When my nephews were young, I recall their mother’s attempts to move them from baby food to more solid food. Initially, the boys would reject the new food. They would sometimes flick it away or clamp their mouths shut. For them, making the change involved moving away from the familiar to food with a new appearance, texture and taste. The new food was also accompanied by a lot of fuss and enthusiasm from the adults around them.

The change from dry dog food (kibble) to a new raw food diet for some dogs can be fraught with similar angst for the dog and their owner. For the dog, the appearance, texture, taste and most importantly smell of raw food compared to dry is completely different. Remember also, dry dog food is sprayed with fats and enhancers to improve its palatability and smell.

Add to the dog’s angst about a change in diet, your desire to transition your dog to a raw food diet. Once people decide to change their dog’s diet, many people feel a sense of urgency to move to the new diet. This puts pressure on the dog and owner.

Take a deep breath and relax about changing your dog’s diet. Remember that if your dog skips a meal or two, then that is OK. (See http://www.fullstride.com.au/blog/is-it-ok-for-a-dog-to-skip-a-meal )

So here is a tip to entice a fussy eater to try their new diet – make bone broth.

Why does bone broth work?

1. Flavoursome – You can include flavours that your dog really likes. Think about your dog’s favourite meat or fish. If your dog likes a particular type of offal, then add that too. You can also consider adding herbs to the broth for extra flavour.

2. Served warm – Serving the bone broth warm, also warms the raw food. Food served at room temperature or a little warmer is more palatable to dogs.

3. Easy to eat – If the broth is warm and flavoursome, then the dog will usually sniff and lick at it. By doing so, they will start to get the flavours of the raw food too.

Recipe for bone broth

Here is my recipe for bone broth.

Ingredients

Bones – use meat bones with some flesh and connective tissue still attached. You can use chicken frames, beef soup bones, lamb or pork off cuts. If your dog likes fish, you could use fish carcasses.

Vegetables – use flavoursome, aromatic vegetables such as celery, carrot and garlic. You can add any other vegetables your dog likes. Remember you are adding vegetables for flavour only.

Herbs – use herbs to add more flavour. Consider using parsley, basil, rosemary, oregano, lemon grass or any other herb your think your dog might like.

Water – add sufficient water to cover the bones

Method

• Simmer the bone broth and keep topping up the water until the meat and connective tissue has fallen from the bone and the vegetables are mushy.

• Allow the broth to cool and remove all the bones. If you want, you can blend the broth so it is a smooth liquid. This may suit smaller breed or older dogs.

• Package the broth into small containers or zip-lock bags. Package enough broth to cover your dog’s meals for one day.

• Freeze the containers.

How to use the bone broth with your dog’s meals

• Each day defrost the container of broth.

• When preparing your dog’s meals, heat the broth by placing it in a container with boiling water.

• Empty the warmed broth over your dog’s meals. Initially, you can offer just the broth on its own to get the dog accustomed to the taste.

• As you progress, start mixing the broth through the raw food. Eventually, diminish the amount of broth you add to the diet.

For more diet and nutrition tips, please feel free to contact me at jlconlon@fullstride.com.au.

You can also stay up to date by following Full Stride on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/FullStrideCanineMassageTherapy/

Until next time, enjoy your dogs.

Sources

AAFCO, “What is in pet food”. Available at http://www.aafco.org/Consumers/What-is-in-Pet-Food [30/12/2015]

Billinghurst, I (1993), Give your dog a bone:the practical common sense way to feed dogs for a long and healthy life, Warrigal Publishing, Bathurst NSW.

Born Free USA, “What’s really in pet food report”. Available at http://466a221d5f0081643b32-e5fd6e4345ef06428c08a34c1e533de0.r4.cf1.rackcdn.com/PetFoodReport_BFUSA.pdf [1/3/2015]

Schultze, K (1998), Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet Hay House, Sydney, NSW