I've had many people reaching out to me asking what type of dog food I feed my Siberian Husky. So, I decided to share with you more about that here. Gatsby was 6 months old when I took him off kibble and it wasn't hard for me to make this decision. Kibble is made from rendered meat by-products (livestock, seafood, horses and other dead animals, cereals and grains, corn, fruits and veggies mostly powdered and sourced from China. There's preservatives, stabilizers, synthetic vitamins and minerals, and so much other crap. How can these highly processed kibbles be good for dogs?
I know some people might argue with me and say "My dogs ate kibble all their life and they are fine." My response to them is "What if you ate potato chips, nutritional bars, and all other processed foods every day for the rest of your life? Will you thrive? What will happen to your body?" I'm no expert but I am pretty sure over time, your body will deteriorate. Dogs are carnivores and are not designed to eat kibble. Sure, kibble is known to be less expensive and much more convenient for you but in the long run, highly processed foods can wreak havoc on your dog’s system.
So what exactly do I feed my Siberian Husky? Real Food! If I have time to cook a meal for me and my husband, I can also take some time to cook for my dog as well. I use a dehydrated base mix called Raw Vibrance from Doctor Harveys. This base mix is comprised of a holistic blend of 24 incredible whole foods and helps me create a balanced and nutritious homemade diet without the worry of wondering if I am giving Gatsby enough nutrients. All I need to do is add hot water to the base-mix, lightly cooked protein, and oil. If you are worried about cost, you can estimate the cost per day based on your dog's weight on Doctor Harvey's website. Not sure if your dog will like it? You can order the free trial size and just pay for the shipping costs. Feeding a non-kibble diet will keep your dog from developing diseases with visits to the vet which may cost you even more money in the long run.
I usually shop at WholeFoods or Wegmans and here are some of the proteins (organic and free-range) I'll pick up for Gatsby:
Bison
Turkey
Venison
Chicken
Salmon
Sardines
Duck
Organs - liver and heart
As for the oils, I'll add either Doctor Harvey's Health & Shine Salmon & Krill oil or coconut oil to his meal along with some berries so he can get his dose of antioxidants.
Some of you might wonder why I don't feed a raw diet. I don't feed Gatsby a raw diet because I didn't want to risk any bacteria contamination since I also have four cats in the house. I am also afraid the whole bones can potentially choke, break his teeth or cause an internal puncture. For those of you who are thinking about mixing raw AND kibble at the same time, it's a bad idea. To understand why, read this article from Dogs Naturally.
Whether you just brought home your puppy and trying to figure out what to feed him/her or just deciding whether or not to get your dog off kibble, I hope this was helpful. To those who messaged me, if you are thinking about making the switch from kibble to homemade dog food, your dog will thank you!
Until next time,
Elaine
* I am not a veterinarian or a canine/animal nutritionist. I am a blogger. All information shared is based on my personal experience with my Siberian Husky and research about canine health and nutrition that I do for my dog. Please do not use content from this blog in place of veterinarian care.
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