Digest and Rest

What does Digest & Rest help with? Digest & Rest was created to help dogs that suffer from digestive upset, constipation, and nausea. It is also ideal for managing anal gland problems. If your dog has a very sensitive digestion, then this blend is ideal if you are intending to make any changes to the diet and will make any transitions much smoother.

It has a very neutral taste and smell, so it will not be off-putting to even the fussiest dog and can be “hidden” in tasty food for the really suspicious, picky eater.

Here are a list of some of the ingredients in Digest & Rest and why they were specially chosen.

Marshmallow - Marshmallow root contains around 35% mucilage, which is a slippery substance to ease irritation of the mucous membranes. This makes it ideal to soothe an irritated throat, gut discomfort or tummy troubles. It is also invaluable for managing reflux and hunger nausea, which can occur just after eating or in the early hours of the morning when the dog’s stomach is empty. Marshmallows’ strongest affinities are with the digestive system, respiratory and urinary tracts.

Chamomile - Chamomile is chosen for its antispasmodic properties as well stimulating digestion as it is quite bitter tasting. Chamomile is also relaxing, so helps if the upset tummy is caused by an anxious, excitable, stressed mind.

Fennel - Fennel is useful for expelling intestinal gas and helping to ease stomach cramps.

Psyllium husks - Psyllium are husks from the Plantago ovata species. They provide a form of soluble fibre which when in contact with water, forms a soothing gel which passes through the digestive tract. The husks add bulk to the stools and help with constipation, diarrhoea and aids in the correct emptying of anal glands. Psyllium is also a useful prebiotic to encourage good gut bacteria.

How to use: Digest & Rest is a very versatile blend to use and you can adapt it to suit your specific dog’s needs. The measured amount can be added to wet food and stirred in, and for dried food, it is recommended that you add a splash of water to the powder and stir it into a paste before incorporating it into the food.

For supporting nausea. If your main reason for choosing this blend is to support reflux or perhaps your dog is recovering from a cough, there are several ways to use this blend for maximum effect. If the powder is made into a thick paste with a little warm water, this starts to release the mucilage, which will coat the mouth and oesophagus as it is consumed. You can try adding this paste to the food, or alternatively, some dogs benefit from a tiny meal or snack with Digest & Rest shortly before the main meal is given, so experiment with this to see what most benefits your dog. Small snacks could include a raw egg, plain cottage cheese, natural live yoghurt or a splash of goats’ milk.

For support with hunger pukes. Some dogs can experience hunger nausea in the early hours of the morning and may bring up some frothy, slimy vomit or start to retch as they experience an uncomfortable nausea. As long as they are well in themselves and have no other symptoms to suggest something more serious is going on, then feeding a very small meal or snack in the evening, which contains the Digest & Rest, can often ease these symptoms overnight and into the early hours. Small snacks can be those listed above or a tiny portion of their main meal set aside for this purpose.

Happy Customer Review

“Our French bulldog now sleeps all night, without the constant air licking, coughing, retching and regurgitation. I never want to be without Digest & Rest” Happy dog and happy owner.

A beautiful blend of herbs, roots, and seeds specifically to soothe the gut, aid digestion, and help anal gland issues.

All our products are veterinary formulated, but should not be used instead of consulting your vet should your dog have a health problem.

Hedgerow Hounds is owned by a qualified holistic canine therapist with 30 years of experience in healthcare and nutrition, and the blends are formulated by a veterinarian.

TURKEY TERRINE

This recipe can be made as a raw or cooked terrine.

A recipe that can be used as a celebratory treat for your dog on Christmas day.

Choose lean meat, as any fats will be released whilst cooking and make the terrine oily and only cook with a bone-free mince.

Ingredients

1lb raw minced bone free turkey or free range chicken.                

 2 free range eggs, beaten                                                                                                                      

200g of cooked, well drained, seasonal vegetables  (parsnip, carrot, broccoli, kale etc)                                                                                     

50g of  boiled, sweet potato (mashed or thinly sliced)                                                                                        

1 tablespoon of Hedgerow Hounds herbal blend.                                                    

Optional- 150g of chopped chicken livers

How to make

Line a loaf tin with baking parchment or lightly grease with coconut oil.

Transfer the meat and optional liver into a large mixing bowl and stir in the beaten eggs to combine.

Pour half the mixture into the tin, levelling off and pressing down firmly with the back of a large spoon. Place a layer of chopped vegetables, then pour in the remaining meat mix, firming down as before.

