We are proud to be accepted as Approved Breeders with Canine Caviar and The Honest Kitchen Holistic
Pet Foods.
Canine Caviar ~ www.caninecaviar.com
Canine Caviar is different from every other pet food in that they offer a complete raw meat (dehydrated)
diet in dry kibble form. Their true Holistic diets consider all aspects of our pets health and nutrition.
Their easily digested formulas quickly settle digestive upsets, reduce itching, scratching, shedding and hot
spots.
In addition, their products address health concerns like kidney, liver and heart disease, diabetes, cancer,
and cholesterol. Flash cooked, raw and dehydrated meat diets in a dry kibble form. Canine caviar's flash
cooking process only takes 6 seconds, which maintains nutritional integrity increases bioavailability.
GMO (genetically modified organisms) Gluten free with no added hormones or antibiotics.
This true Holistic Diet settles digestive upsets, reduces scratching, shedding and hotspots.91 - 93%
digestible: the highest on the market! Formulated for health concerns like diabetes, cancer, kidney, liver
and heart disease. Dry diets are free of cooked fruits and vegetables as they spike glycemic index and
increase the risk of diabetes.
Dog food pH over 7.5 reducing anaerobic activity.
Protein Rotation for Amino Acid Diversity.
On the list of veterinary alternatives.
Where can you get Canine Caviar in the Maryland and Northern Virginia Area?
Both foods are typically found in holistic type of pet supply stores or online. Below is a list of places that I
know carries Canine Caviar.
Winchester Aquarium ~ 540-667-8198 ~ wapcinfo@comcast.net
Doggone Natural ~ Ashburn ~ 1-703-858-1112 ~ support@doggonenatural.com
Whole Pet Central ~ Ashburn ~ Herndon ~ 571-521-0399
Pro Feed ~ DC/Vienna/ Alexandria and Rockville, Maryland ~ http://www.profeedpet.com/
You can also order it online as well, just do a search for Canine Caviar online!! If you have trouble
finding it let me know and I can help you! Some stores, due to space availability, may not stock Canine
Caviar products regularly, but those stores can usually special order your request from one of their
distributors. So please call ah ahead!
http://www.caninecaviar.com/store_locator.aspxCanine Caviar Cancer Research
http://www.caninecaviar.com/research.aspx
Pet Foods.
Canine Caviar ~ www.caninecaviar.com
Canine Caviar is different from every other pet food in that they offer a complete raw meat (dehydrated)
diet in dry kibble form. Their true Holistic diets consider all aspects of our pets health and nutrition.
Their easily digested formulas quickly settle digestive upsets, reduce itching, scratching, shedding and hot
spots.
In addition, their products address health concerns like kidney, liver and heart disease, diabetes, cancer,
and cholesterol. Flash cooked, raw and dehydrated meat diets in a dry kibble form. Canine caviar's flash
cooking process only takes 6 seconds, which maintains nutritional integrity increases bioavailability.
GMO (genetically modified organisms) Gluten free with no added hormones or antibiotics.
This true Holistic Diet settles digestive upsets, reduces scratching, shedding and hotspots.91 - 93%
digestible: the highest on the market! Formulated for health concerns like diabetes, cancer, kidney, liver
and heart disease. Dry diets are free of cooked fruits and vegetables as they spike glycemic index and
increase the risk of diabetes.
Dog food pH over 7.5 reducing anaerobic activity.
Protein Rotation for Amino Acid Diversity.
On the list of veterinary alternatives.
Where can you get Canine Caviar in the Maryland and Northern Virginia Area?
Both foods are typically found in holistic type of pet supply stores or online. Below is a list of places that I
know carries Canine Caviar.
