Feedback we receive from our customers is that their dogs are healthier and more content since switching to a raw diet.  As raw fed dogs utilise most of their food it results in smaller, firmer and less smelly poo so less to pick up – the walkers of raw fed dogs also comment on the size of bags they carry vs. the bags carried by the walkers of non-raw fed dogs.  Improvements are also reported in skin, coat, teeth and even less of a “doggy smell”!

A lot of our customers have come to us as a result of their dogs having allergies – feeding a healthy raw diet can show significant improvements in allergies both in skin and in the gut.  If you identify that your dog is allergic to a particular protein source, it is still easy to achieve the balance of vitamins and minerals your dog needs to stay healthy by feeding just one or two protein sources.  At Totally Natural we have a huge range to choose from.

We mince our bones in with our Totally Natural Raw Food for your convenience, this means that you are getting the benefit of the minerals contained in the bone but in a product that’s both safe to eat and easy for your dog to digest.

This would indicate that your dog has consumed too much bone.  Switch your pooch onto a couple of bone and offal-free meals to allow your dog’s body to regulate and then continue as normal with your 80/10/10 mix.

Most of our customers report that feeding a raw diet results in less poo, more solid, easier to pick up and a lot less odour.  There is also a significant improvement reported from owners whose dogs experienced problems with their anal glands on their old diet.  This is largely due to the glands being naturally expressed as your dog poos.

Dogs will naturally go through a detox period when switching from commercial dog food to raw.  Ideally, it is best to let it run its course.  If the diarrhoea commenced when you switched to a different protein source, go back to the previous protein source you fed and see if it settles.  Consult with your vet as soon as possible if there are any other signs such as blood in your dogs stools, they become lethargic or show signs of having a fever.

From experience we have found that feeding dogs a raw diet actually makes them more calm and content.  In some cases, as your dog’s meal is much higher value to them than their previous diet, you may find that they can become more tense if approached when eating.  This is normal and it is best to give them space to enjoy their meal and so they understand that you are not going to take it off them.  When training, follow the same basic rules when retrieving items off your dog.

This is a very common misconception! Due to the extremely acidic environment in a raw fed dog’s gut, it makes it an extremely hostile environment for intestinal worms.  It is good practice to freeze any wild game and fish that you feed for a minimum of three weeks to ensure it is free from parasites.

This is a common thing to notice especially if you fed dry food/kibble before.  You will find that your dog is gaining lots of extra moisture from their new raw food, meaning they drink less water.  Always continue to leave a bowl of fresh drinking water for your pet.

All amounts shown on the Totally Natural Raw Food Calculator are based on the daily recommended amounts – you can divide these over how ever many meals a day you like to feed your dog.  The most common option being a meal in the morning and one at night.

We do not recommend feeding large bones and any weight bearing bones of large animals (lamb, beef etc.) to your dogs.  The reason for this is, if you have a very determined chewer, there is a good chance that they could break their teeth on these types of bones as they are so hard.

We feed our dogs whole, raw eggs (including the shell for the extra calcium), oily fish (in spring water not in brine) and raw meaty bones.  These are all great, natural supplements that complement our raw food.

Totally Natural raw food is a complementary raw food so you can add fruits and vegetables if you wish.  There are a number of schools of thought on feeding fruit and veggies to your raw fed dog.  Some people do, some people don’t.  Our advice is to do lots of research and reach your own conclusion.  It’s important to note that, whilst not essential to a dogs diet, fruit and vegetables can be useful as a low calorie filler, especially if you want your pooch to shed a few pounds, as they have a lower calorific value than meat.  Vegetables should be slightly cooked, pulped or mashed as, due to dogs only producing a small amount of amylase (a digestive enzyme), they are unable to break down the cellulose walls of veggies.  Also, it’s worthy to note there has been a link between fruits and starchy vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and turnip with dogs prone to yeast infections (normally presented as itchy ears and skin) as these are high in sugar which contributes to yeast growth.

Firstly, we would always recommend getting your vet to check over your dog to rule out any underlying health issues that could be responsible for their weight loss or gain.

For weight loss start by feeding them 2% of their ideal body weight and monitor them closely.  You can reduce it by a further 0.5% of body weight at a time but do not reduce it below 1% of their body weight as, to do so, could compromise the nutritional balance.

For weight gain start by feeding them 3% of their ideal body weight and monitor them closely.

