#also also i love love love chickens and turkeys and quails. they are so fun to raise

[t4tstarvingdog]

you like birds. i feel like this is just something innate. about you to me

i do <3 while i don’t really Study Them, i love their mannerisms and shapes and i think i could be a bird watcher when i’m older and want a new hobby <3

[creaturefeaster]

What is it like to raise birds? I really like birds and I would like to have as many as you but I have no idea if it is how I imagine it, even so, if I had some I would love them! I'm sorry if there are spelling mistakes.

Owning and raising birds is a real treat. They are easy to understand if you're committed to learning, and are a really fun and healthy source of entertainment. Most of my childhood was me being a bedridden hermit, and getting chickens was the first and most vital step in getting me outdoors and moving more. It's amazing how much flock animals can change your life for the better.

Chickens are funny, easy to keep happy, and if you handle them right, extremely loving in their own way that makes it exciting to go out each day and see how they're doing.

Raising them from chicks yourself is the best way to ensure they'll be friendly and loving when they're older. It can be sort of scary when you have your first chicks, it's easy to think they're more fragile than they are, or that you're upsetting them, but baby birds just like to whine. Some more than others, but either way you learn pretty quickly that being consistent and easy-going with your attention is what birds tend to like.

Working with a calm hand and persistence, you will be rewarded with a fun hobby that comes with many benefits. Chickens are best for eggs and compost, getting rid of food scraps and old (but never moldy!) food turns into fresh eggs to eat and poop for fertilizing the land. Geese are great for maintaining wild plant growth, keeping grass low cut and invasive weeds at bay, and also produce a lot of feather fluff if you have use for goose feathers. Their eggs are also massive, though not as good for frying as chicken eggs. Ducks are great at keeping garden pests at bay, and can be super amusing as they're surprisingly fast paced and emotive animals.

They are very messy, though. Maybe not as much with chickens-- as long as they have a dry space they keep themselves pretty clean as long as you change their bedding when they need it. Ducks and geese however, which are waterfowl, can be much much messier. Ducks especially. They need a lot of water to be happy, and get it everywhere. This in combination with their poop leads to quickly dirtied water and muddy enclosures if you don't keep up with the cleaning. Every day I get messy and wet for their sake. I don't mind it, but it can be harder to manage in colder and wetter months.

It can be a bit of a hump to get past the grosser parts of poultry care, but once you get past that, and you have a routine, I think it's still a relatively easy thing to maintain, and is worth it for all the pleasantries the birds bring in turn.

Chickens do well with less space than a lot of other poultry, their comfortable square foot per individual radius is rather small, given they have room to run and can all get along. It is simple and easy to raise chickens in a suburban backyard. I am not sure if it works similarly for other countries, but look up your town ordiances for poultry livestock allowances, if in the USA. More towns allow backyard hens than you'd expect, depending on the square footage of your property.

Geese and ducks need much more space, they are roamers and need large spaces to walk, stretch their wings, and explore to stay happy lest they grow bored and agitated. Unless you live in rural neighborhoods, it is unlikely you can own waterfowl. And roosters; Many suburban towns that allow hens do not allow roosters, because they are noisy.

Quails are also another choice, if chickens are too intimidating or difficult to procure in your area. Many quails can live quiety and happily in an enclosure even inside, so long as they have proper enrichment. They can be a good and cute stepping stone to bigger birds like chickens or ducks.

Turkeys and guinea fowl are interesting in their own way as well. I don't have as much experience with turkeys, they're larger and sassier but they generally work well with chickens. Plus they make funny noises and are amusing to look at. Guinea fowls, kind of like geese, are really good watch dogs if you live in a place with hawks, eagles, or small predators. They are very loud and vocal, and can be somewhat assertive and protective of their flock. They're also really stupid looking.

But anyways, back to what it's like to have birds in general... If you're birdbrained you will feel at home when you are amongst your flock. If you aren't birdbrained, enough time around them will make you so. It will be a peaceful experience and the work put into them is always rewarding. Being able to sit with chickens, letting them jump up to you and eat from your hand, or petting and hugging a duck, or having a gaggle of geese follow you through a field in a slow line... it's like having a fun and obtainable experience to look forward to every day. :3

Oh, I was going to end it there but I actually have one more thing to add. This part of poultry care is the part people don't always like to hear/realise, but the biggest thing with poultry is: Do not raise what you are not willing to kill. Regardless of whether you raise birds like chickens for meat, eggs, or just as pets, you must accept that fact that at some point, you may need to humanely cull one. Unwanted males do not sell/rehome easily, and can become an issue to take care of if you aren't ready to cull. Sick hens do not always make it, and sometimes you have to decide to spare them the pain and put them down. Vets can sometimes help with this, but most of the time that requires an exotics expert, and can cost you much more than it's worth. Being able to cull your birds is also useful life experience and teaches proper animal respect.

