Act 3 - Scene 4
Feeding

• Remove the two Tupperware containers from the fridge (one Tupperware container has meat and the other has vegetables).

• The following is a guide for you to use and is presented in a ratio format; therefore, increase or decrease the amount needed based on the ratio.

• Please remember, this is only a general guideline. If you think your pet will need more specific guides, consult a veterinarian that is familiar with a fresh food program.

• Mix the two foods in the following suggested proportions:

• Once you have the necessary amount of food in the bowl, add hot water until the food becomes the consistency of a thick stew.

• The hot water takes the chill off the food, replaces the water naturally found in the prey, and volatizes the odour.

• Once you have added the hot water, then add other nutritional supplements.

  • This way the hot water is not poured directly onto the supplements.

• Mix and serve.

• Your dog or cat should decide when they have eaten enough and they should walk away with something still left in the bowl. Read Part 1 - Scene 4 for more information on how much to feed your pets.

• If you are feeding eggs, then the eggs replace the meat. Read Part 3 - Scene 3 for more information on eggs.

The combination of food does not have to be accurate, just close. You can use a spoon, cup, or whatever you want to use for measuring based upon your requirements.

These are just guidelines.

Some pets may like, need or want more meat or vegetables. Watch your companion as they will provide clues to what they need. Also, if on one day you are short of vegetables then increase the amount of meat and provide extra vegetables the next day. Give the body what it needs and the body will do the rest.

Feeding Examples:

I have found that some people who read this page don't fully absorb the information provided.

I get emails from people who ask the following sort of questions:

"I have a Rottweiler and feeding him 2 parts meat and 1 part vegetables will not be enough. So how much do I feed him?"

"When I was feeding my dog dry food, I fed him 1 cup of food. So how much do I feed him now?"

These are the sort of questions I sometimes get asked and so this information regarding feeding examples is designed to help ensure everyone understands how to feed a natural, raw meat diet.

I believe that the people who asked these sorts of questions overlooked the obvious information on this page because they were conditioned to feed exact amounts of foods due to years of feeding commercial pet foods. By adding this segment to this page, I hope that everything will be clarified.

So, let's begin... we all know that on a bag or can of commercial pet food there are feeding instructions that will say to feed a certain amount of food based on the weight, age, etc of your pet. But this method of feeding does not work with a natural, raw meat diet. In fact, this approach of feeding a specific amount of food to your pet cannot and will never allow your pets to get all the nutrition they need.

Pets today are not starving for food. But pets today are starving for nutrition! I repeat, pets today are not starving for food, but instead, their bodies are starving for nutrition.

When you feed commercial pet foods you are feeding processed, refined and enzyme depleted foods.

When you feed a natural, raw meat based diet, you are feeding unprocessed, unrefined whole foods that still contain some enzymes.

I like to emphasize to people to feed their pets wholesome foods. Nobody can argue or dispute the fact that wholesome foods are important for good health. For some, they believe that feeding a commercial diet is the best diet for their pets. Others believe that feeding homemade cooked foods is the best for their pets... but for me, I personally consider a wholesome diet for pets to be one that consists of whole foods (unlike commercial pet foods that are refined and processed) and I believe that a wholesome diet consists of foods that best simulate what Mother Nature herself would provide. It's for this reason that feeding cooked meats does not qualify, in my opinion, as wholesome because Mother Nature feeds carnivores raw meat.

Since pets have been eating (for generations) poor quality foods, their bodies are starving for nutrition.

Until our pets start to eat wholesome foods, they will always be starving for nutrition.

Our pets may not be starving for food, but they are starving for nutrition. Since our pets are starving for nutrition, feeding a specific amount of food will never allow our pets to get all of the nutrition they require. Our pets can only get their bodies full of nutrition if we allow them to eat all the food they want until they walk away from the bowl with some food left in it.

Now it's important to note that feeding your pets all they want only works when you feed a natural and wholesome raw meat diet because this is the only diet that ultimately allows our pets to get their nutritional fuel tanks full of nutrition.

If you feed your pets all they want of commercial pet food or cooked meats then their nutritional fuel tanks will never get full meaning they will always need a lot of food and they will have an endless stomach. Only a wholesome raw meat diet has the power and ability to end the endless stomachs that so many pets have... and again, pets have endless stomachs not because they are starving for food, but because they are starving for nutrition!

