RAWPETDIGEST
August/ September 2017
I N THI S I SSUE: -Natural puppy care -M eet th e model s -Raw f eedi ng adv i ce to l i v e by -A nd much more! Onyx, a German Shepherd. Phot o credit : Erin O'Connor
Raw Pet Digest Editor-in-chief: Kristin Clark
To get an annual subscription (6 issues): -Go to the Store at Canine Health Promotion: www.caninehealthpromotion.com -Using PayPal: send $20.00 USD to kristin@rawpetdigest.com -Using Square: go to mkt.com/ rawpetdigest -Email kristin@rawpetdigest.com for alternate forms of payment
All emails and letters become the property of Raw Pet Digest and may be reprinted in future issues.
Our mission at Raw Pet Digest is to share information that supports natural health with a broad audience to help improve the lives of our carnivore pets. We believe that only the body is capable of achieving and maintaining true health, but we also believe that there are many things that we can do to help support the body in its quest to maintain balance (health). Raw Pet Digest aims to help educate and inform you about those things so that you can help your pet live a long life and thrive naturally.
DISCLAIMER: All information contained in Raw Pet Digest is intended for educational purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, prevent, or treat any disease, illness, or injured condition of the body or pets, and the author(s), publisher, and contributors accept no responsibility for such use. Anyone or their pets suffering from any disease, illness, or injury should consult with their physician or veterinarian. The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, all views expressed herein by those being interviewed or featured are their own views and do not necessarily represent the views of Raw Pet Digest. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the author(s) and Editor-in-Chief. The articles herein are for educational purposes only. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader.
Lycan, Merlin, Midge, and Pansy. Photo credit: Bre Altherr
FEATURES ANDCOLUMNS Letter from the Editor - 4 Meet the Models - 5 6 Pieces of Raw Feeding Advice to Live By - 22 Raw Pets Thrive! Puzzle - 30 The Beginner's Corner - 32 Living in Gratitude - 38 Red Meat, White Meat, and Your Dog - 41
Lady Viola, Great Dane. Photo credit: Deb McMurdie
Raising a Puppy Naturally - 45
Nugget the kitten. Photo credit: Devin Nelson
Letter fromtheEditor Happy August, my fellow pet parents! I hope that you?re all enjoying the summer. This has been a fun issue to put together, especially because we take time to celebrate some of the beautiful dogs that have graced our pages and welcome some new models that will be joining us here in Raw Pet Digest. Putting the "Meet the Models" article together was especially gratifying because each of the dogs is raw fed, and they range in size from a tiny Chihuahua (with only about 10 teeth!) to huge Great Danes, and they range in age from puppies to seniors. When I was laying out the article, I thought about how amazing it is that each of the owners of the dogs shown here have figured out ways to feed their dogs a species-appropriate raw diet so that they thrive. These owners have been able to overcome the usual concerns about cost, the ?ick? factor, and hesitations about potential inconvenience? and all of them have been feeding this way for years. They've learned how to find affordable meat and how to make raw feeding a convenient part of life? in short, they've learned exactly how to make it work for them and their dogs. And it made me hopeful that they and their dogs might inspire others who want to give their pets the best lives possible but aren't sure if they can. This issue was also fun for me because one of the articles, written by Dr. Erin
Kristin with Cleo, Motley, Elle, and Barkley. Photo credit: Adam Gilbert
O?Connor, focuses on natural puppy care. It?s full of great, easy-to-implement advice about raising and caring for puppies naturally, and the sheer adorableness of her own naturally reared puppy, Onyx, can't be overstated. This issue marks another first: a new regular puzzle feature that we hope is fun and challenging. If you complete the puzzle and email it back to us by August 15, 2017, you?ll receive a prize, so check it out! Here at Raw Pet Digest, we're considering how to make the magazine easier for you to access. We?re also considering publishing once a month. There are always new and exciting things in natural pet health and raw feeding, and publishing once a month would enable us to bring you more information faster. So, stay tuned? we?ll have a final decision on that soon. I truly hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together! Until next time, Kristin 4
MEETTHEMODELS We are incredibly lucky here at Raw Pet Digest to have so many beautiful doggy models gracing our pages. Now, you get a chance to meet some of them...both those that have been a part of our magazine for many issues and some newer models we're excited to welcome. Each of the models we feature here eats a species-appropriate prey model diet, and as you'll see, they're every size, age, breed, and gender. We hope that you'll enjoy "meeting" them, and we hope you'll be inspired to think about what you feed your own dog so they can achieve optimal wellness. Diet is the foundation of health, and as these dogs show, feeding a carnivore diet will help your dog thrive throughout their whole life. We present our gorgeous models in no particular order. Enjoy!
