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Introduction
Although
the principles of holistic feeding flows from an entirely natural
philosophy, thanks to the self-serving mis-information produced
by the Pet Food Industry and others, many owners who want to
go down this route may need more information on the subject
in order to have confidence to do so. More information on this
subject may be had by contacting our helpline tech.help@naturaldogfoodcompany.com, telephone 0800 848 8049 or the British
Association of Holistic Nutrition and Medicine direct. |
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Should I give supplements? |
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Should I give bones? |
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How much should I feed? |
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The bag has a little dust in the bottom, can I feed this? |
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My dog is a fussy eater |
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Why do dogs eat grass? |
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My dog has an irritated skin, how long will it take to clear up? |
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Why does my dog rub its bottom along the floor? |
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Is hyperactivity associated with diet? |
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Do you charge for advice? |
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Should dogs be given milk? |
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My dog is doing well on his existing diet so why change? |
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Is it harmful to add things to the diet? |
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Should I give supplements? |
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Not as a rule - All in One contains all the nutrients required for a dog in good health. We suggest that table scraps are given occasionally which, provided they are no more than 10 per cent of the total diet, will not unbalance the formulation. Dogs love this, it provides variety and also increases the bond between pet and owner. Things containing milk products, pork or sugar should not be given. |
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Should I give bones? |
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Yes ? But there are rules to follow. Some professionals do not recommend this because in some circumstances they can cause problems related to their sharp edges. If the rules are followed the benefits of giving bones far outweigh the risks. All dogs love bones especially large knucklebones, which they will gnaw on for hours. They provide calcium, keep teeth clean and are good for the digestive tract. The rules are
1. No cooked bones because they have a tendency to splinter
2. If you have more than one dog, make sure that they do not fight over bones as this can cause them to be eaten too quickly. |
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How much should I feed? |
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This is a very difficult question to answer exactly because so much depends on the age and type of the dog and the exercise being taken. The table on the bag is a good guide to start with. Generally, if you are changing from another complete food, use about the same amount. The best way is to feed by eye, and change the amount accordingly, if the dog is too fat, reduce the amount by about ten percent for a week or two until the effects are seen and be guided by that; if the dog is too thin, increase by the same amount. Make any changes slowly. As a general rule, most dogs are overfed ? it is best to be a bit ?ribby? ? many problems can be caused by overweight especially as the dog gets on in years. |
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The bag has a little dust in the bottom, can I feed this? |
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Yes ? Sometimes, if the bag is moved around a lot, especially if it has been delivered by carrier, some of the kibble may have broken up. This does not harm the product in any way and it is perfectly all right to use as normal. |
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My dog is a fussy eater |
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Most dogs will readily our products. Fussy eaters can normally be tempted with a small quantity of good quality naturally prepared canned meat. |
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Why do dogs eat grass? |
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There are several theories including
1. They are short of micronutrients
2. They are trying to vomit
3. They may need worming
There is little hard evidence to support any of these theories. For whatever reason, feeding an holactive diet will usaully reduce this habit. |
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My dog has an irritated skin, how long will it take to clear up? |
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This will depend on the cause. Often poor quality diets are associated with this problem because some of the ingredients are irritants. If the problem is associated with diet and also long standing it may take some weeks to clear completely after you have changed to holactive food. What usually happens is that the problem improves slowly as the body returns to normal functioning. |
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Why does my dog rub its bottom along the floor? |
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This is usually a sign of either worms or, more commonly, irritated anal sacs. The anal sacs contain, amongst other things, toxins from the body which should be voided naturally as the dog passes faeces. The anal sacs often become blocked and irritated because they are overloaded with toxins caused by a faulty diet. Reducing the amount of toxins by feeding an holactive diet will usually reduce this problem. |
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Is hyperactivity associated with diet? |
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Yes it can be. The majority of dog foods contain synthetic chemical compounds of some kind, even though the manufacturers may pretend that they do not. Hyperactivity has been associated with the ingestion of these substances by trainers and veterinary surgeons. Hyperactive dogs fed on an holactive diet usually revert to normal in a short time. |
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Do you charge for advice? |
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We don't, ever, but if we refer you to the BAHNM helpline, or you go there anyway, things may be slightly different. BAHNM as a 'not for profit' organisation will also not charge for basic technical advice given over the telphone or by e-mail, and most problems are dealt with this way, however if repeated calls necessitate a case history to built up, a small adminsistration fee may be payable. Concessions will apply. If you subsequently decide to ask for a home visit by an holistic veterinary surgeon, normal consultany fees will apply, but you can discuss this first. Holistic veterinary treatment can be covered by pet health insurance plans. Please enquire at BAHNM on 01252 843282, they are very helpful and friendly. |
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Should dogs be given milk? |
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No. The only milk a dog should receive is from its mother before weaning. Dogs, like humans, can digest milk from other species, but not very well. If the dog is receiving a good diet from other sources there is no need. So if there is a choice don't give it to them. |
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My dog is doing well on his existing diet so why change? |
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Look carefully at the raw materials used in the food. If it contains too many of the wrong sort of ingredients and not enough of the right sort, you may not see a problem now, but this may have implications for health later on. Many veterinarians and animal scientists are linking long term use of some raw materials in modern diets to diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy and renal disorders in mature dogs. |
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Is it harmful to add things to the diet? |
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Whilst the food contains everything a dog needs, like us they do enjoy variety and we recommend that table scraps be given occasionally. Provided this is no more than about ten percent of the total food additions will not unbalance the diet provided they do not contain large amounts of milk products, artificial additives, sugar, spicey or salty foods. Many people give this as a treat from their own lunch on Sundays. Dogs will eat green vegetables which should be given, if available, partly cooked. |
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What are the main differences between your food and other premium brands? |
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1. Free of unsuitable artificial 'E' numbers The first complete food on the market to contain asolutely no unsuitable artificial 'E numbers'. Most other complete dog foods brands may not contain things like artificial colours and preservatives etc. but they may contain synthetic vitamins which many holistic veterinarians believe are inappropriate.
2. Range of carbohydrates It contains a range of carbohydrates excluding those which are associated with digestive problems. Other brands commonly contain the wrong combination and amounts of grain cereals.
3. Range of vegetables It contains a range of vegetable herbage once available to the dog's prey. These contain vital micronutrients which are often missing from other brands.
4. BAHNM Certified It is certified holistic by the British Association of Holistic Nutrition and Medicine. As such it is compatible with Natural Feeding and BARF. Others may claim to formulated to holistic principles but fall short in many respects. |
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