bluehouse dog menu   01/02/2009

Objectives
Moist is better than dry, but not as important as in cats—dry is fine so long as a good food is chosen.
Maximise the amount of high-quality protein, (high biological value)
Minimise the amount of carbohydrates & ‘derivatives/meat and bone meal’,

Considerations:
A raw meaty bone diet satisfies all nutritional and dental requirements, but is not for everyone (please see footnote)
Some foods are not ‘complete’ in that they do not provide every nutrient a dog needs in the right amounts. For example, minced meat without bones and organ meat (heart, liver, kidney) is NOT a complete food. It can be added to the diet to increase the meat content, but should not be fed exclusively.
The diet does not have to be ‘fully balanced’ every day, so long as the overall balance of a diet is fine. For example, you can give liver or heart weekly rather than every day. 
Over-feeding liver is very dangerous!
You can mix food from different categories eg minced meat with kibble (dry food)
Variety in a dog's diet is desirable, for the dog's interest, and also to lessen the risk of any dietary deficiency.
Meat is preferably fed raw, though there is no worry if you wish to feed it cooked (so long as it does not include bone)
Fresh ground/minced meats spoil quickly once de-frozen—treat such meat as if it were for your own consumption.
We recommend adding Salmon oil to every dog’s diet to ensure good intake of Omega 3 fatty acids. No other supplements should be needed if these guidelines are followed.

Making the change
Some dogs are quite fussy – processed foods are often sprayed with flavour enhancers and salt to increase the appeal to your pooch. Make changes gradually – there is no race! - and rapid diet changes can lead to upset tummies.

Monitoring
Why note take a photo of your pet before you change foods, so that you can see the difference in a few months time?
Weigh your dog monthly – if he/she wont keep still, weigh yourself holding her, and then without her, and work out the difference. Alternatively feel free to bring your dog to see us to be weighed—there is no charge for this for our clients.

‘Complete’ foods
The bluehouse definition of ‘complete’ is very different from the food industry’s definition, and is based on biology rather than ‘what is the minimum we can get away with’.

bluehouse clients please note that if you choose the ‘raw meaty bone’ diet, it is your responsibility to educate yourself about this feeding technique. We will advise you and support you, but we are not responsible for any problems that you have through feeding such a diet.