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BELLA(ITALIANGREYHOUND)
Age: 11 years Weight: 12 lbs On raw since: 4 years old Favorite protein: Quail! Favorite activities: Erin says, "Bella's favorite things to do include cuddling under her various blankets and in her various beds, sunbathing, doing agility, and being rightfully pampered by her humans." Part of the family since: 2 months old Ph ot o cr edit : Er in O'Con n or
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LOLO(BORDERCOLLIE)
Age: 8 years Weight: 32 lbs On raw since: the age of 1 Favorite proteins: Rabbit and lamb Favorite Activities: Erin says, "Her faves are playing fetch, running agility, learning tricks, cuddling with her human, swimming, going to work, and herding sheep and ducks." Part of the family since: 2 months old Fun fact: Lolo is also the cover model of the book Let Food Be Their Medicine: Using Nature's Principles to Help Your Dog Thrive Ph ot o cr edit : Er in O'Con n or
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MERLIN(AMERICANPITBULLTERRIER)
Age: 10 1/ 2 Weight: About 60 lbs Favorite proteins: Something larger to chew on, like a bone, beef trachea, beef gullet, or whole prey animal like beaver, deer, rabbit. Favorite activity: Bre says, "He's a momma's boy, so anything from cuddling to walks to training to tug of war, as long as it's with me he's happiest." On raw for: The past 8 1/ 2 years Part of the family since: 3 weeks old Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r
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LYCAN(BELGIANMALINOIS)
Age: 8 years old Weight: About 65 lbs Favorite protein: Prey model rabbit or large chunks of tripe Favorite activity: He loves protection work, chuck it (fetch), or just being a dog and running freely through the woods and creek followed by downtime with something large like a goat head to gnaw on before crashing for the night. On raw: For as long as we've had him (since he was 12 weeks old) Fun fact: Bre says, "I chose his name because he reminded us of a little werewolf as a puppy!" Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r
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PANSY(CHIHUAHUA)
Age: 8 Weight: 4 1/ 2 to 5 1/ 2 lbs, depending on how large her meal was! Favorite protein: ANYTHING. She lives for food and cuddles with me. Favorite Activity: Bre says, "Cuddling in blankets with me or getting out and about visiting different people and places. Pansy knows no stranger, human or animal." On raw since: 14 weeks Part of the family since: 10 weeks old Fun fact: Pansy only has about 10 teeth, but she doesn't let that stop her from enjoying her raw meaty bones and species-appropriate meals! Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r
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MIDGE(REDBONECOONHOUND)
Age: 5(ish) Weight: 35 lbs Favorite protein: Turkey necks and duck heads Favorite Activity: Bre says, "Cuddling for sure. She's never close enough in her mind and has no concept of personal space! She also enjoys playing chuck it (fetch) and swimming." On raw for: The last 4 years Part of the family for: The last 4 years Ph ot o cr edit : Br e Alt h er r 11
6PIECESOFRAWFEEDING ADVICETOLIVEBY
Lolo with a raw meaty bone. Photo credit: Erin O'Connor
I work with lots of people who are new to raw feeding. Often, their dog has had a health problem, and they turn to raw feeding hoping it will miraculously ?cure? the issue. Sometimes, they?ve had a dog pass away too young from a preventable disease, and they begin to explore raw feeding with their new dog, determined to do whatever they can to make sure this time will be different. It?s incredibly rewarding to see the profound effects raw feeding has on these dogs, and time and time again, people find their dogs are able to flourish and thrive on a raw feeding regimen.