Just, keep that in mind if you ever look into owning birds. You need to be strong for their sake, you are the one they depend on the most.

[maedarakat]

RTTE Short Fic Series: “The Book of Birbs”

Notes: Since the dragon raids, hardly a bird besides a turkey or chicken was seen on Berk. Sometimes Trader Johann would bring by canaries in cages, or brightly colored parrots, tame doves – but those would have been rare days.

Even now there was peace and friendship between Dragon and Viking, the constant presence of dragons would have made it very difficult for birds to find food. Terrible Terrors would have given seagulls and spoonbills no chance to scavenge, and they’d have hunted quail and pheasant. Berk’s famous Raven’s Point was likely named in honor of Odin’s own raven messengers – Huginn and Munnin - not because ravens hung out there frequently.

But the dragon-riders, who have the ability to travel to islands and continents with varied wildlife, have probably come across a variety of awesome (and possibly terrifying) birbs. I figured it would be fun to do a mini series of short fics, all describing the rider’s experiences with seeing a winged creature they’ve only heard about in myths and seen in illustrated manuals. Or never even heard of at all. :)

---

1. Dragon-Fairy

Ruff hummed under her breath as she braided her hair, having just finished combing it out thoroughly. She’d missed her usual nightly routine, just flopping down on her sleeping roll out of sheer exhaustion.

Thank the Gods they were finished rescuing everyone out of that collapsing quarry. Viggo was repulsive – using the kids of the villagers as both slaves and hostages.

Very few things could anger her as much as the state those poor children had been in. After they were all rescued, she and Tuff had spent most of the night cutting iron manacles off chafed, bloody ankles. She knew she’d cried more than once. Her brother had fared no better, trying his best to keep it hidden.

The kids had been reunited with their weeping parents. In thanks, the villagers fed the riders and let them sleep in their Chief’s hall as guests of honor. Tuff was still curled on the floor next to her, snoring gently, hair all tangled around his face and pillow. He’d stolen her pillow early on, needing something to cuddle without his Chicken around.

She shook her head in exasperation, but resisted the urge to snatch it back and wake him. It was a nice quiet morning compared to last night, and Ruff wanted it all to herself.

A small bouquet of red and orange honeysuckle had been put in a cup of water in the window, a gift from an admiring young man. He’d been pretty cute too, with his dark hair and dimpled smile. Ruff sighed blissfully and tied up the end of her braid. She was almost about to stand up and dress for the cold when a small sparkling being fluttered into view.

Ruffnut froze, jaw dropping slightly as the tiny creature, its wings a blur, shimmering dragon-scale green and red in the sun. Whatever it was, it was tiny and graceful and beautiful. She wanted to catch it and look closer, but she also dreaded scaring it away.

Was it a new type of dragon? She’d never seen one so tiny – what on earth would it eat? Maybe it hunted down mosquitos and insects? Ruff gasped in delight as it came near her flowers, sticking its long snout into the center of the honeysuckle.

Oh, it was so adorable. She loved everything about it, especially the humming noise it made as it moved about.

“Hey there, little dragon-fairy!” Ruff whispered, as softly as she could. “You like sweet flowers, huh? You better stay away from the blue ones. They aren’t good for dragons. Awww, you’re so pretty, I just wish -“

“Nnnn, I know, I’m the pretty one. Thanks, but shut up,” Tuff mumbled, dragging the pillow in his arms over his head.

“I wasn’t talking to YOU, idiot!” Ruff snapped, whacking his shoulder.

At their raised voices and movement, the “dragon-fairy” zipped out of sight.

“Ugh, thanks a lot! Now it’s gone, probably forever!” she lamented, flopping on her back. She kicked her brother again for good measure, because he’d already started falling back asleep.

“Owww, what?!”

“You scared off my dragon-fairy, yak-butt!”

“I did what?” Tuff sat up. “Tell me everything, it sounds like I did something awesome.”

