Feeding Them Cheap

Raw Meaty Bones

How We Do Leg Quarters

Coarsely Ground Raw Dog Food

 Here are some of the "RAW" blends that we feed to our dogs and litter: and wow how they have improved. We DO NOT use any CORN, WHEAT, SOY, nor GRAINS in our blends. All products used to make our blends are locally sourced in Northern VA and the Atlantic Ocean to bring forth the best quality dog food possible in our area.

 

Rabbit, Duck Lamb, Chicken, & Beef

 

 A variation of The Frankenstein

 

 Mackerel, Sardines, and Smelt; the entire fish: guts, scales, fins, heads finely chopped up. Atlantic water fish only.

 

 Beef with a little chicken necks for the bone content.

 

 Duck & Carrots

 

Beef & Lamb 

 

A variation of The Frankenstein 

 

Rabbit

 

Beef with Green Tripe 

Common Myths & Concerns About Raw Feeding………

 There are many myths and concerns when it comes to feeding a dog a natural diet, a few of the most common myths or concerns that I am asked or told about are as followed and these are my responses to each of them.

The Dogs Nutritional Needs Won’t Be Met!

Yes they will, dogs are carnivores and they need bone and meat. Some proof that your dog is getting proper nutrition is an improved coat clean teeth and breath and relief from skin allergies.

Dogs Can’t Eat Bone!

Yes dogs can eat bones only if they are raw. Cooked bones are another issues altogether, they splinter and are dangerous for your dog from end to end. Cooking them makes the bone hard instead of its softer, natural, uncooked, digestible, none splintering self.

What about salmonella and e-coli?

See dogs have a extremely acidic guts which helps prevent bacteria from colonizing. This acidic gut united with enzymes in their saliva, are known to have antibacterial properties. Dogs have a much higher bacteria tolerance that you and I. So it’s highly unlikely that your dog will get sick from raw food, unless the dogs immune system is already compromised. My advice is to use common sense and practice good hygiene when feeding a raw diet and if the food is spoiled it is NOT safe for your dogs.

Raw Meat Makes Dogs Bloodthirsty!

This is the most common myth and concern that I hear about. It doesn’t make the dogs into this must kill for blood vampire type creature it simply gives the dog better nutrition suited for its body. Look my dogs are always ready to eat; chicken, beef, fish, or whatever I give them but I have never had a dog raise a lip or growl or even try to tear my hand off to get to the food. I always practice taking bowls from my dogs and giving it back them, as well as sticking my hand inside of their bowls to add something or take something out of their bowls from a very young age and something I always recommend to people when either feeding a raw diet or kibble. It teaches the dog to respect you and other while eating, as well as not becoming food aggressive and protecting the food bowls from its owner.

Summary..........

There are many great articles online about myths and concerns of raw feeding I really suggest that you take the time to seek out further information if this short article that I have written doesn’t convince you that it is ok to feed a raw diet without the concern of your dog going rouge and turning into a vampire dogs. Or simply message me and I will be more than happy to help give you more information on feeding a dog a NATURAL RAW DIET............

CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO OUR FOOD.....

CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE......
As always NoVACAIN Kennels is constantly learning and furthering our education when it comes to our dogs but especially the health and well being of our dogs.  We have been in the lab for the last 12 months figuring out if our dogs do better on a completely raw diet or on a raw/kibble mix or a kibble with our raw food being semi-cooked. One thing I can say first is when we cook our raw meals we are able to pack more nutrition into a smaller amount of food providing a higher more dense dog food for our dogs. Secondly we feel that some items are better off being kept raw for example our chicken necks. The chicken necks provide two different beneficial aspects as well as nutrition, one being that the crushing of the necks by the dogs helps clean their teeth by scrapping the plaque away and two clumping together when the dog passes a stool to help keep the dogs anal glands suppressed and clean without having to go to the vet to have this done. Another thing that we found is that our semi-cooked meals last longer in the freezer as well as in the refrigerator after being thawed over our raw products. The reason we say semi-cooked is because it is just that, not everything in that meal is cooked; all fruits, veggies, and herbs are still raw and crushed into a pulp to be added to the meal after it has been cooked and cooled.  So to wrap this up NoVACAIN Kennels will still carry some whole raw food items, but starting on February 1st of 2015 NoVACAIN Kennels will be providing you with a high quality wholesome semi-cooked product for your dogs; we feel that we have found the key to help our food last longer without the use of preservatives while still providing your dog with better nutrition over your conventional commercial pet foods.
A LIST OF ALL ITEMS WE WILL CARRY WILL BE LISTED SHORTLY!

