Dietary classifications of mammals
Most mammals will fall into one of five dietary preferences. These dietary preferences are not necessarily exclusive. It is important to understand an animals dietary preferences and design when formulating their food.
Five dietary classifications of mammals
- Herbivores –Eat plants
- Omnivores –Eat a combination of plants, fruits and animals
- Carnivores –Eat other animals
- Insectivores –Eat insects and arachnids
- Frugivores –Eat fruits
How do you determine an animals dietary classification?
Observation is the most common way to determine an mammal’s classification. Stomach contents studies are also used to determine what an animal eats. Also an animals physiology is studied. Teeth, tongues, lips and digestive tract are just a few parts of an animals physiology studied for clues how to best feed the animal. All this is very important when working with endangered animals in an effort to propagate small populations and prevent species from going extinct. Let apply these same techniques to determine the best diet to feed a dog.
How are dog’s teeth designed?
Dog’s teeth are designed to grab and hold and crush. A dog’s canine teeth (the long fang like teeth) are used for defense and to grab and to hold onto prey. A dog’s molars are pointed and work like shears to crunch bone and separate meat and cartilage from bone. A dog’s saliva acts as a lubricant as the gulp and swallow large pieces of meat and bone.
Dog’s instinctual feeding behavior
Have you ever seen a dog gnaw on a bone? They hold the bone between their paws and chew with their molars. In fact all dog’s work a bone in the same manner. Did you teach your dog this behavior? No, bone chewing is instinctual because meaty bones are one of a dog’s natural foods. Dogs will typically crunch up their prey into a barely swallowable portion and gorge themselves. Dog’s also have an instinctual killing shake used for killing their prey. We’ve seen this when playing tug with our dogs. This is a behavior cows, rabbits and other herbivore don’t posses.
Dog’s have a carnivores short digestive system
Dogs have the short digestive tract like other carnivores. Carnivores have short digestive tracts with powerful acids and bile to effectively digest meat, bones and fats. These strong acids allow dogs to consume bacteria laced meats and not be harmed. In contrast herbivores have long digestive tract to effectively digest plants and their associated fibers that are difficult to digest. Herbivore and carnivore digestive tracts are completely different but function well when they supplied with the food they are designed to digest. It make sense. Dog’s are designed to be a carnivore.
When a dog is fed a raw meat based diet the food will travel through his digestive tract in about 8 hours. When dogs are fed grain based dog food the whole process can take twice as long. This is not good.
It is often said that dogs are omnivores but omnivores have very long digestive tracts, different dental characteristics and instinctual behaviors. A pig is an omnivore and has a very long digestive tract, different teeth and instinctual feeding behavior. Pig in contracts can eat just about everything and squeeze most nutrients out of their food. A pigs digestive system is about 70 feet long and very different than a dogs digestive system. A pigs digestive system is more similar to a humans digestive tract. Humans are another good example of omnivores.
Clues you may be feeding your dog the wrong dog food
Does your dog have lots of tarter on his teeth, bad breath, terrible gas? These are all symptoms of a high carbohydrate dog food. Does your dog’s body smell awful even after a bath? If so he could have a yeast infection brought on by a high carbohydrate diet. Is he itching incessantly and constantly licking his paws? This could be the fillers, chemicals and byproducts dog food contains. All animals, people included, are effected by what they eat.
Isn’t it time to feed your dog how he is designed?
hi my dog is verry picky and will only eat soft muchy food and snub anything else ,but the muchy food is causing her to gain weight.i take her on daily walk for about 2 hours and she always goes to the beach. like i said she will not eat any crunchy food please help..
thanks Karen
Karen,
Try the “easy raw dog food recipe” I think your dog will like it. I’ve not had any problems with dogs gaining weight on this recipe. However if your dog starts to gain weight just reduce the daily serving. This recipe is very nutritious for your dog.
should i feed my puppy ice in his water daily?