Bake in the centre of a preheated oven at 180c for approximately 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave for a few minutes. While still warm, gently drain off any excess oil that may be trapped in the tin. Set aside for 30 minutes until cool. It is easier to divide into individual portions if the loaf is placed in the fridge before slicing.

The loaf will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days or you could make it in advance, pop it in the freezer and defrost the day before use.  

It will provide a nutritious, tasty, moist meal for your dogs to enjoy.

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

Pumpkin Puree for Dogs

Making pumpkin puree for your dog is a cheap and easy way to ease an upset tummy and add valuable fibre to your pet’s meals.

Pumpkin is high in both soluble & insoluble fibre. This makes it ideal for absorbing excess water, as in diarrhoea, and adding bulk to the stool if dealing with constipation.

The fibre in pumpkin acts as a prebiotic to feed the good gut bacteria and to aid in balancing the microbiome.

It is low in calories, low carb and high in antioxidants, particularly beta-carotene.

You will need:

A Pumpkin or Butternut Squash

Boiling water - Enough to cover the chopped pumpkin in the pan

Colander or drainer

Small pots or large ice cube moulds.

How to:

Chop into large slices and then peel off the rind. Scoop out & discard any seeds.

Cut into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Simmer until the pumpkin is tender, and then drain well.

Mash with a fork or potato masher.

Freeze in small individual pots or larger ice cube trays, which can be thawed quickly when needed.

If you want to make your dog a tummy-soothing meal, there is a recipe here using pumpkin, chicken, or white fish. https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/news/pumpkin-chicken-mash

Turmeric - Which type?

Turmeric is a rhizome which is closely related to ginger and has traditionally been used for around 4,000 years in cooking, ceremonies and highly valued for its medicinal qualities.

Over the past few years it has become popular with people and their pets as a natural way to help alleviate aches and pains as it has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.

It is important to choose your turmeric product wisely and there are a few things to check before purchase to ensure you are getting a quality source of turmeric and that it has a number of other ingredients included to aid better absorption and increase effectiveness.

Turmeric is naturally rich in vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium & potassium. Vitamins C, E,K,B6,B12 and folate. Minerals include iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and beta- carotene.

Turmeric also contains a number of bio-active compounds called Curcuminoids. The most studied and well known of these is called Curcumin. It is important to have a certain level of curcumin present to ensure the best results. Turmeric powder sold in supermarkets for culinary use will usually have the curcumin removed, which is then used in capsules, so just the flavour and colour of the powder remains.

A good turmeric product will state the curcumin level and also give a list of other ingredients which compliment and increase absorption of the curcuminoids. The level of curcumin to look for is between 3-5 %. Other ingredients are an oil, usually coconut or flax seed oil and black pepper. Black pepper contains a substance called Piperine which in recent studies, shows an increase in the uptake of curcumin by 2,000%

There have been thousands of studies and clinical trails carried out on turmeric, curcumin and a variety of other compounds found in this rhizome. Some of these studies can be found at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Important advice if taking medication:

Any dietary turmeric should be used with caution if you or your dog is on medication as both curcumin and piperine can affect the absorption of medication. Turmeric can also influence blood clotting so remove from the diet two weeks prior to an imminent surgical procedure and for one week after surgery. Turmeric capsules intended for human use can consist of pure curcumin which is too strong for dogs and more likely to interact with medication, unlike the milder paste. If you want to give your dog capsules then ensure they are made for animal use.

Turmeric is a warming spice so it may be unsuitable for all year round use in certain dogs. Try and take a break or reduce the dose at some point in the year. A good time for a short break could be in the warmest of the Summer months when mobility is often eased due to an increase in temperature.

Holistic Healthcare for Much loved Dogs

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

Pumpkin Chicken Mash

A soothing and comforting meal for when tummy trouble strikes!

 You will need:

1 Small skinless chicken breast or Cod/Coley portion if your dog is sensitive to chicken.

Pumpkin or Butternut Squash peeled & diced around 400g

1 Small celery stick, finely chopped

A quarter teaspoon of fennel seeds, lightly crushed

How to:

Place the diced squash into a saucepan, cover with boiling water, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until soft.  

Put the skinless chicken breast into another pan of boiling water along with the chopped celery and the crushed fennel seeds and simmer for around 15 minutes.

Drain the squash in a colander and allow to sit for 5 minutes to remove excess moisture then mash with the back of a fork or use a potato ricer.

Drain the chicken and celery.

