NOTE: I consider myself an aggregator, meaning I dig into topics that interest me, find information that is helpful and interesting, pull resources together and then present everything to you while sprinkling in my own colorful commentary. My goal is to pique your interest enough that you will want to read more, learn more and maybe adopt some new thoughts/attitudes/habits that will help you on your journey.
Did you know that over 50% of the dogs in the US are classified as either overweight or obese? Wow. After discovering this I totally understand why I was compelled to write an article about the Fat Dog Epidemic in the US. As I started doing some research, however, I found quite a few very well researched and well written articles about the dangers of our overweight pet population (see Resources).
“So Lisa, why are you writing yet another article about the overweight dog epidemic?”
Thank you for asking because in my very humble opinion, it’s quite obvious that no one is reading them. They are not even looking at the pretty pictures that show the stages between too thin and very obese. And if they did look at the pretty pictures, they decided that those guidelines did not apply to them. So, using the Law of Averages theory, this article, which is a compilation of my observations as well as other websites/blogs/articles, just might find someone who is not aware and will open their eyes. Maybe.
So, let’s dive in, shall we?
Obesity is the most common preventable disease in dogs.
“My dog is fine. I am feeding the amount shown on the bag of kibble that we use.”
Just so you know, it is NEVER advisable to follow those feeding guidelines. Never. The “guidelines” are always for too much kibble. Always.
Think you can trust your Veterinarian to let you know if your pet is overweight? Not necessarily. Sadly most vets either avoid this conversation or tell the human that their overweight dogs are perfectly normal.
One reason veterinarians fail to discuss weight issues with pet owners is because they believe they may upset the owner. 84% of veterinary professionals responded that a pet owner had “appeared embarrassed or angry after being told their pet was overweight or needed to lose weight.” 1
And then there is this interesting study about implicit bias in Veterinarians:
Participants took something called the Implicit Association Test, or IAT. This test measures automatic thoughts we’re not even aware we have. Over 90% of veterinary professionals showed some unconscious preference for lean people over those who were overweight. If doctors and staff aren’t aware of these mental shortcuts (and shortfalls), they can interfere with how they treat clients and how seriously they address obesity in pets.
Bias isn’t just a feeling. It shapes how we behave. Here’s where implicit weight bias gets real for veterinary professionals:
• A client with an overweight dog might feel blamed and judged, even if it’s not said out loud. • Vets may avoid talking about obesity with certain clients, especially if they assume those clients won’t follow through. • Vets might overlook a pet’s obesity altogether because they are uncomfortable starting the conversation due to the person’s/family’s body condition.– DR ERNIE WARD PET OBESITY PREVENTION.ORG
Twenty or so years ago, I was on the receiving end of the “your dog is too fat” conversation. Being told that my dog was overweight was taken as a personal critique of me more so than my dog. During an agility workshop, when I was working with my first agility dog, I was told Sophie should skip a few meals. It did not sit well. In fact, I was kinda insulted.
Looking back, that agility instructor was absolutely correct, but I was too proud and vain and indignant to see it. However, I am glad that she said something because I did get Sophie’s weight in check. It didn’t happen right away, but it did happen.
“Owner denial is one unfortunate reality of U.S. dogs and their weight problems. Association for Pet Obesity and Prevention’s surveys have shown that 95% of owners of overweight dogs don’t realize their dogs suffer from the ailment.”3
And now there are so many pet people who have dogs in obedience classes, beginning agility classes and competing in agility trials (don’t even get me started on the confirmation ring) and their dogs are quite visibly overweight and uncomfortable.
No matter who or what is in my beginner agility class, I make a point to talk about body conditioning. Sadly, for the ones who really need to hear it, my body conditioning chat usually goes in one ear and out the other or is met as an affront to their “parenting” skills. Too bad, actually, because their dogs deserve better.
4-year Cassidy from the side
The first graph, provided by Purina, has been around for a few decades. It has been “graphically modernized” by other sources but the information has not changed. The second graph is provided by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and is a little fancier, but has the same information. Both graphs are very helpful in analyzing your dog’s condition. If you need to, take a photo of your dog from the top and then from the side while they are in a stand and then find a similar condition on either graph. Have a breed with a large, heavy coat? Go for a swim, grab an outdoor hose or hit your indoor shower and get your hands on your wet dog. And then? Be honest with yourself about your dog’s condition.
