Mountaintop Natural Pets

Source: PRNewswire.com, Mar 8, 2010

Nature’s Variety has expanded its voluntary recall of Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats to include the “Best If Used By” dates of 10/29/10 and 11/9/10 because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella.  Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, or vomiting. Some pets may experience only a decreased appetite, fever, or abdominal pain. If your pet has consumed any of the affected products and is experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The recall includes the following products with a “Best If Used By” date of 10/29/10 or 11/9/10:

• UPC#7 69949 60131 9 – Chicken Formula 0.75 lb trial sized medallions
• UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
• UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
• UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs

In an abundance of caution, Nature’s Variety has also chosen to expand this voluntary recall to include all Chicken Formula and Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats with any “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11.  Nature’s Variety has elected to clear the market of raw frozen chicken diets as it implements a state-of-the-art new food safety process called High Pressure Pasteurization for use on all Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Diets.

The products included in the expanded recall are any Chicken Formula or Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11, including:

• UPC#7 69949 60131 9 – Chicken Formula 0.75 lb trial sized medallions
• UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
• UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties
• UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs
• UPC#7 69949 50121 3 – Chicken Formula 12 lb case of chubs
• UPC#7 69949 60137 1 – Organic Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions
• UPC#7 69949 60127 2 – Organic Chicken Formula 6 lb patties

The “Best If Used By” date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions.  The affected product was distributed through retail stores and internet sales in the United States and Canada.

No other Raw Frozen Diets are involved in this expansion other than chicken, and no other Nature’s Variety products are involved.

Nature’s Variety now uses High Pressure Pasteurization on their Raw Frozen Diets as a unique process to kill pathogenic bacteria through high-pressure, water-based technology.  Having incorporated this state-of-the-art technology on a portion of their raw product offerings in late 2009, Nature’s Variety was able to confidently implement the process universally on all Raw Frozen Diets after the 2/11/10 recall in order to enhance food safety.  Nature’s Variety also utilizes a test and hold protocol to ensure that all High Pressure Pasteurized Raw Frozen Diets test negative for harmful bacteria before being released for sale.

“Nature’s Variety believes replacing all raw frozen chicken products on the market with new raw frozen chicken products that use High Pressure Pasteurization is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce consumer confidence and trust,” stated Reed Howlett, CEO of Nature’s Variety.  ”By recalling all raw frozen chicken products with ‘Best If Used By’ dates on or before 2/5/11, we can provide our pet parents with new raw frozen chicken products that have been processed through High Pressure Pasteurization. Adopting High Pressure Pasteurization is an important step to ensure that our products meet the strictest quality and food safety standards.”

Howlett stated, “Our commitment to consumers in the future is the same as it’s been in the past – to offer Raw Frozen Diets made from the highest quality ingredients, made in our own plant in the Midwest, by people who care deeply about pet nutrition, health, and happiness.”

If you are a consumer and have purchased one of these products, please return the unopened product to your retailer for a full refund or replacement.  If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle.  Then, bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.

Consumers with additional questions can call the Nature’s Variety dedicated Customer Care line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-374-3142.  For additional resources about High Pressure Pasteurization or other Nature’s Variety food safety protocols, visit www.naturesvariety.com.

About Nature’s Variety

Nature’s Variety specializes in natural, holistic dog and cat food.  The line of premium products was developed by families who have been practicing sustainable agriculture for more than 140 years, raising quality livestock and growing crops in America’s heartland.  Nature’s Variety offers the purest forms of pet nutrition – including a wide variety of protein choices in every pet food form (raw frozen diets, dry kibble diets, canned diets, and treats).  For more information about Nature’s Variety, visit www.naturesvariety.com.

Source: UPI.com, Feb 15, 2010

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Nature’s Variety frozen chicken diet for dogs and cats is being recalled due to of possible contamination.

The FDA said the Lincoln, Neb., company initiated a voluntary recall of its chicken formula raw frozen diet with a “Best If Used By” date of “11/10/10″ because the product may be contaminated with salmonella. The company said the recalled product is limited to chicken medallions, patties and chubs varieties.

The recalled dog and cat food was distributed across the United States, with limited distribution in Canada.

