| :: CRASH COURSE IN NUTRITION FOR YOUR PET :: |
| Natural Health For Your Canine Companions ~ Species-appropriate foods! |
| The subject of pet nutrition can be a sensitive topic for some, so to start with, we will just meal, day in, day out? Of course not! You may not have a degree in nutrition, but simple common sense tells you that while the packaging claims to contain 100% nutrition, one food item cannot possibly supply all nutrients required for an extended, healthy life! Likewise, we would not be able to survive on “just” vitamins… We need more - and so do our pets! HI EVERYONE! We have been studying natural health for 16 years, with our main focus being herbs and essential oils. Environment, processed foods, even drinking water plays a large role in our health, and in that of our pets… As we want to produce hearty puppies that excel both physically and mentally, our dogs' nutrition has become a focal point of our studies. While we don't claim to be “experts", the following observations are based on 46 years combined experience in raising dogs and puppies, so perhaps that may allow us some authority on such issues of dog food, vitamin supplements, and veterinary care… Our family has always done things a bit differently when it comes to our feeding programs. Of course, our differences have admittedly raised a few "hackles" throughout the years, as many breeders and even veterinarians insist on a strict kibble diet... In this case, free-thinking is a good thing! A LITTLE ABOUT DOG FOODS... Most of us really care about our pets and want them to be healthy. Sadly, consumer- savvy manufacturers know just how to market their products to charm caring pet owners. Bright packaging displaying the best of stew meats and fresh vegetables just screams "healthy"… but is it really the best for our pets, or are we being duped by a multi-billion dollar industry? The truth is even the most expensive dog food on the market is still lacking in proper nutrition. If you are one to feed commercial foods, then the following information may cause you some alarm - Please research, as your pet's long-term health relies directly on the choice you make. WHAT DOGS NEED TO BE TRULY HEALTHY! Though we raise Miniature Australian Shepherds & Australian Terriers, these truths apply to the very tiny breeds, such as Chihuahuas and Yorkshire Terriers, as well as the large breeds, such as Mastiffs and Danes... and all those in between. As you likely know, Aussies are energetic and athletic. It takes the right “building blocks” to form the healthy bones and connective tissues needed to physically accomplish what they have been designed to do! I am sure you will agree that very few breeds are as agile as our beloved Australian Shepherd! It is extremely important for us to provide them with the best nutrition, especially during the first few years as they mature. Did you know that what one generation eats affects the health of future generations? A cat study showed that poor nutrition can affect up to four future generations! We find it distressing that each generation of kibble-fed dogs gets farther and farther away from true, natural health. Watching what a wolf, coyote, fox or wild dog would eat in the wild provides us clues as to what our canines need to be naturally healthy. If you have never had the chance to see a wolf eat, watch a nature channel! A little hint: They do NOT eat wheat, corn, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc. When a wolf or wild dog kills a small prey animal, they eat the organs, muscle tissues, hide, and even the bones! With a larger prey animal, such as a deer or elk, they eat the soft tissues first and then the edible bones, if they are unable to make another kill in a timely manner, they may eat hide, hooves, etc. For a carnivore, meat, organs and bones are easy to digest, and they contain the necessary nutrients for proper growth and development. As most of their kills are herbivores (plant eaters) the contents of the prey’s intestines contain partially-digested greens, seeds and grains… Now I know there is a debate amongst those who feed “species appropriate raw food” diets, as to whether canines really need "vegetation". Many accurately argue that wolves "shake the stomach contents out" before eating the stomach lining, and this is correct, however, they will generally consume an entire small prey animal, minus its stomach and its contents but may consume portions of the intestines. As such, they do ingest a small, (but notable) quantity of partially processed vegetation. The debate continues with whether or not dogs actually benefit from the nutrition derived from the vegetation consumed. As wolves, coyotes, and dogs do not have the stomach enzymes needed to break down the cellular wall found in plant matter, logic dictates they are not