherd Dogs from working and interacting with them at my clinic. I knew one day I would have one of my own. However, I wanted to find a naturally reared puppy. I wanted him to be raised as close to how nature intended as possible, so I could have a puppy with an excellent foundation in health from the start.

My puppy, Onyx, was born July 22, 2016. He came to me ?au naturel,? just as I wanted, weaned onto raw food and without any vaccinations (note: he did receive his rabies vaccine as required by law in my state, but not until he was older).

This means I was searching for a breeder who was breeding quality, health-tested dogs, feeding a species-appropriate diet, and also following a natural lifestyle. I wanted the puppies to nurse as long as possible and, when they were ready for solid food, to be weaned onto raw food. I didn?t want the puppies to ever be fed kibble, canned food, or anything processed. I also only wanted them to use natural methods for health care when indicated, rather than traditional medications, vaccinations, and preventatives. I wanted a breeder who provided a loving environment with lots of physical and mental stimulation, playtime out in nature, and the opportunity to soak up lots of fresh air and sunshine. I wanted to make sure that any allopathic treatments used were minimal and only used if necessary.

After much research, I found a breeder in Montana who was doing everything I had wanted for my puppy and had been truly following a natural rearing protocol over the past 20 years.

Over the past 50 or so years, we?ve been convinced that getting a puppy with the above ?health background? is not the right way of doing things. However, our pets are not living as long. It is common to hear about dogs that have allergies, autoimmune conditions, itchy skin, gastrointestinal problems, and more. Why aren?t we looking into ways of doing things differently? They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I chose to find another way.

Onyx is the very first naturally reared dog I have had. Several years prior to getting him, I did a great deal of research into dog nutrition and then continued my education in naturopathic carnivore nutrition with the American Council of Animal Naturopathy. I also took their immunology course to be sure I was making sound decisions regarding health choices for my puppy.

I flew to Missoula, Montana (from Chicago, Illinois) to pick up Onyx. The breeder?s home was surrounded by gorgeous mountains. I found her, as well as Onyx?s mom, dad, and his littermates playing in a field on her property. It had to be one of the most adorable sights to see. As I got out of my car, I saw a bunch of tiny German Shepherd heads bopping up and down as they jumped 46

and ran around the field. Their parents were proudly watching over them. I was first greeted by Onyx?s parents, who happily came over to me. Then, Onyx was the first puppy to run right up to me, almost as if it was meant to be! We flew home the next day. Onyx traveled in-cabin with me to Chicago and was a very good boy for both of our flights.

During our travels, he ate freeze-dried raw. It was the closest to the real thing I could bring along. I was able to easily pack this with me and feed it to him at the hotel and in the airports.

When we finally arrived home, Onyx enjoyed a raw meal in his new home: ground chicken. He was so excited and ate it all. The next day I fed him a turkey wing? .it was about as big as he was! He happily ate it for as long as he could, and he ate as much his little puppy teeth would let him. Everything I offered him,

he loved. He seemed like a bottomless pit!

Even now, at 1 year, he eats everything he is offered.

St art ing Your Puppy on Raw If you are starting your puppy on raw, you will feed the same amount as an adult.

Hopefully, you have an estimate of about how much they will weigh as an adult. You can always use that as a starting point and adjust accordingly, based on if they are still looking hungry, not finishing, or visibly looking like they can use some extra. A good starting point is to feed 3% of your puppy?s estimated adult body weight daily.

Onyx is estimated to weigh 85 pounds as an adult, so his daily intake is 2.55 pounds a day. However, when he was going through major growth spurts, he sometimes ate double that amount. This is okay. You can feed your puppy extra if they seem overly hungry. Every dog is different, so you may or may not need to do this. As your puppy

Onyx working on a raw meaty bone. Photo credit: Erin O'Connor

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begins to mature into their adult features, watch for signs of a healthy weight, such as an abdominal tuck, a waist that tapers just before their hips, and being able to feel their ribs as if there is a thin blanket over them. Almost every other raw feeder I know has told me that their puppies ate more than expected during rapid growing phases.

With eating such a large amount of food, you will need to divide this up into more frequent meals in a day: Under 4 mont hs = 4 meals per day 4?6 mont hs = 3 meals per day 6 mont hs?1 year = 2 meals per day Please note this is a guide; you may need to alter it somewhat for your puppy. I found that Onyx needed to stay on 3 meals a day until about 7?8 months.