Consumers with the affected products may return them unopened for a refund or replacement. If the package has been opened, consumers should dispose of the raw food by securing it in a covered trash receptacle and then take the receipt of the empty package in a sealed container to the place of purchase for a refund or replacement.

Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. Pets with salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever or vomiting. Some pets may experience only a decreased appetite, fever or abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans.

Consumers with questions can contact the company at 888-519-7387 or 800-374-3142.

More information is available at http://www.naturesvariety.com/news/32

Source: PRWeb.com, Nov 24, 2009

Ragazzilife.com, the web based social network for dog parents and certified canine nutritionist Stacy Alldredge host a fun and informative culinary event. Stacy Alldredge will talk about natural, well balanced and home cooked dog cuisine and prepare special tasting menus for dogs to try on site. Parents will be able to network and mingle while enjoying complementary cocktails, wine and gourmet hors d’oeuvres. The event is hosted in a fabulous and private NYC Soho loft.

Why is it that as a society, our diets have taken a positive turn towards whole, organic, and unprocessed foods, yet our “best friends” are still getting servings of dry or greasy mystery chunks? What is really in your dog’s food?

The nation’s top selling dog food contains the following ingredients: Meat by-products, Modified corn starch, Soy flour, Potassium chloride, Tricalcium phosphate, Titanium dioxide colour, Salt, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, Thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, pyroxidine hydrochloride, potassium iodide, folic acid, and sodium selenite.

What a mouthful – literally.

And what in the world are those ingredients? www.RagazziLife.com (the social network for dog owners) will be hosting an event on Wednesday December 9th from 6:30-9:30pm with special guest canine nutritionist and behavioral Stacy Alldredge. Stacy will dispel rumors and concerns associated with home cooked, natural and well balanced dog cuisine as well as prepare and create special tasting menus for all dogs to enjoy!

Does Fido need to lose a couple pounds? Is Spot allergic to most foods? Should Boomer just eat healthier? Stacy will present three different recipes that target and help your dog’s dietary issues. With Stacy’s certified nutrition expertise, no pooch will leave hungry, but they’ll all leave healthier. And with ingredients straight out of most people’s traditional holiday dinner menu (apples, asparagus, turkey, fish, beef, pasta, rice and more), event attendees will know that their dogs are eating as well as they are this holiday season.”

For more information please visit: http://www.ragazzilife.com/store

Wag, Wine and Dine
Wednesday, December 9th
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Safe Harbor Loft
446 Broadway (b/t Grand and Howard)
3rd Floor

About RagazziLife.com:
RagazziLife.com is an exclusive web based initiative for dog-parents. Based on the deep bonds that dogs can offer, it’s no surprise that we’ve transformed from dog owners into uncompromising and unconditional dog-parents. The idea of this user-friendly, invite-only community is to connect these uncompromising dog lovers so they can interact by email, chats, dates, and fun events with their dogs.

Once a member of the online community, users will have access to discover the best services, the best products, and the best information for their dog. RagazziLife.com will offer several sections of the site:

Life: RagazziLife.com users will have the ability to create profiles, upload photos, connect and socialize with other dog-parents and build a personal community. Events: Be on the lookout for wine tastings, movie nights, cocktail mixers, book signings and much more. Dogs are always invited to a RagazziLife.com event! Shop: Who says dogs shouldn’t have an expense account?! On the Shop portion of the site, users can pamper their pups with specialized and exclusive RagazziLife.com dog products. Concierge: FINALLY! Dog parents will have an online and interactive concierge service providing RagazziLife.com users with personal and relevant advice, professional service recommendations, and general information on the ins and outs of owning a dog. Stories: This is an infinite photo album dedicated to dogs’ most memorable moments. It is a virtual room where members can share pictures of those moments with all their friends and comment, laugh, cry and above all… love.

