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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Winter Bone Broth

As we approach the coldest months of the year we turn to foods which offer comfort and warmth.

We can also provide our dogs with a seasonal variation on the usual bone broth recipe by adding ingredients which are traditionally used to support joint health and immunity.

As game is currently in season, try and find bones from venison, duck, pheasant or partridge. Duck and chicken feet are a good source of glucosamine, chondroitin and gelatine and after many hours of cooking will dissolve into the broth.

Avoid bones with a large amount of fat, skin and central marrow, which will just produce a very fatty and oily broth. Either remove the fat and marrow or chose a different type of bone. If your dog is prone to pancreatitis it is very important to select lean bones, remove any visible fat before cooking and skim off any that comes to the surface during cooking.

You will need approximately 4 - 5 pounds of bones of varying types and size to make a good broth. Some bones, such as ribs will completely break down into the broth, whereas harder bones will be lifted out in large pieces.

You will need:

A slow cooker or large stock pot with a lid

Bones such as duck, venison, pheasant, partridge, chicken, turkey, ox tail, beef, lamb ribs etc.

Enough water to just cover the bones when they are placed in the cooking pot.

1 stick of celery roughly chopped

Cider apple vinegar - 2 tablespoons

Ginger – 1 thumbnail size piece of fresh or half a teaspoon of powered

Turmeric 1 teaspoon (fresh or dried)

Cinnamon - quarter of a teaspoon

Shiitake mushrooms- quarter of a cup (dried or fresh)

1 level tablespoon Autumn Harvest herbal blend

2 grinds of black pepper

How to make:

Place your chosen bones into the pot and pour on the water so they are just covered. Add the cider apple vinegar and black pepper. The slow cooker is used on its lowest setting or a stock pot placed over a very low heat for anywhere between 24 – 30 hours, although some people prefer to leave the broth cooking gently for nearer to 36 hours .You may need to top up with water if the levels are getting very low.

In the remaining 2 hours of cooking add the spices, mushrooms and vegetables.

When complete, turn off the heat and carefully remove the bones with a slotted spoon plus skim off any excess fat that may be on the surface.

As the resulting broth starts to cool, transfer into ice cube trays or suitable sized pots to place in the fridge or freezer for later use. If you want your broth as a set jelly then you could stir in a level tablespoon of gelatine powder.

Store in the fridge and use within 1 week or keep in the freezer and use within 4 months.

Add the defrosted broth to meals, any recipes you make or gently warm through to provide a warm, comforting treat on a very chilly day.

**It is essential to remove the bones and dispose of them safely and under no circumstances should they be fed **

Feeding Vegetables to Dogs

Should I add vegetables or not? If so which type?

So should we bother feeding vegetables to our dogs and will it even benefit them?

There are many benefits to including some fresh vegetables to our dogs diet. It is important that they are prepared in a way that our dogs can digest them either through cooking, steaming or blitzing to a smoothie. We should all be including more veg in our diets so maybe the easiest way is just to prepare a bit extra when you are preparing your own meals and then set it aside for your dog.

Phytonutrients

The term ‘phytonutrients’ is a name for a variety of compounds only found in plants that have a vast array of health-giving properties. They are covered in far greater detail in the vegetable and fruit section and are a useful way to provide additional micronutrients and antioxidants to your dog’s diet. If the inclusion of fruit, vegetables and seeds is a new experience for your dog, then start off by incorporating tiny amounts until his system adapts and you find the ingredients that suit your particular dog.

Probably the best known of the phytonutrients are carotenoids and flavonoids.

Carotenoids are plant pigments responsible for the vibrant red, yellow, orange and green hues found in vegetables, fruits and plants that can play an important role in protecting cells against harmful effects of light, air and pollution. Beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein are all different types of carotenoid that can easily be included in the diet. They act as anti-oxidants which protect cells from free radicals, which are substances that work to destroy cell membranes and DNA.

 Foods that are rich in carotenoids are:

·        Lutein: collard greens, Swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, kale and dandelion greens.

·        Lycopene: red/orange bell peppers, watermelon, pomegranate, apples, mint and blackberries.

