By Lisa Peterson

and

Adria Henderson

“It’s dinnertime!”

Imagine throwing “Sparky” a raw chicken leg, raw beef bones, an avocado sprinkled with some herbs and a banana for dessert. Lifestyles such as vegetarianism and food combining have become very popular as healthy alternative for people. Today, similar trends are taking shape among pets. Raw diets lead the way as the alternative many dog owners are turning to improve the health of their dogs.

Dogs are carnivores. In the wild they eat raw uncooked meats, vegetables and very little grains. According to C.J. Puotinen in her book, The encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, “Before World War II, most Americans fed their pets raw bones and table scraps. Today, everyone uses convenience foods.” Those commercially prepared diets are based on grain as a major source of protein not meats.

Back in 1946, a study of raw versus cook foods was conducted by Dr. Francis M. Pottenger, Jr. The study was conducted for 10 years using several generations of cats and concluded that the cats receiving the raw diets were healthier, more resistant to disease and had better reproduction.

Cooking destroys heat-sensitive vitamins, trace elements and amino acids, deforms proteins enzymes and changes the molecular structure of fats,“ Puotinen writes.

”After losing several young dogs to cancer I began to read more about the environmental influences on my dog’s health, quality of life and longevity. I realized I had little control over world pollution, the chemical toxins my neighbors might use on their lawns, or genetic factors my dogs were born with. But I did have control of the quality of the food and water that went into my dogs,“ says Deborah Lee Miller-Riley, who for the past five years has been feeding her Portugese Water Dog show dogs an organic raw diet. ”I feed organically raised raw meat, raw bones, fresh organs, eggs, fish, a variety of veggies, fruits, sprouts, nuts, herbs, probiotics (like acidopholis) and digestive enzymes to my dogs because I know it is health promoting and biologically appropriate for canines.“

Puotinen also advocates a raw diet in her book to combat skin and coat problems and to prevent against the lowered life expectancy of many breeds. A typical diet might include raw bones and meats such as lamb, turkey, chicken, beef and fish. Puotinen also advocates feeding slightly cooked grains with digestive enzymes and a variety of fresh and slightly cooked vegetables. Bananas with grains soaked in raw milk might make an excellent breakfast.

”The reason I do not feed commercial food is because the canine species is not and has not evolved into a grain eating animal. Yet grain is the dominant ingredient in most commercial dog foods. When commercial dog food is cooked for processing the heat diminishes the value of or destroys essential fatty acids, some vitamins and minerals. Commercial food is often stored on shelves for long periods of time further damaging quality and increasing the risks of rancidity. Consumers are often tempted to purchase large bags of commercial dog food for convenience and not realize that once the food is exposed to air it begins to deteriorate. Rancid fats are a health hazard,“ Miller-Riley said.

While most people are not going to run out and buy raw meats and learn about the proper supplementation to a raw diet, there are alternatives on the market meeting meat-based protein needs of dogs. A few companies like PHD, Abady and Wysong, among others are addressing the need for our dogs to return to a more natural, raw meats based diet. For more information on raw diets, Puotinen’s book is an excellent resource. For information on PHD call 1-800-PHD-1502, or on Abady call 1-914-473-1900.

Or visit the Wysong website at www.wysong.net

 

Q &_A

 

Q: My vet says my black Lab is about 10 pounds overweight. What kind of diet can I feed him so that he doesn’t starve to death?  K.R.N. of Newtown

A: Before drastically changing your dog’s diet, such as the raw food diet suggested above, review your dog’s present eating and exercise habits. A minor change in diet or exercise may make all the difference. Use the following questions and suggestions as a guideline in your analysis.

1. What kind of food am I feeding? Check the label on the package. You’ll probably find a high amount of sugar if you are feeding a soft, moist food. Sugar is used to give these types of food their form. Consider replacing this food with a dry kibble with less sugar and fat. Another culprit could be canned food. Canned food is notoriously high in calories. Eliminating canned food may be a solution for you. Try adding some fat-free chicken broth for flavor if your dog won’t eat dry kibble. Always remember if you are changing foods the new food must be introduced gradually over a week’s time to avoid upsetting your dog’s digestive system.

                                   

2. How much am I feeding my dog? You should look carefully at the recommended amount of food listed on your pet food label. The amount to feed is usually listed according to weight. If you’re feeding too much, you can gradually cut down the amount of food. If your dog is a high energy breed such as a terrier, working or show dog, he may need to consume more food than listed on the label. A better solution is to use food developed for your dog’s lifestyle and age such as a performance feed, puppy feed, maintenance or senior feed.

3. How often do I feed my dog? Again check the label on your dog food. You may want to cut down the number of times you are feeding.  If you are feeding a very high calorie food, you might consider cutting out one feeding and replacing the feeding with a biscuit or two. Biscuits are much lower in sugar and fat and may be good substitutes for a high calorie feeding.

 

4. How often and what kinds of treats do I give my dogs?  Make sure the treats are low in calorie and fat. Formed treats that look like lamb chops or bacon strips are high in sugar. Switch to a low calorie biscuit. That doesn’t mean you can now give your dog treats every hour or two. Consider cutting out all treats except for biscuits if they’ re replacing a meal and when the dog comes in from his walk. Constantly feeding your dog biscuits will definitely add pounds. Table scraps - like potatoes and gravy which are high in fat - are a definite no-no for overweight dogs and should not be given to, and especially to an overweight dog. Raw carrots are a much better, crunchier choice.

5. How much exercise is my dog getting per day? As it is with humans, the best dog diet may not cause weight loss without a proper exercise program. Make sure your dog receives a brisk walk every day. If you are unable to take long walks with your dog, some simple obedience commands every day will keep your dog’s body exercised and his mind stimulated.

We’d love to hear from our readers. If you have a question, a humorous story or a photo of your pet that you’d like to share with us please send them to ANIMAL LIFESTYLES, P.O. Box 427, Botsford, CT 06404 or e-mail us a ANIMIALLIFESTYLES @USA. NET.

 

Adria Henderson and Lisa Peterson are owner/ operators of Safe At Home, LLC, a Newtown-based pet-sitting service.