designed to process these as food sources. While we do not feed vegetables or grains as a main component of our dogs' diet, we do feel that a minute amount of vegetation and/or herbs are beneficial for the overall health of our dogs… not so much as a "food", but more in a "medicinal" sense... THEN... & ... NOW! Our feeding program has always been a little different than most. While it is true that dogs can survive on basic dog kibble - even give the appearance of general "good health" for many years, the food is usually nutritionally bankrupt and would be much like feeding our children only hamburgers, French fries, sweetened cereal, and Twinkies. We would end up with (and we see this extensively in our society) unhealthy children who are often sick, have allergies and are suffering from obesity. Sadly, the same will happen to your beloved pet if you do not have the foresight and knowledge to take proper care! We feed our Aussies a wide variety to ensure that they get what they need from a lot of different sources. Our base diet used to be a “good quality” dog kibble, which we then supplemented with small amounts of whole raw goat milk and raw eggs to provide much of what was lacking in the kibble. On occasion, we also would feed barely cooked meats to give even a little "extra". Our dogs appeared "healthy", even above average compared to many others, but something was still missing... WHAT WAS MISSING? Quite simply, a base of REAL food! Kibble was the "fly in the ointment" so to speak! Dogs are not omnivores like humans. As true carnivores, they have vastly different digestive systems; as such, they require vastly different needs then their human owners! Now, you know that canned fruits and vegetables are not nearly as good for you as fresh, correct? Overly cooked foods, "boxed" foods, "fast" foods - all lose much of their nutritive benefits, and the more we eat these items, the more unhealthy and prone to disease and chronic illness we become... In this sense, our pets are no different from us! Fresh, species-appropriate foods are what they need to really thrive and reach their full potential! Just as proper nutrition strengthens the immune system in humans, a species-appropriate raw diet does the same for our pets. Feeding an appropriate diet will not only give you many years to enjoy a healthy and active pet, but it will also save you much in veterinary fees later on down the road! WHAT ARE "SPECIES APPROPRIATE RAW FOODS"? We need to get back to the basics! A S.A.R.F diet consists primarily of raw meat, raw organs & bones! Chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, goat, venison, elk, rabbit, fish... to name a few! Dogs are opportunistic and will happily eat most anything - a very small amount of vegetation/herbs; possibly a bit of dairy - goat milk is the most easily digested; for some the list can be extremely complicated and long - but honestly, a simple and easy to prepare diet is all that is necessary! TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, PUPPIES & DOGS NEED A "SPECIES- APPROPRIATE RAW DIET"! Let's cover a few myths about feeding raw foods and then we will continue with articles from real "experts"... MYTH #1 "FEEDING BONES IS DANGEROUS!" The fear that raw bones will splinter; perforating the dog’s stomach is, for the most part, a myth based very loosely on fact. The real danger is found in cooked bones; as the heating changes the bones and makes them likely to sliver into jagged shards, the likes of which can indeed slice or perforate a dog's stomach. Raw bones are actually quite safe; for a carnivore, they are easily chewed and digested; they also clean the dogs’ teeth to pearly white, thus eliminating the need for dental visits and reducing the risk for heart disease later! Most important, raw bones provide the proper amounts of minerals in a form our pets are designed to assimilate! We need to remember our dogs are physically much different then we are, and are designed to eat these foods! While there is a remote possibility of an accidental perforation, it is far more likely a dog would be injured chewing on a sharp stick, a sharp child's toy, or even a rock! MYTH #2 "YOU SHOULDN’T FEED A DOG BONES BECAUSE THEY COULD CHOKE!" Again, this concern is loosely based on "fact", but under examination does not hold much merit. Eating anything poses a risk of choking, but honestly, sticks, rocks, toys, or even hard pieces of kibble probably pose a greater risk. To put this into perspective, it is possible you will choke on a carrot tomorrow -- does that make carrots inherently hazardous? If we followed this line of thinking through to the end, humans should not be allowed to eat anything but pudding! How ridiculous! Humans are designed to eat carrots and like foods, so it is safer to eat them and reap the health