·        Beta-carotene: carrots, sweet potato, broccoli and romaine lettuce.

·        Flavonoids: These give berries their red, blue and purple colour and can be included in the diet in the form of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and bilberries.

So, what does the inclusion of veg and fruit have offer to our dogs?

They provide a wealth of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre, including vitamins A, B, C, E and K, and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Anti-oxidants protect against many diseases due to the aging process, and for a degenerative condition such as progressive retinal atrophy a diet rich in anti-oxidants is the only known way to slow down the deterioration of this eye disease.

Fresh vegetables also encourage enzyme production and offer a gentle cleansing and balancing effect on the ph. levels of the body.

Depending on the type of vegetable, they provide soluble and insoluble fibre, which benefit the gut bacteria, and can bind to and remove certain toxins as well as adding bulk and moisture to the faeces.

With intensively farmed animals and soil depletion becoming a concern, our food is lacking in the level of nutrients that it provided many years ago, so the addition of vegetables, herbs, berries and some grains is a way to try and fill any nutritional gaps. The more variety we can add into our dog’s diet the less we will have to rely on dietary supplements.

An ideal herbal supplement in the Hedgerow Hounds range is Nature’s Boost, which combines vegetables, herbs, seeds & superfoods.

How to prepare and feed.

Due to the fact that dogs cannot digest the cellulose in vegetables, the best way to serve is to blend in a food processor to break down the plant’s tough cell wall, until they resemble a thick smoothie consistency, which also mimics the partly digested contents of a prey animal’s stomach.

Other options would be to lightly steam them or finely grate them into the food.

If you want to make larger batches up or you are lucky enough to grow your own veg and have a glut in the summer, then the pureed, pulped veg can be frozen into ice cube trays or pots for convenience.

If they are served whole many dogs just lift pieces of veg out, eat around them in the bowl, or pass them out the other end undigested, to make full use of the nutrients they need to be broken down.

A good feeding guideline would be 7% vegetables and 3% berries, although if you are looking to reduce the overall cost of home-prepared food, or if the dog needs to lose weight, then more veg can be added to make up a quarter of the meal.

The addition of vegetables will change the overall percentages, so subtract from the muscle meat and not the bone or offal which provides the calcium and vitamins. So, for instance a usual 80-10-10 ratio would become 70% (meat) 10% (bone) 10% offal and 10% vegetables.

Start off with a small amount and then monitor how your dog is handling the inclusion of vegetables in his diet.

It is not essential to feed vegetables every day, but even three times a week will be beneficial, rotating different types and changing with the seasons where possible

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

Adding Variation to Raw Diets

If you have been feeding raw complete minces for a while and want to start including some DIY meals, it is important to provide a variety of proteins in order to offer a broad range of nutrients and prevent any deficiencies.

Feeding a selection of fresh food and making full use of seasonal variation means that each meal is an opportunity to add nourishment, support good health, build immunity and increase vitality in our dogs.

 Muscle meat

The majority of a raw diet is made up of muscle meat, and depending on which type of model you feed it could be as much as 80% as in the 80-10-10 (80% muscle meat,10% offal & 10% raw bone) or, in the Barf model 70%, allowing for the addition of vegetables.

Try and offer a selection of meat from different species, ideally 4 or 5 over a month if you can, plus an oily fish. This can include beef, chicken, turkey, pork, buffalo, venison, rabbit, tripe, guinea fowl, goat and lamb, etc.

Rotate white and red meat from different species but also vary the cuts within the same species. So, for example include chicken thighs rather than just feeding breast meat.

Replace some of the proteins with wild game when it is in season, such as pheasant, partridge, duck and venison.

If free range or grass-fed proteins can be introduced, even in small quantities, there is higher nutritional value, particularly with levels of Omega 3 fatty acids.

When making  DIY meals for your dog it is important to  establish the difference between what is fed as muscle meat and what is offal, that way you can calculate the 10% offal ration (5% liver, 5% other offal)  into your meal plan.

