I'm overwhelmed! What's the best approach if I want to feed my dog a fresh food diet?

There are many different nutritional philosophies when it comes to feeding our dogs a fresh food diet.

In dog feeding circles, there are various feeding percentage ratios from 80/10/10, 80/10/5/5 to 50/40/5/5 and others, then there’s prey model, BARF, raw vs cooked, 100% balanced meals daily, balance over time - and is balance obtained by a ratio or by AAFCO or NRC?

When considering feeding approaches for either yourself or your dog, the abundance of information can be daunting, leading us to feel inclined to abandon the effort and simply consume whatever we desire, as consensus seems unattainable. However, I urge you not to lose hope - our diet is within our control and has been proven to significantly impact the health and lifespan of our canine companions.

Over the past 20+ years, my approach to feeding my dogs has undergone changes. I have experimented with different feeding methods such as various ratios, generic recipes, commercial raw, and homemade cooked and raw diets. However, it wasn't until I started following the National Research Council guidelines that I was able to customize my dogs' diets to suit their individual needs. For instance, Dalmatians require low purine foods, which means excluding organ meats and oily fish, among other foods. If I stuck to ratios, I would overlook a crucial aspect of their nutrition – regardless of whether it's 5% or 10% or any other percentage. What should I do now?

Not only Dalmatians exhibit genetic uniqueness, but all breeds - including mixed breeds - have some form of genetic predisposition. Even within a breed, there remains individual distinctiveness. Consider this scenario: if your dog cannot handle the recommended bone percentage in the diet or experiences hard stools, reducing the bone amount might lead to insufficient calcium intake. Similarly, if your dog has trouble with the recommended organ meat percentage, resulting in runny stools or vomiting, eliminating nutrient-rich organ meats could mean a reduction in essential vitamins and minerals.

Please consider the questions below as a guide to help you navigate the various models.

Keep in mind that at first, almost any transition from processed food to fresh food can lead to positive visible outcomes – such as a glossy coat, solid stools, and potentially increased energy levels. Fresh foods offer rich nutrition, so even an imbalanced diet may initially appear to be beneficial.

• Are you certain that the chosen feeding approach will effectively promote your dog's health in the long run, spanning from puppyhood through adulthood and into their senior years?

• Do you understand your dog's predispositions and whether the feeding method adequately caters to them?

• In the event of changes in your dog's health status, how will the feeding approach be applied?

• If your dog experiences food intolerances or specific dietary preferences that necessitate restricted feeding, does the feeding strategy address potential nutrient imbalances?

• Do you genuinely feel confident that you are fulfilling your dog's nutritional needs?

Jody Zesko