“Yeah, you awesomely ruined everything, as usual!” she fumed, crossing her arms. “I discovered a new species of dragon, and it was cute and pretty and it eats flowers – and YOU scared it away!”

“While getting violently beaten in my sleep? Impressive,” Tuff said blithely, and earned himself a glower. Before she could kick him again, he held up a hand.

“Easy sis,” her twin sighed. Ruff paused as she heard exhaustion overtake his penchant for squabbling. Last night had taken a toll on all of them. “I’ll help you find it if you want. Not like we’ve got a whole lot to do while H and A talk to the Chief.”

“Huh.” Ruffnut reached out and felt his forehead for a fever. It was all part of the silly banter they did, pretending everything was fine and normal and like they hadn’t just rescued a bunch of kids that were starved and beaten half to death.

“You’re not burning up, so I guess you’re up to traipsing around the place with me. Just don’t make a racket.”

“A racket? Sis, in an hour’s time you’ll be begging me to teach you how to sneak up on a dragon-fairy. Let’s not forget who the Changewing Champion of Dragon’s Edge is.”

“Ugh.” She got up and dumped all her blankets on top of him.

As much as she hated it, Tuff was right. Although it was two hours later, she gave up and clung to his waist, using her weight to drag him down as he attempted to break free. “Pleeeeeaaase!!! Come on, I hate begging!” she wailed.

“Then stop! I’m bored, I’m hungry, it’s probably lunch time, and these villagers seriously know how to cook. I am not missing out on that for your dumb “dragon-fairy”!”

“I would stop if you’d teach me how to stalk more efficiently! Come on, you even impressed Astrid, even though she didn’t say so. She was totally gushing to Heather about it.”

That gave Tuffnut pause. “Seriously? She did? And what did Heather say? Was Hiccup impressed too?”

She grinned slyly. “Gee, I don’t really remember. How about I tell you after you teach me?”

Tuff growled and changed direction, trudging back toward the forest fringe of the island.

“Yaaay!”

“Don’t ‘yaay’ at me, missy, I’m just going back to that bramble patch to see if I can scrape you off,” Tuff growled.

He didn’t though, and soon the two of them were crouched in a bush full of the same red flowers Ruff’s dragon-fairy had visited earlier. She matched her breathing with Tuff’s – slow and quiet. After an excruciatingly cramped fifteen minutes, their patience was rewarded.

The green and scarlet being was back, exploring flower after flower. Ruff heard her brother gasp slightly and smirked. She wanted to turn her head to see his expression, but not at the risk of scaring it away.

It shimmered in the sunlight as it visited flower after flower, and there was a strange sort of peace in listening to its thrumming wings.

Abruptly, the foliage behind them parted as someone stuck their head in. The dragon-fairy zipped off and Ruff turned to snap at the intruder. She nearly bit her tongue as she recognized the same young man who’d given her those flowers. “Hello! There you are – you are missing lunch, friends.”

Tuffnut moved out of his crouched spot without hesitation, stomach already growling. The villager offered his hand to Ruff, who took it gladly and let herself be helped to her feet.

“Hey, uh –“

“Halvar,” the young man said, flashing a smile. She glanced at Tuff to see if he’d take the hint and leave. Her brother ignored the look and stayed put, watching Halvar coolly.

“So, Halvar, what kind of dragons do you have on this island anyway?”

Thankfully, Halvar took no offense. “None, friend. That’s why your amazing dragons have caused such a stir. Why did you ask? Have you seen one that is not yours?”

“Yeah, it was tiny, and green and red, and it eats flowers. Weird, but totally awesome,” Tuffnut answered. "And as much as I hate to say my sister was right, totally worth the hunger pains."

Halvar laughed fondly. “That was no dragon, it was a hummingbird. But I can see why you’d think so. Its shining feathers are very much like the vibrant scales of your dragons.”

Ruff wrinkled her nose in confusion. “A humming – wait, that was a bird? I have never seen a bird like that, not even in pictures.” She was disappointed; bringing the other riders news of a bird wasn’t impressive at all. 

“Do not be sad, lady. They only thrive where it is always warm, like this island. My people believe seeing a hummingbird is a sign of good luck, and more. For it to drink a flower’s nectar so close to you means that you are trustworthy and kind.”

She blushed and smiled, eyes sparkling as she looked up at Halvar.

