Brittany Ippolito
November 10, 2024
Regardless of where you're starting from, learn how to add fresh food to your dog's diet!
Living creatures should eat living food.
Every time we feed our dogs, we have an opportunity to fuel their bodies. This is a reminder that food is not just a means of survival, but also an opportunity for us to MAKE CHOICES that optimize and activate our dog's health to lay down the foundation for a strong, healthy and bright future.
Dogs are Facultative Carnivores, meaning they can survive off of almost any diet but THRIVE off of a primarily meat-based diet with some plant material.
I realize, acknowledge and reluctantly accept that not everyone is going to feed their dog a completely fresh food diet, but hopefully this inspires you to take those first steps towards feeding fresh food.
I know it can also feel very foreign and overwhelming to even start. I want to make this process fun, exciting and motivating for you so let's start by familiarizing you with what foods your dog can eat.
If you have a dog with a “sensitive tummy” I encourage you to chat with your vet, TCVM vet or canine nutritionist about how you can strengthen and heal their gut.
Processed diets include: kibble, canned, dehydrated, freeze dried
As a Canine Nutritionist, it is my job to make sure your dog is eating a complete and balanced recipe. Premade diets should already be complete, balanced, and meet or exceed AAFCO standards. For this reason, I recommend only replacing about 10% of their food with fresh food, and several times a week you can push that number to 20%.
Whenever you are changing your dog’s diet, change ONE THING A TIME and OBSERVE so you can monitor how your dog is reacting and taking to the new item. I recommend observing for at least three days before changing or adding anything else new.
Shop for your dog at the same grocery stores you shop for yourself at. This makes picking up food for your dog easy. Look for sales too!
If you will be cooking their meat portions, DO NOT feed cooked fat. Dogs do not have the ability to digest cooked fat and so it builds up in their blood.
I also do not recommend feeding cold or frozen foods. These foods can weaken your dog’s digestive function, leading to gastrointestinal issues down the road. Always warm food up to room temperature or slightly warmer.
The biggest problem with kibble is its high carb load and low levels of protein. Dogs NEED protein in order to survive and thrive, making it my number one kibble topper.
Feed a variety of proteins, but don’t feel like you have to feed exotic proteins or meats that are out of your price range. Start with what is easy, affordable and accessible.
Protein can be fed raw or cooked, but for dogs not used to eating fresh food I recommend starting with cooked food first. I personally don’t feed raw pork or poultry, ever.
1 tablespoon every meal for every 10lbs your dog weighs
beef, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, venison, bison, rabbit, duck, cod
Organs are like multivitamins for dogs.
Muscle organs like heart, tongue, lung and gizzards can be fed in larger quantities. Heart would be my first choice as it is a rich source of taurine, which helps support your dog’s heart.
Secreting organs like liver, kidney and spleen should be fed in smaller quantities. Be careful with how much liver you feed that comes from ruminants as it is high in copper, which should already be present in their food and is not a mineral I recommend overfeeding. Grass Fed beef liver, however, is lower in copper. Poultry is also quite low in copper, while the copper in pork liver is completely not bioavailable to dogs.
Spleen is a great organ to feed to dogs who are anemic or have low iron levels.
1-2 tablespoons of muscle organs per 10 lbs per day and 1 quarter sized portion of secreting per 10 lbs per day
heart, tongue, lung, gizzards, liver, kidney, spleen
Oily fish are a fabulous way to add fresh omega-3 fatty acids to your dog’s diet
Start small when it comes to feeding fatty fish. Too much can trigger loose stool in some dogs.
Opt for fresh and wild caught! I personally do not feed canned food. It can have high histamines and trigger allergies in some dogs. Tinned food can also have high levels of metal present. If I can’t find it fresh, then I won’t feed it
If you are looking for an omega-3 supplement, my favorite brand is by Pawsomely Healthy. Their supplement is actually a freeze-dried oil, which can be better tolerated by dogs who are sensitive to oils.
I personally choose to feed fish cooked.
1 tablespoon per 10 lbs per day - decrease if it triggers loose stool
salmon, mackerel, anchovy, sardine, herring
Eggs have all the essential nutrients to start a new lifeform - that’s pretty incredible! It’s no surprise then that eggs are a wonderful intro food to feed your dog.
While not necessary, opt for pasture raised eggs if you can! They will contain higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
¼-½ an egg per 10lbs
chicken, duck, quail
Fiber is essential for a healthy colon and gut ecosystem, and fresh is best. However, most processed dog foods are already high in fiber and adding more can cause gas and loose stools. Keep portions small at first and slowly increase this portion overtime to see how your dog reacts. If gas or loose stool happens then you know you’ve fed too much.
Dogs are unable to digest raw plant material. Gently cook greens veggies, fully cook root veggies and overcook grains and beans. If you would like to feed your dog raw veggies, perhaps on a hot summer day, you can puree the raw veggies. When making raw veggie purees, adding cucumber will help give you a smooth blend.
about half the size of your dog’s paw print
greens, herbs, sprouts, root veggies, grains, beans
Fruit is like candy for dogs and can be fed as a snack in moderation.
2-4 blueberries per 10 lbs
any dog safe fruits!
Bone broth is full of electrolytes and is an incredible way to boost your dog’s hydration levels. Use it to rehydrate kibble.
1-2 tablespoons per 10 lbs
use bones that have lots of cartilage and connective tissues on them like feet, joints, tails, spines, etc
Most foods humans can eat are also safe for dogs to eat, but there are a few you should avoid
lunch meat, grilled meat, seasoned foods, high fat foods, cooked fat, chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, onions, chives
I know feeding your dog fresh food can seem and feel like such a foreign, overwhelming or even dangerous task. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Dogs are such simple creatures so keep their fresh food options simple too! Start by replacing at least 10% of their processed food with any of the fresh food toppers in this article.
If you’re feeling creative, make them meatballs with a few of these ingredients. Freeze the meatballs and pull out the portions at night so they are defrosted by morning.
I challenge you to feed your dog some type of fresh food EVERY DAY!
If you need help building a fresh food diet for your dog purchase a recipe from me or book a consultation with me BOOK WITH ME
Looking for advice and help with your dog's diet and nutritional needs?
Book a one on one call with me where we'll go through your dog's history, habits and any current health concerns. You'll receive tailored recipes and food/herbal therapy guidance on what will best meet their needs. I am also available to chat if you have questions along the way!