Not sure how to “feel” for ribs and hip bones? Check out this video from the “Our Pets Health” YouTube channel.4
“Ok, Ok, Lisa. Maybe, just maybe, our sweet Muffin is a teenie weenie bit overweight. So what? She’s fine. Why should we care?”
“I see people coming in constantly with 90-pound Labs and they say, ‘she looks great,’” says Dr. Ernie Ward, DVM, CVFT, and founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). “Well, actually, that dog is 15 pounds overweight. But we’ve normalized it.” This kind of dog embodies what APOP has called the “fat pet gap”—the misalignment between what we think a dog should look like and what a healthy body composition should really be. Obesity in dogs comes with significant consequences. In fact, Ward and other vets call it our pets’ biggest health threat. And it’s not an isolated issue; obesity is linked to a whole raft of health problems including arthritis, chronic kidney disease, bladder/urinary tract disease, liver disease, low thyroid hormone production, diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure, and cancer. “We think it’s very important that people understand this isn’t just a cosmetic issue,” says Dr. Ward. “There is a physiological consequence to this.”5
Need it spelled out? Here is an extensive list of health concerns found on the Darwins Pet blog:3
Obese dogs have a higher risk of having:
Breathing problems and respiratory disease
Many types of cancer
Heart disease
Hypertension
Osteoarthritis and faster degeneration of joints
Urinary problems and urinary bladder stones
Metabolic disorders, including diabetes
Anesthetic complications during surgery
Chronic inflammation
Increased risk for anesthetic complications during surgery
Slower recovery after surgery
Tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (or ACL) in one of the dog’s hind legs
Fat causes increases in inflammatory hormones and creates other stresses on body tissue, both of which contribute to disease
Increased risk for osteoarthritis and faster degeneration of affected joints
Skin allergies and conditions
Increased risk of orthopedic problems
Increased risk of liver disease
Lowered immune system function
Increased risk of non-cancerous tumors
Increased risk of pancreatitis
Lower quality of life
Shortened life span
“Ok, Lisa. Maybe, just maybe, our sweet Muffin might be between 7 and 9 on the BCS graph. So what now? We can’t just STARVE her so what can we do? We love her soooooo much!”
It’s time veterinary healthcare professionals begin treating obesity first. The status quo has been to treat symptoms first, often masking the underlying disease and only addressing other issues if they cause additional problems. Another complicating factor is that treating obesity has historically taken significant time, and failure to adhere to strict diets or exercise regimens can derail even the best intentions and outcomes. Finally, discussing obesity with patients and clients can be challenging due to the stigma and bias associated with the term. 6
Weigh your dog once a week or at the very least once a month. I have taught my dogs to get all 4 on our scale. It’s a trick. Or you could #1 weigh yourself #2 pick up and hold your dog and weigh both of you #3 subtract number #1 from #2 and that will tell you how much your dog weighs. I use the calendar app on my iPad and the notes section to keep track of each dog’s weekly weigh-in.
If you would like to get an idea of what a “live” healthy dog should look like, check out a sport dog. Mine do dog agility and I work them and feed them like the athletes they are. On the BCS, they would be considered Thin – probably between 3-4. If one of them starts sliding into a 5, the “ideal” shape, I would cut back on the amount of food and treats I give for a week or two and reweigh and reassess. It is a constant work in progress. If you find that your dog kinda looks like a 7 or 8, you can do the same: cut back a little every day. Weigh again in a week or two and continue adjusting from there.
For a dog to maintain a healthy weight, the standard suggestion is a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise each day. This can include a neighborhood walk, a game of fetch in the yard, playing frisbee, going for a hike, swimming, or spending time running around a local dog park. However, the amount and type of exercise are contingent on your dog’s age and overall health. If you work outside the home and your dog is alone for several hours each day, consider hiring a dog walker to visit daily to ensure your dog is receiving adequate exercise, then take them on another walk once you’re home from work.9
For the past 30 or so years, I have been walking a dog (almost) every single morning. I believe so much in our daily walks that I wrote an article about it last year and it’s available on my blog here.8
Today, my dogs and I are out for at least an hour every morning and then we have a 20 minute walk in the evening. I’ve also been keeping a list of all the additional activities that we do before we go for the evening walk. We play fun games or learn tricks or play fetch or work on certain agility or trick skills or maybe go swimming. I try to do something different every afternoon. Usually our sessions are pretty high intensity but short – so they get a couple sessions each and for all three dogs, we’re done in less than 20 minutes.