Winchester Aquarium ~ 540-667-8198 ~ wapcinfo@comcast.net
Doggone Natural ~ Ashburn ~ 1-703-858-1112 ~ support@doggonenatural.com
Whole Pet Central ~ Ashburn ~ Herndon ~ 571-521-0399
Pro Feed ~ DC/Vienna/ Alexandria and Rockville, Maryland ~ http://www.profeedpet.com/
You can also order it online as well, just do a search for Canine Caviar online!! If you have trouble
finding it let me know and I can help you! Some stores, due to space availability, may not stock Canine
Caviar products regularly, but those stores can usually special order your request from one of their
distributors. So please call ah ahead!
http://www.caninecaviar.com/store_locator.aspxCanine Caviar Cancer Research
http://www.caninecaviar.com/research.aspx
Canine Caviar's Kelp supplement comes from the finest quality kelp available.
Kelp is a rich source of natural vitamins and minerals including essential trace
minerals for balanced growth, health and reproduction. Kelp helps stimulate
kidney function, increase circulation, purify the blood and enhances the immune
system. Kelp has also been known to treat inflamed joints and tissues.
Kelp is a rich source of natural vitamins and minerals including essential trace
minerals for balanced growth, health and reproduction. Kelp helps stimulate
kidney function, increase circulation, purify the blood and enhances the immune
system. Kelp has also been known to treat inflamed joints and tissues.
Cloverdale feeds RAW
The Honest Kitchen ~ Dehydrated Raw Diet ~ www.thehonestkitchen.com
With passion and principals they offer a unique minimally processed, dehydrated pet food that
we can make in our own homes. With uncompromising attention to quality, you can trust that
The Honest Kitchen is balanced, nourishing food that makes a meaningful difference in pets
lives! Both foods for your pet are made from 100% human-grade ingredients that you’d
recognize from your own kitchen!! All of their diets are made from whole foods that you’d
recognize in your own kitchen! Their ingredients are gently dehydrated, which is a slow,
gentle method of preservation and are crafted to meet the nutritional needs of your pets. They
are 100% human grade from farm to your pets bowl, and production takes place in a human
food facility. In addition to all this, humans actually taste every ingredient that goes into our
recipes, as part of their product development process. If it’s not good enough for them – it’s
not good enough for their pets! If you have any questions about which diet is best for your pet,
please email questions@thehonestkitchen.com or call 1.866.437.9729
With passion and principals they offer a unique minimally processed, dehydrated pet food that
we can make in our own homes. With uncompromising attention to quality, you can trust that
The Honest Kitchen is balanced, nourishing food that makes a meaningful difference in pets
lives! Both foods for your pet are made from 100% human-grade ingredients that you’d
recognize from your own kitchen!! All of their diets are made from whole foods that you’d
recognize in your own kitchen! Their ingredients are gently dehydrated, which is a slow,
gentle method of preservation and are crafted to meet the nutritional needs of your pets. They
are 100% human grade from farm to your pets bowl, and production takes place in a human
food facility. In addition to all this, humans actually taste every ingredient that goes into our
recipes, as part of their product development process. If it’s not good enough for them – it’s
not good enough for their pets! If you have any questions about which diet is best for your pet,
please email questions@thehonestkitchen.com or call 1.866.437.9729
Every pup that leaves my
home will be accompanied
by bags of the very food
that nourished him or her
while they thrived here!!!
Puppy Packs include
valuable holistic health
care information for
puppies, brochures and
product samples.
home will be accompanied
by bags of the very food
that nourished him or her
while they thrived here!!!
Puppy Packs include
valuable holistic health
care information for
puppies, brochures and
product samples.
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Constant Shape or Formation.
tract. This pet nutrition supplement combats gas, facilitates regularity, firms up
loose stools, soothes and protects the GI Tract.
Perfect Form is ideal for pets with Irritable Bowel (IBS), Colitis or occasional
digestive upset. We recommend using this supplement in conjunction with a
grain-free diet for best results. Ingredients: Fennel, papain, papaya, pumpkin seed,
plantain, pectin and slippery elm.
tract. This pet nutrition supplement combats gas, facilitates regularity, firms up
loose stools, soothes and protects the GI Tract.
Perfect Form is ideal for pets with Irritable Bowel (IBS), Colitis or occasional
digestive upset. We recommend using this supplement in conjunction with a
grain-free diet for best results. Ingredients: Fennel, papain, papaya, pumpkin seed,
plantain, pectin and slippery elm.
