It is important to realise that the feeding of pups does not start the day they arrive or at the point of weaning!! The preparation of a bitch in relation to diet is vitally important and inextricably linked to the wellbeing of any litter she will carry and raise. Of course we must also remember that it is incumbent upon us to ensure that our stud dog is also well fed, healthy and in good condition. We have fed the natural diet for about 8 years now and have seen a marked difference in the wellbeing of whelping bitches and their pups. Other raw feeders had told us that they had noticed a marked difference in the whelping process, size of litter and availability of milk – this has certainly been our experience too!

Preparation is key in terms of the bitch’s diet but do be careful not to overfeed – we do not increase any girl’s intake until two thirds through her pregnancy. We continue with our raw bones but reduce the balance to about 25% of her overall feed – remembering that this natural source of calcium can help prevent eclampsia. We also spread her intake over three meals a day. We begin a routine of additional vitamins and minerals - cod-liver oil, kelp, Vitamins E & C and Multi B. We increase the more concentrated foods such as meat, eggs, liver, kidneys, flax seed oil etc – all nutrients which promote growth. We also give her some ginger to aid digestion and raspberry leaf a couple of weeks before she is due to whelp – this eases the birth process.
We will never cease to be amazed by the amount and quality of the milk our girls produce for their puppies throughout and ensure this by giving them fenugreek and brewer’s yeast, which stimulate its production. During the time our girls are on feeding duty we always make sure they have extra meals – after all, most of the goodness they receive is going straight back out into the babies!!

    

As soon as they reached 2-3 weeks we begin the weaning process with puppy porridge, minced beef and eventually minced chicken wings. We always feed goats milk and goats yogurt and lots of cheese. Another favourite feed is scrambled eggs (from our own hens) with added cheese and goats milk. We have also invested in a commercial meat grinder and grind our own chicken wings, beef and tripe. The growth rate of the pups is impressive and so different from our kibble fed litters. We do not have the fat roly-poly puppies, which so many of us love to see. Instead we have solid but lean babies whose growth rate is very even.
The experience of rearing litters on a natural diet has, for us, reinforced the claim that natural is best!! We would be more than happy to discuss any aspect of our experience with you – please feel free to contact us. We do not profess to be experts but practical experience can often help to allay the anxieties which, we believe, might promote a life-changing experience for your dogs and puppies!!