Is Your Dog a Fussy Eater?

For the majority of dogs feeding time is the highlight of the day and they leave their bowls squeaky clean.

However, there are some dogs that find the transition from dried to raw food a bit challenging, as it is such a dramatic change in moisture content, texture, aroma and flavour.

Many kibble and tinned foods have flavour and appetite enhancers added, which can make raw food seem a little bland in comparison and, combined with an unfamiliar texture, a bit off putting for some picky eaters.

There are a number of ways that you can encourage shy or fussy eaters to clean their bowls and look forward to feeding times. This does only apply to genuinely fussy eaters and not dogs that are unwell. Dogs will often fast if they are feeling off colour, so it is important to not force them to eat. If your dog is refusing food, bone broth and more crucially water, after 2 days, then it is important to contact your vet to rule out any serious health issues.

Your dog may also be suffering from reflux immediately after eating which makes them reluctant to eat in anticipation of the discomfort that follows. Some signs include licking front legs, appearing to lick the air, retching or regurgitation, which is usually white and frothy. As well as taking note of what your dogs has just eaten a herbal blend which is very effective to ease reflux is Digest & Rest https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/digest-and-rest

Here are a few ideas that may help dogs that are reluctant to eat:

It is important that your dog doesn’t feel pressured or that they are being watched. It can be frustrating as you are literally willing them to eat, but its vital to give them peace and quiet and not rush them.

For dogs new to raw food and that seem hesitant to eat, this could be due to the unfamiliar smell and texture. To release the aroma and flavour in order to tempt them, you can quickly flash fry small pieces of raw food in a pan then add into the meal, and sometimes a tinned pilchard mashed in or a spoon of tinned meat usually does the trick.

Bone broth can also be too tasty to resist. You can serve it warm or defrost bone broth cubes and add to the food.

There is a nutritious blend in the Hedgerow Hounds range that few dogs can resist and will tempt the fussiest of eaters. It can be found on the website under Greens, Seeds & Superfoods https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/greens-seeds

For the majority of dogs, but much more so for fussy eaters, It is important to offer raw food at room temperature as they really dislike anything cold or chilled. You can do this by letting the food sit for 15 minutes before use, drizzling a little boiling water over the food and stirring in, just to take the chill off.

Offer tiny meals in bitesize pieces, as presenting a whole bowl of food can be overwhelming and cause a shy dog to back off.

Experiment with different bowls and plates. Some dogs prefer to eat from a plate or shallow bowl and others are fearful of stainless steel due to the noise it makes on a hard floor. Always make sure that both the dog and the bowl are on a non-slip surface and they are not worried by the possibility of slipping and falling.

If you have an elderly dog that has suddenly become a picky eater, have you considered that they may have failing eyesight, tooth pain, experiencing discomfort as they reach down for the bowl, that they are eating on a slippery surface? Raised food and water bowls placed on non-slip mats can be really helpful in these situations. As our dogs reach their senior years their sense of smell and taste decreases, so this could be another reason for losing their pervious excitement at meals times.

Game meats such as duck, venison and pheasant can be a little too strong in taste for the picky feeder so it is best to avoid those when initially transitioning to a raw diet. The same can apply to offal, so if this is the case opt for offal free mince and very gradually add in tiny amounts of liver.

Dogs that refuse raw liver will often be very interested in lightly cooked liver, as cooking changes the texture and releases the aroma.

Caroline Hearn MICHT. Dip ICAT. MIAAT. Dip. ISCP Raw Nutrition

Sports, Remedial & Holistic Massage Therapist

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Simple Ways to Improve your Dogs Diet

Adding fresh food to your dogs meals can give huge health benefits and help in the prevention of many serious diseases .

Not everyone wants to feed raw or home cooked food and the vast majority of dogs still eat tinned food or kibble. When manufacturing kibble or muesli type food it requires a very high temperature and many of the nutrients are lost in the cooking process which are then replaced with synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements.

Adding a few of the following fresh foods at least 3 times a week will supply the dog with vitamins, minerals, omega 3 fatty acids, anti-oxidants, amino acids, glucosamine and micro nutrients that they can easy absorb and utilise within their body.