The Homemade RAW Diet
Improved digestion
Improvement with allergy symptoms
Decreased shedding
Increased stamina
Firmer, smaller stools
A general increase in overall health
What can I feed?
When discussing raw feeding you'll often hear people talking about RMB's, (Raw Meaty Bones). A
raw meaty bone is a bone with a lot of meat on it that is consumable. Yes, a dog can and will enjoy
eating the entire bone. No, the bone is not going to splinter; those canines will be put to good
use grinding bones up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Cooked bones run the risk of splintering- NEVER feed cooked bones!
A dog on a raw diet will need a variety of different meats in order to reap the benefits that each
protein provides; for example one type of meat may be higher in iron, while another may be higher in
vitamin A. This is why a rotating diet is recommended in order to maintain a healthy raw diet.
Here is a list of some items your dog can try:
Chicken - whole or any parts! (backs, necks, wings, etc.)
Turkey - whole or any parts (wings, necks, etc.)
Cornish game hens (whole)
Beef (any cuts)
Oxtail
Pork (necks, ribs, any cuts)
Rabbit
Fish (canned sardines in WATER, not oil, or Jack mackerel)
Quail
Buffalo, Venison almost anything you can think of!
Also, your dog does need organ meat, for its high nutrient content- feed liver or kidney as 10% of
their diet.
When you first start your dog on raw, introduce one protein source at a time. Feed chicken for a week,
then beef for a week, and so on, to introduce these foods to your pet’s system. This way you can easily
detect a protein allergy. Once the food is introduced you should have no problem varying meat daily
during normal weeks.
A note on bacteria: This was one of my concerns when we starting looking into the raw option. Raw
meat is not safe for humans because of bacteria like E-coli and Salmonella. The canine digestive
system is shorter and has natural immunity to bacteria. It can handle the bacteria in meat without
issue, when in good overall health.
In addition to meat, include vegetables, eggs, fruit, yogurt, etc. Eggs, like bones, are a good source of
calcium, so are good to use when you don’t have bones. Pumpkin is a good system regulator, so we
keep that on hand for most meals. There are countless good foods to give your dog, once you start
looking! Grains, however, are completely unnecessary since commercial pet foods are always grain-
based diets, many people are used to the idea that their dogs need grain. It’s just not true. Some of
the positive effects of feeding raw are related to eliminating grain from your dog’s diet.
How much does my dog need to eat?
The general rule is to feed a healthy adult dog between 2-4% of its weight daily, and then adjust as
needed. If you have an overweight dog, start on the lower end of the spectrum, if you have a dog who
needs to gain a little bit of weight, start closer to 4%. You will also be able to judge by looking at
your dog- if he is looking a little thin, bump up his meat intake. Puppies may require up to 10% of
their weight daily during growth. Raw diets are ideal for growing puppies, too, but they can’t eat all
the same bones an adult dog can. Give puppies non-weight-bearing bones, as their young teeth can’t
handle thicker bones.
Where do I find raw food?
Raw diets are catching on as a viable and healthy alternative to commercial pet food, and so there are
some brands of packaged raw food. While those are a step up from kibble, they are very expensive and
you still don’t have the advantage of knowing exactly what your dog eats at each meal. We recommend
finding a good butcher, meat wholesaler or local farmer for your meat source. If you have some extra
freezer space, you’ll probably be able to work out good deals buying in larger quantities. As far as
cost goes, raw is less expensive than kibble. Kibble has filler in it, while a raw diet is 100% food a
dog will benefit from eating. People feeding kibble need to feed more of it to satisfy a dog’s dietary
needs; raw food is more cost effective in that sense.
This is just a basic introduction to the world of raw feeding, I will include many links to fabulous
websites for you to check out!
Improvement with allergy symptoms
Decreased shedding
Increased stamina
Firmer, smaller stools
A general increase in overall health
What can I feed?
When discussing raw feeding you'll often hear people talking about RMB's, (Raw Meaty Bones). A
raw meaty bone is a bone with a lot of meat on it that is consumable. Yes, a dog can and will enjoy
eating the entire bone. No, the bone is not going to splinter; those canines will be put to good
use grinding bones up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Cooked bones run the risk of splintering- NEVER feed cooked bones!