About Stacy Alldredge:
An ardent advocate on behalf of dogs for approximately 20 years, Stacy Alldredge is a specialist in canine behavior problems and a certified canine nutrition specialist. Stacy has successfully trained several thousand dogs and their guardians to enhance the quality of both their lives. Stacy was the canine nutritional consultant on the recently published cookbook, THROW ME A BONE: 50 Healthy, Canine Taste-Tested Recipes for Snacks, Meals and Treats by Cooper Gillespie. She lectures regularly and has been featured on ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s Today in New York, Fox News as well as New York 1. Stacy is a consultant to numerous national and regional veterinary and breeder organizations as well as a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, The United States Dog Agility Association, The National Club for Dog Agility, and The North American Flyball Association, as well as multiple certificates in Applied Animal Behavior.

Source: NaturalNews  Tuesday, November 11, 2008 by: Susan Thixton

(NaturalNews) If you haven’t seen it yet with your brand of dog food or cat food, you probably will soon. Prices of pet food ingredients are rising just like the prices of your groceries in recent months. Many pet food manufacturers are scrambling to stay competitive; some changing the formulation or recipe of their products trying to save money. What is going to happen to our pet foods is a question on many pet owners minds.

The rules of pet food manufacturing state that a company can change the ingredients in a pet food at any time yet they are not required to show the changes on the label for six months. With rising prices of ingredients in a very competitive market, every pet food manufacturer is facing the decision of a formula change using less costly ingredients or risk raising product prices and losing customers. The worry for pet owners is the quality and nutritional value of those ‘cheaper ingredients’. And of course they worry if more pet food companies will turn to countries with little to no quality control as a supplier of ‘cheaper ingredients’.

After the six months label change has been made, reflecting the new list of ingredients, do you think you would notice it? Do you examine the ingredient list every time you purchase a new food? If you are like most consumers, you don’t. And you shouldn’t have to.

I am not sure what can be done about this, but it’s certainly time that all food regulations – pet and people – are developed to protect the consumer or petsumer instead of business. The pet owning customers are solely responsible for the profits and the existence of pet food companies. It’s time we are treated far better than how you are treating us. We’ll be glad to take our money elsewhere if you continue this way.

Here is an example of how important it is that rules of pet food manufacturing and labeling be changed; proving the point that the existing non-disclosure is of no benefit to pet owners and to quality minded pet food companies. In 1938 when the world listened to radio, a 60 minute broadcast of the H.G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds terrified listeners all over the country. Excerpts of the book were presented as news bulletins, suggesting to listeners than an actual Martian invasion was in progress. Listeners panicked assuming the broadcast was real and an invasion was actually happening. In reality it was just Wells’ novel being read as a ‘show’. Fast forward to the present; multiply the H.G. Wells reaction by millions with the Internet. One unknowing pet owner’s dog has a reaction to the ingredient changes in their pet food. The dog gets loose stool and is showing signs of ‘tummy’ problems. With all the recalls in the last few years, the owner justifiably panics and turns to the Internet; posting the information about her dogs reaction to the food. She discovers that other pets have suffered the same experience; more tummy problems. And naturally everyone – NOT knowing the pet food company changed their recipe – assume the next recall is on the way! Then later when they discover the pet food had an ingredient change – without their knowledge. They feel duped. Taken advantage of. Misled and mistreated for years of customer loyalty. This pet food company, by NOT being upfront with customers regarding ingredient changes, just put many pet owners through great worry and concern. Because they did not put the concern of the pet first, they just lost customers.

You should know that pet food companies CAN choose to alert their customers to any ingredient changes or supplier changes, but they do not have to. The existing regulations do NOT deny them the opportunity to alert their customers to any changes in the pet food.

Pet owners should also be aware that some pet food companies have hired representatives all over the globe to secretly post good reports about their products on blogs and forums all across the Internet. Some of these representatives have blogs of their own – pretending to be a faithful fan of a particular pet food line; spreading nothing but positive information. Others are sent to post comments on forums regarding the pet food line they work for. Take great caution with any information you read.

Add everything together – pet food regulations protecting pet food instead of petsumers, higher ingredient prices, non-disclosure of recipe changes, non-disclosure of ingredient sources, and the rapid spread of information on the Internet – pet owners continue to fret and worry what to do about pet food. Unlike pet food companies, pet owners don’t look at their dog or cat as a business. They are family to us. Without changes to pet food regulations demanding timely and truthful information, without responsible pet food manufacturers taking the fight on themselves for changes in existing regulations (instead of letting consumers groups do all the work), pet owners continue to worry and stress over which pet food products they can trust. Surely somebody will ‘get’ this.

