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Nutrition is one subject that many people have different views on. What follows is not meant to alienate anyone but to help anyone interested in what works for my dog(s). I strongly recommend you consult with your veterinarian on any diet you feed your dog. I will not make any recommendations on anyone elses dog or bitch as I am NOT A VETERINARIAN.!!!
Before I feed anything to my dog, I consult with my veterinarian and check for toxicity. While each dog is different you must remember that what is toxic for one dog may not show toxicity toward another dog right away. I NEVER feed my dogs CHOCOLATE, ONIONS, GRAPES, RAISINS OR COOKED BONES. There are several other foods that are toxic to dogs including but not limited to: Mushrooms, Macadamia nuts, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, sugarless gum, cooked bones of any kind, coffee, tea, citrus oil extracts to name a few. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, CHECK WITH A VETERINARIAN!
If you only buy one book the one I most recommend is:::: Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (Third Edition) which is the latest and greatest. Alot of places still offer the Second Edition which is out of date and for the same price. The third edition is copyrighted 2005.
The best book to prepare you though for Dr. Pitcairn's book is the one by Levy.
The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat by Juliette D. Bairacli Levy.
Both of the above books come in paperback. I have tried in vain but never found them in hardcover.
The next book is a good read after the above two.
The Nature of Animal Healing: The Path to Your Pet's Health, Happiness, and Longevity by Martin Goldstein, DVM
A very nice read and good supplemental information to the above 2 books. The hardcover book is 1 year older than the paperback. I am not sure if the paperback was updated or not. I own and read from the hardcover version.
The last book is if you really want to dig into each individual herb.
All you ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets by Mary Wulff-Tilford and Gregory L. Tilford
This last book is very nice as a reference. I read from it randomly to learn more about each different herb.
While I have several other books I can refer you to, these will serve to get you started. If you start today and read through each of the first 3 you can study them for 6 months and still find more to learn from them. I truly believe that the health of all my dogs through the years has only gotten better as I have learned more and moved toward the holistic side of pet care. Herbal supplementation for a dog is really quite inexpensive and if it helps in their general overall health I am all for it.
You do not have to read every book and every word to get a wealth of information. Each of the first 2 books has a good 5-6 chapters to get you started and they are very inexpensive compared to feeding poor quality food to an expensive high quality pet/companion/stud dog/brood bitch.
I strongly believe in the B.A.R.F. diet which stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food.
Shasta's main food is Urban Wolf and it qualifies as a B.A.R.F. diet.
In addition to the Urban Wolf that Shasta eats, he receives the following supplements 5 days out of 7.
NR. Seaweed, NR Special Blend, Healthy Compound (from Dr. Pitcairn's book)
Shasta receives the following supplements 7 days out of 7.
Vitamin C, Vitaflex MSM, and Probiotics
The website about Vitaflex is http://www.vitaflex.com/index.php
The above supplements that Shasta receives are approved by my vet and for MY DOG. I strongly recommend visiting a reliable vet that is well versed in canine nutrition (which many are not, as is evidenced by the fact that they recommend Iams, Science Diet, Purina , etc.). I will say this, when looking for a vet I ask them one simple question:: "Have you read Dr. Pitcairn's book or Juliette Levy's book?" If they don't know what I am talking about then they are not on the same page I am and I look elsewhere for veterinary services.
Fresh foods that I include in his diet include fresh yams ( 1 cup shredded and cooked), boiled potatoes, fresh spinach leaves chopped up, fresh parsley chopped up, fresh zucchini and yellow necked squash grated, carrots grated finely. I use these at various random times, not every meal. I also fast Shasta for a 24 hour period most every week. Alot of this is described in Dr. Pitcairn's book. Shasta also rarely, if ever, receives any grains as grains are not truly a part of a natural canine diet unless they are derived from the intestines of downed prey. I also use canned pumpkin in administering any supplements he will not eat willingly in his food.
While I could write you out a specific diet for your animals it may or may not be appropriate. Each dog is different. I have worked hard and long since Nov 2005 when I received Shasta to get his diet refined to where I am comfortable with what I feed him. One good thing I learned from watching the video Eat, Drink and Wag Your Tail by Mickey Voisard (her website is http://www.dogchefs.com ) and featuring a rare interview with Dr. Pitcairn (by the way he is one of the first vets in this country to speak out about natural rearing and natural nutrition for dogs and cats in the United States) is to watch the dog's poop. Mickey has some different ideas but some are quality.
I evaluate and record Shasta's poop each and every day in his journal. From this I can tell how he is doing internally. Luckily I was able to predict he had a "yeast" infection in his ear by watching his body language and behavior. Information even a vet can not tell you at first and it can help the vet in determining if there is a problem early before it becomes out of control.
What follows are descriptions of most of Shasta's supplements.
These descriptions were copied from the Sapphire Shepherds website.
NR SEAWEED MINERAL FOOD:
Mrs. Bairacli Levy was the pioneer of the feeding of seaweed for the veterinary world. Contains only the best DEEP-SEA KELP. The mineral content of this food is improved by the addition of NETTLE, one of the most vital mineral and medicinal rich plants on land. Also added are CLEAVERS or UVI URSI. These herbs are important aids in kidney function, overall glandular health and in particular thyroid function. This natural food supplement promotes the general well being of All animals, including; strong and thick coat; good pigment and bone; healthy teeth; full milk supply in females and strong nerves for all. When used daily for the pregnant female, it can give amazing results in the general improvement of the litter as well as prevent acid or failing milk and streptococcal infection. A mere pinch given daily is a proven " Wonder Worker"
Daily Dosage: Maintenance: small dog / cat- a pinch med. dog - 1/8 - ¼ tsp. large dog - ½ tsp.
