It is a very difficult time for all of us at the moment and without the freedom to nip to the shops to purchase our usual supplies or in many cases finding the supermarket shelves bare when we get there, can be a stressful situation.
While many pet food suppliers are carrying on trading, you may find that there are certain considerations in place when you come to order. My local store had to close but they are taking orders over the phone and either delivering locally to your door or you are allocated a slot where you can collect from outside the shop. If you are concerned, then contact your usual supplier to see what their procedure is for ordering food. I am sure they will be more than happy to help you. The situation with the virus escalated quickly and some panic buying was reported, which now has even out, as people start to adapt to living differently.
The other issue I have found, is that I only have one small freezer, which generally has more dog food in it than human food. This has never been a problem up until now but I need to claim some freezer space back for my own food so I am stocked up for a couple of weeks with essentials.
If you are struggling to get the normal volume of your dogs food and are looking for ways to make what you have last a bit longer or maybe you want to add a little fresh food into your dogs diet and are unsure of what to use, then the following information should help.
Firstly, have an honest look at your dogs current weight and condition, are they carrying too much weight and would they benefit from losing a few pounds?
Has their routine changed since the movement restrictions? ie: they are used to having an hours exercise off lead in the fields but at the moment they are getting a 15 minute walk around the block on a lead, so therefore need fewer calories.
Do they have a major health issue or specific dietary requirements? If so, this may not be the time to make major changes without expert guidance.
If you have never added any fresh food before or made any major changes to your dogs diet, start off with small amounts of green leafy vegetables which have been lightly boiled, steamed or pulped in a blender. Then gradually increase over a number of days, until a quarter (15%) of your dogs meals have been replaced by fresh food. Feeding a variety of the foods listed below will avoid excess or deficiencies and keeping it to 15% maximum will not upset the balance.
Try to offer a small selection, so for example in the photos above, I have included a single tinned pilchard, some greens, a slice of cooked sweet potato, a couple of blueberries and a tablespoon of cooked quinoa which adds up to approximately 15% of the meal. The easiest way is to set a few bits and pieces aside in a separate bowl as you prepare you own meals.
These are a few ideas to make their meals go a little further, bulk up the food you do have and add volume to prevent hunger pangs.
Items to consider adding:
Eggs: A raw or lightly cooked free range egg, 3 times a week are a fantastic source of protein. If your dog isn’t a fan of vegetables you could make them an omelette and sneak a little cooked veg in the pan as well.
Rice or Pasta: Brown or wild rice is preferable but if white rice is all you can find then this is acceptable in small amounts for the short term. Rinse well, before cooking thoroughly.
Buckwheat, Quinoa, Millet: It is important to thoroughly cook grains before you feed them to your dog so they can digest them easily. Out of the grains available these are gluten free and better suited to dogs.
Sweet Potato: Sweet potato is not a member of the nightshade family but is actually from the Bindweed family. This means that dogs who can`t tolerate normal potatoes are often fine when fed small amounts of sweet potato.
Tinned sardines or pilchards: These are a great item to have in the store cupboard and can used to replace some meat or kibble in the diet. They are cheap, tasty and an excellent source of Omega3. Try and find them in spring water or failing that tomato juice, which you can drain away before feeding.
Green leafy vegetables: Green vegetables are an ideal way to start to incorporate a little fresh food into your dogs meal times. Kale, spinach, courgette, broccoli florets and stalks, green beans, coz lettuce are all good additions. Vegetables do need to be steamed or alternatively fed raw but blitzed in a blender to form a thick puree. This allows the cellulose in the plants to be broken down for easier digestion. This means your dog can gain nutrients from the vegetables and are less likely to get an upset stomach.
Cottage cheese or plain natural yoghurt: If dairy suits your particular dog then small amounts of natural live yoghurt or natural cottage cheese can be added to your vegetable mix.
Kibble or dried food: I am not a fan of kibble, but if needs must then there are a few out there which have nice ingredients and are not made using harsh cooking methods. It`s a good idea to look on the website All about Dog food, which compares and gives ratings to the brands on the market. You can always limit the volume fed by measuring out a set amount and placing it in treat dispenser toys, snuffle mats or use for interactive scent games in the garden. As an example of a better quality dried food there is a company called Akela that sell cold pressed as well as the regular kibble that score highly on the All about Dog food website. It has a high percentage of meat so you need to feed less of it than the standard kibble.
Tinned food: There is a good choice of quality tinned foods available such as Natures Menu which are stocked in most pet food stores. Tins have the advantage of a long shelf life and can be stored anywhere cool.
Dehydrated or Freeze-dried foods: While this isn’t a cheap option there are many good products of this type on the market. They have a long shelf life and do not need fridge or freezer space in order to store it.
Recreational bones: Large raw bones or beef tracheas can provide hours of entertainment and the act of chewing releases feel good hormones. I find after my dogs have chewed on a bone for a period of time they are so tired that they sleep soundly for hours afterwards, they are often so satisfied that they don’t miss not having a second meal that particular day. Beef tracheas can be stuffed with a portion of your dogs daily meal so they have to work a bit harder to consume it.
Of course, not all dogs can be given raw bones due to resource guarding or issues within a multi dog household, so this may not be an option.
What to avoid: Do not feed grapes, raisins, chocolate, onions, gravy which contains high levels of salt, garlic and onions, anything that contains sweeteners such as Xylitol and cooked fat.
Other ways to keep your dog entertained and to make feed time last a bit longer, is to make them work for their treats. Hiding dried food in snuffle mats, using boxes in the undergrowth of your garden to place treats in or stuffing a trachea or Kong with a portion of their daily food.
If you need additional help with your dogs diet or they have special requirements due to ill health or sensitivities then our canine nutritional specialist Katie McCaul can advise you. She can be contacted by email at the following address katiemccaul@hotmail.com