benefits than go without and become deficient in nutrients. MYTH #3 "THE BACTERIA IN RAW MEAT CAN MAKE DOGS SICK!" As I have stated above, dogs are not designed the same way we are. If we were to eat raw chicken contaminated with Salmonella, we would likely become ill. However, the canine digestive system is not like our own. Their digestive tract is much shorter, thus ensuring, when eating properly, they will process meat and bones quickly - not allowing the bacteria time to grow and overwhelm their systems. Did you know that it can take your pet between 10 -12 hours to digest kibble... and only 4- 6 to digest meat and bone? In the rare cases where a dog has become ill eating tainted meat, it can often be traced to a kibble-fed dog that ate raw meat... as the kibble takes far longer to process, the meat/bones were stuck behind the kibble - thus allowing the bacteria to propagate and make the dog sick! MYTH #4 "A RAW MEAT DIET IS TOO HIGH IN PROTEIN!" This one makes me smile! The high water content in raw meat means this diet would more accurately be considered a "high water" diet, not "high protein". Surprisingly enough, a natural raw diet actually contains between 15% - 20% protein... far less than most kibble diets! MYTH #5 "FEEDING RAW MEAT TO DOGS WILL MAKE THEM MEAN!" While I am sure there have been cases of dogs becoming "resource guarders" over raw food, that would be a training issue, not a case of the dog becoming wild or vicious because of the raw meat. How many dogs do you know that guard their kibble? I have personally seen quite a few, and those were clearly not cases where they had access to raw foods. Perhaps surprising to some, dogs fed a species-appropriate raw diet will be calmer and more at ease than those fed an unnatural diet. Doesn't make sense? It should, if we use children as an example. Take, for instance, a child fed junk food versus a child fed healthy, natural foods. The child consuming junk-food will be high-strung, emotional, and eventually, overweight and sickly. The child fed healthy food will have more consistent energy, but he will be calmer, less moody, able to think more clearly and will likely remain in good health. Feeding a "species-appropriate raw food" diet makes sense, don't you think? Are you curious what RunAmok puppies eat? Are there any vets who "approve" this crazy diet? How difficult is it to feed this way? Is it really expensive? FOR FURTHER LEARNING: ADVANCED K9 HEALTH PET HEALTH NATURALLY NUTRITION CONSULTATIONS |
| Miniature Australian Shepherds, Miniature Aussie Shepherd, Miniature Aussie, Mini Aussie, Miniature American Shepherd, Miniature Australian Shepherd puppies, Miniature Aussie for sale, natural-rearing, natural diet for dogs, SARF diet, species-appropriate raw food for dogs. |
| 208-669-0594 |
| The Miniature Australian Shepherd goes by many names: Miniature Aussie, Mini Aussie, and North American Shepherd. It will soon be recognized by AKC as the Miniature American Shepherd. |
| LITTER ANNOUNCEMENTS Naturally-reared Miniature Australian Shepherd puppies - Champion lines! Photos & information: LIL' RUSTLERS |
| "Everything has been amazing! She has yet to have an accident, slept through the night, has been eating up all her food and is fitting in perfectly with our family. She is such a lover and we are enjoying every moment with her. Thanks for raising such a great dog! She will be very loved! Gina" |
| A "RunAmok" puppy! |
| Laus Deo! Praise be to God! |
| Interested in a RunAmok Aussie puppy? Please fill out our QUESTIONNAIRE Trouble with the form? Send a quick email, or give us a call. We'll be happy to help you! |
© 2011 RunAmok Farm | Copyright © 2001-2011 RunAmok Farm. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: Information contained in RunAmok Farm's site, or found in the links
provided, is meant for educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical or legal advice. Any recommendations are derived from our personal experiences and
from years of study, however the decisions concerning feeding, vaccinations and regular veterinary care - and how you implement those decisions - are yours and yours alone.
Site owners, author, and contributors accept no responsibility for your decisions.
provided, is meant for educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical or legal advice. Any recommendations are derived from our personal experiences and
from years of study, however the decisions concerning feeding, vaccinations and regular veterinary care - and how you implement those decisions - are yours and yours alone.
Site owners, author, and contributors accept no responsibility for your decisions.
| Miniature Australian Shepherd; Miniature Aussie; Mini Aussie; North American Shepherd, Miniature American Shepherd |
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