assumptions. As a result, I often spend quite a bit of time with them working to sort fact from fiction, information from misinformation. Trust me, I can relate to where they?re at, and where I?m sure many, many people who are starting the raw feeding journey are at. I had to spend quite a bit of time sorting through what I ?knew? to be true and what was actually true when I first started. And, I?m still learning (and will be, for the rest of my life)! That being said, though, there are some pieces of raw feeding advice I?d like to share that might make your raw feeding journey easier, smoother, and better.
Almost universally, though, when I work with a new client, there is a wealth of information and? dare I say it? misinformation that they?ve picked up? sometimes from Facebook groups, sometimes from friends, sometimes from their vets, sometimes from their own
Raw Feeding Tip # 1: Don?t overt hink it This is probably the most important tip I can give you. Yes, it?s important to balance your dog or cat?s meals. Yes, it?s important to make sure they get variety. Yes, there are things you need to really think about and plan out when you feed a raw diet, particularly if you?ve just transitioned or are in the process of transitioning from a kibble or canned food diet. But feeding a raw diet isn?t rocket science, no matter what some people might have you believe. Our carnivore pets have evolved an incredible ability to use what they need and shed out what they don?t. What does that mean? It means that, when you?re feeding a species-appropriate raw diet, if you?re providing adequate amounts of meat, bones, and organs, you don?t need to worry if your bone percentage is a little high, or your meat percentage is a little high. Your pet will take what they need and
Dru, a Great Dane. Photo credit: Deb McMurdie
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eliminate the rest. If your pet does better with a bit more bone (perhaps their stools are really loose when you feed a strict 10% bone, especially when you?re introducing a new protein to them), then feed them a bit more bone. Similarly, if your pet seems to be losing weight and you?re already feeding 3% of their ideal body weight, you may need to feed a little more. Remember, the percentages that people talk about with raw feeding are guidelines, and may need to be adjusted to meet your pet's specific needs. Like us, every pet is different, and even in the same individual, needs may change over time. So, don?t overthink it? if you end up feeding a bit more
than 10% bone and you feed 4% ideal body weight, and your pet is thriving, then roll with that. Sometimes, especially when we first start out, we get so worried about making a mistake that it paralyzes us. So, I?ll say it again: don?t overthink it. Your pet will be fine. Start with the general guidelines and ratios, and then from there do what makes sense for your pet. If you aren?t sure, talk to a qualified animal naturopath or an expert raw feeder to help make sure you?re doing it right? to make sure you?re feeding enough variety, to make sure you?re feeding the right general percentages, and to make sure you know what to watch for to determine if your pet is truly thriving or if something is ?off.? And then, just do it.
The whole gang. Photo credit: Deb McMurdie
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Raw Feeding Tip # 2: Let your pet ?s body guide you This is very much related to the previous tip, but it bears mentioning. When you feed raw, you?ll notice changes in your pet?s body, behavior, and so on. Their stool will change. Their coat will change. Their body shape will change. Their energy will change. Watch them, and learn their new normal. If you detect something is changing, decide whether it?s a positive change or not; if it is, keep doing what you?re doing. If it isn?t (if, for example, they?re gaining or losing weight and they shouldn?t be), adjust.
Also, keep in mind that, if you get blood work done, your raw-fed pet may have different values than a ?normal? animal. The blood work values are based on dogs and cats that have been fed a processed food diet all their lives, and the results may be skewed. This is not to say that these standard values are wrong, but if your pet seems in perfect health but the values are a little different than what you or your vet expected, it?s worth bearing this in mind. Your pet will give you a myriad of clues as to their state of well-being, every single day, and if you let them guide you, you?ll be able to tell if there?s an issue and move to correct it before it becomes a major problem.
Schatzie and King. Photo credit: Kim Bloomer
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