Here are a few ideas of simple ways to increase the nutritional value of any meals and add variation:

Bone Broth: Packed full of glucosamine, chondroition, hyaluronic acid, amino acid & minerals. Great for joint and gut health.

Tinned Pilchards or Sardines : Omega 3 fatty acids & DHA for coat and skin health and anti-inflammatory effects. Choose the ones in tomato juice or spring water

Eggs: Either raw or very lightly cooked, high quality protein and fat good source of biotin

Medicinal Mushrooms:  Such as Reishi, Chaga, Turkey tail, Shiitake etc have an abundance of health giving qualities and are believed to help in cancer prevention and to boost the immunity

Dandelion leaves: Contain vitamin C, B6, thiamin, calcium, iron, potassium, manganese, copper and a flavonoid called zeaxanthin which is crucial for protecting the retina and an effective anti-oxidant. Pick from areas free from chemical sprays & pollution.

Berries: Blackberries when in season, blueberries and raspberries are packed full of vitamin C and rich in anti-oxidants

Fresh leafy greens: Either lightly steam or as I prefer, making vegetable smoothies for the dogs is a great way to add an abundance of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to their meals. It has also been proven to reduce the risk of some cancers just by adding a small amount of vegetables to processed food. Avoid the starchy veg and go for kale, broccoli, spinach, beet tops, dandelion leaves, Parsley, courgette etc plus a few berries.

Herbal Blends:  Feeding a high quality herbal blend such as Greens, Seeds & Superfoods provides lots of nutrients in a form the body can fully utilise. Containing, Organic Wheatgrass, Kale, Chlorella, Dandelion, Nettle and pumpkin seeds, it is a convenient and easy way to boost nutritional value of any food it is added to https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/greens-seeds

Natures Bounty is not only created to naturally repel fleas & ticks but also contains an organic seaweed which is nutrient dense and can be combined with the other blends or used as part of the seasonal rotation with the Spring and Autumn blend when they become available in the year https://www.hedgerowhounds.co.uk/products/natures-bounty

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Eggs are great for our Dogs !

Either fed raw or lightly cooked, eggs are a valuable addition to our dogs diet.

Eggs provide a high quality, complete source of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.

A good source of vitamin A, B12, Riboflavin, Iron, Folate, Zinc, Selenium, Fatty acids, Choline, Fat soluble vitamin E,D and K and provide the ideal ratio of calcium and phosphorous, if the shell is also fed.

Just one egg will provide 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including lutein which is essential for eye health. Egg whites contain a substance called avidin which affects the uptake of biotin, but the egg yolk has high levels of biotin. So, unless you are feeding just the egg whites on a regular basis rather than the whole egg there shouldn’t be an issue.

Egg shell can be used as a calcium supplement, and the inner membrane of the egg contains an abundance of nutrients to support joint health. This opaque membrane will provide collagen, elastin, glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid.

Feeding a selection of eggs including chicken, duck, quail and guinea fowl will offer a broader range of nutrients. One thing that is essential, is that the eggs must be free range and preferably organic as these are higher in animal welfare as well as offering higher levels of the anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids. These free range birds will have benefitted from a natural lifestyle of foraging, had sunlight on their backs and lived a more relaxed life.

The eggs pictured are from a local farm shop where the hens & ducks can be seen roaming free. The eggs are higher in nutrition as the birds have access to a natural lifestyle of foraging and I know that the shells haven`t been sprayed with chemicals unlike many supermarket eggs, which is important if you are going to feed the shells.
Duck eggs have a larger yolk to white ratio and are higher in protein, fat and contain more Omega 3.

Quail eggs although tiny, have large amounts of vitamin B1 and 5 times as much iron and potassium as hens eggs. Their protein value is 13% where as hens eggs are 11%. Quail eggs rarely cause allergies or sensitivities so worth considering if eggs normally cause problems.

Your dog will benefit from eating free range organic eggs 2-3 times a week.

Eggs can be offered whole, either raw or lightly cooked or broken onto your dogs usual food. If you would rather cook them then a scrambled or boiled egg very lightly cooked will be well received.

There are almost 200 different breeds of chickens in the world, and one hen will lay anything between 250 and 300 eggs a year !

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