Dorwest Herbs Indonesia - Feeding Dogs & Puppies

There are many different ways to feed dogs – tinned food, fresh foods, complete dry foods, household scraps and even vegetarian diets. Fortunately dogs have evolved into omnivores and have the ability to utilise whatever food is available, being hunters and scavengers by nature. However they are still basically carnivorous animals and so the basis for any diet, especially a natural one, must be fresh raw meat. Carbohydrates are provided by the addition of cereals, either as a wholemeal biscuit or flaked cereal mix. To this base need only be added some good quality nutritional supplements to provide all the nutrients required in a daily diet. This raw food natural diet provides food in a form that is as near as possible to that which nature intended.

We are all aware nowadays that it is healthier to eat fresh food and that over-processed foods, although more convenient, are not as good for us. It is only right that this awareness should also apply to the food we provide for our dogs - a raw food diet is simple and easy to prepare, inexpensive and of course has no added preservatives, flavourings or unnatural colourings. It will provide all the necessary protein, minerals and vitamins necessary to ensure a full healthy life for your dog. The diet we recommend is one based on natural rearing principles and is as close to nature as is practicable for dog owners today. Our experience over 50 years has shown that if a good basic diet is followed, herbal treatments work more quickly, less health problems occur, good condition is maintained and a healthy resistance to infection is maintained. A contributory factor in many health problems is incorrect feeding and diet should always be considered before starting any treatment. Our Cleansing Diet, shown under Special Diets, is recommended when starting treatments as it cleanses the system and increases the response rate to the herbal medicines given.

QUANTITIES

The amount of food dogs require daily will vary throughout their lives and will depend not only on age but on the breed, the exercise or activity it undertakes and other factors. A rough guide to quantities is that the total food requirement for an adult is 1 oz of food per 2 lbs bodyweight daily. Observe and check your dogs daily for signs of general lack of condition, obesity or any of the minor troubles, which if neglected may be more difficult to correct or be the first signs of a serious ailment.

A WEEKLY FAST DAY

All carnivores have powerful digestive systems, intended to cope with chunks of raw meat and bones , but they do benefit from resting this at regular intervals. Most carnivores eat large amounts of high protein food when it is available and do not eat for some days afterwards, thus enabling them to rest their digestive system. Our domestic dogs are usually fed at very regular intervals and, unless we withhold food from them, they do not get the advantage of this rest period. Some dogs do refuse food occasionally for no apparent reason, sometimes eating couch grass only. This is their way of resting the system with the grass helping to encourage the cleansing of the system. Introducing a weekly fast day for all adult dogs is not difficult and once it is established as part of their routine, dogs quickly become accustomed to it. Owners are surprised how easy it is to introduce and of the benefit to their dog’s general health. With the evening meal before the fast day, giving a herbal laxative, such as Natural Herbs Tablets , will enable the maximum benefit to be obtained from the fast day.

• Fasting is not the same as starving
• You are not being unkind to your dog
• In fact quite the opposite.

ADULT DOG DIET

Adult dogs benefit from having two daily meals, preferably feeding the cereals separately from the meat to help prevent digestive problems. In the morning give a good quality wholemeal biscuit or flaked cereal feed to make up one third of the daily food requirement.This can either be fed dry to exercise teeth and gums or may be given with live yoghurt, cottage cheese or simply soaked in a little stock according to preference. The other two thirds of the daily feed, given in the evening, is raw meat fed in small pieces. The most suitable meats are unwashed tripe, beef, mutton or lamb. These are all now readily available in frozen packs from specialist pet shops. Chicken, rabbit and white fish can also be regular additions to the diet and may be lightly cooked, in which case all bones should be removed. However many owners now follow the popular BARF diet (Bones And Raw Food) advocated by Dr Ian Billinghurst, where chicken, rabbit and raw meaty bones are given raw in their natural state. Liver, hearts and other offal are very rich and should only be fed occasionally to avoid overheating the system. Raw vegetables are a good source of chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals and are beneficial in the diet. Dogs are only able to break down the cellulose in plant material if it is reduced to a pulp. So chop them very finely or use a food processor to pulp them before adding to the feed or for convenience add Easy-Green® to provide all the benefits of giving green leafed plants without the hassle of preparing them yourself.

PUPPY DIET

8 weeks to 12 weeks old – four meals daily

Breakfast - warmed milk, ideally goats milk, or natural live yoghurt with a teaspoonful of honey and Tree Barks Powder , together with a good cereal or porridge to provide bulk and energy.

Midday meal - give raw meat, minced or scraped. A raw egg should be added occasionally to provide extra protein and as a source of iron.

Evening meal – this will become the main meal in adulthood and so the pulped vegetables and supplements mentioned in the adult dog diet should be introduced. The amount of food and supplements should be given according to the puppies’ size and weight. Extra calcium may be required, especially for larger breeds, but to ensure proper assimilation and a correct balance we recommend that a natural source of calcium be given.

Supper – the same as breakfast

12 weeks to 6 months – three meals daily

Omit supper and gradually increase the quantities given in the other feeds according to weight and breed requirements.

6 months to 1 year – two meals daily

Move the breakfast meal to lunchtime to replace the midday meal and gradually decrease the amount of milk and increase the cereal so that this becomes the main cereal feed. The evening meal now becomes the main meat feed in the day and the quantities should be increased as the puppy requires. Biscuits should now be fed dry to exercise the teeth and gums. A weekly half-day fast should be introduced.

From 1 year of age – feed the adult dog diet