 Heart

Although the heart is an internal organ it is often confused as being offal when actually it is a muscle, and a very hard working muscle at that!

Where it does have its similarities is the amount in which it is fed.

It is a rich meat, high in blood content, which like liver can cause diarrhoea if fed in large amounts.

Introduce slowly and work up to between 5% and 10% until your dog can tolerate it. It is not required in large amounts or on a daily basis, but you can incorporate it into the diet within your monthly food balance plan. It is a nutrient dense addition and generally it is cheap to buy, having fallen out of fashion in our own diets over the years.

Heart is high in taurine, iron, folate, carnitine, thiamine, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), gamma linolenic acid (GLA) selenium and B vitamins.

It is particularly high in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) which is needed to optimize heart rhythm. As CoQ10 levels decrease with age, it is a valuable addition to your senior dog`s diet. Trials show that heart failure patients have low levels, and supplementation can help to stabilise the disease.

With twice as much collagen and elastin as other muscle meat it is a perfect dietary addition for working or competition dogs to prevent fatigue, as well as providing added support for the musculoskeletal system.

 Tongue

This is another protein that’s regarded as muscle meat which can be a little high in fat, so is one to limit if your dog has a pancreas issue or is on a strict weight loss plan.

 Gizzards

Chicken, duck and turkey gizzards have goods levels of iron, selenium, zinc, riboflavin, niacin, choline, copper and vitamin B12. Gizzards are fed as muscle meat.

 Lungs

Lungs, also referred to as “lights,” have some muscle meat and some organ content, so don`t really fit into one specific category.

It can cause loose stools if fed in large amounts or if fed alongside offal, so although a worthwhile addition it is best to limit the amount fed in a single meal and not to exceed 15%.

 Trachea

Great as a natural chew to clean the teeth, and particularly helpful for senior dogs who can no longer handle bones due to missing teeth or gum problems. Trachea is naturally high in glucosamine and chondroitin so supportive to joints. Lamb tracheas are better for small dogs and beef tracheas are suitable for medium to large dogs.

 Offal

Offal makes up 10% of the diet, 5% of which should be liver and the other 5% made up of kidney, spleen, pancreas, testicles and brain. Offal is different from muscle meat in that they are internal organs which secrete.

The inclusion of offal in the raw or home cooked diet provides an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Just introduce into the diet very gradually and adjust to what your dog’s system can cope with to avoid stomach upsets.

 Liver

Liver is the most nutrient dense of the internal organs and makes up 5% of the offal requirement in your dog’s diet.

If you are buying complete meals, you will see on the label that it states 5% liver and 5% other offal.

It provides an abundance of vitamin A, copper, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, choline, vitamin B6, B12, magnesium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, selenium, biotin, calcium and phosphorous.

Some people feed liver just twice a week and others, due to the dog’s sensitivity to larger amounts, just add a small amount every day.

 Kidneys

Kidney would be added to make up the other 5% of the offal requirement, possibly mixed with one of the others on the offal list.

It is a good source of vitamin B12, B6, riboflavin, carnitine, iron and folate.

 Pancreas (sweetbreads or thymus)

Pancreas is not always easy to get hold of, but you can ask your butcher or food supplier to source some for you.

It contains a rich supply of digestive enzymes and is a worthwhile addition to any dog’s diet but is particularly good if you’re feeding a dog with a pancreatic insufficiency.

 Spleen

Spleen is another organ that can be difficult to find but can be ordered from a butcher, or you can ask your food supplier if it is included in any of their offal mixes.

It provides good levels of iron, niacin, riboflavin, vitamins B12 & B6, selenium, zinc, and a broad range of amino acids.

 Fish and Shellfish

Most modern-day diets, for ourselves and our dogs, are too high in Omega 6 and 9 due to processed grains, cereals and vegetable oils, which can lead to inflammation, faster aging and can predispose the body to disease.

In contrast, Omega 3 fatty acids offer a wealth of health benefits including anti- inflammatory properties, healthy skin & coat, normal metabolism, joint health and slowing the ageing process as well as supporting brain and cognitive function.