George,
No, unless he is overheating.
I went on vacation and had a friend watch my dog instead of dog food she fed her food from the table now she will not eat dog food of any kind i have tried just about every brand now she is not pooping what can i give her to slove this problem and get her to eat dog food again
Dana,
Try feeding her the chicken and rice dog food recipe. Dogs love it and it is very nutritious.
Dear Ed,
I have read your comments on your site, and you seem extremely knowledgeable about dogs. I have a female yellow lab with extreme allergies. The vet recommended Prescription Hills Z/D. It Worked ok, but I was not overly impressed with the results or the price. Since I had 4 large dogs, it was really not affordable. In these economic times, both myself and my husband have been laid off, I cannot do the $80 a week food. I have tried so many different brands with and without by products, so called natural foods. Venison, sweet potato, duck, grain free, etc. The best results I have achieved were with a limited ingredient food of Turkey and peas with Canola oil and of course preservatives. I thought at first it was the chicken by products, I eliminated it, then chicken, wheat, beef, corn etc. I ended up giving her a vegetarian food, which is still not helping. She constantly has a yeast infection in her ears and chewing at her paws, which are discolored. Your blog above states there are too much carbs in her food causing this reaction. Is this the most common cause of allergies? Because all the fancy dog food with venison, buffalo, salmon, all contain regular potato or sweet potatoes or brown rice. I have decided to make my own limited ingredient dog food. I am unsure if I should use the beef recipe you have listed, should I substitute Turkey? What are your thoughts on this? My vet suggests expensive testing, which I don’t have the money for. My dog and I would very much appreciate some good news.
Thanks, Linda
Linda,
Chronic yeast infections in the ears and paws is a sign of a systematic yeast infection. The best approach I’ve found to getting this all under control is to completely eliminate carbohydrates out of your dog’s dog food. This process is what I call starving out the yeast. I will post a “yeast starvation dog food” this week. It is basically the “easy raw dog food recipe” without the rice. I also replace the “Lickochops” with “Supromega” fish oil.
It is important to understand that sometimes when you start to starve out the yeast there is a mass die off of yeast. This can make matters seem worse with increased itching, redness and sores. Some dogs even get sluggish and lethargic. This is because the mass die off has released toxins into your dogs system and he is recovering. Not all dogs have this reaction.
I was so glad to find this site.
We have two dogs, a long haired chihuahua and a yorkie. Over the past several months, we have noticed that the yorkie has begun to itch and scratch all over. No problems with the ears, but he does lick his paws as well. We have had him to the vet for$$$$$ treatment of fleas, superinfection from scratching his rump. It seemed to resolve for a while. Interestingly enough, I am wondering if it really was fleas. The vet told us that he was allergic to the flea saliva. Since our chihuahua did not have fleas, I am skeptical about whether that is the problem and we have never seen fleas on either of the pets.
I now wonder if it is a yeast infection in the yorkie.
After reading some posts on your blog, I am considering changing the dogs over to homemade dog food, using one of your recipes. The yorkie will eat many things, and he loves to eat some of my fruit smoothie, or bananas and peanut butter. He will eat bread or just about anything we give him. He also eats his “packaged” dog food too. After reading about yeast in dogs and the symptoms my yorkie is having, and the high carbs he takes in from us feeding him, I think it is worth a try. Should I use the recipe without the rice? And does it matter if I use chicken, beef, or turkey? Or cooked or raw?
Thank you in advance for your input.
Wathe,
Yes, I would feed the yeast starvation dog food recipe, it does not contain any rice.
HI Ed,,
I have 2 yories whats the best diet for them??
i have been geeding them cooked chicken&rice No salt or junk..
please Reply thanks.