A dog on a raw diet will need a variety of different meats in order to reap the benefits that each
protein provides; for example one type of meat may be higher in iron, while another may be higher in
vitamin A. This is why a rotating diet is recommended in order to maintain a healthy raw diet.
Here is a list of some items your dog can try:
Chicken - whole or any parts! (backs, necks, wings, etc.)
Turkey - whole or any parts (wings, necks, etc.)
Cornish game hens (whole)
Beef (any cuts)
Oxtail
Pork (necks, ribs, any cuts)
Rabbit
Fish (canned sardines in WATER, not oil, or Jack mackerel)
Quail
Buffalo, Venison almost anything you can think of!
Also, your dog does need organ meat, for its high nutrient content- feed liver or kidney as 10% of
their diet.
When you first start your dog on raw, introduce one protein source at a time. Feed chicken for a week,
then beef for a week, and so on, to introduce these foods to your pet’s system. This way you can easily
detect a protein allergy. Once the food is introduced you should have no problem varying meat daily
during normal weeks.
A note on bacteria: This was one of my concerns when we starting looking into the raw option. Raw
meat is not safe for humans because of bacteria like E-coli and Salmonella. The canine digestive
system is shorter and has natural immunity to bacteria. It can handle the bacteria in meat without
issue, when in good overall health.
In addition to meat, include vegetables, eggs, fruit, yogurt, etc. Eggs, like bones, are a good source of
calcium, so are good to use when you don’t have bones. Pumpkin is a good system regulator, so we
keep that on hand for most meals. There are countless good foods to give your dog, once you start
looking! Grains, however, are completely unnecessary since commercial pet foods are always grain-
based diets, many people are used to the idea that their dogs need grain. It’s just not true. Some of
the positive effects of feeding raw are related to eliminating grain from your dog’s diet.
How much does my dog need to eat?
The general rule is to feed a healthy adult dog between 2-4% of its weight daily, and then adjust as
needed. If you have an overweight dog, start on the lower end of the spectrum, if you have a dog who
needs to gain a little bit of weight, start closer to 4%. You will also be able to judge by looking at
your dog- if he is looking a little thin, bump up his meat intake. Puppies may require up to 10% of
their weight daily during growth. Raw diets are ideal for growing puppies, too, but they can’t eat all
the same bones an adult dog can. Give puppies non-weight-bearing bones, as their young teeth can’t
handle thicker bones.
Where do I find raw food?
Raw diets are catching on as a viable and healthy alternative to commercial pet food, and so there are
some brands of packaged raw food. While those are a step up from kibble, they are very expensive and
you still don’t have the advantage of knowing exactly what your dog eats at each meal. We recommend
finding a good butcher, meat wholesaler or local farmer for your meat source. If you have some extra
freezer space, you’ll probably be able to work out good deals buying in larger quantities. As far as
cost goes, raw is less expensive than kibble. Kibble has filler in it, while a raw diet is 100% food a
dog will benefit from eating. People feeding kibble need to feed more of it to satisfy a dog’s dietary
needs; raw food is more cost effective in that sense.
This is just a basic introduction to the world of raw feeding, I will include many links to fabulous
websites for you to check out!
My Cabela's grinder, 3/4 horsepower... a
must have for the raw diet! It's a little
powerful one for grinding up the bones!
must have for the raw diet! It's a little
powerful one for grinding up the bones!
This is the wonderful Salmon Oil
I use in my dogs diet! Click on
the picture for more info!
I use in my dogs diet! Click on
the picture for more info!
In reality I knew that my puppy parents will not typically grind raw meat for their pups so I decided to use The
Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw diet for my pups so my puppy parents can continue to feed a healthy food to their new
fur kid and it will be easy for them to continue in my footsteps!
I recommend the Embark or Thrive for my pups. You can purchase both so they can have a variety. Every
Cloverdale or Almost Heaven pup will be sent home with a Honest Kitchen puppy packet with all the information
needed to educate the new parent! If you do want to grind your own meat or use burger, venison etc, then I
They have a great amount of information to read on their wonderful website. I will include links to my favorite pages!
