When we breed our dogs we want them to be as healthy as they can possibly be. This helps to ensure not only a good number of puppies can be conceived, but also that both they and their mother will be be healthy and free of complications.
Probably the one most important ingredient you can add to your dogs diet, is animal based protein. A lot of the dog foods claim “high protein content,” but lets be honest, if the protein isn’t animal based, its not real protein. Real protein is full of “complete” amino acids. Plant based proteins are not complete, either in the human or the animal world, and will NOT build healthy bodies like animal protein will. The nervous system, muscle tissue, brain growth, and connective tissue development can all suffer ill effects of an incomplete protein diet.
So what do you feed your dog to ensure healthy puppies, a healthy mother, a good birth experience and an ample milk supply? Here are some ideas.
If you want to add kibble to the following good foods, you can do this, but it should never be the mainstay of your breeding dog’s diet:
- 3 ounces of organic* raw meat twice a day (chicken, beef, fish for some breeds, venison, squirrel, rabbit). Notice pork is not on the list. Pork is loaded with worms of all kinds, and you don’t want to endanger your dog with these worms.
- 2 raw, organic eggs and the shells (for calcium) once daily
- 2 ounces of raw, organic half and half. The fat content in this milk assures healthy brain and nerve development of the puppies. Half and half is also the best source of phosphorus known to man, therefore supporting bone and hip development.
- 2 ounces of raw sweet potato 2-3 times weekly. This supports the elimination of some types of worms that can be threatening to the developing puppies.
- Grass, that is organic and unsprayed – on demand. Your dog will choose what kind and when to eat grass as her body’s needs make those demands. Grass serves a multipurpose need. It supports the dogs need for fiber so it can have good bowel movements, and it kills a number of parasites in the dogs. Dogs should never be allowed to eat grass that has chemicals on it however, as this will put both she and the puppies in jeopardy.
*Organic: This indicates the product was not contaminated with antibiotics, hormones, vaccines, or other harmful chemicals. Meat that contains these products will not digest in your dog’s body any better then they do your’s. They are also typically full of worms, yeast (fungal spores) and chemicals. Her body has enough to deal with without the addition of harmful substances in her food supply.