Coconut Oil

COCONUT OIL:


Feed regularly to pets, coconut oil has multiple benefits:

Skin Conditions

**Clears up skin conditions such as eczema, flea allergies, contact dermatitis,and itchy skin

**Reduces allergic reactions and improves skin health

**Makes coats become sleek and glossy, and deodorizes doggy odor

**Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections, including candida

**Disinfects cuts and pro...motes wound healing

**Applied topically, promotes the healing of cuts, wounds, hot spots, dry skin and hair, bites and stings

Digestion

**Improves digestion and nutrient absorption

**Aids healing of digestive disorders like inflammatory bowel syndrome and colitis

**Reduces or eliminates bad breath in dogs

**Aids in elimination of hairballs and coughing

Immune System, Metabolic Function, Bone Health

**Contains powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal agents that prevent infection and disease

**Regulates and balance insulin and promotes normal thyroid function

**Helps prevent or control diabetes

**Helps reduce weight, increases energy

**Aids in arthritis or ligament problems

Integrative Veterinarian and Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Karen Becker, says “Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) have been shown to improve brain energy metabolism and decrease the amyloid protein buildup that results in brain lesions in older dogs. Coconut oil is a rich source of MCTs. I recommend 1/4 teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily for basic MCT support.” Why not give coconut oil a try and introduce it to your dog? It offers many benefits for your dog and is a more sustainable and less toxic source of oils than fish.

But as with anything MODERATION is the key!!!! Its like Lard in a Jar!!

We Wean To Raw



Here at NoVACAIN Kennels we believe in feeding our dogs a Raw diet and weaning our puppies from the Dam straight to Raw Food gradually.

Vegetables Fruits Herbs........

It is important that vegetables and fruits are crushed, minced, or pureed in order to release the contents contained inside the cell walls; it’s a fact that dogs do not digest cellulose well.  These are veggies and fruits that I feed on a normal basis followed by a little facts about each:

Carrots- Contains vitamin A, B, C, D, E, G, K, potassium, calcium. I use carrots as the base and add a few others to vary the juice daily.

Celery- Contains organic sodium helps maintains fluidity of the blood and lymph’s. It also is helpful for arthritis, water retention, urinary problems, and chemical imbalances.

Yellow and Green Squash

Beets- Contains copper, manganese, potassium. It builds red corpuscles as well as tones the blood. Add once a week due to beet's having cleansing properties.

Collard Greens- Contains vitamin A, C, potassium, chlorophyll

Kale- has the same nutrients as cabbage, helps with digestive disorders

Zucchini- high in water as well as potassium, manganese, and antioxidants like vitamin A and C

Sweet Potato- high in fiber and packed with vitamins A, B5, B6, 

Pumpkin- Good for a few things, diarrhea, constipation and weight loss. I give my dogs 1-4 tablespoons when they have cannon butt, 4-6 tablespoons when they are constipated, and 8 tablespoons with every meal when underweight.  Pumpkin is also a great source of fiber.

Watercress- Contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B17, C, D, E, K, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, sodium, magnesium, copper, manganese, fluorine, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, germanium, silica, zinc, and also its a intestinal cleanser

Parsley- Is full of chlorophyll, and helps fight bad breath. Best thing about it all parts of the plant can be used seed, leaves, stems, and roots. An herb helps with oxygen metabolism with the adrenal and thyroid glands, healing for the genito-urianry tract.

Ginger-The most popular uses for ginger have been, and continue to be, stomach-related issues like motion sickness and nausea; also it’s used for inflammation and arthritis problems.

Flax Seed or Oil-

Alfalfa Sprouts- One of the highest sources of Vitamin A.

Cayenne-

Echinacea-

Garlic- Garlic contains about 30 compounds that have been found to be useful for a variety of conditions from skin disorders to cancer; holistic veterinarians recommend garlic because of its multiple health benefits. Garlic stimulates immune functions in the bloodstream by increasing the activities of killer cells. These cells seek out and destroy invading microbes and cancer cells. Dogs with suppressed immune systems or ones fighting cancer can profit from having fresh garlic added to their diet. Healthy dogs can also boost their immune system and fight to prevent cancer from consuming fresh garlic. This powerful antimicrobial and antibiotic is effective in fighting various forms of internal or external bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, including parasites and protozoan organisms. Garlic contains at least six compounds that can enhance liver function by helping the liver eliminate toxins from the body. The exact reason and extent of garlic's effeteness in preventing fleas and ticks isn’t all that clear. It may be the odor released through the dog's skin as the garlic is metabolized. Whatever the reason, there’s a lot of reports on the effectiveness of garlic as a flea and tick repellent. When using fresh garlic use this table to help you feed them an appropriate amount. 5-15 pounds- ½ clove; 20-40 pounds- 1 clove; 45-65 pounds- 1 ½ cloves; 70-95 pounds- 2 cloves; 100 pounds and over 3 cloves. Use this guide and feed your dogs every other day and taking a week long break every 5 weeks.

Lemon Balm- a calming herb that sooths and relaxes your dog, it’s a digestive add that helps with canine gas, helps with muscle relaxation for working dogs after a hard day of work, it also is a canine deodorizer, it has disinfecting properties, it also has insect-repelling benefits; 1 teaspoon for every 15 pounds, so 1 tablespoon for a 50 pound dog

Apples- Vitamin A

Cranberries-

Pineapples-

Seedless Watermelon-

Blue Berries-

Raspberries-

Info Update: 12-17-2016 

A List of Meat, Bones, & Organ..........