Sonia,
Start with the “Easy raw dog food recipe”. Your dog will love this recipe. Click here to view this dog food recipe.
what should i feed my puppy pitbull nd how do i get her to stop poping nd goin potty in dha house
Emmanuel,
I recommend feeding your puppy the “easy raw dog food recipe”. Click here to view this recipe. Manage when and how much you feed him. Small puppies I feed twice daily. Adult dogs I feed once per day. Dogs are gorgers and fasters by nature so this type of feeding is fine. My adult dogs get fed in the morning. By managing the amount and frequency of your dog’s food you can predict when he will need to go outside and relieve himself. I also recommend crate training your dog. Stick to a schedule and be diligent.
my lab puppy eats banana peels and he seems to love them are they good for him to eat
Sally,
I had always heard that banana peals are loaded with pesticide. Not a good idea to feed him banana peals.
Hi Ed!
Thank you for the informational website!
I have a 6 year old long-haired Chihuahua named Vinci who is used to eating Royal Canin food for 6 years now. I am very tempted by the easy raw dog receipe. My three questions are…
1. Would you recommend the easy raw dog receipe? Vinnie is very active for a Chihuahua.
2. He’s never had a diet composed of raw meat, how would this affect him?
3. I’ve always been under the impression that dogs are supposed to eat hard food to work their teeth–is this a myth or a fact? He gets his teeth cleaned yearly but I am still concerned how wet food may affect his teeth.
Thank you!
Jen F.
Jen,
Yes, the raw meat is fine for Vinci and my guess is he would do great on the “easy raw dog food recipe”. The extremely high carbohydrate content of kibble is what builds up and forms the tarter on your dogs teeth. Dogs fed raw meat diets actually have cleaner teeth.
I have also just posted the “easy cooked dog food recipe” for those of you with concerns about feeding raw meat. You can view it by clicking here.
Hello, I just read where Sallys dog likes banana peels. I have a year and 1/2 old Shitzu who loves bananas and mangoes[and probably a lot of other things that I eat]. I on occasion feed her a few pieces of these without any peel. Is that harmful to her? Also, I see that you do not recomend any commercial feeds. I have feed her BLUE BUFFALO brand chicken and rice/with life source bits since my late wife brought her home as a puppy. She seems to do well with it, and we thought we were providing the best for her in the way of food. Would you still recommend changing to an easy raw diet for her and feed once a day? She and my other two small dogs do not seem to ever over eat.
One other person mentioned about trips. I have and hopefully will in the future go camping again, but it is usually for a week in an unimproved area, so we take provisions for a week. Will the raw food hold up for that long in an ice chest ? [I would freeze it first before placing in chest] Thanks Greg
Greg,
I wouldn’t personally feed the banana peels because of pesticide.
The easy raw dog food recipe is a good choice to feed dogs. You could also feed the easy cooked dog food. You can view the cooked recipe by clicking here. The dog food should be fine in the cooler just keep it cold.
I have a older Giant Schnauzer (12yrs) & a small rescue mutt (female). I have had both on Iams for all their life. Heidy, (Giant) had bad breath, & bad gas. I have had her teeth cleaned all her life, but now the vet says NO because she may not wake up.
What should I be feeding them?? The little one is fine, & she is only 1yr. old. I have never made homemade dog food for them. Is there a website for this??
I thank any and all who help me out.
Kathy
Kathy,
Try the “easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view. The cooked may be an easier transition for your older dog.
Hello. Was wondering if you would mind giving your opinion on my dog. She has food allergies, which really are mite and mold allergies, so i can’t feed her any grains. She has bad reactions when I do…inter-ear infections, inflammed annal glands, etc. She lost her ear drums for two months (they ruptured) and her bullas were full of yeast, fungus, and bacteria. She had surgery to remove all the matter. It took us about 6 years to figure out this was all due to allergies. Once we cut out the grains she improved dramatically. Her ear drums grew back, and even though her ears still bother her, it’s nothing like we experienced in the past. She is also very sensitive to pancreatitus…so she has to have a low fat diet…which finding a grain free, low fat dog food is almost impossible. My vet reccomended potatoes. So she started a boiled chicken and potato diet. Which seemed to be fine, at first. I can’t give her any vitamins though because they all have wheat in them, and I can’t find anyone, including the vet, who knows how to supplement individual vitamins for her. I do have her on a probiotic. And for the past three weeks we’ve been trying a canned dog food (grain free) with a fat min of 1.4%, hoping this would be acceptable to her pancreas. However, we started having some issues, but with no symptoms. Her liver enzymes and pancreas levels are off the charts.