“Huh. Does it mean we get first pick of the lamb chops?” Tuff asked, completely unimpressed. Ruff could honestly hit him.

Again, Halvar laughed. “Of course, but we’d better head there quick before your friends eat them all.”

Tuff’s eyes widened. He pointed at Ruff. “Make good choices,” he told her sternly, and then raced back to the village as fast as he could.

“Ugh, sorry about my brother.”

“Don’t be. Thanks to you, my little sister came home alive last night. I will not want to leave her side again, after you dragon-riders leave.”

Ruff put a hand on his arm. “You can call on us anytime you need, Halvar. We’ll completely wreck anyone who tries that again. And I’m just speaking for myself and my brother.”

“We thank you for that, truly. I hope no-one does, but I do hope I see you again.”

Ruffnut grinned as they walked toward the village, looping her arm through Halvar’s. She was never going to forget that it had been her he’d brought flowers to, walking right past Astrid and Heather. (The looks on their faces had been priceless.)

Dragon-fairy or no, she was definitely going to sketch a hummingbird in one of her notebooks tonight. After all, each adventure had driven the riders further and further west.

Maybe it was time to start keeping track of other winged beings for a change.

[peacefulheartfarm]

Quail Chicks Hatched -- WOW!!

Quail chicks hatched – WOW!! How did I accomplish an 80% hatch rate? Well, I do follow specific procedures to ensure a better result. These procedures are working. I’ll talk about it today. Will it work for other eggs? I don’t know but you might try it and see if it works for your chickens or ducks or turkeys.  

Before I get started on that, I want to take a minute and say welcome to all the new listeners and welcome back to the veteran homestead-loving regulars who stop by the FarmCast for every episode. Thank you for turning in for the podcast. I truly appreciate you all so much. Thank you.

Our Virginia Homestead Life Updates

Garden

Today I’m going to start with the garden. Just this morning Scott and I harvested the rest of the sunflowers. All that is left out there are various heights of stalks with nothing on top. I see a bunch of tall green sticks with a few leaves. These latest sunflowers will be added to rest to be thoroughly dried. Once dried, we will get to pluck out all of the seeds. They will get an additional period of drying in a single layer just to make sure that they are completely dried and cured. Then I’ll store them in a mason jar. Well, I say A mason jar. More likely it will be many mason jars. I do have lots of half gallon jars and in a pinch I might use some of the gallon jars. I like to keep those for milk, but milking will end in a couple of months. If I can wait that long before getting into those seeds. We shall see how that goes.

I picked a few green beans this morning while Scott was moving the newly cut sunflowers inside the building. The Mexican bean beetles have decimated the plants. Likely this is the last bit of green beans for this year. The plants may come back but by the time they do and recover enough to bloom, the weather will be turning cold. It was a good year. In years past the beetles have taken over before I got the first picking. This year the plants were so healthy it took a while for the pests to arrive. Next year I may even try to control them and keep the beans going just a bit longer. I did little to stop them this year besides squish and squish and squish. And I didn’t do that every day. If I had, I would have controlled them a bit better. But I planted much more than we needed and am delighted to share with nature. When gardening without chemical pesticides it’s always best to grow enough for us and for them.

The bumper crop of purple hulled crowder peas keeps going and going and going. I canned nine pint-sized jars last week. A couple of days ago I picked another batch that will likely give me another half dozen jars of peas. When I picked that batch, I left behind at least as many still green to be picked in another few days. And to top it off, the plants are blooming again. I love growing this crop. They are very pest and disease resistant. Aphids to attack them and the ants farm the aphids. I just work around both of them and enjoy my peas. The plants always perform well with little attention. And every year they have bloomed and bloomed and bloomed through the season. As I said, they are very easy to grow and very tasty to boot.

I planted fall potatoes last week. We shall see if it was too late in the season. It will be days before I see any sign of plants. And weeks before any potatoes are produced. Will the frost kill them before that? We shall see.

Most of the culinary herbs are doing well. The basil, parsley, oregano and thyme are all doing particularly well. All of my cilantro died when I wasn’t looking. I don’t know what happened. I went out there one day and noticed they were all dead. There is always next year. I have plans for starting them inside and caring for them a little better than I did this year. The rosemary is still struggling along. I had to try several times just to get anything to sprout in the spring. Now they are growing very, very slowly. I may need to do more research on soil composition for them. I can’t think of anything else it could be.