For problems (coat, pigmentation, etc.) or pregnancy, use double maintenance dosage
N.R. Special Blend Daily Herbal Supplement.
A special concentrated herbal formula blended to aid digestion and to ensure your pet receives essential vitamins and minerals. Use as a daily supplement with their food. Animals love the taste, and in fact helps to stimulate the appetite of poor eaters.
Contains the following:
CARROT: Rich in vitamins A, B, and C and contains small amounts of E and K as well as phosphorus, potassium and calcium. It is particularly valuable as a digestive aid, glandular tonic, skin cleanser and eye conditioner. It is helpful in fighting infection and cleansing the nervous system, while promoting vitality and a feeling of wellbeing.
PARSLEY: Particularly rich in both iron and vitamin C, with an appreciable level of provitamin A. Also high in calcium, phosphorus, and manganese. It is surely one of our most concentrated food stuffs.
SUNFLOWER AND SESAME SEEDS: Highly nutritious and outstandingly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are high in protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B3 and calcium.
CORRIANDER: Noted for sweetening the breath and stimulating the digestion and appetite. It is said to be almost magical in banishing flatulence.
DILL: A calmative herb, used for many years to stimulate the appetite and settle the stomach.
ANIS: Helps to expel gas from the intestine; an antiseptic herb.
FENNEL: Tones digestion, relieves flatulence and other disturbances of the bowel or intestinal function.
CAROB: Juliette de Bairacli Levy has been popularizing the use of this food for dogs. When fed to puppies it has shown good results as a protection against hip dysplasia. Carob has been a source of food for animals and people for thousands of years. It is packed with mineral: calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium, and silicon. It contains vitamins B1; B2 and Niacin; a little vitamin A and some protein.
Dosage: a pinch - ½ tsp. daily depending on size.
Note: The birth aid and the bark gruel are 2 supplements for your bitches and puppies!!!!
VITAMIN C POWDER / SODIUM ASCORBATE:
Probably the most important vitamin supplement to add to the diet of animals. This form is buffered and is easily digested without stomach irritation. It is almost tasteless and very easy to give. Important not only for daily maintenance but for the sick, recovering, arthritic or surgical patient as well. It has also proved useful to add in the formula of puppies/ kittens who are not doing well. Contains pure imported sodium ascorbate at the rate of 4,000 mg. per teaspoon. (Note: Vitamin C is also known to help prevent hip and elbow problems).
The following 2 herbals are great for a bitch preparing to whelp.
NR BIRTH AID:
Formulated with WILD RASPBERRY LEAVES, DANDELION LEAVES, WILD HAWTHORN OR ROSE FRUITS, ELDER, DILL and TONIC (tree) SPICE. Age old proven herbs for helping an easy pregnancy and birth. The Gypsies and native Indians have long used these successful herbs. Juliette de Bairacli Levy pioneered this blend for animals. It is given to the female after conception through delivery, and a few days after. Or use it to aid with any female troubles or as a general tonic.
Daily Dosage: small dog / cat- 1, med. dog - 2- 3, large dog 4 - 6
NR TREE BARK GRUEL:
Contains; SLIPPERY ( red) ELM TREE BARK; BARLEY FLOUR; DILL; MARSHMALLOW; and added nutritious herbs. It is nature’s supreme weaning food for all animals. It soothes the animal’s stomach and entire digestive tract as it feeds. This food based on a native Indian recipe, has proved to give superiority in bone, body and temperament. The latter because of the remarkable extent to which the stomach is soothed and nerves nurtured by slippery elm bark, marshmallow and barley. It is economical to use- an average puppy requires only one teaspoon of the gruel per food. It is essential to have for any sick or convalescing animal and in any diarrhea or irritable bowel problems. Add it to the female’s food ( or given with a milk meal and a little honey) just before and after whelping; and while nursing. Great to increase milk supply.
Dosage: small dog / cat - 1 tsp, med. dog - 3 tsp, large dog - 5 tsp.
The above items can all be purchased from Ramona Helmer at Sapphire Shepherds.
Another good source of information is the website http://www.acupuncture.com
Here you can learn alot about different things that can help humans and dogs. I always ALWAYS confer with my vet before feeding my dog anything new.
And last, but not least, I am a faithful subsriber and student of the Whole Dog Journal. If you really want to learn some up to date information about canine nutrition, subscribe and study this magazine as it is packed with wonderful information. www.whole-dog-journal.com
I am just as busy as the next person and when I recommend reading the books it was not done off hand. I realize that you may feel you don't have the time. It only takes 30 mins a day. Read before bed time....but read and learn so that when feeding your dogs you know how to feed, what to feed, when to feed, what to cut back, when to add variety, what is safe, what is not. I am no expert and the people in the books I recommended are. There is no shortcut. In those books you will find what is truly in commercial dog food, what a canine needs to grow healthy and lead a normal life one that is balanced and happy. I only hope that even some of this information does help you and your dogs.
This should get you started and help some. I hope that you can find some of this useful.
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