Monitoring your dog’s routine activities can provide insights into their health. Create a simple activity log to track changes. Observing patterns in your dog’s energy levels will help you identify issues early. Making dietary adjustments combined with regular, moderate exercise can improve their condition. Remember, consistency is key to helping your dog regain a healthy lifestyle.7
“But Lisa,” you say, “what normal person has time for that?”
It’s understandable that most pet people have jobs and families and other things that may make it difficult to spend the extra time working with, training and exercising their dogs. Instead of trying to fit in an hour+ chunk for walks and training each day, maybe three 15-20 minute walking/training sessions would fit better. Or maybe it’s six 10-minute sessions of walking or a quick game of retrieving or a find-it game or off leash time to sniff and run at will. Whatever time you can carve out will reward you and your dog in ways you might never have considered.
Quick note: not all dog food is created equal. High quality proteins and fats are the best way to keep your dog fit and healthy. Most kibble is full of not so great grains and other carbohydrates that do nothing but create fat dogs.10 In addition, we should be feeding our carnivores what nature intended … meat/bones/organs. Check out the Orijen White Paper.11 The link to the PDF is in Resources.
Remember, when it comes to our pets, food doesn’t equal love. Time spent doing something with your dog is much more rewarding than just dumping extra kibble in his bowl or tossing some extra cookies his way because you feel guilty for missing yet another daily walk. Want to reward your dog with a tasty treat? Take the time and work on some fun tricks together – nice, short sessions a few times a day are perfect. Can you squeeze in 2-3 minute training sessions perhaps 2-3 times throughout your day? I promise that both of you will enjoy your special time together and your dog will get to use his brain AND his brawn AND will get to earn those tasty treats in the process. Win. Win. Win.
Our dogs deserve every moment of our time and every consideration for their health and well-being. The bottom line is to provide the best food, care, training and fun for your dog so that he can live his best life. I believe it’s a very small price to pay for all that we get in return.
Resources
If you are interested in learning more, and I hope you are, here are links to the great resources I used/pulled from with lots more pretty pictures and graphics to help you on your journey:
What to look for, how to treat and suggestions for alternative physical and mental exercise
No question, it’s hot. Oh … and it’s the middle of summer too which means heat, humidity (especially in NW Florida) and rain. Quickly passing rain showers then create a fabulous outdoor sauna. If sweating is your thing you, my friend, are in luck.
Now, imagine wearing a fur coat as you are out for a mid-afternoon walk. My guess is that your body would be working overtime to keep your core temp down. Go ahead … stick your tongue out and pant and see if that helps. Toss off your shoes too because the only other method of cooling your body is through the pores of your feet. What? You are walking on really hot pavement and now your feet are burning instead of sweating? Sounds like the perfect storm for an overheated body that can’t cool itself … heat exhaustion and heat stroke, here we come.
We have either done it or see people who do: walking dogs in the middle of the afternoon on a hot day thinking it was ok. Nope. Before you take that walk, take off your shoes and place your bare foot (or your hand) on a sunny part of the pavement/sidewalk/dirt/sand for TEN seconds. If that ain’t happenin’, that walk shouldn’t either.
Ever see those videos where people fry eggs on a hot summer sidewalk? The skin on your dog’s pads might be thicker than our skin but will burn just the same.
The sign with the asphalt temps should be posted everywhere. If nothing else to remind us humans what our shoes won’t reveal – hot pavement can literally BURN the skin.
But Lisa, you say, my dogs are driving me crazy, you say. What should we do? My first suggestion is to walk earlier and later in the day than you normally do. Our morning walk usually starts between 7:30-8:00am. Our summer mornings are already heating up around then, so we head for local parks, find as much shade as possible and lucky for us, many people run their sprinklers around that time.
If your dog doesn’t know about sprinklers, teach them. Cassidy used to be afraid of them. I had to practically pick her up and place her near the sprinkler head and gently direct some water her way. If her face got wet, she would quickly pull away. Now? She is the first one in and doesn’t mind the spray. Pippin circles around to make sure all of her gets wet and Darcy will get her belly wet and then will do a stopdropandroll on the wet grass. If we time it right within our hour-long walk, they cool off at least 2-3 times in different yards. Even if there is no visible human within earshot, I always offer a “thank you!” as we are walking away.
