[Samantha S]

Hi, new to this group so hope this is the appropriate place to post this forum!! My two dogs (40 Ib hound & 38 Ib shepherd mix) are currently eating grain free chicken and potato Redford naturals. I’m happy with the dry food and occasionally supplement with Evangers cooked chicken wet food to add some moisture. So I occasionally will add in some steamed broccoli, chickpeas, sweet potato, or any other foods I know are safe for them to eat just to add some fresh food! I know that their dry food is meeting nutritional requirements but I would like to start trying to split the meal, so rather than doing a full bowl of just dry kibble, doing half dry and half fresh foods. However, I know I shouldn’t start doing this with random foods as it needs to be appropriate and balanced. Any suggestions on how to use fresh foods I have on hand while still providing a balanced meal? I also sometimes throw in chia seeds and flax meal into my own meals as a nutritional supplement and wasn’t sure if anyone had any experience with those/ if those products could also be beneficial to my dogs? Thanks!

• This topic was modified 7 years ago by Samantha S.

[Susan]

Hi Samantha, I was told by Patches Naturopath when I started feeding him a raw diet, as long as the diet is balanced over the week your dog will be fine, every single meal doesn’t have to balanced but make sure the dog is getting what is needed in their diet over that week…
Sounds great what your doing, they have proven by adding 1-2 spoons of fresh whole foods to a dogs bowl of kibble reduces their chances of getting cancer, when Rodney asked Steve Brown, if you were to add just 1 fresh food to ur dogs diet what will it be, Steve said Mussels, add 2 mussel, 1 tablespoon salmon & a pinch kelp, do you follow “Rodney Habib” on his face Book page?? watch his video’s, Rodney has really good info, what foods to add to a dogs diet to prevent dogs dying young, preventing cancer, healthy skin & skinny coat, healthy on the inside, start adding tin sardines in spring water or olive oil, a couple sardines a day, some blueberries, teaspoon of coconut oil, there’s more healthy foods look for Rodney’s Video’s also change & rotate the protein source in diet, I stay away from chicken, it’s full of hormones unless your buying organic chicken, here’s Rodney F/B page he has just released a new video, “pet owners no longer trust vets” 2 studies this week just released, Pet owners DO NOT what to talk to vets about nutrition.
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

[Acroyali]

http://dogaware.com/diet/freshfoods.html

This might be a helpful resource to keep in your favorites tab.
I personally love chia seeds, but I don’t feed them to anything except the birds because my animals don’t care for them.
Best of luck!

[InkedMarie]

I wouldn’t feed Evangers. Do a google search on all their problems.

[WondrousPups]

Just bumping this question up to the top as I’m having the exact question, and would appreciate learning what other folks who mix dry kibbles with fresh food on a regular bases.

I’ve already followed the Acroyali’s link, and it recommends books such as “See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way” by Steve Brown and “Feed Your Best Friend Better: Easy, Nutritious Meals for Dogs” by Rick Woodford. I’ve read See Spot Live Longer the ABC way some time ago, and I’ve adapted weekly fresh food day as the author recommends (I’m only doing it more like monthly rather than weekly, though.)

Right now, I am more interested in Rick Woodford’s approach – using dry kibble as a base, and adding freshly prepared food as much as 50%. I haven’t read his whole book yet, but I agree with his analysis that commercial dog food is supplemented with 200% – 600% of essential vitamins and minerals that it is safe to add excess of 10%-limit (by calorie) of fresh food to each meal. Does anyone using this approach? How long have you been feeding this way, and what has been like for you and your fur babies? Thank you for your input!

[Marga C]

Hi I am Marga Collins. Nice to meet you. This will be the best site for your pets. https://theduran.com/is-covid-19-changing-our-relationships/

• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Marga C.

[aimee]

Hi WondrousPups,

When I add a significant amount of fresh food to the kibble base I’ll follow a recipe to make a complete and balanced diet. Based on reviewing posted N.A.’s I’d disagree that commercial foods have 200-600% of essential vitamins and minerals. In fact I’ve seen many posted N.A. that don’t even meet AAFCO minimums! The companies themselves seem unaware of this perhaps becausee they do not have nutritionists on staff. Additionally, if a particular dog has low energy requirements, even foods that meet AAFCO nutrient tables may not provide adequate nutrition.

[WondrousPups]

Hi Marga,
Nice to meet you, too. Thank you for the reply! The link didn’t appear to be anything pet related, though…. Was it a wrong link by any chance??? I’d love to know what you meant to share. Thanks!

[WondrousPups]

Hi Aimee!
Woo, that’s scary that some commercial kibble don’t meet even AAFCO minimums! I’m usually pretty diligent about checking companies (safety measures, nutritionists on staff, ingredients, nutrition based on my pups’ actual caloric needs, etc) before trying any new commercial kibbles. I guess I should always erre on the side of caution. I’ll probably add a vitamin & mineral slurry to fresh recipes even the portion is relatively small.

So do you usually add something to dry kibbles to patch any gaps when you feed your puppies, Aimee?
WP

[aimee]

Hi WonderousPup,

I come from a point of we don’t know what we don’t know. and since I try to eat all the colors of the rainbow I share. About the only “patch”, if you want to cal it that, is that I’ll add fish oil for omega 3.

[WondrousPups]

Hi Aimee,
Sounds like we are on a same boat right now , doing similar things. I’m still leaning towards feeding more home-cooked meals (not raw), but I don’t think I will ever convert to 100%. Just trying to find a balance that woks for me at this point. Thanks for dropping your thoughts!
WP

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