Raw Meaty Bones (RMB)

Raw Meaty Bones are the core of a Natural diet and this must have the correct meat to bone ratio to insure optimal health (VERY IMPORTANT).

RMB iteams should be fed to your dog every day.  RMBs as a meal can be fed to your dog ground or given whole, but in order for your dog to get the full benefits of the RMB it should be fed whole.  Meats can be fed freely but don’t over look the other proteins like (organ meats).  Heart is considered to be an Organ and a Meat.  I often ground or chop the organ meats and added them to a puree of veggie/fruits mix.

Meats & RMBs & Organs

Whole Eggs (with shell hard boiled)

Beef, Buffalo, Deer, Goat, Lamb, RMBs (no dense weight-bearing bones)

Neck Bones

Tails

Feet

Beef, Buffalo, Deer, Goat, Lamb Organs

Heart

Liver

Kidney

Spleen

Sweetbread

Lung

Green Tripe

Beef, Buffalo, Deer, Goat, Lamb, Meats

Heart

Tongue

Ground Beef

Chicken, Duck, Turkey, Quail RMBs

Necks

Backs

Wings

Feet

Chicken, Duck, Turkey, Quail Organs

Hearts

Liver

Gizzards

Chicken, Duck, Turkey, Quail Meats

Breast

Legs

Thighs

Hearts

Although these iteams have bone in them I feel that it is not the right amount of Meat to Bone to be called a Raw Meaty Bone so I place them in the Meat category.

Whole fish including the Bones, Guts, Heads, and Scales

Sardines

Smelt

Anchovies

Shad

Mackerel

Canned fish is used sparingly; salmon, sardines, and mackerel packed in water or vegetables oil is what I tend to stick with when I use canned fish this is also added to the veggie mixes.

I avoid fresh Salmon! WHY?  Salmon poisoning, this is a potentially fatal condition seen in dogs that eat Raw Fresh Salmon. You see Salmon swim upstream to breed and this is when the Salmon can become infected with a parasite called nanophyetus salmincola.  Nanophyetus Salmincola is generally harmless, but the danger occurs when the parasite itself is infected with another organism called neorickettsia helminthoeca. It’s this microorganism that causes salmon poisoning and all the problems. Typical signs are:
Vomiting

Lack of appetite

Fever

Diarrhea

Weakness

Swollen lymph nodes

Dehydration

Raw Food

BARF, RAW, or NATURAL DIET, how ever you want to call it, we must start by agreeing and understanding that all dogs are different and so are their activity levels and feeding requirements.  For years I fed a great quality commercial dog food, until it was discontinued, but I always added a little fresh meat with bone, or pieces of fruit to my dog’s bowls as treats. While being faced with having to find a new feed, I decided to do research and talk to breeders who fed a Natural diet only, then I decided to give it a try. What I noticed right away was the dog odors disappeared. Then it was the undeniable change in the quality of their coats, mental and muscle development, and overall health and stability of my dogs.

When I started feeding my dogs a Raw diet, I was told that a good and easy rule of thumb is to feed (1) pound of RAW food for every (50) pounds of the dog’s Body Weight, for at least 2 weeks, while keeping an eye on the dogs to see if an increase or decrease in quantity is needed, to fit each individuals needs.

I feel that a dog’s diet should be 30%-50% Muscle Meats, 30%-50% Raw Meaty Bones (RMB), 10%-20% Organs, and 5%-10% vegetables, fruit, herbs, and eggs. Now you're saying hold up, why so big of a percentage range; the simple answer is there is not one formula that is perfect for every dog, things need to be tweaked to fit each individual dog. When it comes to the use of GRAINS, I only use what my dogs can handle, because it’s a fact that many dogs are allergic to grains the most common being Wheat, Corn, and Soy. 

INFO UPDATED 12-17-2016

Meat, Bone, and Organ IMPORTANT INFO

Dogs are carnivores and their anatomy is adapted to one of an carnivorous lifestyle, yet it must contain a complete and balanced diet.

It has strongly muscled jaws with teeth made specifically to tear and crush, accompanied by a muscular stomach which contains extremely powerful gastric fluids, connected to a short digestive system; this is your dog.

1. Meat:  Things like the Heart, Tongue, Chicken or Turkey: Leg Quarters and Gizzards, and Ground meats are considered the most common of the meats.  
   
2. Bone:  Most often you hear of  RMB's (Raw Meaty Bones): these are balanced, meat to bone that can be eaten entirely like Turkey or Chicken: Wings and Necks, two great RMB's. 
3. 

   Organ:  Any organ that secretes is considered appropriate organs for Raw Feeding parts like the Liver, Spleen, Kidney, Testicles and Green Tripe.