Thinly slice or cube the chicken breast and stir into the pumpkin mash.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

This recipe is not a complete and balanced meal, but it is extremely useful to feed in small portions if your dog has a sudden tummy upset or is a little off-colour. It is light, easily digested, and tempting for fussy or shy eaters.

If you have the Digest & Rest blend, then a little stirred into the mash will be very soothing to the gut, https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/digest-and-rest

The chicken and pumpkin mash will keep in the fridge for up to five days or can be frozen in small individual pots for later use.

Caroline Hearn- Hedgerow Hounds

SEASONAL FEEDING - Making the Most of Fresh Ingredients

Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, seasonal feeding at its freshest and finest. Featuring Hedgerow Hounds seasonal herbal blends.

 The majority of people have lost their connection with the land, nature and the changing seasons.

Natures larder provides us with a huge variety of produce at the perfect time when it will be of most benefit to us nutritionally. With a few small changes we can all benefit from eating seasonally which is better for us, our dogs and the environment.

We can utilise herbs and vegetables in the Spring, which are a perfect cleansing tonic to gently ease us out of the long winter months, where we have no doubt been overindulging and less active.

To the cooling and hydrating bounty of Summer, followed by the real bumper harvest of Autumn, which gives us all the foods we need to help boost our immunity and general health in preparation for the cold Winter months ahead.

Here at Hedgerow Hounds, we are passionate about seasonal ingredients, and if you really want to embrace seasonality, then we have a seasonal range of handmade herbal blends.

What`s so special about seasonal food?

Eating more seasonally ourselves and by including some of these foods in our dogs’ diet, we can benefit in so many ways.

. We can reconnect with the cycles of nature and really appreciate the food that is available for a short period of time.

. It is better value for money as well as kinder to the environment, to buy ingredients when they are in abundance locally and haven’t travelled halfway round the world before they even get to our kitchen.

. We can support the local communities, such as small producers, farmers’ markets, organic growers, and game dealers.

. The produce is fresher and therefore more nutritious as it is harvested when ripe or at its best, and has minimal travelling time before we can purchase it.

Could we survive without sugar snap peas from Egypt, asparagus from Peru, and eating Strawberries in January? These have travelled thousands of miles, are harvested unripe, and sprayed with chemicals, gas, or wax to stop them from deteriorating in transit.

Or could we wait until they are ready to eat locally and benefit from much more flavour and far higher nutritional value, while enjoying so many other foods in the meantime?

 How does incorporating seasonal food benefit our dogs?

If you feed raw or home-cooked food to your dog, then it is important to offer a good variety of foods over the coming months. If you feed dried or tinned food, it is also possible to start incorporating a small amount of fresh ingredients into the bowl at feed times.

By offering variety, you can ensure your dog gets a broad range of nutrients and avoid the intolerances that can occur if the same protein and carbohydrate are fed continuously.

A wide spectrum of fresh ingredients, either animal proteins or of plant origin, nurtures a healthy gut microbiome, which is vital for a healthy immune system and overall optimal health. The more diverse the diet, the less you will have to rely on supplementation.  

By feeding what is in season, you are providing food at its very best. This often means that you don’t need a large amount to benefit from the superior nutritional value.

A few local, handpicked ripe blackberries added to the food will be far superior to a larger number of blueberries that have covered many air miles. Including some free-range, wild, or organic meat whenever you can will also provide your dog with superior-quality ingredients.

Depending on your location, there is generally a good range of proteins available from Spring to Summer, but when Autumn comes, there is suddenly a whole new larder available to the raw feeder or home cook.

The game season varies by the species, but generally partridge and pheasant are available from September until February. Venison is dependent on breed, but around November to March, and Duck from September until January.

If you have been relying on beef, lamb, chicken, and fish from March until August, then this addition of free-range, often organic and minimally farmed protein is a huge bonus. You can either use in addition or temporarily replace the proteins you regularly use until the availability ends.

Putting a small amount of vegetables aside for your dog when preparing your own is a good practice. It will soon become second nature to save a broccoli stalk, steam a little extra courgette, cut off a small slice of pear or apple, or lift out the couple of squashed raspberries that are in the bottom of the punnet for your dog’s supper. You will also start to look out for seasonal bargains at the butchers’ or farmers’ market.

If you can forage for ingredients such as blackberries, dandelion leaves, cleavers, and either keep a few hens or find a local organic supplier of eggs, then that is a big win.