Is your dog a candidtate for the Raw Diet?
Sustainable Sourcing of Our Ingredients
The Honest Kitchen Fact Sheet
Comparing The Honest Kitchen Foods along with nutritional info.
MYTH!!! MYTH TOY BREEDS AND SMALL DOGS CANNOT EAT A DIET OF RAW MEATY
BONES.
Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw diet for my pups so my puppy parents can continue to feed a healthy food to their new
fur kid and it will be easy for them to continue in my footsteps!
I recommend the Embark or Thrive for my pups. You can purchase both so they can have a variety. Every
Cloverdale or Almost Heaven pup will be sent home with a Honest Kitchen puppy packet with all the information
needed to educate the new parent! If you do want to grind your own meat or use burger, venison etc, then I
They have a great amount of information to read on their wonderful website. I will include links to my favorite pages!
Is your dog a candidtate for the Raw Diet?
Sustainable Sourcing of Our Ingredients
The Honest Kitchen Fact Sheet
Comparing The Honest Kitchen Foods along with nutritional info.
MYTH!!! MYTH TOY BREEDS AND SMALL DOGS CANNOT EAT A DIET OF RAW MEATY
BONES.
veterinarian. Her and Dr. Mercola, would welcome you to MercolaHealthyPets.com where you will
find more interesting and helpful articles and lots of videos!
Dr. Beckers goal is to help you create wellness in order to prevent illness in the lives of your pets.
This proactive approach seeks to save you and your pet from unnecessary stress and suffering by
identifying and removing health obstacles even before disease occurs. Unfortunately, most
veterinarians in the United States are trained to be reactive. They wait for symptoms to occur, and
often treat those symptoms without addressing the root cause.
As you read through her articles and watch her videos, you'll learn how to make impactful, consistent
lifestyle choices to improve your pet's quality of life. She is also available to answer your questions on
the Healthy Pets discussion forum. Dr. Becker is looking forward to helping you make positive
health changes in the lives of your pets.
find more interesting and helpful articles and lots of videos!
Dr. Beckers goal is to help you create wellness in order to prevent illness in the lives of your pets.
This proactive approach seeks to save you and your pet from unnecessary stress and suffering by
identifying and removing health obstacles even before disease occurs. Unfortunately, most
veterinarians in the United States are trained to be reactive. They wait for symptoms to occur, and
often treat those symptoms without addressing the root cause.
As you read through her articles and watch her videos, you'll learn how to make impactful, consistent
lifestyle choices to improve your pet's quality of life. She is also available to answer your questions on
the Healthy Pets discussion forum. Dr. Becker is looking forward to helping you make positive
health changes in the lives of your pets.
Now, if the diet you're serving your dog or cat happens to fall into one of the lower quality categories, I
don't want you to beat yourself up about it.
As a general rule, people who are feeding their pets a lesser quality diet are doing so either because they
can't afford a better food – or they simply don't know what constitutes good nutrition for their pet.
If you discover your furry buddy is eating from the lower half of the list, set a goal to feed a better
quality food now that you know the difference, or when you can afford a more nutritious brand.
Again, everyone's pet food of choice can be found in one of these categories. I encourage you to figure
out where the diet you're serving right now falls in the list, and then strive for improvement by feeding
more nourishing, species-appropriate food.
Food Can Either Heal or Harm
As a proactive veterinarian interested in sustaining the natural good health of my pet patients, I always
encourage pet owners to evaluate their animal's diet, because food is the foundation upon which good or
ill health is built.
It's important to understand that food has the ability to heal or harm your pet, depending on the type
and quality of nutrition you provide.
The first factor you should evaluate is the species-appropriateness of what your dog or cat is eating.
A species-appropriate diet contains lots of good quality protein as well as moisture. The protein is
necessary because both dogs and cats are carnivores.
High moisture content is required in order to prevent organ dysfunction, including kidney failure. Dogs
and cats are designed to eat food that is about 70 percent moisture, which is what a diet of mice and
rabbits would provide if your pet hunted his own food.