If you know that sprinklers won’t be available, take along a bottle of water. When we are hiking at a state park, I always have water and offer it a couple times during our walk. We also hunt for shade. The temperature difference between full sun and shade can be remarkable. Perhaps your dog can wear a cool coat that reflect the sun’s rays. You will probably have to answer some questions as you are walking, but my guess is that most people will tell you how smart and thoughtful you are.
Another option would be to take a shorter walk and then play a fun outdoor game at home. You don’t have to go far, you can control how much they play, monitor how hot they get and a hose or a fresh bowl of water is always available. My dogs love to retrieve, so they are always happy when I toss a few balls for them in the front yard. I stop the game before they get overheated but after they have had a chance to get in a few good runs. Because a daily walk is so important for both the dog and the human (see links below to articles about walking), I would not recommend substituting a round of retrieving for a walk. Even a short one (15-20 minutes) is better than too many repetitions of retrieving a ball.
If it’s really hot, after a short walk close to home, you can get creative with some indoor games. My dogs, especially Pippin, love doing tricks. AKC offers several levels of trick titles, so take a few minutes to train some new, fun behaviors. Tricks not your thing? Stuff some treats into a KONG toy, hide it in your house and play a find it game. A new favorite at my house is taking turns having each dog back up the full length of our hallway (around 30’) to a foot target. Big fat bonus for each of these games (in addition to AC) is physical AND mental stimulation.
Looking for more indoor suggestions? Susan Garrett has a great video where she offers 20 different games/activities that you and your dog can do if you’re stuck inside. Check the resource links at the bottom of the page.
And then there’s this … according to the AKC website, the most common cause of heatstroke in dogs is confinement in a closed vehicle. Check out the graph – it’s surprising to see how hot a car becomes in just a few minutes. If you do take your dog in the car with you and if you do need to leave them, be prepared to leave the car running with the AC on. And even then, make it quick. Better yet, just leave them at home. If the car stops, the AC stops and the temperature inside a closed car can become dangerously high in a matter of minutes, and the results can be fatal.
No matter what you are doing with your dogs, whether it’s a long walk or working in the heat or too many chuck-it retrievals in your back yard, you need to be aware of the signs of over exertion. Following are tips for avoiding heat exhaustion as well as what to do if your dog gets overheated.
Which animals are more susceptible to heat exhaustion or heatstroke?
Animals that are overweight
Flat faced breeds such as Pugs and French Bulldogs, or Persian cats
Pets with thick coats
Old or very young animals
Animals with pre-existing conditions, particularly airway, lung or heart problems
Common sense ways to avoid heat exhaustion or heatstroke:
Limit exercise on warm and humid days
Don’t leave your dog alone in the car on a warm day, even if the windows are open and it’s “just for a minute”
When outside, opt for shady areas
Keep fresh cool water available at all times
Not sure? Leave your dog at home
Signs your dog might be suffering from heat exhaustion or heatstroke
Tongue/gum color change: look for bright red, gray, purple, or bluish gums
Lethargy, difficulty walking straight or maintaining balance
Different behavior: hyperactive, restless, agitated, pacing or confusion
Vomiting and/or diarrhea
Unresponsive – if your dog is here, head for your emergency vet now
What to do if your dog overheats :
Stop the activity immediately and find shade
Offer water to drink and hose/wet down your dog’s body, especially armpits and belly
Interestingly, do not use ice or really cold water but rather cool or room temperature water
If your dog is lethargic, vomiting or unresponsive, head to your emergency vet for additional support and observation
Like anything, a little common sense goes a long way in keeping you and your dog safe and happy. If you are getting overheated on a walk or during an activity, it’s a good chance your dog is already there. However, it’s Summertime and the living is easy! If you are mindful and prepared, the hot temps and those scary “feels like” readings should not keep you and your dog from the great outdoors where you both can enjoy the sun, fresh air and lots of great outdoor activities.
This photo was taken on my favorite stretch of my favorite trail in my favorite State Park in Tennessee. If you were to scroll through my photos app, it would be very evident that my dogs are a big part of my life. It’s also evident that most of my favorite photos and memories are from a walk/hike in my neighborhood or in one of the many State or National Parks we have visited over the years.