About 5 weeks ago she started urinating in her sleep (she’s nine) so I had a urine test done, and was suprised to find her liver enzymes were up so we put her on an antibiotic, which brought the levels back into a normal range…and also cured her horribly bad breath. Three days after stopping the antibiotic the bad breath started coming back and three weeks later (which is the three-week period in which we started her on the canned dog food) her liver enzymes, now along with the pancreas levels are even higher than they originally were, four times higher than normal. Her pancras levels are 5 times higher than normal. Yet she shows no symptoms of either. We did more extensive blood work, but won’t have the results for a couple of days. I asked to check the levels of bacteria…however that’s done…because I believe the potato has caused an over growth of bacteria and there’s so much of it in her gut that it’s becoming systemic. I’m very worried, but my vet doesn’t seem to be and as of right now all we did was stop the canned dog food I’ve tried putting her on three weeks ago. I’m at a loss as to what to feed her. Her stomache is so sensitive and she can’t have the grains, or the high fat, but she’s not getting the vitamins and other essentials that she needs. Any ideas what to feed her? To look at her, she’s healthy, at an ideal weight, wants to eat, run and play…but has some little signs…like every time she drinks water, she gags and almost throws up (she’s done this for years). She has acid reflux so bad that she gets pepcid every night…and her breath is horrible. And when she does play or run hard, she does end up having to stop because she gets the same gagging issue she has when she drinks water. But she’s energetic and wants to eat so I’m confused…but I know I need to change her diet. I want to get her off the potato but the vet says she needs a starch…what do you think? What can I feed her? I don’t mind cooking her food, as long as I know how it needs to be done…but I just don’t know what food that would be at this point. Thank you.
Chris,
It sounds like you have a very sick dog. You can try lean raw meats and hard build eggs with shells. For a fat that won’t cause pancreas problems use organic coconut oil. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil tend to help as well.
My Yorkie is a year & 1 month. He is a very picky eater and will not eat any dogfood I give him., maybe a bite or so I need to know what I can make for him that is good for him and maybe he will eat. He, however will eat treats. should I feed him no treats at all? He loves chicken coated rawhide, and rawhide with liver inside, but I know he has to eat food and he will eat only a bite or two of what we are eating. Has the gag problem when he drinks water also. why? can you tell me? I will be glad to make his food.
Annie
Anne,
Try feeding him the easy cooked dog food recipe and cut out the treats. He should like this dog food recipe.
My recently inherited small dog has such bad breath. When I researched it they recommended a spray called Sorbay PC Mist. Does this work? She also has a missing tooth and several loose ones. I would take her to the vet but the cost is beyond what I could afford. What would work for my dog? Also I want to try your raw food diet. She is 9 would such a change be good fo her?
Pat,
You will have to deal will the loose teeth to see any improvement in breath. There is no shortcut.
Hi everyone, I just want to remind you, dogs are carnivores. I’ve been feeding my two dogs, age 6 and 14 the “raw meaty bones” diet. Best thing I’ve ever done, saving them from the suffering of kibbles, cooked food etc. No grains, no cooking, just raw meaty bones. No itchy skin, no diarrhea, no bad breath, clean teeth, absolute health. Google it, give it a try. To simplify it, what do wolfs / dogs eat in the wild? Certainly not looking for corn or rice or grain, but meat, bones, maybe some veggies or fruit if they can’t find meat. I’ve been doing this for over 5 years, and the veterinarian is amazed at the dogs health. It took me several weeks to research and decide, but for us, this was the best option. Raw meaty bones.
what raw meaty bones do you like and do they ever bite chunks of bone off and ingest that cause blockage or issues ? Thank you
My dogs eat raw chicken bones regularly and have eaten raw deer ribs without incident. They have also eaten a raw pork meat and bone mix that has bone chips in it. My dog Ace is a 100 pound German Shepherd and Daisy is a 14 pound Rat Terrier, both do fine.