Adding a little fresh, local, and seasonal produce even two or three times a week will help to gradually improve your dog’s overall diet. If your dog is new to fresh ingredients, start off with very small amounts and include one new addition at a time, until they adjust to a different way of eating.

As a rule, although each dog is an individual, the majority of the meal is made up of animal protein, with anything from 5% to 15% being provided by vegetables and berries that are suitable for your dog.   

Spring

Spring ingredients offer a gentle tonic to cleanse and wake up the system after less active months and a diet of heavier, warming meals. Many of these ingredients that come into their own now offer support for the kidneys, liver, and lymphatic system that can often get sluggish over the Winter months. You may observe that your dog seeks out the fresh grass shoots as they appear, which are full of energy, sweetness, and moisture.  

The Nature’s Skin Tonic is perfect for a gentle Spring cleanse after the long winter months and also great for dogs that are itchy and suffer from seasonal allergies at this time of year.

Incorporate some of the following into your dog’s meals:

Spring nettle tops, Cleavers, Dandelion leaf and root, Asparagus, Watercress, Milk Thistle, Spring Greens, New season Lamb, Rabbit & Free range eggs.

Summer

Summer ingredients are cooling, hydrating, and uplifting, and we are spoilt for choice at the range of produce available. If you can grow a few vegetables yourself, such as courgette, cucumber, spinach, salad greens, chard, and parsley, then these will be bursting with flavour and goodness, and you can add a little of these freshly picked ingredients to your dog’s food. If you grow blackberries and raspberries, you will find that the dogs often help themselves to the fruit from the lower branches.  

Nature’s Bounty appears on the shop in February and covers the Summer months until early November. It is a nutritious blend that contains an organic seaweed, and Bounty’s main task is to naturally repel fleas and ticks, which it has successfully done for many years.

Incorporate small amounts of the following:

Fennel, Melon, Spinach, Celery, Blueberries, Bilberries, Raspberries, Dandelion, Seaweed, Sorrel, Courgettes, Mint, Parsley, Calendula, Cucumber, Green beans, Carrot tops, Lettuce, Rabbit, Free range eggs.  

Autumn

Autumn provides nourishing produce to prepare for the colder months and are typically rich in antioxidants and high in vitamin C. Many of these vegetables, fruits, and berries also lend themselves to preserving by the process of dry storage, freezing, and fermentation, which would traditionally be used to ensure a supply of nutritious foods through the lean months of Winter that lie ahead:

Incorporate small amounts of the following:

Squash, Blackberries, Rosehips, Beetroot, Pumpkin, Apples, Pear, Burdock root, Chicory, Nettle seeds, Fennel and Dill seeds, Almonds, Pumpkin seeds.

Game meat to include: Partridge, Pheasant, Grouse, Pigeon, Guinea fowl, Quail, Venison, and Duck.

Fish, including Pollack, Mackerel, Coley, and Haddock.  

Winter

Winter provides us with comforting food for warmth and sustenance.

Incorporate small amounts of the following:

Ginger root, Turmeric, Kale, Celeriac, Thyme, Ruby Chard, Brussels sprouts, Winter Squash, Jerusalem artichoke, Pear, Russet apple, Turkey, Duck, Venison, Mussels.

 Caroline Hearn MICHT, Dip ICAT. MIAAT

Equine and Canine Sports Massage Therapist and Canine Holistic Health Specialist

Find out more at www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

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Sweet Potato Bites

These tasty treats take no time to prepare and will keep in the fridge for up to seven days.

Sweet potato is a member of the bindweed family and provides a good source of fibre and the antioxidant Beta-carotene.  

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked, drained & mashed sweet potato.

Half a cup of coconut flour plus a little extra for dusting.

1 level teaspoon of melted coconut oil

Half a teaspoon of Greens, Seeds & Superfoods, or finely chopped parsley (fresh or dried)

Half a teaspoon of nutter butter (Pip & Nut do a great range which are palm oil & xylitol free)

Half a teaspoon of chia seeds

How to make:

Place all the ingredients into a bowl, and thoroughly stir until they are combined.

With a spoon, scoop out an amount that is a suitable size for your dog. If you make larger ones, they can easily be broken up after chilling.

Roll the mixture in the palm of your hand until it forms a ball, use a light dusting of flour if necessary.

Place in the fridge to set for 1 hour before serving.

Keep in the fridge and use within 7 days. They also freeze well and are best used within 4 months.

Caroline Hearn ~ Hedgerow Hounds