Raw Recipes: Surf & Turf/ Fruit Salad

Today we’re going to look at a couple of B.A.R.F (raw feeding) recipes for you to try at home with your four legged friend. I’m going to use a 15kg terrier mix as an example, but the beauty of these recipes are that they are incredibly adaptable and can be scaled up or down to meet the needs of any breed or individual dog. We’ll be working on the assumption that our terrier is fully grown and eats once a day, but again you can divide the meal into portions to suit your individual feeding schedule. So. Let’s start with our main course:

“Surf and Turf”

INGREDIENTS

Turkey Thigh (with bone) or Turkey Mince 40%

Beef Heart 10%

Beef Tripe 10%

White Fish 10%

Spinach and Kale 5%

Carrot/Sweet Potato 25%

Tumeric and Parsley to season

PREPARATION

Preparing raw food for dogs is not so dissimilar to preparing your own evening meals- we can even use the same veg we are preparing for ourselves to feed our four legged friends. But let’s move away from the kitchen for a moment. As any good chef will tell you- quality ingredients and attentive preparation are key. When looking at protein, we want to make sure your supplier is using only human grade meat. Next, it should be frozen at -20C for 2 weeks to take care of any unwanted bacteria. Use separate utensils for meat and veg (just as we would for ourselves) sanitise your surfaces and wash your hands. It might sound like a lot of hard work, but you soon get in the habit of it and it’s important to keep everyone happy and healthy.

Tip- “meal prep” your dog’s food straight from the freezer. Portion and defrost in tupperware that’s exclusively used for your dog’s food to minimise your prep and clean up time. Pop in the fridge and after 24hours it will be ready to go straight into your dog’s bowl.

So, we’ve sourced our ingredients and are just about ready to prepare dinner. Time to tackle the big question- how much should we feed our dogs?

PORTION SIZE

The generally accepted average for a raw diet is 2-3% of your dog’s bodyweight. But, just as we humans might enjoy a hearty dinner after a day of heavy exercise and stick to snacking on lazy days, we as owners can facilitate a dog’s fluctuating appetite. A dog who readily cleans their bowl 6 nights out of 7 and picks at his dinner the rest of the time is nothing to worry about. You’ll get to know your dog’s own individual habits over time, but as long as their eating balances out to around this level (and they’re getting all the nutrition and exercise they need) we’re on the right track.

Bear in mind as well that the canine species is hugely diverse. Take our terrier for example, and sit them down for dinner with a farmer’s collie and a pug of the same weight. Our terrier has had a half hour walk and is probably going to finish off a healthy 350-400g and be quite content. The pug, who is by nature a less active dog, might be satisfied with 300g. The collie, who’s been running round the fields all day, might wolf down 450 or even 500g tonight and only snack on his days off.

So, back to the kitchen and our 15kg terrier. Our meal is going to be divided 70/30 between protein and vegetables. At 2-3% that leaves us with 210-315g protein and 90-135g veg. Thankfully, cooking (and raw feeding) is an art as much as it is a science so we don’t necessarily need to concern ourselves with being to-the-gram accurate, but this ratio serves as a useful guide for optimum nutrition.

SERVING

If our terrier is still connected to their working roots, you might find that they prefer their food whole. Dogs with a high prey drive (hounds, terriers etc)- or who enjoy a more primal relationship with their food- will enjoy engaging with their dinner and investigating all the different elements on their plate. More civilised, domesticated breeds (toys, crosses etc) or older dogs might prefer their meal minced and blended. Try both and see which your dog enjoys- or offer them a mix of the two. Whole fish fillets with turkey and beef mince, diced vegetables with rough chopped steak- the combinations are endless.

Tip- you may find your dog also prefers their food at a certain temperature. If they regularly walk away from their food and return a while later, they might enjoy their food at ambient temps. In this case, take the meal out of the fridge half an hour before serving and cover. Don’t leave food down uncovered, as opportunistic pests and bacteria may take advantage of the unattended meal.

NUTRITION

I know what you’re thinking, why put turkey in a surf and turf dinner? The answer is two-fold. Beef is a rich protein and, while it’s a great source of Taurine and gives a boost to heart health, it can be quite heavy on their digestive system in large amounts. Turkey is a lean protein, and turkey thigh in particular contains a good ratio of bone to muscle meat- so the two balance eachother out nicely. As for the “surf”- white fish is high in omega oils which are great for coat and skin health. A word of warning for us, the human. Beef tripe is a probiotic and fantastic for digestive health. It has a strong smell which your dog will LOVE, but it might send you running for a clothes peg.

Making up our vegetable content, I’ve chosen a combination of kale and spinach for their rich mineral content (iron for blood health, potassium for energy, not to mention Vitamins A+K and magnesium) and because leafy veg is naturally part of a foraged canine diet.

And last but not least, our root veg. Here it’s all about balance. Our sweet potato for example is a good source of dietary fiber but also contains natural sugars. Carrots have a great texture for your dog to get their teeth into (and are easy to source and store) but again some dogs can be sensitive to the natural sugars. If you spot your dog itching after eating root veg, consider replacing these with broccoli or green beans.

Tip- One of the key digestive differences between humans and canines is Amalayse. Present in our saliva, but absent in the mouths of our four legged friends, this enzyme works to break down carbohydrates, converting them to glucose and preparing them for distribution into the body as a form of energy. Without this, dogs not only lack the dietary need for carbohydrates, but also the fundamental process to make use of the sugars they contain. This is largely behind the recent rise in “grain free” foods, but it’s important to also be on the lookout for (and moderate) other sources of carbohydrates/sugars in your dog’s diet.

Supplements and herbs are a great way to top up on nutrients you think your dog might be missing elsewhere in their diet, or to administer holistic in support of veterinary prescribed medications. Turmeric, for example, has natural anti-inflammatory properties to give ailing dogs a boost. Parsley flushes toxins from your dog’s system. A sprinkle of both on our surf and turf will beautifully complement the nutrition gained from the main meal.

“Fruit Salad”

Here’s a delicious snack that you can share with your four legged companion. Serve on hot days to help with hydration- you can even blend and chill for a delicious summer smoothie.

Watermelon (One slice)

Blueberries (half a handful)

Orange (2 slices)

Banana (half)

Kefir yoghurt (two spoonfuls)

While this recipe might be incredibly simple to prepare, we’ll only be using the flesh of our watermelon, orange and banana, so it’s worth chopping them up while we’re at it to make sure our pup gets a mix of all the nutrients on offer. Watermelon, as well as being delicious, is 92% water- a life saver if your dog

is fussy about drinking while out and about. Throw in blueberries (a natural antioxidant), Banana for potassium and a couple of orange slices to boost your dog’s vitamin C intake- we’re looking at a great all round boost for your dog’s health and wellbeing.

Our Kefir yoghurt is here to act as a probiotic. If you find the tripe from the previous recipe difficult to handle, consider working kefir into your dog’s diet. It can also be served on it’s own as an occasional treat.

Tip- If your raw fed dog eats a large snack during the day, you might find that they are less hungry that night or the next day. You can either adjust their prepared meal accordingly, or put any leftovers back in the fridge (covered) to use the next day.