Lastly the tomatoes. About five or six days ago I picked five 5-gallon buckets of tomatoes. I cleaned them up and put them on the ripening shelves. This morning I pulled out eight or ten that were rotting. Tomorrow is a big tomato processing day. Well, today is a big tomato processing day also. I’ll get to that in a minute. This very large batch of tomatoes will all be turned into diced tomatoes, I think. That will be the quickest and easiest method of preservation of such a large number of tomatoes. Well canning them whole would be the quickest, but I don’t use a lot of whole tomatoes. In fact, I don’t remember ever using whole tomatoes that I didn’t have to cut up when I opened the jar.

I’m estimating at least a couple dozen jars of diced tomatoes will be processed tomorrow. Perhaps more. Today, I’m cooking down tomato sauce. It’s ready to can. As soon as I finish this, I’ll get in there and start filling jars and getting that water bath canner going. Actually, I have two water bath canners that will hold seven quart jars each. I’ll be using both of them simultaneously. It’s going to be a late night.

While cutting the sunflowers this morning I took a quick look at the tomatoes. Just about the time that I get these hundreds and hundreds of lovely tomatoes processed, another batch will be ready to pick. Perhaps not another five buckets. Maybe only four this time. We shall see.

Cows and Pastures

The grass is growing. The cows are loving it. All day, that’s all they do. Wander around eating and eating and eating. After a while, they go lay down in the shade and begin chewing their cud. Then later in the day, they might go out again for another round of cropping the grass. What a peaceful life.

Will we need hay this winter? I need to ask Scott. Usually by this time of the year we have hay stockpiled for the winter. But not this year. I wonder what’s going on? Is this planned? An inquiring mind wants to know.

Goats, Sheep and Lambs

Everything is still going very well with the ovine animals. Did you know that is the species term for sheep and goats? Ovine. Bovine are cattle. Porcine are pigs. Equine are horses and donkeys. Ovine are sheep and goats. That’s your trivia for today.

All of our ovine are doing very well and I expect that to continue. The deep grass in the pastures keeps the parasites down. I’ve talked about this before. It’s easy to have a healthy herd of goats and a healthy flock of sheep if the pastures are maintained and the animals are rotated regularly to keep them from eating too close to the ground. That’s the secret.

Creamery

Creamery tasks are moving along. More details are being accomplished. There are many. Hurricane straps, closing in the gable walls, and soon to come, finishing filling in the cracks between the blocks. When doing the block work, Scott left many blocks with the spaces between each block was not filled in completely. There are a lot of these places. You can see through the cracks. Before the cold weather sets in, Scott intends to have all of these openings filled. The cold weather affects how the mortar sets up. The plan is to have that finished before it turns cold. Our first frost date is October 15th. And can you believe it is already September. Time flies when you are having fun.

The Quail Chicks Hatched

This is the last batch for this year. And it is by far the best batch. If you’ve listened to previous podcasts, you know that I put 80 eggs into the incubator. The normal average hatch rate is 70%. That means I could expect 56 eggs to hatch – on average. We had 64 eggs hatch. That is 80%; an unprecedented hatch rate. Now to be fair, we have lost two and may lose a third. But still. It is an incredible accomplishment. I achieved a 65% hatch rate, time before last. Last time only 64% hatch rate. Now that I am looking at those numbers, I don’t know if the 80% hatch rate is my procedures or luck. I used the same procedures for all batches.

The procedures are simple. I collect the eggs and put them points down into our egg cartons. Then I spray all of the shells with Listerine. That’s right Listerine. Don’t wash the shells. They have a protective coating on them that keeps bacteria out. I use the Listerine to deter the bacteria on the surface. The next step I take is to keep them cool but not cold. Of course, we have the advantage of having the nice cheese cooler where the temperature is kept at 52 to 55 degrees. It is the perfect temperature for eggs. The last thing that I do is tilt the egg cartons maybe 10 or 15 degrees from level. Each day I add new eggs and then tilt all of the cartons the other way. Each day the eggs are tilted in the opposite direction. It keeps the insides from sticking. I collect eggs for seven days and then put them all into the incubator. Some people advise spraying again with Listerine just before putting them in the incubator. I have not done that. Perhaps I will try it next year. What I am doing seems to be working really well so far.

