Figuring Out Portions

Portions were the biggest battle for me when I was trying to figure out how to feed Finn what he needs. One trainer put my mind at ease a bit when he said, "Think about how you feed your children. Do you measure out the specific amount of vitamins, minerals, protein, etc. they're getting every day? No. Dogs are similar in that as long as you focus on a balanced diet, they'll be healthy."

Portions were difficult for me because I hadn't yet invested in an appropriate scale and Finn was a growing puppy. Everything I read was in percentages, and then ounces, and then pounds and everyone was talking about "ideal weight" but how was I supposed to know what Finn's ideal weight was? So here's a breakdown of the key numbers you need to know:

1. Your dog's ideal weight. For Finn, I knew his mom was 70 lbs and his dad was 80, at the rate he's growing, I think he will be 80 pounds so I based everything on the 80 lbs number. The important thing here which wasn't clear to me, is that if you're like me and doing the calculations for a growing puppy, you should use their ideal adult weight, not the ideal weight for their current age.

2. You can actually give your dog bone, and it's actually good for them. However, NEVER feed your dog raw bone. I'm a huge proponent of raw food diets for dogs. I think it's by far the healthiest option and logical, however, Finn isn't a fan of raw food. So rather than try and force it on him, I'm meeting in the middle and cooking the food for him. If you do opt for a raw diet, you'll find that bone in the diet is critical and has immense benefits. But only in a raw diet, can you actually include bone-in meats. For our cooked diets, we need alternative sources since cooked bones splinter.

3. There is such a thing as too much vitamins/minerals. Especially for labs and puppies, a common mistake is too much calcium. So be diligent about the portions when incorporating these or using supplements into your dog's diet.

4. Your dog doesn't need grains. There are a variety of studies that support this notion and that correlate grains with common allergies. I noticed Finn had issues with itching and allergies very early on and once I removed grains from his diet, he hasn't had any issues since.

“Do you have a design in mind for your blog? Whether you prefer a trendy postcard look or you’re going for a more editorial style blog - there’s a stunning layout for everyone.”

You’ll be posting loads of engaging content, so be sure to keep your blog organized with Categories that also allow visitors to explore more of what interests them.

General Rule of Thumb

• 60% protein - 10-20% fat content, including any oils you're adding to the recipe

• 10% liver/organ meat

• 5% heart

• Additional organ meat can attribute to 5-10% of your dog's diet

• Bone meal powder - 10-15% of dogs total diet should be bone. For puppies, it needs to be at least 12%.

• 10-20% fat

• 10% vegetable

Some people chose not to feed grains, including myself, in which case you can alter your portions to 60% meat and 40% vegetables.

Ingredient Breakdown

Protein

Meats and fish are going to be the bulk of your protein - salmon, chicken, lamb, beef, turkey, pork. I've used ground turkey, chicken drumsticks, chicken leg quarters, ground beef, salmon, etc. Certain proteins are better for specific breeds so I recommend doing research for which is best to use for your dog.

Make sure to rotate your protein sources. This will help balance fats and nutrients, while also helping to prevent protein sensitivities and allergies.

Organs

Organ meat provides vitamins, enzymes and minerals that are not found in muscle meat. Some examples of organs are: liver, heart, gizzards and kidneys. I was shocked to find that you can actually find most of these at your local grocery store. I bought Beef Liver, Chicken Gizzards and Chickens hearts all at the local HEB and they're all very inexpensive.

Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain polyphenols which health with overall health and immune function. Green is good! Vegetables like broccoli, kale and broccolo sprouts are all great sources of cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory polyphenols. Blueberries benefits the brain and nervous system, while cranberries benefit the bladder and kidneys.

Add Ons for Macronutrients

• Eggs - eggs are filled with good protein, healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E, K and a great source of calcium. You can feed eggs daily, raw or cooked.

• Sardines - provide omega 3

• Mussels - 6-7 mussels per week will supply the appropriate amount of trace minerals

• Spinach

Here's a great article on Raw Food Diets that break down the various ingredients and what they provide really well.