If you feed your pet dry food only, he's getting only about 12 percent moisture instead of the 70 percent
his body demands. This is especially unhealthy for cats, because they don't supplement their moisture
intake by drinking large amounts of water like dogs do.
Pets on dry food diets (kibble or pelleted) live in a state of chronic, mild dehydration that over time can
cause significant stress to their organs.
Species-appropriate nutrition does not contain much starch, also known as grains or carbohydrates.
Corn, wheat, rice and soy are found in most commercial processed pet foods, but your dog or cat has no
biological need for them.
I recommend you follow the laws of nature when it comes to your pet's diet, which is to feed everything
his body needs and eliminate ingredients that provide no nourishment.
In addition to the species-appropriateness of your pet's diet, it also needs to be balanced. By balanced I
mean food that contains all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your dog or cat needs.
This isn't something you can guess at – it should be guaranteed through testing.
Nutritional balance is vitally important because deficiencies will develop much faster in your dog or
cat than they will in you. A poorly nourished puppy or kitten can end up with obvious signs of skeletal
problems and organ degeneration before she's six months old.
An older animal can develop life-threatening organ degeneration, among many other not-so-obvious
symptoms, over a one to three year period of eating an unbalanced, nutrient-deficient diet.
The List of Best-to-Worst Foods
1.A balanced, raw, homemade diet is the best food you can feed your dog or cat. It will be nutritionally
balanced because you're following recipes like those found in the cookbook I co-authored, Real Food for
Healthy Dogs and Cats.
Raw means the food is unadulterated and still contains all the enzymes and nutrients that are typically
destroyed during cooking or other types of processing.
Homemade is the best option because you are in complete control of the quality of ingredients in your
pet's diet.
I recommend pets get plenty of nutritional variety, and another great thing about serving homemade is
you can buy seasonal fruits and veggies on sale, as well as protein sources (meats), and use them in
rotation.
2.The next best thing you can feed your pet is a commercially available raw diet. This is a raw food diet
that someone else has done the heavy lifting to prepare.
It's important that the diet is balanced, and you should be aware that there are raw food pet diets
entering the market that are not yet proven to be nutritionally complete. These foods often say "For
supplementation or intermittent feeding" on the label.
You'll know if the raw food you've selected is balanced because it will say it right on the packaging:
"This food has been proven to be nutritionally complete or adequate for all life stages."
At the present time, these diets are found only in the freezer section of small/privately owned or
upscale pet boutiques – not in the big box pet stores. You can also find a selection online.
3.Cooked, balanced homemade diet. It's the same diet found in number 1, above, except that it's cooked.
This means some of the nutrient composition has been diminished through processing.
4.Human-grade canned food. If the label doesn't say the ingredients are human grade, they're not. Pet
food made with human-grade ingredients is also a great deal more expensive, so that's another way to
tell what you're getting.
This type of diet is the most expensive you can feed your pet. What I tell my clients is, "If you have
more money than time, you can purchase human-grade canned food for your dog or cat. But if you have
more time than money, I recommend you make a balanced, homemade diet right in your own kitchen for
a fraction of the cost."
5.Human-grade dry food. As I discussed earlier, dry food is not as species-appropriate as a moisture-
dense diet. Human grade is very important because the food is approved, in theory, for human
consumption, which means it doesn't contain low quality rendered by-products.
6.Super premium canned food which can be found at big box pet supply stores like Petco and PetSmart.
7.Super premium dry food.
8.Veterinary-recommended canned food. Vet recommended canned foods are purchased at your vet's
office or clinic. Typical brands are Science Diet, the Purina veterinary lines, Royal Canin and
Waltham.
9.Veterinary-recommended dry food.
10.Grocery store brand canned food.
11.Grocery store brand dry food.
12.Semi-most pouched food.
The reason this type of pet food is so far down the list is because in order for the food to remain "semi-
moist," an ingredient called propylene glycol is added. This is a scary preservative that is a second
cousin to ethylene glycol, which is antifreeze. And while propylene glycol is approved for use in pet
foods, it is unhealthy for dogs and cats. I do not recommend feeding any food that contains this
additive.
