Lesley's investigation into kibble and the benefits of raw feeding

A HUGE thank you to Lesley who has shared her very personal story of how she began raw feeding after losing her beloved dog.

We are so grateful at Healthy Active Pet for customers sharing their story and if you want to see our raw feeding recipe books and meal plans, please check them out here

"My interest in fresh/raw feeding began after I had to say goodbye to my beloved Border Collie X Red heeler rescue dog “Freckles”.

He was my best mate for almost 13 years and yet, I felt cheated out of more quality time with him.

I had been giving him a ton of expensive supplements and anti-inflammatory drugs for the last few years of his life as he suffered with hip/joint soreness but then he went down-hill rapidly.

After Bloods, X-rays and ultrasounds showed some suspicious masses in his belly and chest the decision was made for palliative care, and within a matter of a few weeks he let me know he was ready to go.

He had been fed a constant diet of Kibble with a raw chicken drumstick most days, plus occasional table scraps. 

As I grieved his loss, I began to research Dog Nutrition. Something in my mind was telling me, I could have/should have, done better for him.

Perhaps it was also the birth of my first Grandchild, and I was revisiting the importance of balanced nutritional diets for our kids.

I have battled weight gain for over 20 years, and I just knew that poor nutrition was ruining my health, so it stood to reason my beloved fur baby was the same. 

Kibble was created to benefit humans, not Dogs.

It is the ultimate “convenience food”

Our ancestors largely had dogs for work and protection, and they were fed from their own tables. 

If you killed a sheep, kangaroo or rabbit, the dog hung around waiting eagerly for the offal and bones.

When we started to keep them as pets in urban areas, things changed in a big way and not for the better.

It was smelly, messy and took up valuable space to store “dog meat” in the ice box, meat-safe or early refrigerator. Imagine the delight of housewives when they could purchase a big bag of kibble and sit it in the pantry alongside a dozen tins of dog food!

Slick marketing did the rest, convincing us that these products were “designed for our pets” and had all these wonderful added vitamins etc.

To read about what is in commercial pet food and how kibble is made, click here

“Yogi” 2021

In June 2021, Yogi came into my life and at 8 weeks old I was a bit scared to mess with his traditional food, so he was on Puppy kibble and tinned. He is a Border Collie. (If you have a puppy, see our puppy recipes and meal plan here)

I began by introducing him to a chicken neck, under supervision. At first it was just a game, a few sniffs, a lick and then he would try to “kill” it, throwing it around his pen.

Then he started to really chew on them, the ultimate teething toy, it felt good on his little gums, especially frozen. 

I had bought a 20kg bag of kibble, so he continued to eat that as I introduced other fresh foods to him.

One protein at a time, in very small amounts, we tried Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Beef and Kangaroo mince. No obvious tummy issues or allergies arose so I then started to mix it up a bit. 

By approx. 6 months of age, he had finished the kibble, and hasn’t had any since. 

At Yogi’s 12 months check-up and vaccination, we had to see a new Vet.

She asked me what I was feeding him and when I said fresh/raw she absolutely went mad at me. Spoke to me like I was a naughty child (I’m 60) and wouldn’t let me speak, to explain WHAT I was feeding and what research I had done.

She said I would be depriving him of “all his important nutrients” and I should stick to a top-quality kibble (like the one they sell for an exorbitant price)

I left and never went back. (read here about why some vets do not support raw feeding)

Then the “Mum guilt” kicked in and I began to doubt myself so off we went to a different Vet.

The new Vet clinic I visited said he was in perfect health, and I should keep doing what I’m doing!

So, don’t be intimidated or made to feel inadequate by anyone. I’m still learning, and happily take advice from others.

Stick to your guns, seek out information from a range of sources and enjoy your fur baby’s excitement at dinner time.

There’s nothing quite like it!"

What does Lesley say about Healthy Active Pet Recipes?

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