Responsible pet food manufacturers should be the ones lobbying AAFCO and the FDA to demand changes in pet food regulations instead of leaving all this work to a few pet consumer groups. It is time things change and the few responsible pet food companies out there that DO care about producing high quality pet foods instead of high quality commercials should step up and take the bull by the horns. Demanding changes to the extremely lax laws governing pet food will not only benefit pet owners, it will benefit reputable pet food manufacturers as well. Are you listening?

In the meantime, changes in a pet food, even small changes, can affect your pet; dogs especially. Most dogs need to change foods – even change of a new recipe of the same food – slowly. I suggest to pet owners to add ¼ new food to ¾ old food for 4 to 7 days, ½ to ½ for another 4 to 7 days, and so on. Cats can typically change foods quickly without problems. But should you notice any problems in elimination or behavior with your dog or cat, immediately call the pet food manufacturer and ask of the ‘formulation’ or recipe has been altered. Slight changes of ingredients will probably only affect your pet for a few days. Don’t wait to see if ‘things’ improve in a few days, call the manufacturer right away. If they tell you no changes have been made in the food’s formulation, you should probably consult your veterinarian just to be safe.

Source: Natural News, Tuesday, November 04, 2008 by: Phoebe Kerr

(NaturalNews) For many, the discussion of feeding your pet a raw food diet can be a scary thing. There is so much work and knowledge that is involved, not to mention all the health factors to take into consideration for both you and your pet. Or at least this is what your vet and mainstream media may lead you to believe. If it doesn’t come in a bag with feeding instructions on the back then can it really be trusted? There may be feeding instructions but there is also generally a list a mile long of ingredients and without a PhD in Veterinary Nutrition you would be lucky to know the purpose of half of those ingredients.

With the veterinary field booming because of illnesses such as diabetes, thyroid disease, obesity, dental disease and a slew of other issues it is time for people to take their pets health back into their own hands. Veterinarians are just like doctors, they make money by keeping their patients sick. Whether or not they are doing this intentionally is a different story, but they are keeping their patients sick. If you ask a vet what pet food they would recommend after they tell you your pet has three teeth that need to be removed due to dental disease, they would generally recommend a kibble or wet food that they also sell at their clinic. If your pet is obese they tell you to cut calories. Who can sit there and watch their poor animal, their responsibility, pout and beg for food because they are hungry? There are some enlightened veterinarians and technicians out there but for the most part they repeat what the pet food reps told them.

Raw food diets are a way to get your pet back to a simpler way of eating. Dogs are omnivores, cats are obligate carnivores and they require species specific food. Dogs benefit from a diet of predominantly raw meats. They do not need grains in their diet. Vegetable nutrients are best absorbed through pulverized vegetables, which can be achieved by using a high-speed blender to make them vegetable juice, consisting mostly of fresh greens, or giving them tripe. Dogs do not have the required teeth for grinding plant material making it difficult for them to get the nutrients and enzymes out of whole vegetables and greens. Cats need meat; their little systems are designed to eat meat. Their teeth are designed for slicing through meat and breaking small bones. Cats do not have any flat teeth for grinding herbaceous material.

One of the major areas of concern when giving your pet raw meat is parasites, bacteria and salmonella. If you are conscious of the type of meat you are buying, parasites should not be a problem. Make sure that you are purchasing meats from a reputable source and if you can afford organic grass fed that is an even better choice. Not everyone that wants to feed raw can afford the cost of organic however, so when you are milling through the meat aisle trying to find meat for your dog, make sure to look at the nutrition labels. The reason is because it is very important to take notice of the salt content. Salt water is pumped into some meat as a preservative. High sodium levels are indicative of meat that has been packaged with preservation being the main concern. Another thing to remember if you are unable to feed organic is a lot of meat companies use radiation to preserve their meat. If you can find a local farmer or raw food co-op that would be your best bet. Even if they aren’t getting organic product you are going to be getting a higher quality of meat, especially if you know the farmer. There are also a lot of internet sites that meat can be ordered from, although this option can become very expensive unless you are doing bulk orders. Salmonella and bacteria are more of a concern for yourself then for your pet. A dog’s digestive system is much shorter than that of humans and also becomes very acidic when food is introduced to it. The stomach acid kills off any bacteria that may be present on the meat. Dogs should not be fed pork or fish products to prevent parasite exposure. When preparing your pets food make sure you clean up your area and clean any other service the raw meat touches. This may sound like a lot of work but it really isn’t.