As you can see, this is an important addition to the diet of dogs with skin issues, joint pain, and is an essential for senior dogs in particular.

Feeding the actual fish has far more benefits than fish oil, which can quickly go rancid, causing the inflammation we were trying to prevent.

Pollution is also a consideration when choosing fish. The cleanest are:

·        Sardines, mackerel, pilchards, herring, sprats, halibut, anchovies, whitebait and trout.

·        Mussels and green lipped mussels are good for joint health.

Other forms of Omega 3 are hemp oil, chia seeds, flax seed oil, seaweed, eggs, pumpkin seeds and phytoplankton.

Should your dog hate raw fish and completely refuse to eat it, then the tinned sardines, pilchards or mackerel are a good substitute in either spring water or tomato juice which can be gently rinsed off or drained.

Try and include an oily fish into your dog’s diet two to three times a week.

 Eggs

Eggs provide a high quality, complete source of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

A good source of vitamin A, vitamin B12, riboflavin, iron, folate, zinc, selenium, fatty acids, choline, fat soluble vitamin E, D and K.

Just one egg will provide 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including lutein which is essential for eye health.

Free range eggs offer far greater levels of nutrition as the birds would have benefited from a natural lifestyle of foraging and have had sunlight on their backs.

Duck eggs have a larger yolk to white ratio and are higher in protein, fat and contain more Omega 3.

Quail have larger amounts of vitamin B1 and 5 times as much iron and potassium as hen’s eggs. Their protein value is 13% compared to 11% in hen’s eggs. Quail eggs rarely cause allergies, so certainly worth a try if your dog can`t usually tolerate hens’ eggs.

 Bones

Raw edible bones will make up on average 10% of your dog’s meals but sometimes as much as 30% and are an important requirement of the diet.

Bones provide calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and, depending on the type of bone fed, a supply of fat, cartilage and collagen.

They are also needed in the diet to keep the stools firm, and while most dogs will be fine with 10% bone, occasionally you will come across dogs who require more to keep their faeces firm, and others who will always need offal or vegetables in their diets in order to cope with 10% or they become constipated. Therefore, it is important to feed each dog as an individual.

Raw bones are regarded as either edible, which add to the calcium quota, or recreational, which provide very little calcium but give mental stimulation and teeth cleaning benefits.

Edible bones are raw bones that are completely consumed, usually in one sitting. Examples would be chicken and duck wings, lamb ribs, chicken backs, chicken and duck feet, chicken necks and pigs trotters.

 Vegetables and Berries

The inclusion of vegetables, herbs and berries in the diet provide, phytonutrients which are compounds found in plants with health giving properties, anti-oxidants which protect cells from free radicals and dietary fibre  that acts as a prebiotic to stimulate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

Look to add some vibrant leafy green to your dog’s meals, such as kale, spinach, parsley, broccoli, chard, dandelion leaves and red and purple berries including raspberry, blueberry and blackberry.

Start off with a small amount and build up to approximately 10-15% of the meal, if this suits your dog. Vegetables need to be either lightly steamed or feed raw and put into a blender to make a thick puree, this will break down the tough cellular wall in the vegetables and make them more digestible.

Caroline Hearn - Hedgerow Hounds

www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk

Feeding Raw Bones

Feeding raw bones can be a concern for some owners.

Here we explain the best bones to start off with and what to consider when feeding bones to your individual dog.

Edible bones, such as this raw chicken carcass, go towards the daily bone ration and are the ideal starter bone for pups, young dogs and beginners. They are soft, flexible and contain a lot of cartilage.

Bone is a very important part of feeding a raw food diet, but it is a subject that can cause worry and concern for the dog owner and often a reason people decide to rule out raw feeding altogether.

The inclusion of raw bone in the diet provides nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, fat soluble vitamins, amino acids and essential fatty acids, all of which are used by the body for blood and bone formation. Calcium is regarded as a macro-mineral and is the most abundant and essential mineral in the body. It isn`t just needed for optimum skeletal growth but also responsible for the correct functioning of muscle and nerve impulses, keeping the immune system healthy and regulating the heartbeat.