Hi Ed,
People ask me all the time if the raw meaty bone diet I provide for Talo (2 1/2 year old duck tolling retriever) is hazardous, I always tell them “How could something that’s so natural to a carnivore be hazardous? Would you feed kibble to a lion?”
Your recipes are fantastic and the crushed shells of an egg is a great way to provide dietary calcium but I feel providing some full bones for gnawing and crunching through is crucial for the upkeep of teeth and instinct, wouldn’t you agree?
Kudos to you and your site as well as thank you for guiding people on what’s truly best for our canine friends.
Vic
Victor,
Thanks! I agree raw meaty bones are a great addition. I plan on incorporating them in future recipes.
My 2 year old maltipoo has just been diagnosed with a liver problem (possible liver shunt) and I am looking for a low protein food to feed her. We are still doing tests to be certain of her problem but her vet has recommended the low protein diet to help her. Do you have any suggestions for either commercial brands or homemade recipes – food and treats? I have 2 other dogs to feed as well and would like to save as much as possible in feeding all of them. Thanks
Lynn,
I’d recommend feeding one of easy dog food recipes, cooked or raw for the healthy two. Look into milk thistle for your dog with liver problems. I can’t recommend and kibble.
what does shih tzus eat my dog is one and i was wondering
Brianna,
Try the easy cooked dog food recipe it is tasty and nutritious.
What can I feed a 9 y/o Beagle who, I believe, has been ill since raiding her treat drawer and eating 12 oz. of “Jerky Country Ham”-Waggin Train Brand? (I have since discontinued these jerky treats.) She is weak, abdomen is pendulous, her alkaline phos is elevated, she is drooling, appetite decreased and so is her consumption of water. She has gained 9 lbs in 7 weeks! 8 days ago I began giving her boiled chicken, carrots, green beans, white rice, sweet potatoes and oats mixed with cooked ground beef. Her appetite is better, still not wanting water much. She likes popsicles. Thursday at vet we also had abdominal Xray that showed her liver was enlarged but the vet says “no ascites.” This morning, her gait is unstable and she has fallen once. This evening I gave her only rice and oats. What can I give her for what I think is a liver toxicity? And, by the way, I am getting her a 2nd opinion. My vet had no information and no palliative solutions for the $225 I spent. Thank you, Jan
Jan,
Milk thistle has been known to help heal liver. You can buy some milk thistle caps at a vitamin store.
Why do we need to feed our dogs supplements, if they are carnivores and we feed them meat? I know for humans taking supplements is NOT the same as eating your nutrients…. This is a proven fact. I want my dog to eat her nutrients. Thank you.
Merry,
If you fed your dogs a variety of whole animals that ate a variety of perennial plants you probably would not need to supplement. I’ve found the use of whole food supplements very useful in providing a nutritious meal. Many years back when I started to feed a raw meat based dog food to my dogs I quickly found out it was not enough. A number of nutritional deficiencies popped up. This experience was the actual catalyst for me developing these supplements. I developed the Dinovite line of supplements for my own dogs using whole foods that are nutrient dense. If you notice the vitamins are not synthetic but come from natural sources and are absorbed very well.
Hello, I have a miniature schnanuzer he is one year old . This breed is prone to various illness ( liver disease, kidney stones, diabetes, skin disorders, von Willebrand’s disease and cysts ) I would like to make him a homemade dog food, which recipe could you recommend ? Thank you very much.