Another concern for many people is stomach or intestine perforation. This is a valid concern but the chances aren’t any higher than your pet choking on food (whether it be junk kibble, super premium kibble, home prepared food or a raw food). Everyone that has a dog or cat has heard at one point or another “chicken bones are dangerous.” Well this is true when you are referring to cooked chicken bones. Cooked chicken bones are brittle and rigid making the chance of breakage higher if consumed by your pet. When cooked chicken bones break they can form sharp ends that have the potential to puncture a pet’s intestinal wall. This is not to say that just cooked chicken bones are dangerous, any cooked bone is dangerous for your pet, even the smoked bones they sell at the pet store for chewing purposes. Raw bones are a completely different story. There is that chance of perforation, but it is a much smaller chance. Dogs systems are designed to process these bones. Softer bones are best for consumption but a lot of people also feed recreational bones, such as marrow (soup) bones, to keep their pet busy or to promote dental hygiene.

This is a very broad topic with many different points to cover. Raw food has many benefits for your pet. The same holds true for pets as it does for people, “you are what you eat.” Pets just have different requirements. By giving your pet a chicken wing or leg a day you will help promote a healthy lifestyle, more energy, healthy coat, pristine teeth and smaller bowel movements just to name a few. There is also the potential to turn your pet’s health issues around by putting them on a more natural diet. They are not little people and do not benefit from grains, legumes, beet pulp (watch out this is probably GM now), sugars, or any of the chemical preservatives that can be found in a generic bag of chow. If you wouldn’t eat it yourself, why would you feed it to your pets?

The raw has many different success routes. Below are some general answers to questions that you may have so we can help get you onto the raw food diet. People have many different ideas about feeding a raw diet and what the “proper” way is, but my biggest suggestion is, to not to give up and simply go back to a commercial diet, but start thinking about what works best for you and your dog.

Start with the basics, raw chicken bones- necks, wings, etc. For the majority of raw feeders, this is the basic ingredient in a raw diet. But if it is not available, you can use most other available products such as rabbit, lamb, beef, venison, kangaroo, pig or raw whole fish.

Please note: Many dogs do not have the ability to cope with grains. Grains make up the largest amount of ingredients in a commercial diet. Many dogs have allergies from these products and when switched to a raw diet, many owners find these allergies gone.

Not only is a raw food diet cheaper if done properly, but it will also save thousands of dollars in vet visits. If you ask yourself, “Why hasn’t my vet told me about a raw diet if it’s so good?” Well unfortunately most vets receive little to no education on canine nutrition at the universities other than what the pet food company reps tell them. Ever notice how many are funded and backed by the “BIG” pet food companies….? This is NOT to say that there aren’t great vets out here who have realized and recommend a raw food diet. So many people today are not only choosing a healthier lifestyle for themselves, but for their pets.

Benefits of a raw food diet:

• No doggy odor
• Naturally cleans teeth
• The time it takes for a dog to chew a raw meaty bone give their stomach adequate time to get the acids moving
• Much less stools produced – they are firm and even chalky
• Decreased or non-existent vet bills
• Less cost for dog food
• Mirrors what the dog would be getting in the wild and even the modern day dog has the same digestive system as the wild wolf
• Puppies develop at a more appropriate rate and quick growth spurts are avoided. A GOOD breeder wants to stop fast growth in a pup
• The ripping and tearing involved in eating raw develops the neck, jaw and shoulder muscles of the dog. Commercial foods will never assist in this important muscle development

What have other reported?

• Dogs previously un-energetic become completely new dogs on a raw diet
• Allergies disappearing
• Arthritis has improved or disappeared
• Better weight control
• Live longer lives
• Bitches managed their pregnancies better
• Better weight gain and survival rate in puppies

How Will I Know How Much to Feed my Dog?

