Toxic or treat? Nutritious dog food made delicious.

Who doesn’t love a little treat every now and then? I can certainly chow my way through some Pana choc mint chip ice-cream with the best of them, mmmmhmmm. 

We’re incredibly fortunate to have access to more cuisines, more flavours and more types of food than ever in human history. And, by proxy, our dogs also have access to all the flavours of the world. We feed our dogs under the table, let them lick plates and throw them some scraps when we’re done. We cook them food alongside our meals, we prep, prepare and purchase quality eats for our best mates. Or maybe we’re in a bit of a rut with food, our pup gets kibble morning and night? 

Personally, a huge portion of my weekly shopping bill is on Bo’s nutrition. He’s a bit of a fussy eater, so I’ve been around the block a couple of times when it comes to food he likes, and getting the right balance for his diet.  My weekly food prep for Bo looks a little like this

Dog food prep

• Raw chicken necks -1kg

• Lamb ribs from the butcher 1kg

• Human grade chicken breast 2kg

• Free range, organic eggs – about 3 a week 

• 5-7 types of frozen veggies for mixing with chicken/offal 

• Blueberries/peach/banana/papaya/apple/pineapple/watermelon – whatever I buy for me

• Peanut butter – treat 

• Greek yoghurt – treat 

• Hard yellow cheese – treat 

• Lamb and green lipped mussel Ziwi Peak for topper and training

• Dried fish for training 

• Human grade Nordic Naturals cold-pressed fish oil - over food 

• Cooked liver/brain/offal (5%) for mixing with chicken 

• Seaweed (dried) for mixing with chicken 

• Pre-made, lightly cooked frozen meals – Bo likes Barf and Leaps and Bounds 

• And some B-Corp certified, fresh made kibble by Scratch (we use for travel, mixing in with his other fresh food and for enrichment toys)

  
  

Now, I understand that seems like a lot! We can assist with a dog nutrition starter program to put more fun foods into your dog’s diet. We’ll do the shopping for you, bring it home and even start you off with a simple recipe or feeding schedule so it’s easy and doesn’t impact your day. 

I guarantee your dog will sleep better, have better recall (seriously, if you have treats like this with you when you go out, or even at home, your pup won’t leave your side) and be a more content companion. If you have a fussy eater like I do, we can help by trialling some different flavours. Because we suggest only human-grade food, it means you can dip into the supplies, or if your pup doesn’t like certain things, you can finish them off. Cheese platter anyone? 

Now, onto the flip side. Things your dog shouldn’t eat. It’s a long list, and, of course, each dog will have a different palate, and ability to process toxins based on size, breed and gut flora. To be sure, here is a list of foods your dog simply shouldn’t be consuming.

• Avocado

• Chewing gum (xylitol)

• Toothpaste (xylitol)

• Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, pecans 

• Chives

• Chocolate

• Coconut and coconut oil

• Coffee

• Cooked bones – choke hazard 

• Cooked manufactured meat (sausages, bacon etc)

• Grapes 

• Milk

• Nuts

• Onions

• Raw yeast dough

• Salt

• Tomatoes

You’ll notice that many of these (onion and tomatoes) are in a lot of our meals, particularly dinner. And you’ve surely heard a story or two about dogs that have nommed an entire block of Whittaker’s, the only issue being an upset tummy the next day. But here’s the thing – until you’ve rushed to SASH or the Emergency Vet at 10pm not knowing what’s causing your dog’s vomiting or strange behaviour, you simply don’t know how your dog will react. 

Let us know if you’d like to try spicing (not literally, obviously) up your dog’s diet, or if you want to talk about nutrition – let us know. We’ve done the research to make things easier for you!