13.Dead last on the list and the worst thing you can feed your pet is an unbalanced, homemade diet –
raw or cooked. I'm seeing an increasing number of misguided pet owners in my practice who think
they're doing the right thing by serving their pet, say, a chicken breast and some veggies and calling it a
day.
Yes, the food is homemade, but it's nutritionally unbalanced. Pets being fed this way are showing up at
my clinic with endocrine abnormalities, skeletal issues and organ degeneration as a result of
deficiencies in calcium, trace minerals and omega fatty acids.
From Worst to Best in a Heartbeat
For those of you who now know you're feeding your pet an unbalanced, homemade diet, there's an
extremely quick and easy way to soar to the top of the list.
All you need to do is add ingredients to balance out the nutrition in the diet you're already serving your
dog or cat. This is a fast, simple fix you can apply to turn an unbalanced homemade diet into a
balanced one.
So there you have it – the entire list of my recommendations for best-to-worst pet diets.
If you've discovered your pet's food is on the lower half of the list, set a goal to work your way up the list.
If you're already at the top end of the list, congratulations! You're doing the best thing possible by
providing species-appropriate nutrition for the animals in your care
don't want you to beat yourself up about it.
As a general rule, people who are feeding their pets a lesser quality diet are doing so either because they
can't afford a better food – or they simply don't know what constitutes good nutrition for their pet.
If you discover your furry buddy is eating from the lower half of the list, set a goal to feed a better
quality food now that you know the difference, or when you can afford a more nutritious brand.
Again, everyone's pet food of choice can be found in one of these categories. I encourage you to figure
out where the diet you're serving right now falls in the list, and then strive for improvement by feeding
more nourishing, species-appropriate food.
Food Can Either Heal or Harm
As a proactive veterinarian interested in sustaining the natural good health of my pet patients, I always
encourage pet owners to evaluate their animal's diet, because food is the foundation upon which good or
ill health is built.
It's important to understand that food has the ability to heal or harm your pet, depending on the type
and quality of nutrition you provide.
The first factor you should evaluate is the species-appropriateness of what your dog or cat is eating.
A species-appropriate diet contains lots of good quality protein as well as moisture. The protein is
necessary because both dogs and cats are carnivores.
High moisture content is required in order to prevent organ dysfunction, including kidney failure. Dogs
and cats are designed to eat food that is about 70 percent moisture, which is what a diet of mice and
rabbits would provide if your pet hunted his own food.
If you feed your pet dry food only, he's getting only about 12 percent moisture instead of the 70 percent
his body demands. This is especially unhealthy for cats, because they don't supplement their moisture
intake by drinking large amounts of water like dogs do.
Pets on dry food diets (kibble or pelleted) live in a state of chronic, mild dehydration that over time can
cause significant stress to their organs.
Species-appropriate nutrition does not contain much starch, also known as grains or carbohydrates.
Corn, wheat, rice and soy are found in most commercial processed pet foods, but your dog or cat has no
biological need for them.
I recommend you follow the laws of nature when it comes to your pet's diet, which is to feed everything
his body needs and eliminate ingredients that provide no nourishment.
In addition to the species-appropriateness of your pet's diet, it also needs to be balanced. By balanced I
mean food that contains all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your dog or cat needs.
This isn't something you can guess at – it should be guaranteed through testing.
Nutritional balance is vitally important because deficiencies will develop much faster in your dog or
cat than they will in you. A poorly nourished puppy or kitten can end up with obvious signs of skeletal
problems and organ degeneration before she's six months old.
An older animal can develop life-threatening organ degeneration, among many other not-so-obvious
symptoms, over a one to three year period of eating an unbalanced, nutrient-deficient diet.
The List of Best-to-Worst Foods
1.A balanced, raw, homemade diet is the best food you can feed your dog or cat. It will be nutritionally
balanced because you're following recipes like those found in the cookbook I co-authored, Real Food for
Healthy Dogs and Cats.