Gloria.
Gloria,
Try the easy cooked dog food recipe or the chicken and rice dog food recipe. Both these dog food recipes are good a good place to start.
Gloria, if your dog is prone to liver issues, I would avoid a high-protein diet, especially raw meat, and ESPECIALLY with a filler like white rice. Educate yourself on the breed by visiting your local book store and read books written by VETERINARIANS with a doctorate degree in helping animals. It will be much more useful than anything you find on the internet by someone with no formal training or education. Adding human-grade omega fatty acids to his meal should help with any skin issues, but give it time to work.
Heidi,
You are under the delusion that veterinarians are trained in nutrition. Read this letter from a veterinarian on the nutritional training she received.
No formal training or education? I guess 15+ years professionally formulating pet feeds and supplements is not good enough for you.
I have a 13.5 yr old female bichon. I have had her since she was 10 weeks old. She at a very young age would not eat dog food. I finally decoded to put her on homemade food consisting of brown rice, mixed vegetables, turkey and chicken breat . She has a small mouth so i chop her meat and mix it altogether. I add a small amount of olive oil . She has a great appetite and eats all of her food. She is very healthy and has never been sick. She only goes to the vet for shots. She seems to fear jump[ing off the bed and i guess her joints are getting stiff. She does not seem to be in pain. Shoul I start giving her vitamins to help her joints? If so, what is recommended?
Yes,
Try adding some Supromega fish oil and Dinovite to the recipe.
For joint care, you should be supplementing her diet with glucosamine and chondroitin. You can get some from your vet, but it will be the same formulation as you find in your local pharmacy. Follow the directions for how much to give for her body weight.
Omega fatty acids and a regular vitamin supplement will do nothing for aging joints, Ed.
Heidi,
Have you read my site? The whole eggs that are in my recipes contain Glucosamine, the lining inside the egg actually. Also, the cartilage in the chicken and rice dog food recipe is a super source. Not to mention the bone stock I suggest is a super source for glucosamine and trace minerals. All healthy method to feed your dog.
Here is an unrelated site that says pretty much the same thing.
I’m not sure why you are so hostile?
(This is the first of a few rants I’m answering)
I am extremely disappointed in this site. I understand your dogs must love this food, and I’m sure people reading your website would agree- but that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. I think people should know though, that you have no training on the matter, and are not equipped to give advice to people seeking help for their potentially sick animals. People should also know that the reason your website is the first one that comes up on Google search is NOT because it is the most popular, but because you pay for that privilege. People should also be aware that feeding their dogs a raw diet can be healthy, but also be very dangerous on the other end. Raw meat can lead to feces with salmonella and other bacterial microbes that humans can contract by picking it up. This is especially dangerous for people with children who play in the same yard that their dog goes to the bathroom in.
I realize you might not post this on your site, but your consumers should be aware what you’re bringing into their house.
And don’t even get me started on the carnivore debate… take some animal biology and anatomy courses before you pretend to be an expert on that.
Heidi,
You have made many assumptions about my qualifications, all false. I’m not sure why you are so hostile perhaps you are having a bad day?
I have 15+ years experience professionally formulating pet feeds and supplements. In this time I have learned a thing or two.
As far as the Google search results, we currently vacillate between number 1 and 5 for the search phrase “homemade dog food”. I think that’s pretty good.
Frankly, this is the first time I’ve been criticized for my “google search results” and it seems odd to me. What’s next, my height, hair color or the fact that I wear glasses?
My site has cooked dog food recipes for people concerned about feeding raw.
As far as the “carnivore debate” and taking some animal biology anatomy courses before I pretend to be an expert comment, really? I am going to give you way more credit than you deserve and assume you are referring to dogs not being obligate carnivores.
Yes, dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats. However,they still posses the dentition and short digestive system of a carnivores. Comparing them to a pigs biology for contrast is helpful. Pigs are true omnivores. Below is a quick comparison of digestive tract lengths.