Recently, I decided to write an article about the benefits of daily walking for the human and the dog. For me, the benefits are intertwined, but I decided to create two articles instead of one. Interestingly, my research reinforced what I already knew: the benefits of daily walking are very similar for the human and the dog. For this article, I will focus on the dog … or dogs in my case.
“If your dog is overweight, YOU aren’t getting enough exercise.”
Health benefits
The number one reason most dog owners walk their dogs is for the health benefits gained by a daily walking routine. Just like a sedentary lifestyle is bad for humans, it’s especially true for canines. Dogs need to get outside and move every single day. (I would argue that humans have the same need and I wrote about it here.) All humans have different exercise needs and the same can be said for dogs. However, just because you have an older dog or a breed that “doesn’t require that much exercise,” do it anyway. At 16 yr old, my Golden/Lab mix, Kaley, had a tough time getting around, but 3-4 times a day she went out and made a lap around the house (not the neighborhood). Those old bones and joints needed a little lubrication so they wouldn’t freeze up.
Keeping your dog trim and fit should be a high priority and walking is a perfect way to do that. It is estimated that about 50% of dogs in the United States are overweight and 25-30% of dogs are obese. Sadly, many veterinarians won’t tell you if your dog is overweight (seems this is a touchy subject for the human) and most kibble feeding instructions call for more than the average dog actually needs. Not a good combination. Please don’t be one of those people who is proud to tell anyone who will listen that your lab weighs over 100 pounds. I have encountered these people and their poor dogs were visibly uncomfortable and easily 25 pounds overweight.
Walking your dog is about so much more than just “potty breaks.” Walking your dog provides mental stimulation, physical exercise, chances for socialization, and opportunities for behavioral training.
Every walk is an adventure. New sights, new sounds, new smells. All need to be checked out and explored.
Mental stimulation
Sadly, I am aware of a few dogs in my neighborhood who never see anything but the back of their house and 3 walls of fencing. Never. In my very humble opinion, that’s abuse. In addition to the health benefits of walking, every dog should have the opportunity to explore life beyond the fence. Pippin never tires of seeing one of the gazillion squirrels we encounter every single day. I tell her that she has seen a gazillion squirrels and THAT one is no different. Pippin thinks otherwise. Every walk is an adventure. New sights, new sounds, new smells … all need to be checked out and explored.
The olfactory sensors in a dog’s nose are amazing. Dogs have evolved to have a strong sense of smell, with approximately 900 genes that code for smell receptors, versus humans, who have fewer than 400. They also have 125–300 million olfactory receptors, compared to our 6 million. In addition, the part of their brains that analyses and processes scents is (proportionally) 40 times greater than ours. The brain power necessary to facilitate all that analysis and processing is huge and you will find that a short time sniffing can tax them as much as an hour long walk.
All of this blah blah blah, or facts, just reinforce that your dog has a NEED to smell his way through his environment on every outing. Every single day.
It’s time to walk the Goldens!
Training opportunities
“How do you teach left and right?” I get asked this a lot. There are many ways to teach this and one way I reinforce their understanding can be as simple as telling my dogs “left” or “right” as we are walking. I then look for a head turn in the correct direction, add a “good” or “yes” marker and we are on our way.
Walking three dogs is always a balancing act – three leashes and three dogs who don’t think straight ahead is very interesting usually keeps me on my toes. I say usually because we have tumbled a few times when a dog (or two) have wrapped themselves around me. Stop is a helpful word which gives me an opportunity to unwind myself before we get moving again. Daily we work on Close, Side, Behind, With Me, Come, Wait, Sit, Break, Cross the Street and Cool Off (we love most sprinklers). We are usually out for an hour each morning so why not use the time for more than just walking?
It is a mind bender to think that I have been walking with dogs just about every day for almost 40 years. There are days when I feel like the guy from the Dunkin’ Donut commercial ohhhh so many years ago. But, instead of “it’s time to make the donuts,” my version is this: “It’s time to walk the Goldens”. There are days I curse the fact that we don’t have a fenced yard, but mostly I embrace that fact that walking the dogs is and hopefully always will be a constant in my life.