Raw means the food is unadulterated and still contains all the enzymes and nutrients that are typically
destroyed during cooking or other types of processing.
Homemade is the best option because you are in complete control of the quality of ingredients in your
pet's diet.
I recommend pets get plenty of nutritional variety, and another great thing about serving homemade is
you can buy seasonal fruits and veggies on sale, as well as protein sources (meats), and use them in
rotation.
2.The next best thing you can feed your pet is a commercially available raw diet. This is a raw food diet
that someone else has done the heavy lifting to prepare.
It's important that the diet is balanced, and you should be aware that there are raw food pet diets
entering the market that are not yet proven to be nutritionally complete. These foods often say "For
supplementation or intermittent feeding" on the label.
You'll know if the raw food you've selected is balanced because it will say it right on the packaging:
"This food has been proven to be nutritionally complete or adequate for all life stages."
At the present time, these diets are found only in the freezer section of small/privately owned or
upscale pet boutiques – not in the big box pet stores. You can also find a selection online.
3.Cooked, balanced homemade diet. It's the same diet found in number 1, above, except that it's cooked.
This means some of the nutrient composition has been diminished through processing.
4.Human-grade canned food. If the label doesn't say the ingredients are human grade, they're not. Pet
food made with human-grade ingredients is also a great deal more expensive, so that's another way to
tell what you're getting.
This type of diet is the most expensive you can feed your pet. What I tell my clients is, "If you have
more money than time, you can purchase human-grade canned food for your dog or cat. But if you have
more time than money, I recommend you make a balanced, homemade diet right in your own kitchen for
a fraction of the cost."
5.Human-grade dry food. As I discussed earlier, dry food is not as species-appropriate as a moisture-
dense diet. Human grade is very important because the food is approved, in theory, for human
consumption, which means it doesn't contain low quality rendered by-products.
6.Super premium canned food which can be found at big box pet supply stores like Petco and PetSmart.
7.Super premium dry food.
8.Veterinary-recommended canned food. Vet recommended canned foods are purchased at your vet's
office or clinic. Typical brands are Science Diet, the Purina veterinary lines, Royal Canin and
Waltham.
9.Veterinary-recommended dry food.
10.Grocery store brand canned food.
11.Grocery store brand dry food.
12.Semi-most pouched food.
The reason this type of pet food is so far down the list is because in order for the food to remain "semi-
moist," an ingredient called propylene glycol is added. This is a scary preservative that is a second
cousin to ethylene glycol, which is antifreeze. And while propylene glycol is approved for use in pet
foods, it is unhealthy for dogs and cats. I do not recommend feeding any food that contains this
additive.
13.Dead last on the list and the worst thing you can feed your pet is an unbalanced, homemade diet –
raw or cooked. I'm seeing an increasing number of misguided pet owners in my practice who think
they're doing the right thing by serving their pet, say, a chicken breast and some veggies and calling it a
day.
Yes, the food is homemade, but it's nutritionally unbalanced. Pets being fed this way are showing up at
my clinic with endocrine abnormalities, skeletal issues and organ degeneration as a result of
deficiencies in calcium, trace minerals and omega fatty acids.
From Worst to Best in a Heartbeat
For those of you who now know you're feeding your pet an unbalanced, homemade diet, there's an
extremely quick and easy way to soar to the top of the list.
All you need to do is add ingredients to balance out the nutrition in the diet you're already serving your
dog or cat. This is a fast, simple fix you can apply to turn an unbalanced homemade diet into a
balanced one.
So there you have it – the entire list of my recommendations for best-to-worst pet diets.
If you've discovered your pet's food is on the lower half of the list, set a goal to work your way up the list.
If you're already at the top end of the list, congratulations! You're doing the best thing possible by
providing species-appropriate nutrition for the animals in your care
We feed the raw diet in all it's different form's including
grinding your own. Not to worry! There is a raw diet in a
kibble form!! There is a lot of valuable information on this
page so bookmark it!
grinding your own. Not to worry! There is a raw diet in a
kibble form!! There is a lot of valuable information on this
page so bookmark it!