Digestive tract/body length ratio
4:1 in cats (Obligate carnivores)
6:1 in dogs (Carnivores/scavengers, with some ability to digest not meat food sources)
12:1 humans and pigs (Omnivores)
It is important to understand classifications are man made contrivances to help us organize and understand the world around us.
May I make the suggestion you pick up and read a copy of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” you may find this helpful, or not.
***Special Note: This is an example of a post I find difficult to answer kindly.
You did very well on answering that difficult post kindly. I would only add that omnivores produce salivary amylase, the enzyme necessary to digest carbs. Dogs don’t, but not only that, they don’t normally produce a lot of it in their pancreas either. They can get pancreatitis from a diet too heavy in grains because their pancreas can’t handle it.
Would oatmeal be considered a bad carb?
Yvette,
Oatmeal should be fine, just cook it well.
Hi Ed,
Fantastic information. I’m bringing home a new puppy in about a week and I want to start her on a raw dog food diet. Should I have her fast right when I get her for 24 hours and the next day feed her raw? Or should I get her used to her surroundings then start the diet?
Thanks!
Chelsea,
Yes, that sounds good.
I have two dogs and two cats. I have decided to put the dogs on your raw food diet. Can the cats eat the same diet?
Emily,
Your cats can eat any of the recipes if you strip out the rice.
Hi Ed, with the price of hamburger so high now, what do you think of doing the “cooked” recipe with chicken thighs. Boil and shred the chicken thighs, then mix with eggs and rice. Heat through in the oven just to set the eggs?
Carol,
Check out the chicken and rice dog food recipe, I think it fits the bill.
Hi, glad I found this website! Everywhere I look all I get is ” you must feed your puppy commercial dog food or she won’t grow well”
We just got a German Shepherd puppy that seems to be allergic to the dry dog food we got her ( expensive dog food, not the cheap stuff) I am now feeding her just ground meat, cooked white rice and some canned dog food for puppies mixed up and she does fine but am worried that she is not getting enough calcium in her diet. Do you think your cooked dogfood recipe is suitable for puppies also? How do you know how much calcium and other minerals a dog needs? How many calories does a puppy need per day? The amounts you are feeding seem very small.
Thanks
Sophia,
Any of the dog food recipes on this site are suitable for puppies and supply enough calcium pick any of them and give it a try and see how your dog does.
My 8 months old yorkie (1.1 K in weight) just got diagnosed with a liver shunt.. What foods can I feed her for a natural diet that is low in protein but will satisfy a picky eater. Pls help
many thanks
Arkan,
Click here for a good article on liver shunts in dogs. The authors suggests to use milk thistle and dandelion to help detox the liver. She also recommends feeding a homemade dog food recipe using human grade meats, much like the dog food recipes on my site. I’ve never personally had a dog with this conditions so can’t answer your question well. I’m also not a veterinarian. This article is very informative and worth a careful read.
hi thank you for the great website , i can’t wait to make my dog food!!
my dog is a chihuahua she is a year and a half old, and maybe 7 or 8 pounds, she is tiny! i want to start feeding her the raw food diet, but i dont know what a portion size for her should be. she doesnt really eat much to begin with, and i dont want raw food sitting in her bowl all day so i want to know exactly how much a day (or twice a day??) to feed her.
thank you so much!!!
Sarah,
I feed my dogs once a day. My little 8 pound dog eats about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of food per day. She eats it in about 1 minute.
Hi Ed,
I have a 5 month old miniature schnauzer and only recently (approximately 3 weeks ago) she had these little bumps all over her body. we brought her to the vet and was told it is just minor heat rash. after that she began healing but still constantly scratching herself and licking her paws. I THOUGHT it is normal for a dog to behave so. but after reading your site, I believe her constant scratching and paw licking could be due to yeast infection, am i right? Also, she has bad dpg breath and still smells after shower. What diet do you suggest I could feed her. The do.s and don’ts. Thanks!