It would be tough to overstate the importance and health benefits of daily walks for (you and) your dog. The amount of exercise a dog needs varies based on age, breed and health — it can be as little as 30 minutes a day or as much as a few hours — but virtually all dogs need exercise in some form. However, I hope you get the idea and will also take advantage of the many resource articles listed at the bottom of the page.
When I am out walking, especially with three dogs, a frequent comment is “who’s walking who?” I just smile and say “We are walking each other.”
For almost 20 years, I have been feeding my dogs a raw diet. And interestingly, over the past 20ish years, it seems that many “dog food” companies have been creating formulas that are getting closer and closer to a natural diet for our dogs – raw meaty bones. When anyone asks me about feeding raw, I give them several references and tell them to do their own research before starting to transition their dog. The one reference I always give is the Raw Feeding group. This group originally started as a Yahoo Group and has migrated to Facebook. You can find them here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rawfeedingcarnivores/ You will want to join and read for a few weeks. They also have a tons of great info under the Files link on the left. I have been a member of this group for as long as I have been feeding raw.
Here is a very good post that I wanted to share – it is a basic guideline to get you started:
1) quantity 2) proportions 3) types of meat 4) how to feed 5) transitioning to raw 6) what to avoid 7) when to feed 8) things you’ll notice 9) things to watch out for 10) cost
1) Quantity: Feed 2-3% of ideal adult body weight per day.
(eg: 25kg dog = 500g-750g, or 55 pound dog = 1.10 pounds – 1.65 pounds food per day). More for young, energetic, active dogs. Less for older, slower dogs. After a while you won’t have to measure and weigh everything – you’ll be able to judge by how your dog looks. (On a healthy dog you should be able to feel the ribs but not see them, except perhaps the last two on certain breeds, eg: greyhounds).
Note: Puppies need to be fed either 2-3% of expected adult weight or 10% of current weight (though this is not so precise), and pregnant and nursing bitches should be given as much quantity and variety as they want to eat.
2) Proportions: Feed: 80% meat + 10% bone (in the meat) + 5% liver + 5% other organ (kidney, lung, pancreas, brain, eyeballs, spleen, genitals, etc.) You don’t have to do this everyday. This should balance out approximately over the month.
Note: heart, skin, stomach and intestines (and sometimes lung) are fed as meat. Note: too much organ at once can cause diarrhea. Too much bone can cause constipation. You can add raw fish and whole raw eggs (including shell) occasionally. These will provide Omega 3 oils and Vitamin E which are beneficial to your dog. No veggies, fruits, grains or supplements of any kind are needed. (Dogs can get all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and enzymes they need from raw meat)*. *If you don’t feed oily fish regularly or grass fed red meat, you can supplement with a good fish body oil (not liver oil) or salmon oil, one with no soy and minimal Omega 6 and no Omega 9; one that delivers 300mg EPA+DHA total (minimum) per serving.
3) Types of Meat: Feed whole animals as much as possible or appropriately sized portions of whole animals.
Feed whole chickens or chicken halves or chicken quarters, turkey legs or breasts, rabbits, lamb shanks or shoulder, goat or pork racks (ribs), shoulders, back, neck. beef heart, whole fish, etc., according to the size and requirements of your dog.
There is no danger of choking on large pieces of meat, but avoid smaller, swallow size pieces of meat, such as turkey necks that can be swallowed whole and stick in the throat. Dogs have no trouble crunching and digesting raw bones. Only cooked bones are dangerous. Meat can be offered frozen, cold or at room temperature. Even meat that has gone off (by our standards) is probably fine for your dog. (Think about how your dog can bury meat and dig it up weeks later and eat it). For convenience, freeze daily portions of meat in freezer bags. Take out of the freezer several hours ahead of feeding time to defrost. Give to dog.
5) Transitioning a dog to raw – don’t waste time converting slowly.
Get rid of the grains and give them raw meat right away. Older dogs can be switched ‘cold turkey’. No need for a slow transition, but it’s best to start with one kind of meat and stick with it until the dog has got used to the change. For example, start with chicken (take skin off if it causes loose stools) and introduce a new meat after a couple of weeks. Don’t give liver or other organs until your dog is used to the new meats.