Feed your dog based on it’s energy requirement and watch your dog. If he is looking thin, add more or if he is gaining to much, cut him back. Dogs should get approximately 40% vegis and 60% meat. Organ meats are good on occasion as well as a whole raw fish or whole chicken if your dog is large enough to eat it. A dog should be fasted for a day on occasion, how often is up to you. A puppy can fast up to 12 hours every 1-2 weeks. Offer broths and water while fasting.

Aren’t Chicken Bones Dangerous?

This is one of the biggest myths of all time. Raw chicken bones are perfect for your dog. They are soft enough that they will bend easily and break down well for the dog to digest.

COOKED chicken bones are the problem and WILL splinter and hurt your dog. NEVER COOK YOUR DOGS BONES.

Can your dog die from eating a chicken bone- yes. But it is about as likely as a dog choking to death on dry dog food.

What If My Dog Seems to Swallow it Whole?

You should supervise your dog at all meal times. If your dog is scarfing down his food, try feeding it to him one piece at a time until he learns to slow down. In the past I have herald the food in my hand and fed one piece at a time to slow my dog, as well as make her more comfortable with my handling of her bowl & food. Most puppies who are brought up on raw food never have this problem.

What About Bacteria?

There is bacteria everywhere. Dogs have an amazing immunity system specifically designed to eat all manner of bacteria. A healthy raw fed dog manages bacteria without a problem.

E-coli, salmonella, etc are found on raw chicken, but those nasties are also in your fridge, in the sink, on your countertops, in the park, everywhere. Interestingly, the only dogs I have heard of dying from these where commercial fed dogs.

The most important thing is to wash your hands thoroughly after preparing your dogs meal. Our digestive systems can not handle them the same way dogs can. You can easily set up a spray bottle with grapeseed extract, apple cider vinegar or plain vinegar on your kitchen counter for easy clean ups (these products kill bacteria naturally).

Can I Feed my Pregnant Bitch Raw? And What About My Puppies?

Of course you can – and you should! This is the best thing you could do for your dog and her puppies! A pregnant bitch may eat a lot though! But trust her- she will know what she needs.

And for your puppy- raw food is for all ages. Of course you won’t want to give your puppy huge marrow bones, but use common sense. In the past I have enjoyed watching tiny min pin puppies fight and tear and rip at chicken necks that are as large as their bodies!

What About My Puppy?

A puppy can eat most of the same things a full size dog can eat- in smaller portions. A small puppy may not be comfortable eating a chicken wing, but crushing it a bit will help. A good rule of thumb on amounts is:

• Up to 3 months – 3-4 times a day
• 3-6 months – 2-3 times a day
• 6-12 months – 1 time a day

What Do We Feed Our Dogs?

Between my mother, my sister and I, we have 20 +/- dogs, plus puppies at times. Most of our dogs eat differently because of their different needs.

In the morning my one dog gets 2 oz. of Oma’s mix (ground meat, bone and vegetables) with a squirt of Salmon Oil and some Missing Link for Dogs. I had previously adding each vitamin separately but since my dog is so small and so picky- it became easier to feed the Missing Link everyday and add other vitamins or minerals when it seemed she needed them. A fresh raw diet is incredible for your pet but dogs need additional supplements for optimum health.

At night she gets either a pork neck bone, a whole raw fish or half a chicken wing. Remember that my dog is only 7.5 pounds so most other dogs will eat more than this. My mother’s dogs, most of which are larger than mine, get chicken backs for dinner as they can be bought in bulk very cheaply.

My larger dog can eat 3-4 chicken backs in one sitting. I have also recently found an amazing product that I have been adding to my whole chicken parts…. Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health. It is just an amazing product, filled with organic grains, 9 vegetables, and 13 different herbs, combined with multi-vitamin and mineral supplements. It cook sup in about 8 minutes and can be added to your dogs meal. Mine LOVE it!

VARIETY IS KEY! You wouldn’t want to eat the same thing for dinner every night of every week, neither does your dog. Be sure to change his meal everyday, just as you would yours. Some people choose to feed a full grown dog one time a day, others feed two.