Now, I want to go over the current quail chicks situation. Initially, 63 eggs hatched and one didn’t make it out of the incubator. Two others hatched the day we moved the bulk of the little guys out to the brooder. Again, they have to come out of the incubator within three of hatching. The first four hatched on Friday at 16 days. Eighteen days is the average time for hatching quail eggs. We usually hear the first peeps on day 17. So, this was the first novel thing that happened with this batch at 16 days. Three days later, we moved 60 quail chicks to the brooder. There were two chicks that hatched just a little bit earlier in the day. I judged them both to be too weak to move out. They stayed in the brooder until this morning.

The first night in the brooder we lost one chick and then another this morning bringing the total to 58 in the brooder. The two that were left in the incubator were definitely strong enough this morning and I moved them out with the others. We are back to 60 in the brooders. Two brooders with 30 chicks each. From where did the 64th chick come.

After moving those last two out with the others, I went back to clear the egg shells out of the incubator and I found another egg just hatching. I heard him peeping and found the egg with the crack in it. I’m not sure he will make it. The little guy looks to be having trouble standing, but we shall see. I helped him out of the shell and have been keeping an eye on him all day. The membrane inside the shell was stuck to one of his wings and I had to gently pulled it free. That is what happens when you open and close the incubator while they are hatching. The membrane kind of collapses and shrinks over them. He is looking better but I won’t know for a day or two whether he will actually make it.

This batch of quail chicks has been yet another adventure. The time frame from first peeps to today is five days. That’s also unusual. A full seven days will have passed before this last little guy goes out with the others. Life on the homestead is always bringing new surprises.

Final Thoughts

That’s all I have for today. I hope you enjoyed the latest quail story. These birds are so wonderful. And the birth cycle is quick so I get to see it a lot. New life is always fascinating and quail chicks give the opportunity for multiple experiences each year.

The rest of the homestead is moving along in these last days of summer. Soon the season will change and the routine will change. I’ll keep you posted.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please hop over to Apple Podcasts, SUBSCRIBE and give me a 5-star rating and review. Also, please share it with any friends or family who might be interested in this type of content.

Thank you so much for stopping by the homestead and until next time, may God fill your life with grace and peace.

To learn about herd shares:

Visit our website Herd Share page

To share your thoughts:

Leave a comment on our Facebook Page

Share this show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

To help the show:

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW for Peaceful Heart FarmCast on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music, TuneIn or Spotify

Donate on Patreon

Website

www.peacefulheartfarm.com

Patreon

www.patreon.com/peacefulheartfarm

Facebook

www.facebook.com/peacefulheartfarm

Instagram

www.instagram.com/peacefulheartfarm/

Check out this episode!

[kathydsalters31]

What I Feed My Active Dachshunds to Help Keep Them Healthy

I’ve been asked these questions lot over the years:

“What dog food do you recommend for Dachshunds?” “What should I feed my Dachshund to keep them healthy like yours?” “What do you think about food X or Y for Dachshunds?”

For the most part, I’ve also creatively dodged those questions a lot over the years.

You see, every dog is different. Every owner preference is different. Every budget is different.

There isn’t one right food for every dog.

Also, as we’ve found with the recent Hill’s Pet Nutrition recalls, and the potential grain-free dog food – heart health connection, what we think is good for a while can turn out to be not so great after all.

However, I finally decided it was about time I wrote something about what Summit and Gretel eat though. That way I have a place to point people when they ask in the future.

While I’m still not comfortable recommending specific foods for other dogs, I’ve become more comfortable with the idea of sharing what works best for us and letting you make the decision about what is right for your yours.

Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase.

The Dog Foods That I Feed My Healthy Dachshunds

I’ve fed all forms of dog foods over the years – kibble with grain, kibble without grain, canned “wet” food, pre-made frozen raw food, freeze dried raw food.

Today, no matter what the food type, I primarily choose dog foods that are high in protein.

Protein is important for muscle development, which is really important for active dogs.

Note: High protein works for my dogs. It doesn’t work for all dogs so be sure to check with your vet if you suspect your dog.

Summit and Gretel primarily eat raw dog food now but it’s more of a personal choice.

I give them frozen prepared raw because I’m not interested in learning how to create a balanced diet and making my own raw meals at this time.

However, I do sometimes, for a treat and additional nutrient variety, add fun things to their raw dog food to “dress it up”.

I’m also not a stickler for raw feeding.