When I tried 2 meals a day at 6 months, even though it was the same amount of food in those 2 meals, he would vomit bile, which is a sign of an empty stomach anticipating food. We went back to 3 meals per day for a while, and when we tried 2 meals per day later, he was ready.

without going into the woods to hunt wild prey animals. It is based on whole meats, connective tissues, fat, organs, blood, and so on from a variety of prey animals in order to achieve balance and to feed all the nutrients in whole prey.

Essential components of a speciesappropriate raw food diet include meat, bone, and organ. As a rule of thumb, the ?right proportions? tend to fall close to 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ, with an emphasis on including liver in organ content.

Observe your puppy while they eat. Become familiar with their eating habits. This will allow you to learn what you can safely feed them, whether they need to be in a crate, sent outside, away from others, etc. No matter how well you know their habits, always keep a watchful eye when they are eating.

If your puppy isn't finishing their meals and losing weight, add in another feeding time per day to help create smaller portion sizes. If they are maintaining weight and not finishing all meals, you can eliminate a feeding time.

Raw Feeding Puppies A species-appropriate raw food diet is a diet that strives to come as close as possible to the diet of a wild canine

Onyx. Photo credit: Erin O'Connor

48

Types of Raw Foods I put raw foods into 3 categories: "whole prey," "chunks," and ?grinds." I feed all of the categories to all 3 of my dogs. As long as your dog has all of their teeth, they should be able to eat from any category just fine.

Grinds If you have a small or medium breed dog, you can do fine grinds. Medium, large, or giant breeds can do course grinds. Be sure that these grinds are including the proper amounts of muscle, bone, and organ.

Chunks and Whole Prey Chunks are part of a whole carcass. For example, a whole chicken can be cut into smaller (but large enough to not be gulped) sizes and fed in that way. Fish are great soft ?starter? bones. Puppies are thrilled to be able to work their tiny puppy teeth through the entire fish.

Chicken, duck, and rabbit are also easier for them to gnaw through. You can give other proteins like turkey, lamb, goat, and pork; however, they may not be able to get through these bones completely until their adult molars come in. It still will give them great physical and mental exercise to try and gnaw their way through these bones. A happy puppy, sleepy from lots of gnawing and a happy belly = a good puppy!

Wat ch t he St ool If you are feeding too much bone, your dog?s stool will be powdery or have a

very hard consistency. If you are feeding too much organ, their stool will be dark and tarry.

Give a Dog a Bone It is very beneficial to give your dog raw meaty bones to gnaw on and eat. They are good for dental hygiene as well as providing natural exercise to the muscles and bones of your pet's jaw area, and they provide great mental stimulation. Decide what will work for you; however, if you choose not to feed raw meaty bones for your dog to gnaw through, your dog will be missing out on some of the great benefits.

Be sure that bones are size appropriate.

You want to be sure they are larger than their mouths so they do not swallow them whole. Puppies are growing and hungry.

They will try and get food down as fast as they can. With Onyx, he learned that some pieces he swallowed were too large. He would then regurgitate that piece back up, crunch as fast as he could, and re-swallow.

If your puppy is trying to gulp or eat bones quicker than the speed of light, like Onyx, you can feed partially frozen. Feeding partially or fully frozen can slow your dog down and force them to take more time, so you can implement this to teach your dog if needed. Besides, they may enjoy a duck neck ?popsicle? on a hot day!

Variet y With a raw diet, balance of nutrients is achieved by feeding a variety of proteins; rotating 3?4 proteins is ideal. With puppies starting on raw, unless they spent some time on kibble, you can typically do much 49

Ahappypuppy,sleepyfromlotsof gnawing andahappybelly,isagoodpuppy!

A sleepy puppy. © Innaastakhova

more variety from the very start. Onyx did great with every protein, even the fattier ones like duck and lamb. When starting so young, there's no having to ?get used to? raw...their system is ready!

Transit ioning a Puppy f rom Processed Food If your puppy came to you on a processed food, try to feed their first raw meal 4?5 hours from their last kibble meal. Then, stick to the same protein for a couple weeks. Chicken is a great starter protein. If gas and stool are normal, you can start introducing more variety. Puppies tend to be better at handling more variety at the start, as the processed food hasn't had

a long time to cause imbalances in their gut or the rest of their body yet. If your puppy was on a very poor diet previously, their body will purge it out very quickly once introduced to raw, so you may see some interesting stool at the beginning.

Treat and Chews Be sure you are also feeding species-appropriate treats. These are found as freeze-dried or dehydrated and typically single protein or single ingredient, such as freeze-dried rabbit nibs that are only rabbit meat, bone, and organ; or dehydrated beef liver.

It is also beneficial to have some appropriate chews around your house.