Meat contains high levels of phosphorous and very little calcium so feeding a diet of only meat and offal would be extremely deficient in vital minerals as well as giving the dog loose stools.

Our dogs anatomical features:

So what has nature blessed a dog with to make him so efficient at eating and digesting bone?                                                                                                                       

Just a glimpse inside a dog’s mouth will show a whole range of “tools” to make the job of piercing, tearing and slicing meat and bone an easy task. A pair of specialised teeth for crushing, called the Carnassial are the largest and most jagged of the premolars and you will notice your dog tilting his head on the side in order to bring them into full use.                                                             

Unlike ourselves and herbivores, a dogs jaw has no sideways, grinding action, so in order to add lubrication within the mouth and around the food there is a lot of saliva production to assist its transit to the stomach. Once in the stomach there is an incredibly strong stomach acid to not only help kill any bacteria but also to dissolve raw bone.

Edible vs Recreational                                     

Raw bones are split into two categories of edible and recreational bones.

Edible bone is consumed completely in one sitting and adds towards the dog’s dietary calcium requirements. Examples would be chicken necks and wings, duck feet, lamb ribs, pigs trotters, chicken carcass or the finely ground bone within a minced complete meal.                                                                                                             

Recreational bones are not completely consumed within one sitting and add little if anything towards the dietary calcium requirements. These would be something like a large beef knuckle bone or a venison neck as an example. The main advantage of these large bones is that they keep the teeth clean and also provide the psychological benefits that come with the chewing action, such as a release of serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin, which are the calming and feel good hormones.

Recreational bones are for teeth cleaning and also release feel good hormones as the dog chews them. They are not included as bone content, as they are not consumed in one sitting.

With 90% of dogs in the UK under 3 years of age having some form of periodontal disease and needing a general anaesthetic to remove a build-up of plaque on an annual basis, kibble despite what we are lead to believe, does not clean teeth. If you watch a dog eat kibble they gulp and swallow, there is certainly no abrasive grinding taking place in order to keep the teeth plaque free.  

Potential issues with certain bones:

If ever there is a problem with bones it is generally due to feeding a bone which is too small for your particular dog, leaving the dog unsupervised or giving very rigorous chewers weight bearing bones.

Chicken wings: Better suited for small dogs as medium and large dogs or those that are greedy feeders, can try and swallow them whole and due to the shape of the wings, carry a choke risk.

Marrow bones: The central marrow is extremely high in fat and can cause diarrhoea. They tend to be weight bearing bones so are extremely hard, which in very vigorous chewers can cause tooth fractures. There is the danger of the bone encircling the lower jaw when it has been chewed down into a “ring”, often requiring veterinary assistance. Dispose of the bone long before this risk is a possibility.

Neck bones: Chicken and duck necks are better for smaller dogs unless you can guarantee your larger dog will not swallow them whole. I have seen dogs do this on a number of occasions, with no negative consequences whatsoever as their strong stomach acid made short work of digesting it, but it is better that they chew them first. The necks have a good covering of meat on the bone and turkey and goose necks are ideal for medium to large breeds and provide a meal in themselves.

Vertebral bones: Bones that form the neck and vertebral column in larger animals such as sheep and venison, when eaten right down will become circular and have a higher risk of causing choke. This also applies to ox tail. If your dog has a reliable leave command then you can remove the bone when it starts to become eaten down into smaller sections.  

Ribs: If ribs are fed from young animals such as lamb or beef then they are soft and contain a good amount of central red marrow and you will find that dogs can crunch them up with ease. The only potential problem and why it is essential to supervise your dog when they eat bones, is that they can very occasionally become stuck across the roof of the mouth and require assistance to remove them.

Avoid:

There are some pet stores that still sell large baked knuckle bones for dogs. They are often sourced from overseas and are extremely dangerous due to the likelihood of cooked bones splintering and causing perforations to the gut often with fatal consequences. Raw hide chews are also a major choke hazard and are known to cause obstructions in the bowel which require emergency surgery.  