I mean, humans don’t eat the same food all of the time. It would make is unhealthy – and, to me, that includes different FORMS of food, not just different brands or sources of protein.

That means, at any given time, Summit and Gretel may be eating a food that is not on this list.

But here are the foods I love and feed the most frequently.

Favorite Frozen Prepared Raw Dog Food for My Dachshunds

Darwin’s Natural Selections

Darwin’s Natural Selections raw dog food is convenient because you can sign up for a subscription and it arrives on your doorstep every 4-6 weeks (your choice) packed in dry ice.

All of their balanced, complete meals – chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, and duck – are made of 75% grass fed or cage-free meat and 25% organic vegetables.

They are also free of gluten, grain, steroids, hormones, and antibiotics.

You can customize your order by choosing the meats you want and the amount of each.

Darwin’s Food can be shipped anywhere in the United States for a $6.50 minimum (shipping costs vary depending on where you are located). If you live in the Seattle or Portland metropolitan areas, you may be in their free home delivery area.

If you’re new to Darwin’s and not sure what or how much to feed you can contact them for a free menu consultation.

Wild Coast Raw

Wild Coast Raw dog food is a “seasonally sourced craft raw food” created with oversight from a veterinarian with 25 years experience.

One of my favorite things about this raw food is that the ingredients are ground but not as small as with most raw foods. You can actually still see chunks of meat in there.

While “flavor” choices can vary by season, their grass-fed beef and free-range turkey meals seem to be available most of the year.

All formulas are made with organic vegetables.

This food is made in Olympia, WA and it appears that it’s only available to purchase in Washington State pet stores.

Steve’s Real Food

Steve’s Real raw dog food is a complete and balanced diet made with grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free meats and poultry.

Steve’s Real Food follows Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (B.A.R.F.) model of 80% Meat/Organ/Bone and 20% Produce.

They source most of the meat and all of the produce from the Northwest.

The meals come in beef, chicken, turkey, turducken, and pork.

You can find Steve’s Real Food at many pet stores around the country.

Nature’s Variety Instinct® Raw

I like Instinct® Raw dog food because it’s high quality and pretty to easy to find in any major city (and some not so major) when we travel.

Their balanced, complete meals are made with 85% real meat and organs and 15% fruits, vegetables and vitamins and minerals.

They use ingredients closest to their natural state like real meat and non-GMO fruits and vegetables.

Their raw meals never include grain, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors or preservatives.

Meal choices include beef, chicken, and lamb.

You can find Instinct® Raw at many pet stores around the country.

Vital Essentials

Vital Essentials was the first frozen, prepared raw food that I fed Gretel and my previous Dachshund Chester.

Chester was 8 when I made the switch and I saw a huge difference in his energy levels.

That change was likely due to a switch to raw food in general but this Prey Model Raw (PMR) food is unique because it doesn’t contain any fruits or vegetables. Your dog gets all of the nutrients it needs from only meat, organs, and bone.

In the case of Vital Essentials, the ratios are 45% muscle meat, 45% organs and 10% bone content (all from the same protein source).

Vital Essentials raw meat materials are harvested in the U.S.A and they process 100% of our own food in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Meal choices include beef, chicken, duck, rabbit, and turkey.

It’s available in stores around the US.

Favorite Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food for my Dachshunds

There is a disagreement over whether freeze dried “raw” dog food is actually raw. It IS processed and some people claim that the drying process can diminish the benefits of fresh, raw meals.

Personally, I believe that the processing and drying doesn’t make a significant difference in the nutrition, specially if you choose those brands that make an effort to maintain as much of the original nutrients as possible during processing.

However, these foods contain significantly less moisture than raw food so it’s very important to re-hydrate them or at least add a good amount of water to the food when feeding.

Small Batch Freeze Dried Sliders

Small Batch is one of my favorite freeze dried dog foods to use because it’s easier to crumble and rehydrate.

Depending on where you buy this food, it’s either made in a facility in California or Oregon. All ingredients are sourced from those states and/or Washington and Colorado.

Small Batch is made with all-natural, certified, humanely raised and harvested meats that are free of hormones and antibiotics.  They try to use certified organic meat whenever possible.

Vegetables and herbs used are certified organic, non-GMO, and free of pesticides.

Meal flavors include beef. chicken, turkey, duck, and lamb.

All of their formulas are 88% beef, 10% produce, 2% supplements (except for the lamb which is 78% lamb, 20% produce, 2% supplements)

Small Batch is available in stores around the US and on Amazon.

