Christmas Dog Treats
When it comes to Christmas dog treats, in short, there is not a lot you should feed your dog from your Christmas feast other than vegetables.
Christmas is a time for celebration for the entire family, including your dog. Too often we feed food scraps to the dog thinking, it is good for us, so why not fido?
Often the food is cooked rendering it not useful as cooking destroys a lot of nutrients and not in the correct format for a dog. It is not natural for dogs to have cooked foods therefore it is a good idea to think about what a dog would have in the wild.
How does a dog eat in the wild?
They rip and tear at the carcass. Then go for the content of the gut. This food matter is broken down into small digestible pieces. It does not look appetising to us but it does to the dog.
So what is the correct format?
Always pulverise fruits and vegetables so that it is easy to digest and will not cause blockages. Feed meat raw including raw bones.
Christmas celebration Turkey delight
One Christmas dog treat that is bound to impress is our Turkey Delight. This recipe has been trialled on many dogs of all sizes and breeds. The balance of meat, vegetables, fruit and grains offers a highly nutritious food for your dog, in the appropriate format to meet the natural requirements of their diet. For some dogs, if they have been fed pelleted foods, they need a little coaxing. The best way to do this is to start with a teaspoon of the fruit and vegetables and gradually increase as their taste buds become more attuned to a natural diet.
Ingredients
- 1 Turkey carcass (raw) and chopped
- Small amount of chopped raw dark turkey meat
- ¼ sweet potato lightly steamed
- ½ cup cabbage or bok choy
- ½ stick of celery
- ¼ small carrot (grated)
- 1/3rd mango
- 1 tablespoon of soaked rolled oats
Method
- Take all vegetables and fruit and blend together
- Serve amount to suit the dog and add carcass and meat.
- What is left over can be frozen in meal portions.
- Turkey can be replaced with chicken
** Caution: when feeding raw meats that have skin such as chicken and turkey ensure that the skin is finely chopped. If left in large pieces the dog may choke as the skin becomes gelatinous when mixed with saliva.
If you are interested in learning more about nutrition for your dog or in advising others professionally, you might be interested in the Certificate in Canine Biological Nutrition. It is a study at home course with combined learning options.