So let's get back to the information on this page. The feeding proportions are just that, proportions... not amounts.

To understand how much to feed your pet, please refer again to Part 1 - Scene 4 for more information. I cannot stress enough how important it is to read Part 1 - Scene 4 as the information on that page works in combination with the information on this page.

So if you review the chart above, you will see that I am talking about ratios. A ratio is defined by Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary as:

• the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things

The chart above does not indicate how much to feed, but rather only the ratio between meats and vegetables. The amount you feed your pet is determined by your pet! All you do is mix the meat and vegetables together in the ratio.

You can mix using spoons, cups or whatever you want to use. Your measurements or whatever you want as the tool used for measuring does not matter... all that matters is the ratio between meat and vegetables. Please remember, the measurements do not need to be exact... just close.

So here again is my chart on suggested proportions:

Based on this chart, let's take a look at some feeding examples.

Examples for mature dogs:

• For mature dogs, the ratio is 2:1.
• If you feed 10 spoonfuls of meat, then you will need to add 5 spoonfuls of vegetables.
• If you feed 2 cups of meat, then you will need to add 1 cup of vegetables.
• If you feed 1 spoonful of meat, then you will need to add 1/2 spoonful of vegetables.

Examples for mature cats, puppies and kittens:

• For mature cats, puppies and kittens the ratio is 3:1.
• If you feed 3 spoonfuls of meat, then you will need to add 1 spoonful of vegetables.
• If you feed 2 spoonfuls of meat, then you will need to add 2/3 spoonful of vegetables.
• If you feed 1 spoonful of meat, then you will need to add 1/3 spoonful of vegetables.
• If you feed 3 cups of meat, then you will need to add 1 cup of vegetables.
• If you feed 2 cups of meat, then you will need to add 2/3 cup of vegetables.
• If you feed 1 cup of meat, then you will need to add 1/3 cup of vegetables.

Suggested Frequency of Feeding:

The important thing to remember about the number of times you feed each day is to watch your dog or cat; puppy or kitten. Your pet will give the clues. Watch and respond.

My guide below is just that, a guide. Although between 6 - 12 months I suggest 2 feedings per day, you may find that your pet needs 3 or maybe only 1 feeding.

You will know if your pet still needs the suggested number of feedings each day because your pet will still eat a full meal at the feeding. At the same time, if your pet doesn't eat a full meal at a feeding, then it probably means that you can remove that feeding.

Large breed dogs may require two feedings per day until about 2 years of age as it takes longer for their body to fully develop.

If you begin feeding your puppy or kitten a homemade diet from a very young age, then you will naturally notice your puppy or kitten stop eating or reduce its food intake at a certain feeding. You may notice that at about 2 months of age that your puppy or kitten will only want 3 to 4 meals. At the same time, you may notice that your puppy or kitten will want 4 to 6 meals a day until it is 4 months old. Your pet will give you the clues. Just watch and respond.

If you have rescued a puppy, kitten, dog or cat, then you may notice that it needs extra feedings each day as its body has been starving for a while. Once its body is fully satiated with nutrition, then chances are you will see that your rescued pet will be more along the lines of my guide below. Watch and respond.

Feeding your pet the appropriate number of times when a puppy or kitten is crucial to allowing your puppy's or kitten's body to develop fully and completely. When you feed a natural, raw meat died combined with the proper number of feedings per day, then you will notice that your pet will develop much better than other pets who have been fed a commercial diet. This is because your pet will have received the proper nutrition to develop properly. Many pets today have cramped teeth, hip problems, joints problems and more... all of which can be prevented either partially or fully when good food is fed properly.

My guide is based on my own experiences. I watched how my puppies responded to my feedings. Your puppies or kittens may be slightly different. Watch and respond... that's the beauty of homemade food for dogs and cats... you become an active participant in your pet's health and well-being and when you do, there is such joy... the joy of doing with love.

The last thing to remember about feeding is that when you do feed, let your pet eat as much as your pet wants at each meal!

Editor's Paw Note:

• Please remember that every pet needs to have a good calcium supplement with every meal.

• Part 1 - Scene 6 explains why calcium is so important while Part 1 - Scene 9 explains more about calcium including how to make your own calcium supplement using ground egg shells.

• If you are not able to make your own ground egg shell supplement then you can always purchase a ground egg shell supplement known as EggShellent Calcium.

Continue