A dog’s diet
Part 3: Planning and prepping meals, sourcing ingredients, treats and snacks
Now that we have an idea of what should go into your dog’s bowl, let’s tackle the planning and execution aspects of it. It takes a while to streamline the process, but with meal prep and a regular schedule of ordering ingredients, you can easily feed your dog fresh, home-cooked food without having to fall back on kibble.
CW: This post contains images of raw meat, eggs and sharp objects.
Planning Meals:
I recommend that you consult with a nutritionist to find how much of each ingredient your dog needs. Then figure out how often you want to rotate those ingredients and make a schedule. Planning menus in advance and jotting them down is beneficial, especially when you’re getting started. It not only allows you to think ahead but also helps you keep a record of what was fed when. You can use it to mark any ingredients that don’t suit your dog and make sure you rotate ingredients frequently. You can also use this to transition your dog to a new diet or new ingredients.
I follow a 5-day rotation in meats, organs and veggies. If you go with 5 or 10 days, you can round off the weights of your ingredients and prevent wastage. Remember that the actual amount of ingredients might be significantly lesser than what you bought based upon how much you trim/ cut off fat from meat and peels and seeds from vegetables. I also keep all my dogs’ meat separate from ours — it just makes the math easier.
Meal Prep:
I find prepping meals in advance convenient. For a 5 day schedule, I put 3 days of food in the fridge (which is always at the lowest temperature setting) and the rest in the freezer. I replace used boxes with frozen ones, which thaw for a couple of days in the fridge (preferable) and are ready by the time I need them.
For meal prep, you need:
- A trusty kitchen scale
It helps if your scale comes with a ‘tare’ function and a bowl. Note the degree to which the scale is accurate and ensure you have the correct measuring unit selected while using it. - Cooking utensils
The dogs’ utensils are separate to prevent cross-contamination with utensils that haven’t been cleaned well and might have traces of masala or oil. Since I do not pressure cook my dogs’ meals, I use an old pressure cooker (whose lid is broken) and a lid from some other utensil. Make sure you pick a utensil large enough to hold your 5, 10 or x day’s worth ingredients. Using smaller utensils makes the process long and tedious. - A chopping board and a good, sharp knife
Believe me, meat + dull knives will put you in a bad mood. Get a board that doesn’t slide around to keep yourself safe. - Boxes
These are to store the meals you prep and for any leftover ingredients. I keep the dogs’ boxes separate because I hate scrambling for clean boxes at the last minute.
Begin with one type of ingredient, weigh it per day or meal (depends on how you’re prepping the meals), size it to your preference and add it to the cooking utensil (or straight to the box, if feeding raw). Repeat this for the other types of ingredients. It helps to have a sequence that you follow every time so that you don’t miss any ingredients. The raw ingredients will weigh more than cooked ingredients, so make sure you weigh them raw. If the raw ingredient weight is accurate, you need not worry about the cooked ingredient weight. Simply eyeball the amount going into each day’s box(es). When working with raw meat, you must clean up after yourself and wash your hands thoroughly to prevent infections.
From the groups of ingredients, fats and extras go into the bowl right before you serve. Some extra ingredients like curd and fruit are treats or snacks. Add the other essential ingredients — meat, organs, fish (paste, if cooked), and vegetables (steamed and mashed/pureed) — to the box and put it away. You can now serve directly from this box during mealtime.
Sourcing Ingredients:
Sourcing vegetables is pretty simple almost everywhere. Thanks to online shopping, you can easily order ingredients like oils (fats), apple cider vinegar, certain spices, supplements, etc. The problem mostly lies with sourcing meat.
In most cities, you will be able to source at least chicken and mutton meat and organs and rotate these. You can also find different kinds of chicken (broiler, kadaknath, etc.) and fish — remember, the smaller the fish and its lifespan, the better it is to consume. If required, you can get the meat and fish cleaned and cut as per your preference at the place you’re buying it from. If possible, try to get meat that is certified as free from antibiotic residue. Free-range animals and freshly caught fish are a good choice to go with, as opposed to farmed ones. If your city offers online meat delivery services, you can make use of these to get different cuts and selections of meat.
For novel proteins, you might have to do some detective-level searching, or you can go the dehydrated route and order them online. Brands that sell dehydrated treats often also sell dehydrated organs, food toppers, supplements, meats and more. These can be especially useful if you’re just getting into handling or cooking meat, are travelling with your dog, or have no options in your city. Sometimes, it’s simply easier to feed dehydrated options over fresh options — I cannot stand the smell of tripe but dehydrated tripe works perfectly fine for me. Keep in mind that dehydrated options do not have the moisture content of fresh food. If you’re feeding them over a long time, make sure you re-hydrate them in warm water for an hour before every use. The variety of dehydrated options available online is bewildering, so go crazy and experiment as much as you like.
I have a list of brands offering dehydrated options at the end of the blog. For any other food and treat related sources, especially for Bangalore, you can refer to The List (look under ‘Food & Treats’ and ‘Food Preparation’).
Treats and Snacks:
While there are countless dog treats available in the market, you should feed your dog fresh treats that are not only natural, but also have a high water content, or natural dehydrated treats. The further you stay away from processed plastic-ey stuff in colourful packets, the better. Rawhide harms your dog — never give your dog rawhide treats.
Eggs, which are a good source of protein but do not fulfil dietary requirements as meat does, can be given as a snack. Dogs can eat eggs from a variety of birds — quail, chicken, duck, turkey, etc. You can give your dog raw eggs with the shell crushed up (make sure you wash the egg with water before breaking). Raw eggs can even be frozen and given as a treat. Eggshell powder is a good source of calcium for dogs and is especially useful for dogs that have dietary restrictions regarding bones. Make sure you wash your hands well while handling raw eggs — your dog may not be at risk of salmonella infection, but you are! Some dogs do not find raw eggs palatable and prefer eating cooked eggs. If you’re feeding cooked eggs, the best way to prepare them is by boiling (skip adding the shells if boiling eggs). You can also fry eggs without any salt or oil.
