Can I give fish to my dogs and what type of fish is good for my dogs?

Answer: Wolves eat fish, why not our dogs? They are excellent source of Omega 3s, good for the joints and the heart. Wild caught sardines, mackerel and salmon have the highest source of Omegas . Make sure you deep freeze wild caught fish for two weeks before giving it to your dogs to eliminate potential parasites. I personally recommend wild caught fish because it has a higher nutritional value of Omega 3s than farm raised fish. Farm fish are often packed with antibiotics and other additives. A small precaution with the wild fish. The wild caught pacific salmon can have a rickettsial organism  which cause Salmon poisoning in some occasions. Salmon poisoning could be deadly to your dog. The best way to avoid this is not to buy Pacific salmon The rest of the wild caught fish is ok, but make sure you deep freeze it for 2 weeks prior to giving it to your dogs to avoid other small ocean parasites.

Only give whole fish to dogs who are experience raw eaters. For inexperienced dogs, remove the head and the intestines (because the heavy fish oil can upset their tummies)

Take caution with lake fish: Make sure you take the guts out of the lake fish, because often they are hooks left in them.

Give your dog(s) fish once a week, but avoid giving it too often , because it can interfere with vitamin B absorption.
Avoid giving large ocean fish as tuna and swordfish, because of the high mercury content in them.
Try not to give canned fish as well. Canned fish is cooked and very high in sodium.

Can I feed my dogs wild game?

Answer; Yes, you can feed your dogs any wild game ( deer, elk, moose, boar, bear, raccoon, ground squirrel, emu,kangaroo, pheasants, quails and etc...) Wild game meat is very rich in nutrients and Omega 3s, very important for the heart and joint health. Preferably (if you can afford, or have an easy access) feed wild game only. If you do, your dog will not need any additional supplements in their diet. If you have a tight budget (like me) try to feed wild game a few times a month. The oldest recorded dog in the world, Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, lived to the age of 29 years. His diet was primarily wild emu kangaroo and table scraps..

Wild animals are generally healthier than their domesticated counterparts, but if you worry about intestinal worms in the meat, remove the intestines first, then deep freeze the wild meat for two months before giving it to your dog.

Is a Raw Diet a well balanced diet?

Answer: In order for dogs to have well balanced diet, it is recommended they have a large variety of meat, including all parts of the animal: head, feet, stomach and internal organs; as well as fruits and vegetables in small amounts. About 2, 3% of the gray wolf diet includes wild berries and plant matter. Even though some people believe that dogs don’t need anything else but meat , I thoroughly believe that since wolves need some plants in their diet, why not our dogs too? I am going to cover this in more detail in another topic. For larger breeds, to avoid a choking hazard with “gulpers”, give large pieces of meaty bones. As a rule of thumb, make sure the piece of bone/meat is as large as the dog’s head. .Later on, I will provide a calculator with meat-to-organs ratio and how much to feed. I will break the types of meat into two groups, domesticated and wild game.

Meat from Domesticated Animals

Chicken: Feed all parts. Avoid giving wings or necks to large and medium dogs if they are not attached to the carcass (to avoid choking with gulpers)

Duck: Feed all parts. In this case you can feed necks and wings detached of the carcass, but try to break the wings at the joint ( the anatomy of the wing could be a choking hazard for new and inexperienced dogs on raw)

Turkey: Feed all parts, but remove the skin. Turkey skin is not very well digested by some dogs. For small dogs, who are new on raw avoid giving the legs. Those are the only bones, I’ve seen actually splinter and even though I never had problem with those, nor most of the dogs owners I know, I will recommend giving them to your dog after he starts chewing the meat more thoroughly

Beef: Feed all parts with exception of the femur and vertebra bones. Ribs are perfectly fine, as long as you give them large pieces , connected together for the larger dogs. Avoid small butcher cut from the store, or ask the butcher to cut you larger pieces.

Pork: Pork is perfectly fine to give to your dogs as long as your deep freeze it for 2 or 3 of weeks to avoid trichinosis, which is caused by intestinal roundworm. Some people recommend never to feed pork, but I never had any problems with it and our dogs love it, and you will never do as long as you deep freeze it for the 2 weeks time. You can feed all parts and again - not femur bones, not vertebra bones. Pork is very rich meat and more fatty and might cause runny poops in some dogs with sensitive stomachs. You can start by trimming all fat and giving small amounts.  If your dog appears to handle the fat well enough then you can slowly increase the amount until you can give them the meat untrimmed.

Lamb: Feed all parts. Lamb is very rich also, so try starting with small amounts and gradually increase. One exception are lamb chops, which includes weight bearing bone, but lamb bones are not as dense as the bigger animals and you can feed it safely to the dogs

Goat: Feed all parts (no weight bearing bones as well)

Rabbit: rabbit meat is very good for your dogs, the bones are soft and you can feed all parts. If your dog is more experienced with raw food, you can feed the rabbit whole, including fur

In the next post will talk about feeding wild game.

Are raw bones dangerous?

Answer : Not as long as three simple guidelines are followed.

1. Never give your dogs weight-bearing bones of big animals( cow , bison, pig, emu, ostrich, elk , bison, etc...)
   Wolves in the wild usually don't eat the weight-bearing bones like femur bones . The only animals who can handle those type of bones are the hyenas with their powerful jaws.
   

   Weight -bearing bones are only ok when they belong to small animals, like any type of birds or small rodents (chicken, duck, turkey, quail, pheasant, other game birds, rabbits...)

   Example for weight -bearing bones of big animals ( femur bones, vertebra ( spine) bones)

   
   

   Non Weight bearing bones, good to give your dogs are ( tail , neck bones, ribs- short or flat)

   
   
2. Never give your dog cooked bones. When cooked, the consistency of the bones are changed and can splinter.  So NEVER give your dog cooked bones!

3. Always give meaty bones to your dog , not only the bone itself.

Why raw diet?

Our “puppies” are decedent from ancient wolves who spend their time hunting in packs or savaging carcasses of dead animals. Although their temperament has changed, their gastrointestinal (GI or digestive) systems has not.  A small pancreas and short GI tract are strong proof of their similarity to their cousin The Wolf.   By providing them with a diet that is appropriate for them you will ensure your pet lives a long and healthy life.  Dog guardians who allow their pets to experience a diet appropriate for their species testify less vet visits, stronger immune systems, lower rates of sickness, and generally higher levels of energy, over pet owners who give their dogs primarily kibble.