Linda,
It sure sounds like a yeast infection. Try feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe, I think you will be pleased. Feed it for at least six months and keep in mind sometimes symptoms can get a little worse the first 3-4 weeks.
I have an English bulldog who is 1yr 5 mo. I was feeding him Back To Basic but it seems as if he tried of it… He is very particular about his food… Example when I feed him I put in Omega 3 caapsule in his food but if he smells it he will not eat it. He loves egg and rice.. Can I used this homemade receipe without the supplements or advise me as to what I should do. He is currently 68 lbs and very active and firm body
Dora,
No, I would feed with the supplements otherwise the recipe will be deficient.
Hi, I just found your website and I have to say it’s great and very informative. We have two Havanese, 3 1/2 yrs old and my husband and I have been making their dog food for at least two years now. In the past we have used 10 lbs. of ground sirloin 90%-10% lean fat, cooked, very lightly steamed diced veggies such as broccoli, red bell peppers, carrots, celery, Etc. (the veggies vary with every mixture) along with some type of small pasta, such as Ditalini’s or orrichettes. We too were told that rice grown now has high levels of arsenic and to use pasta or quinoa. As you can see our mixture is very time consuming even though we make it in large batches and freeze it in small storage bags, your recipe seems to be a a lot faster.
I have only been providing an Omega 3 supplement when we feed them and have neglected to give them any other supplements which has been so very wrong. I do need to know, was I misled about the veggies? If not, I would like to incorporate them in your meatloaf recipe or are they necessary if I use the Dinovite Supplement? Please be assured though they will be getting there ground up eggs in their mixture from now on.
Oh, I might as well add that Desi and Luci are fed twice daily; one cup each in the a.m. and p.m. Neither are overweight and are very active.
Diana,
Veggies need to be fed in a “predigested” state. Finely ground and cooked then dogs can digest them.
Heard a Dinovite commercial on the radio this morning and decided to check it out. I wish I had found you long ago as my dog recently passed away and I see now that he definitely had the yeast problem. Why do the vets dance around this issue with no answers! Anyway, I have a new puppy and I will be getting him on the right road! Thank you so much for all this valuable information. Keep up the good work helping us animal lovers.
Ed – you solved one of my questions already about raw meat making a dog “mean”. Now for my next question – while growing up I was always told don’t give you dog parks chops or chicken because the bones will gets stuck in their throats and they will choke. Yet you say to give chicken thighs. Can you please give me some piece of mind that chicken leg or thigh part bones won’t hurt my rotties. Thanks,
Duane e
Duane,
Feeding raw meaty bones is not a problem for dogs.They digest them fine. If you are worried you can use a meat grinder.
Hi.
So thrilled to find your site. Learned so much from your informative replies. Thank you. Eggs should be raw or must be cooked? I experimented with scrambled eggs and it’s… Any thoughts? How old is your dog with the great teeth, is it Charlie?
Thank you!
I think cooked eggs are best and you can use cooked oat meal instead of rice.
Hello,
Feeding my dog a mostly raw food diet, she’s 4 months old, and we rescued her when she was 2 months old. She’s eating raw chuck, with tsp of dinavite, steamed brocoli and steamed cauliflower, shredded raw carrot, and a tbsp of cooked pumpkin puree (canned)2-3 times per day. Daily she gets a raw and frozen chicken wing (she likes it, and might help her teething). Some days a raw meat bone, which she’ll gnaw on for awhile. She bites or scratches more than I would like to see… Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Todd
Mostly raw, are you feeding kibble along with the raw? If so this could be the problem. Also, it seems like you are feeding a lot of veggies and dogs have a hard time digesting them. Feed more meat and bones and see what happens.
Is it bad to feed dogs bones? such as rib bones etc….
If they are raw it’s fine.