Choosing the right bone for your dog:

The main problem area when introducing raw bones to a dog is not offering a bone that is appropriate in size or type for that individual dog. It is always better to feed a bone that is a little too large than too small and also pair the bone with the chewing style of that particular dog.

If you are transitioning a dog onto a raw diet that has previously been eating kibble and you plan to feed edible bones then it is wise to leave 2-3 weeks before introducing whole bones to give the stomach acid time to adjust in order to adequately digest raw bone. Your dog will still be receiving his calcium ration from the complete minces that contain 10% finely ground raw bone.  

Raw chicken or duck carcass are good starter bones as they still contain some meat on the bones and plenty of cartilage making them flexible and easy to crunch. They are usually from young birds which mean that the bones are still quite soft.

 If your dog is straining to pass a motion or the stool is very white and crumbly then you know that they have too much bone content in their diet and you will need to re-evaluative the percentage. The majority of dogs do well on 10% - 12% bone in their diets with no issues. 

If you feed raw mince which contains the standard 10% bone, be mindful when also giving whole edible bones alongside. This will mean that your dog could have too much bone in their system at once causing constipation or gut problems. If you want to feed the occasional whole edible bone then give a mince that has no bone content for that day.

Multiple dog households:

This can certainly be a big challenge for some owners and even the most placid dog can see a raw bone as the highest valued item he has ever been in possession of. If you have a dog that shows strong resource and food guarding behaviour then offering a raw bone of any type could be a tricky situation so unless you are working through this particular type of issue with a qualified behaviourist it is wise not to put the dog in that situation.

Every dog has to be treated as an individual character in order for things to run smoothly. Some will strut around for ages showing everyone their “prize”, others will just take the bone off into the garden and bury it, you may have a dog that becomes very protective of such a precious item and then there are those greedy ones that will chew until their mouths bleed or the nervous dogs whose motto is “if it`s in my stomach then no one else can get to it” and attempt to swallow the bone whole rather than risk it being taken off them by another dog or their owner. Offering the bone or trachea when it is directly out of the freezer can help slow the consumption down.

If you have a number of dogs with very individual ways of tackling a bone then it can prove extremely difficult to manage and the only safe way is for them to be sectioned off in their own safe space where they can relax and enjoy their bone. Edible bones tend to be eaten within minutes, so they are less of an issue than the recreational bone which can be around for days on end. 

When whole raw bones are just not an option.

It is really important that you feel confident and happy in providing your dog with nourishing meals. If feeding whole bones, edible or otherwise causes you to panic and worry and is creating friction and tension within your four legged family, then just don’t feed them whole bones.

If you are giving complete meals where muscle meat, offal and ground bone is added for you, then your dog will be getting the calcium they need. If the percentage is not clear on the product label then ask the manufacturer, as it should be between 10-12 % ground bone. The raw bone is finely ground so it is unlikely you will notice it when dishing up and your dog will have no trouble digesting it.

Semi frozen tracheas are a good alternative to bones, especially for seniors or those with missing teeth, large dogs need the beef version while small dogs can manage the lamb.

If recreational bones are not fed and even tracheas cause problems then you will have to resort to other ways of keeping their teeth clean via a toothbrush or micro-fibre cloth and dog friendly toothpaste.  

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Simple Ways to Improve your Dogs Diet

Adding fresh food to your dog’s meals can give huge health benefits and help in the prevention of many serious diseases .

Not everyone wants to feed raw or home cooked food, and the majority of dogs still eat tinned food or kibble. When manufacturing kibble or muesli-type food, it requires a very high temperature, and many of the nutrients are lost in the cooking process, which are then replaced with synthetic vitamins and mineral supplements.

Adding a few of the following fresh foods at least 3 times a week will supply the dog with vitamins, minerals, omega 3 fatty acids, anti-oxidants, amino acids, glucosamine, and micro nutrients that they can easily absorb and utilise within their body.

Here are a few simple ways to increase the nutritional value of any meals and add variation:

Bone Broth: Packed full of glucosamine, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, amino acids & minerals. Great for joint and gut health.