Fruits are a good source of fibre but should be given in restricted quantities. 2–3 pieces of fruit per day is enough for your dog, which is why fruits make great snacks. You can give your dog fruits like apples, bananas, mangoes, oranges and citrus, and papaya, to name a few. For fruits like apples, oranges, papaya, etc., remove the peel and seeds. As mentioned in the earlier blogs, do not feed your dog grapes and exercise caution with avocados and cherries. Berries such as strawberries and blueberry are beneficial additions to your dog’s snacks. Remember that some dogs don’t like fruits and that that’s okay.
Curd is good as a snack as well and is a great source of probiotics. However, too much curd can be fattening for your dog. Depending upon your dog’s health, you can feed about 2–3 tablespoons of curd per day (people feeding curd-rice as meals, stop!). You can also give your dog probiotics through Kefir.
Meatier treats include chicken/duck/turkey/quail wing, head, neck and feet. Pork/Goat/Buffalo trachea, oesophagus, tail, snout and ears are also good chew treats. If you want your dogs to have a longer chew session, you can give them pork or goat trotters, or other bones. For puppies, senior dogs, and dogs new to chewing, softer options like tracheas work better.
All the meat/bone treats can either be sourced from local butchers and be given fresh or bought from one of the many brands that sell dehydrated options online. If you’re feeding fresh treats, you can freeze them either directly or after dunking them in pre-boiled turmeric water for a few minutes. If you’re offering your dog dehydrated chews, you can re-hydrate them, especially if you have a dog that’s old or drinks less water. Some dogs enjoy the crunch of dehydrated treats, so make the call as per your dog.
You can also offer your dog a light meaty soup or a bone broth every once in a while. These are packed with nutrients and are especially useful if your dog is recovering from an illness or surgery. As with the chews, these can be made fresh at home or bought online, though most brands that sell them only ship them locally.
You can always mix these categories of treats with each other. If you’re up for it, use chocolate moulds and ice cube trays to make cute frozen treats for your dogs. You can even stuff a Kong or any other interactive toy with treats to give your dog extra mental stimulation.
It is easy (and common) to get overwhelmed by the details of your dog’s diet. However, as long as you have the right ingredients, even in somewhat correct proportions, you can’t go wrong with it. Try to be as precise as possible but remember that even if your dog’s bowl is not balanced one day, it’s not the end of the world. Dogs are resilient creatures, and your dog’s body will balance it out for you. Keep your focus on finding quality ingredients and planning well, and you’ll seldom have to fall back on kibble as a quick fix.
Some brands offering species-appropriate chews, dehydrated meats, treats, and more:
- Canine Craving
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caninecraving/?hl=en
Website: https://caninecraving.com/
Canine Craving was the first brand I ever purchased dehydrated treats from. I remember Sundeep calling me up to help me select the best options for June, who had kidney issues but needed good chews. Since they’re in Bangalore, they’re my go-to brand for bone broth when I can’t make any. Apart from offering fantastic chews and treats, they also offer meals and supplements, and nutrition consultations. Some of their products can be bought at Heads Up for Tails outlets too. - Canine India
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canine_india/?hl=en
Website: https://canineindia.in/
Julia and her team (canine and human) run this brand that provides terrific dehydrated chews, treats, supplements, meals and more. They are usually among the first ones to launch rare proteins, which they ensure come from the right sources, and they regularly post specials on the website, especially around festivals. From personal experience, they’re super helpful and accommodating, so you can DM them with any queries you have. Canine India also offers diet consultations and ships across India. - Clever Canine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clever_canine/?hl=en
Website: https://www.clevercanine.in/
Clever Canine is my dogs’ vet visit treat brand — we always pick up their frozen yoghurt when we visit our vet. They offer all natural dog treats including baked treats, cakes and yoghurt, supplements and toppers, and fresh meals. Presently, they ship only dog treats across India. You can order everything on their website for delivery in Bangalore. - Hailey’s Brew
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/haileysbrew/?hl=en
One of the brands I had the pleasure of purchasing from recently, Hailey’s Brew offers dehydrated chews and treats, baked treats, food toppers, popsicles and more. They’re based out of Bangalore and are looking to expand to Mumbai. Some options like frozen treats might only be available locally. They also offer portioned-out, raw and cooked meals locally.
The link in their bio leads to the menu. You can place your order via DM on Instagram. - House of Canis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofcanis/?hl=en
Website: https://houseofcanis.in/
House of Canis offers dehydrated chews, treats, supplements and bone broth powders. Their goat leg chew has recently been among Bailey’s favourites. The product I am most intrigued by (but haven’t tried yet) is their bone broth powder. - Pookies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pookiesforpets/?hl=en
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Pookies-for-Pets-102039418801743
Pookies offers 100% natural and real, preservative-free dehydrated treats and chews, supplements and food toppers, and baked treats. They also offer fresh meals for dogs and cats in Mumbai (they have five cats and a dog!). - Pet Chefin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petchefin/
Website: https://www.petchefin.com/
PetChefin is a staple in my dog pantry. I rehydrate their fish daily to add to Bailey’s bowl — she doesn’t like fresh fish. They offer an assortment of air-dried chews and treats for dogs and cats that you can order directly from their website. They ship across India and in Bangalore, you can purchase their products from The Meat Story as well.