Puppies can start on raw as soon as they are weaned, from 4-8 weeks. They can eat whole prey including bones and adapt more easily than mature dogs. (Raw meat is better for their steady growth and avoids sudden growth spurts caused by the carbohydrates in dry dog food, which is why dogs brought up on raw do not suffer the joint and bone problems of many other dogs).
Note: avoid letting your dog decide the menu. If your dog doesn’t like what you give him, put it away until the next meal, or the next, or the one after that. He won’t starve and will eat when he’s hungry. Eventually he’ll learn that you are the pack leader, not him, and he’ll eat what he’s given. If you give him what he wants every time, you’ll just make a fussy dog. If they absolutely refuse a meat, you can try lightly searing it or sprinkling some cheese on top until they get used to it.
6) What to avoid: Cooked bones / leg bones from large animals
Never give cooked bones – these can pierce and tear a dog’s intestine. Never give weight bearing bones from big mammals (eg: cow leg bones) as these can break teeth. (If you like you can scoop out the marrow with a spoon and give it to your dog). Avoid giving plain bones – always make sure it is hidden in the meat. Wild game (eg: wild boars, venison, possibly rabbit, wild salmon) should be frozen for 1-2 weeks to kill parasites. Human grade meat from slaughterhouses should be fine, but if in doubt, freeze first.
Never give ‘swallow size’ pieces of meat. Dogs do not chew their food, they crunch, break and swallow.
Check that the meat you give is not enhanced – no added salt (no more than 80 mg). Try to give ‘organic’ meat or meat that has not been treated with antibiotics as much as possible, though unfortunately this is way too expensive for most people.
7) When to feed: find what works best for you and your dog but no need to feed regular meals.
In the wild, wolves eat when they can. This may be smaller animals every day or so, or larger animals once every four or five days. Most or our dogs have got used to eating once or twice a day, but if a dog gets programmed to a rigid feeding schedule, he can start to vomit bile which he will produce in expectation of food. To avoid this do not feed according to a tight schedule. Vary the amount of food each day and the feeding times. Some people prefer to let their dogs self regulate. They allow the dog to eat as much as they can and then don’t feed them again until they are hungry, maybe two or three days later. These dogs tend to establish an ideal weight by themselves and never eat more than they need. Work out what works best for your dog.
Note: Feed puppies 3 times a day until they are 6 months, twice a day from 6 months and once a day after their first birthday (roughly – go by the dog). Pregnant and lactating bitches, as already stated, should eat what and when they want.
8) Things you will notice after switching to raw: Your dog will drink less water (meat is 60-70%+ water), and will poop far less than before (no wasted carbohydrates). This is normal.
Stools will vary according to diet – it won’t be the same every day. Loose stools are fairly normal and should not be confused with diarrhoea. They may change colour and consistency and occasionally contain mucus and bits of bone. Over time you’ll work out which meats suit your dog’s digestive system best.
Your dog will soon have better energy levels, but will also sleep better after meals. His coat should become shinier and he will get to a better weight. His immune system will be better so less need for medical interventions. His teeth will be cleaner and whiter and lose the tartar. He will develop better jaw and muscle strength. He will be much happier, and for the majority of dogs, switching to raw is like going to doggy heaven! He will not become more aggressive or prone to attacking other animals. This is a myth.
9) Things to watch out for: allergies and other problems.
99% of the time your dog’s pre-existing health issues and allergies will disappear when you switch him off a grain based diet and onto raw meat. Even dogs that are allergic to certain meats, are less likely to be allergic to that meat on a raw food diet. Many dogs on dry dog food diets that have allergies, clear up completely on a raw diet. However, if you see any of the following signs it may be worth changing meats to try and rule out possible allergens: constant vomiting or diarrhea, unwillingness to eat, lethargy, excessive blood in vomit or stools. If in doubt – see a vet.
10) Cost – it needn’t cost more than what you feed already.
If you shop around it’s usually possible to buy good meat for less or same price as you’ve been spending on dried dog food (kibble). Supermarkets sometimes have deals on certain meats, frozen meats, etc. but try to make sure they are un-enhanced with salt or additives. If you visit slaughterhouses or butchers and ask they may be able to give you free stuff, but don’t just rely on bags of fat and unwanted bones. Get organs and body parts that are not normally used. Some people prefer to rear their own meat (rabbits, chicken, etc.) for their dogs, while others are lucky enough to find road kill or hunt their own.
