What Should Our Dogs Eat?

There is a lot of information out there regarding what we should feed our dogs and how different foods can often be bad for them. Navigating all of this and coming out with a feeding regime that you and your dog are happy with, which is healthy and balanced, can be so hard we often resort to something consistent and convenient, like commercial dog food. However, this can often be the worst choice for our pets; processed is processed after all. Just like many mammals, including humans, canines require regular sources of water, protein, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, feeding your dog a fresh, raw, and varied diet is a natural and healthy option for all pet owners; it is less convenient and there is more prep involved, but your canine companion will appreciate it. Your dog will feel better, look healthier and be more fulfilled by their mealtimes. I have included many different ingredients on my recipe, which may look daunting, but both meals are served totally raw and with very little preparation to make it as human friendly as possible.

Below is an outline for a daily or occasional meal and a snack meal for a 15kg terrier cross breed. Based off the size and breed I have estimated that a 330g main meal and a 45g snack meal would be sufficient.

To work out the total daily grams of food for your dog I have added a table to help figure out the right portion size. Remember to take the weight of any treats or tid-bits they receive during the day off their total portion size. The total portion size may also take a bit of time to get perfect for each individual dog. If you feed your dog 200g of food each day and they seem to be putting on weight, drop the total amount by 5 - 10% (10-20g) for the next week and see how your dogs weight adjusts throughout this time. The same applies to if you don’t think your dog is getting enough food, gradually increase the total by a 5 - 10% each week until you and your dog are happy.

Main meal:

260g Raw chicken wings (I would recommend purchasing this from a local butcher to ensure your are getting the highest quality meat available and to request that the cuts you buy be chopped up as small as necessary for your dog.)
10g Chicken liver
20g Carrot
20g Broccoli
10g - Spinach (Chopped into small enough pieces to be mixed with the rest of the ingredients)
1 ½ tsps Salmon Oil

Chop the remainder of the ingredients into chunks small enough for your dog to swallow, pour the salmon oil on top and mix it all together.

Raw chicken wings are a great option if you want to provide your dog with a good ratio of meat to bone in their diet. The small, non-load-bearing bones are easy and enjoyable for a canine to crunch. Raw chicken will supply your dog with a healthy portion of protein as well as small amounts of trace minerals and vitamins like selenium, phosphorous, niacin and vitamin B6. Protein is critical for a canine’s survival as the amino acids that make up protein are repurposed in the body. New proteins are made that have countless roles inside their cells, such as antibody proteins to fight infection and hormones to send messages around the body. Selenium and phosphorus play a role in boosting the immune system and repairing and maintaining the cells of the body respectively. Niacin is a vitamin that dogs need a daily intake of since it has a range of uses such as the synthesis of oestrogen and testosterone. If you prefer not to feed your dog raw chicken wings, there are lots of new options available on the market for freshly prepared raw or cooked high-quality meat for your dog, such as Butternut Box or Bella and Juke. The raw chicken wings can be substituted however, fresh raw vegetables are essential as their nutritional quality can be compromised by any processing like canning or freezing and the veggies may become less appealing to our dogs.

Raw chicken liver will provide your canine companion with lots of iron and vitamin A. Iron is a crucial mineral for all animals as it, along with copper and proteins, forms haemoglobin which carries oxygen around the body in the blood. Without iron, dogs cannot produce haemoglobin and their cells would die. Vitamin A is another vitamin found in chicken liver that is beneficial to your canine in many ways, It helps to maintain healthy bones, teeth, and skin, as well as, promoting good night vision. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it can be stored in the body for later use so making sure your dog has a regular intake of vitamin A will guarantee they are getting plenty of the vitamin for the many functions inside their body.

Carrots, broccoli, and spinach are great sources of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K respectively. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant that helps to keep the skin, teeth, bones, and connective tissue remain healthy as well as playing a part in the immune system function. Vitamin K aids in the binding of calcium in bones and in the coagulation of blood during injury.

Sometimes, our canine companions can be slightly averse to eating vegetables on a regular basis therefore using salmon oil to coat the veggies in a pungent and appealing smell to a dog is a great way to get them to eat their greens. Salmon oil is not only full of omegas 3, 6 and 9 that play a vital role in keeping a dog’s heart healthy but it’s tasty too.

Snack meal:

15g Banana
15g Blackberries
15g Strawberries

I would recommend chopping the ingredients into small chunks and either squishing it all onto a Lickimat or putting it all into a Kong for your dog to enjoy a fun, engaging task while they eat.

Bananas, blackberries, and strawberries are all delicious and juicy treats for our dogs as well as being very healthy options for their diet. Bananas are full of potassium which is an electrolyte that is necessary for the conduction of electrical charges in a dog’s nerve cells, There are a lot of potassium ions inside dogs’ nerve cells, and it plays a vital role in the normal function of the muscles and heart. Blackberries are a great way to supplement your dog’s diet with plenty of zinc which can be hard to come by in fruit and vegetables but is crucial for keeping a dog’s coat and skin healthy. Lastly, I have added strawberries as a source of vitamin E, As a fat-soluble mineral it can be stored in a canine’s body and used gradually to maintain the immune system and keep the reproductive system and skin healthy. All the fruits and vegetables I have included are healthy sources of essential carbs to fuel a canine’s body and plenty of fibre to help their body digest those carbs too.

Written by Chloe Forster

Published on 31st August 2023

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