Tinned Pilchards or Sardines: Omega 3 fatty acids & DHA for coat and skin health and anti-inflammatory effects. Choose the ones in tomato juice or spring water

Eggs: Either raw or very lightly cooked, provide high-quality protein and fat, and are a good source of biotin.

Medicinal Mushrooms:  Such as Reishi, Chaga, Turkey tail, Shiitake etc, have an abundance of health-giving qualities and are believed to help in cancer prevention and to boost the immunity.

Dandelion leaves: Contain vitamin C, B6, thiamine, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, copper, and a flavonoid called zeaxanthin, which is crucial for protecting the retina and is an effective antioxidant. Pick from areas free from chemical sprays & pollution.

Berries: Blackberries, when in season, blueberries, and raspberries are packed full of vitamin C and rich in antioxidants.

Fresh leafy greens: Either lightly steam or, as I prefer, make vegetable smoothies for the dogs is a great way to add an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to their meals. It has also been proven to reduce the risk of some cancers just by adding a small amount of vegetables to processed food. Avoid the starchy veg and go for kale, broccoli, spinach, beet tops, dandelion leaves, Parsley, courgette, etc, plus a few berries.

Herbal Blends:  Hedgerow Hounds offer a range of herbal blends to add valuable nutrition to your dog’s meal times.

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ADDING FRESH FOOD TO THE BOWL

 It is important to have fresh food in our diets in order to reach optimal health and the same goes for our dogs too.

There are a number of ways you can increase the nutritional value of the food you are feeding your dog. It is also an ideal way of starting to introduce fresh food if you are thinking of changing over to either a raw or home cooked diet.

Starting from the top left photo (clockwise) shows homemade Bone Broth which can be frozen in ice cube trays. It is a great source of glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health and very soothing for the gut.

The Hedgerow Hounds herbal blends are a quick and easy way to add a vast array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. They are of the highest quality and have been approved by our holistic vet. There is a blend to suit every dog and every season throughout the year. They can be fed dry, re-hydrated or as a tea. Great to use in your treat recipes or in a vegetable smoothie.

Oily fish is a real treat for some dogs but others are not so keen. If they don't like raw or lightly cooked fish then tinned mackerel or sardines will still provide a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Most dogs love these and they are perfect to have in the store cupboard.  

Throughout the year there are a number of wild growing ingredients you can pick for your dog such as a few dandelion leaves, cleavers, chickweed, rosehips and blackberries. These can be added to their vegetables or treat recipes. Just make sure you always know exactly what you are picking and it is from an area free of traffic pollution and agricultural sprays.   

Eggs - Either raw or very lightly cooked will provide a huge range of nutrients all in one perfect package. Talking of the shell, the inner opaque membrane can be removed and fed, providing extra nutrition for joints and ligaments.                  

If you want to add vegetables and berries to your dogs meals then a good way to do it is by making a smoothie which will assist the digestion of vegetables by breaking down the tough cellulose wall that plants naturally have. The ingredients shown are packed full of anti-oxidants for a real boost to health and the immune system. Make a tea with one of the Hedgerow Hounds herbal blends and add that to the veg before blitzing in a blender. The inclusion of pulped vegetables also adds welcome moisture to dry food.

You can set aside some vegetables when you are preparing your dinner and either blend or steam them to add to you dogs meals. Broccoli stalks, green beans, courgette, kale are all good choices rather than starchy root veg. Rotate the vegetables fed and include seasonal variations.

In Autumn you can pick your own blackberries or my dogs actually help themselves from the low branches. Freeze some for later in the year or you can add a few blueberries or raspberries for a vitamin C boost.      

Medicinal mushrooms such as Reishii, Shiitake, Chaga, Coriolus have immune bosting and anti inflammatory properties and recent studies have shown them to have positive anti- tumour benefits. If you cant find fresh then the dried versions can be re-hydrated with hot water.

Kibble, tinned and home cooked meals can be improved on by adding a few berries, soaked seeds, Hedgerow Hounds Herbal Blends and vegetables. Little changes at the speed your dog can easily adjust to is a big step in improving the health and wellbeing of our dogs.

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