For Onyx, I used large split elk antlers and water buffalo horns. This gives more gnawing opportunities for whenever they should need it with teething. Know your puppy and what will work for them.

Nat ural Choices f or Your Puppy As mentioned previously, Onyx came to me naturally reared and raw fed. This was continued throughout his puppyhood and will continue throughout his entire life.

WolfBear. Photo credit: Cheryl Olmstead

With choosing natural options for your puppy, you want to be sure that what you are choosing will have a high success rate. I find that where problems occur is when pet owners read something on the Internet and simply 51

throw whatever is suggested at their dog to try and get their desired result.

This can be compared to having a nail sticking out of a board and trying to get it in by throwing a large rock at it in the dark. It may work, it may not, but it certainly will not be specific to the problem. I highly recommend working with a reputable professional, whether that be a holistic veterinarian or animal naturopath.

If needed, there are also many very effective treatment options to look into, such as animal chiropractic, veterinary acupuncture, canine massage, animal reiki, canine physical therapy, homeopathy, micro-biome transplant therapy, herbs, therapeutic laser, swimming, underwater treadmill, and more.

Nat ural Lif est yl e f or Your Puppy Many well-known products used around our homes today can be very toxic. It is equally important for both your health and your puppy?s health to choose products that are not laden with harsh chemicals that are known to cause health adversities. My top 3 toxic products to eliminate, and alternatives to use in their place, are: 1. Air fresheners Try instead: Diffusing or creating your own spray with essential oils 2. Standard, Brand-Name Cleaning Products

Try instead: Vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, Young Living?s cleaning line, Shaklee?s cleaning line, Borax, Bon Ami. If you have food stuck on pans, sprinkle with salt and soak in cool water.

3. Laundry Detergents Try instead: Make your own out of 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda, and 1 bar shaved soap. Or, you can try brands like Young Living, Country Save, Earthrite, Ecover, Seventh Generation.

Be mindful or what you are using in your home environment and also applying to your pet. I also recommend that you research things like fragrances, pet shampoos, lawn treatments, candles, water, and more, to make sure you?re providing your pet (and yourself) with the healthiest and safest options possible.

Editor?s Note: You can look up how safe your cleaning products (as well as lots of other common household and beauty products) are by visiting the Environmental Working Group?s website at www.ewg.org (click on Consumer Guides).

Concl uding Thought s I can?t believe the first year with my naturally reared puppy, Onyx, has already flown by. He is in such great health that he serves as a micro-biome fecal transplant donor. He fit 100% of the strict criteria and lab testing. His micro-biome is transplanted by a local veterinarian into unhealthy dogs to restore health. We are 52

currently still training him into becoming a well-mannered boy, and soon we plan to figure out what activities he?ll enjoy. I am very happy with every choice I made for him, and he is loved more than he?ll ever know. I plan to continue to use him as a role model for health and wellness in dogs.

Remember, you are always going to be your pet?s best advocate. What is right for me may not be something you are comfortable with. Health is not black and white, and you will have to decide what is right for your individual puppy.

Take time to make educated choices for them.

I hope this article was beneficial for you and can be used as a guide to help get your puppy on a species-appropriate raw diet, raise them naturally, and therefore achieve a higher level of health throughout their lifetime.

-By Dr. Erin O?Connor Dr. O'Connor earned a Bachelor?s of Science at Eastern Illinois University, and her Doctor of Chiropractic at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. She attended Parker University in Dallas, Texas to become an AVCA certified animal chiropractor. Additionally, she is certified in carnivore nutrition by the American Council of Animal Naturopathy.

Dr. O?Connor is co-owner of Vitality Chiropractic Center in Aurora, Illinois, where she works alongside her husband, Dr. Paul Nottoli. Together, they provide whole family care to people and pets. Their practice has been recognized locally with numerous awards.

The most common animals Dr. O?Connor adjusts are dogs and cats, but she also sees exotics and wildlife. In addition to running her practice, Dr. O?Connor provides chiropractic care at an animal hospital once a week, volunteers her services at Fox Valley Wildlife Center, provides guidance in prey model raw feeding with her business called Roaring For Raw, mentors animal chiropractic students, lectures for dog groups, and has served as an adjunct professor of anatomy and physiology at College of DuPage and President of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

To learn more about Dr. O?Connor and animal chiropractic for your pet, visit myvitalitychiropractic.com. To find a certified animal chiropractor in your area, please visit AVCAdoctors.com or IVCA.de.

A Border Collie puppy. Š Ekaterina Kurakina

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Raw Pet Digest August / Sept ember 2017 Cats Kiki and Freya. Photo credit: Thomas Sandberg