Expert: Kaza - 12/6/2009

Question
QUESTION: hi im feeding my puppy a natural diet which is 1 scramble egg in the morning with a small hand full of james wellbeloved complete but he leaves the complete, then either white fillet of fish with a abit or brown an white rice then for his tea he has a stew i made him what has 2 carrots a hand full of green cabbage 2 medium sized potatoe 1/4 of onion smimmed in veg stock then a use a hand blender then put in meat ends what i buy from the market. is that diet good for him? do i need to add anything else or stop
anything thanks sharon.

ANSWER: Hi Sharon
what you are doing is dangerous for your puppy, dogs should never eat onions under any circumstances , they cause anaemia and liver damage.

To feed a natural diet you should use good quality meats, carrots, mashed potatoes (never feed raw pots) fish high in omegas , cucumber , spinach occasionally, dogs do not need cereals , they do not really require carbohydrates.

First meal suggestions

100g meat or oily fish
mixed with 30g mashed potatoes
grate 1 medium raw carrot
1tbspoon olive oil
1/4 tsp meat and bone meal

50g daily snacks can be
apple slices
cucumber slices
raw carrot batons
pear slices

Final meal if under 12 months

mashed carrot 25g
chicken liver or lambs liver or heart cooked  50g (if using liver use only 1 per month)
30 g spinach raw or cooked
1tsp olive oil
30g ground oatmeal
mixed together


Excellent foods for bichons are :

pork, chicken. quality beef lamb, salmon, mackeral, pilchards in tins contain more protein than steak so this is an excellent food and cheap too.
ground oatmeal, venison, pheasant, wild boar, goats milk (I use delamere products)cheese.Apples, carrots, cucumber, pears, chicken wing raw NEVER cooked, natural yoghurt or buttermilk.Seaweed occasionally.

Supplements recommended for Bichon breeds

Lutein and bright eyes 1 per week under 12 months of age
Fibre diet pill 1 per week excellent for anal glands
Cranberry tablets 1 per week for urinray health
glucosamine and chondratin 1 per week for excellent bone support.

I buy all mine from Holland and Barratt.
for a more informed look at diet either purcahse our magazine
posh-paws available in the uK for £2.40 plus £0.90 postage
or look at our health site

www.eurobichons.com




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for that is tuna in a tin ok for him? and would you give him three meals of just two with your snacks? with the vitamins would you crush them up and put them in his food or to swollow hole coz is of them tablets are quit big. sharon

Answer
Place tabs whole in his food, under 8 months small dogs require 3 meals per day over 8 months reduce to 2 meals until they reach 12 months then one meal per day is enough.
Tuna contains no omegas in a tin so its an unnecessary food , it is also rather dry and can make them gag a wee bit, never use brine for dogs as it will damage the kidneys .

Fish should be oily for excellent coat health excellent bone health and excellent collagen.

Good luck