Crafting a Healthy Diet for Dogs
As the Enrollment Coordinator at Canine Peace of Mind, I’m often asked about dog diet and nutrition. I get questions such as:
What does a healthy diet for dogs look like?
Should I switch my dog to a fresh or raw diet?
Is it “all-in or nothing?”
“How much does that cost?
So, I decided to put together some information to help answer those questions.
NOTE: This is not a complete/balanced meal. My dogs are on an all raw diet so if your dog is not on a raw diet, please do not add all of this at once.
Setting Achievable Goals
Starting slow is something I was not very good at. I tend to be the “all-in or nothing” type of gal. For example, I wanted to exercise everyday, eat veggies for almost every meal, run three miles with the dogs, and make sure my kids have a certain amount of exercise. Basically, I would try to do too much and when I couldn’t do it all, I would get down on myself.
So, I started with small action steps. For example, drink half of my body weight in ounces of water. Once I conquered that goal and it was routine for me, I added one workout a week, and then I added better meals. By breaking my goals down to steps, I was able to TRUST myself and my ability to follow through.
Trust Yourself by Taking Small Action Steps
So what if we start slow with our pups? January is all about goal setting for the new year. We try to be healthier, but often burn out after a couple months and slide back into old habits. This year, we challenge you to take small steps to improve your dog’s health. Let’s start with diet.
Purdue University conducted a study in 2005 that showed adding green leafy vegetables to kibble 3 times a week reduced the risk of developing bladder cancer by 90% and dogs that consumed any yellow or orange vegetables by 70%.
Feeding fresh or raw food to your dog can seem like an all or nothing choice, but it’s not. Switching to a raw or fresh diet can be overwhelming (and sometimes over budget), so let’s break it down into simpler steps.
Head Trainer’s Tips for Crafting a Healthy Diet for Dogs
Kendra Sandoval, our head trainer, has been feeding her dogs a raw diet for six years and studying nutrition for five. I asked her to provide us with healthy adjustments our readers can make to their dogs’ diets but won’t break the bank.
Feeding Recommendations
Avoid kibble high in corn, grains or starches
Always read your first five ingredients. They should include meat, organ and bone
Stay away from by-product or meat meals (google them, it’s seriously gross)
Try not to feed synthetic vitamins. The real thing is much better!
Start slowly when adding fresh meats, fish, egg, fruits, and leafy greens
Stay away from jerky treats as they are high in preservatives, instead use freeze dried organ treats. figandtyler.com has some of our favorites and you can get 10% off your first order with code KS2050
Proteins (introduce slowly)
- Eggs (raw or cooked, just skip the butter)
- Fish (canned or frozen/raw)
- Ground Meats with no seasoning. Beef, pork, chicken, turkey, either lightly cooked or raw.
- Raw goats milk (found in most small pet stores with a freezer section)
- Yogurt or Kefir (plain), cottage cheese (can even help an upset tummy)
Leafy greens (lightly cooked, canned or frozen)
- Broccoli
- Collard Greens
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Kale
Other Vegetables (lightly cooked, canned or frozen)
- Carrots
- Beets
- Cucumbers
- Brussel sprouts
- Celery
- Cauliflower
- Sweet potato
- Bell peppers
Other Vegetables (lightly cooked, canned or frozen)
Apples
Bananas
Berries
Melons
Pears
Stone fruits can be fed sparingly, but remove the pit
Another healthy addition, honey! Read this article for feeding amounts and health benefits.
Getting Started with a Healthy Diet for Dogs
Don’t try to do everything on the list in the beginning. Instead, start with one or two small steps.
For example, if you have fruit that is over-ripe and you are going to throw it out, cut it up into your dog’s bowl instead.
Adding a spoonful of plain yogurt or cottage cheese, a raw or cooked egg or some broccoli out of the bag that’s sitting in the back of the freezer are all excellent choices to brighten up their bowl.
This year let’s focus on achievable goals for ourselves and our dogs.
Feel free to share with us and ask questions, because we are in your corner cheering you on!