The guide for adult dogs is 2-3% of their ideal adult body weight divided over two meals per day.   For puppies you want to aim for 3% of their expected adult weight throughout their growing phase divided over however many meals you want to feed them per day (normally 3 or 4).  There are, however, various factors to consider such as your dogs age, metabolic rate and their activity level.  Each dog is different so be prepared to remain flexible and experiment a bit to find out what works best for your individual dog.  The best guide is feed more or less depending on how your dog looks and feels.  You are aiming to achieve a healthy weight whereby you can just feel their ribs but not see them sticking out.  When viewed from above their waist should tuck in and there should be no build-up of excess fat where the body and the tail meet.

There really isn’t a definitive answer on this one.  We always recommend introducing one protein source at a time slowly at first to allow you to assess if your dog has any allergies to a particular meat and to allow your dogs digestive system to adjust to the new food.  Chicken is always the best option to start with as, even the most sensitive of stomachs can generally tolerate it.  If your pet doesn’t display any allergies to a specific meat then we would recommend giving them as much variety as possible, after all, you wouldn’t want to eat the same thing day in day out so why should your pet?

The basic raw diet rule of thumb is you should feed 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal (5% of which should be liver) across a variety of meat sources to provide good balanced nutrition and to help prevent food intolerances.  At Totally Natural we recommend you aim for at least four different protein sources either rotated or mixed in on a weekly of monthly basis.  Our range contains all the variety you would ever need.

Yes you can!  Feedback we have received from our customers is that a raw food diet can help with various health issues such as allergies, skin conditions, joint problems, sensitive stomachs, loose stools, anal gland issues … to name but a few!  Our advice would always be to check with your vet if your have concerns that your dog is unwell.

We do not recommend mixing the two types of diet.  This is because feeding raw food triggers strong gastric acidity to support proper digestion of the food.  This breaks down the bone and kills the bacteria.  On the flip side, kibble slows down the digestive process, weakening the stomach acid and, as such, allowing the bacteria to flourish which could, in turn, leave your beloved pet more susceptible to illness.

Rice and wheat provide little to no nutritional value for your dog although they have been used for years in commercial dog food as fillers.  Carnivores cannot easily digest carbohydrates.  In fact all carbohydrates ultimately break down into  simple sugars which can ultimately lead to a whole host of health issues such as diabetes and obesity to name but a few.

Absolutely!  Just like a bag of ice, our food will separate when frozen.  You can remove how much you want to feed and keep the rest in the freezer or re-portion it into smaller bags or tubs for your convenience.  Also, any portions that have already been defrosted but not yet served can be kept fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Yes indeed you can!  In fact it is a great way to slow down a greedy dog and also a great way to help cool down your dog in the hot summer months.

Just as you would defrost any frozen meat for yourself, you can thaw it at room temperature for a couple of hours before feeding.  Some people prefer to pop it in the fridge the night before and defrost slowly overnight (just remember to put it on a lower shelf and keep it separate from any cooked products).

We recommend feeding our raw foods after they have been defrosted (although they can also be fed frozen!).  We do not advise that our products are cooked as we are advocates of feeding dogs a raw and biologically appropriate diet.  All our products are designed to be fed in their raw state.

As humans, our bodies are capable of dealing with a certain amount of bacteria but dogs can deal with much higher levels – you only have to look at where they stick their noses and tongues in a day!  Your dogs saliva contains a special enzyme (lysozyme) which destroys harmful bacteria.  When the food enters your dogs stomach the bacteria is neutralised by the acid there.  So, as you can see, they are perfectly equipped to eat raw food.

Food safety is at the heart of everything we do and it’s important to us that your pets receive a top quality product.  Our raw pet foods are made from fresh, human-grade meats and are subject to rigorous safety and bacteria protocols.  Our factory is audited on a regular basis and approved by DEFRA.

Good hygiene practices are essential for good health in humans and this goes for handling, storage and preparation of all foods but especially raw foods. If you already prepare meat-based meals for you and/or your family you will already be familiar with the fact that you must wash your hands thoroughly with warm soapy water before and especially after handling raw food, as well as washing all feeding utensils and work surfaces after handling or preparing raw foods.  Raw foods should always be stored separate from cooked foods and on a lower shelf in your fridge.

There is no need to introduce your dog to their new raw diet gradually.  Simply feed them their current food for their last meal at night and then you can feed them raw the following morning.