Raw meaty bones excellent
for keeping dogs healthy
MANY dog owners are afraid to feed bones to their dogs – a system commonly called the “Barf Diet”. And in direct opposition to this ideal your vet may tell you never to feed bones to your dog as it can cause problems with splintering in the stomach. However, both are only partly true. It is hugely beneficial to feed your dog bones – but ONLY RAW BONES! It is cooked ones that can splinter inside the stomach, so the rule is that you never feed your dog cooked bones left over from a meal. But it is okay to feed them the raw bones that you have left when you cut the meat away to cook it for your meal.
If you cook the meat on the bone, then by all means cut off any scraps of meat and tissue for your dog when your family has eaten its fill, but throw the bones in the trash, away from access by the dog. A raw chicken carcase is good food for your dog - or raw pork bones, or the best option – a lovely large meaty beef marrowbone.
We can not blame our vet for giving half truths either – the number of people in any given district who would find it difficult to sort out what kind of bone is okay for their dog is larger than you would think, and the vets are already working to capacity. And of course they do usually sell the more expensive types of dog and cat foods in their clinics, so there is a double incentive not to mention that raw bone is good for dogs (actually, it is good for cats too – there would be fewer dental problems in cats if they were given a raw chicken wing about twice a week).
To take the Barf diet a little further we just have to think about the dog’s natural food in the wild – their whole system is geared to catch and eat prey and they don’t just eat the meat – their bodies require everything to remain healthy – skin, fur, internal organs, bones, meat and even the contents of their prey’s stomach. That is what their system was made for and that is what keeps them healthy. Obviously in the wild they would get a piece of liver, kidney or heart less than they would get a piece of meat and bone and it is safe to say that they need less organ meat than bone, but they should have some occasionally. Raw bones are composed of living cells and contain minerals within the protein, and vitamins within the fat (essential fatty acids) – highest in chicken and pork.
When you look at dogs playing in their yards or in the park it is not hard to pick the ones on a healthy natural diet. They have clear, alert eyes and a happy attitude. They usually carry their health through to their old age and are far less likely to get bloat because if they have to work to get each piece of meat off a bone they obviously can not eat too quickly. They are less likely to develop any kind of digestive problem or diarrhoea. Even their faeces are lighter in colour and smell less. As long as the bones have plenty meat on them your dog is also getting plenty of B vitamins as well as methionine – both essential for health.
Because wild dogs naturally eat the stomach contents of their prey they do need vegetables, fruit and even grasses in their diet. Have you seen your dog stop in its play to nibble some choice pieces of grass, especially the young tips of the grass blades? This is because the new grasses are sweet and tasty and, especially if your dog has been running around playing, they provide extra energy.
Vegetables are another essential – our dogs love a raw carrot as a snack, the stalks of broccoli or cauliflower, radishes, the centre stalk of cabbage leaves, a piece of raw pumpkin or squash, turnip or swede, and one of our girls even loves cucumber and zucchini. It is all a matter of their personal choice. Most dogs also love a piece of fruit (never whole stone fruit in case the stone is swallowed too) and will help themselves to your herbs if given access.
You may have certain herbs that you grow all the time and your dog never touches them, but one day he or she will eat one of them down to the bare stalks. Don’t be angry – the dog is self-medicating and needed that particular herb on that day. Do some research to find out what condition that particular herb is used for and you may be able to further assist your dog with its problem.
Meat supplies your dog with protein, fat, water, vitamins and minerals. That means it supplies energy - it is first class protein containing all the essential amino acids necessary for dogs of all ages and all levels of activity. It supplies no carbohydrates, sugar or fibre but the more fat it contains the less water and protein content and the more energy it supplies to the dog. Pork and chicken supply the most fat within their meat, followed by lamb and then beef.
In the offal meats, liver supplies vitamin A, D, E and K, and smaller amounts of vitamin C, zinc, selenium, manganese and iron. It also contains all the B vitamins, particularly B2, B3, B5, biotin, folacin, B12, choline, and inositol. It contains B1 in adequate or smaller amounts. Liver also supplies omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, so is a superfood for dogs, but not too much – a little once or twice a week is enough.
Like liver, kidney also supplies protein, EFAs, vitamin A, D, E and K, iron and B group vitamins, also the mineral zinc which is the healing mineral. Hearts, while they do contain some EFAs and protein, iron and B vitamins, are a good source of laurine – important to keep the dog’s heart healthy.
Tripe has often been called the best natural food for the dog – it contains probiotics and phytonutrients, enzymes and the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. It is often recommended as an ideal food for overweight dogs as it aids quick and efficient digestion without the sugars, trans fats and carbohydrates present in today’s processed dog foods.
The subject of nutrition for dogs is a huge one and could not be fully covered in anything smaller than a rather large book. However, for those of us who have healthy dogs and want to keep it that way then the simplest rules to follow are: keep it fresh, keep it raw; and feed from a large variety of food groups to make sure your dog has the best chance ever of consuming all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fatty acids that he or she needs. - EP