BIXBI Rawbble

Rawbble freeze dried dog food comes in little nuggets so you can “feed it just like kibble”, although I still sometimes smash the nuggets a little so they soak up more water (or I just add water to the bowl and let them float on top).

Rawbble is USA made and sourced with 98% meat, bones and organs.

It’s free of grains, gluten, animal meal, hormones, antibiotics, fillers, artificial flavorings or colors, and preservatives.

Meal choices include pasture-fed beef, free-range chicken, free-range duck and wild-caught salmon with free-range chicken.

Rawbble is available at many retailers around the US and on Amazon.

Orijen Freeze Dried

Orijen freeze dried dog food is one of my favorites just because I trust the really high quality of Orijen foods.

They claim that their gentle freeze drying process allows their food to “provide all the benefits of a raw diet in a convenient dry form.”

This is a “Whole Prey” raw food made with 80% meat/game/fish ingredients, 10% vegetables/fruits/botanicals, and 0% grain/potato/tapioca/plant protein concentrates.

It contains no grains or gluten.

Orijen freeze dried food comes in their Original, Regional Red, and Tundra formulas.

It’s available at many locations around the US and and on Amazon.

Favorite Canned Dog Food for My Dachshunds

Have you looked at the canned food options lately? I feel like there are almost more canned options than kibble and there are a bazillion of those.

To keep it simple for myself, I personally prefer pate style foods that are high in protein.

Identity Canned Dog Food

Identity Canned Dog Food stands out to me for a few reasons.

First, it’s one of the few wet dog foods that I’ve found that, in addition to being grain free, contains no potatoes or legumes.

Second, the company is 100% committed to using only the finest quality ingredients.

All of the flavors – grass fed Angus Beef, free-range quail and turkey, free-range prairie pork, free-range NZ lamb, free-range heritage turkey, free-range Cobb Chicken, and free-range Canadian Duck – use responsibly raised/sourced meats that are never frozen before production.

The meats are also 100% free of added hormones and antibiotics and are 100% GMO & BPA free. The food is manufactured in Canada and the company is US family owned.

A moist it’s a moist, limited ingredient pate that can be fed as a complete & balanced meal or as protein-rich topper to kibble or raw dog food.

I order this food from Amazon.

Hound and Gatos

Hound and Gatos came personally recommended to me by a friend who runs a Dachshund rescue in Florida.

It’s made of 100% Animal Protein (no plant protein), contains no fillers or meat by-products, and is manufactured in the USA in USDA-inspected facilities.

It comes in three flavors – Paleolithic Diet, Pork & Pork Liver, Duck.

Hound & Gatos was awarded, “The Most Trusted Pet Foods” by TruthAboutPetFood.com 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.” It was also included on the Whole Dog Journal approved canned foods list for 4 years.

It’s a pate style grain free canned food that’s a complete meal for all life stages.

I order this food from Amazon.

Instinct Ultimate Protein

Instinct Ultimate Protein is a grain free pate style canned dog food that’s a complete & balanced nutrition from real ingredients to support your dog’s health from puppy to senior.

The meats used in the food are “responsibly sourced” and the food is at least 95% protein (more for some flavors).

It’s made without grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, carrageenan, artificial colors or preservatives – ingredients known to trigger food sensitivities.

It comes in two flavors – chicken or beef.

This food is available on Amazon and many pet food stores around the country (including Petsmart).

Favorite Dry Kibble for My Dachshunds

Note: These foods are on the “most commonly reported pet food brands named in DCM (heart condition) reports submitted to the FDA” (although lower on the list). See below for more details and my take on that.

Orijen Dry Dog Food

I’ve been a long-time fan of Orijen “Biologically Appropriate & Grain Free” dry dog food.

I don’t stick with just one of their formulas. However, I choose the Regional Red flavor most often.

They also make Original, Tundra, and Six-Fish flavors.

Although we don’t have to use it because Gretel and Summit are so active, I love that Origen makes a high-quality Fit & Trim food.

No matter which of their foods you choose, it’s at least 80% meat/game/fish ingredients, 10% vegetables/fruits/botanicals, and 0% grain/potato/tapioca/plant protein concentrates.

A full 2/3 of their meat ingredients are fresh (refrigerated, without preservatives) or raw (flash-frozen, without preservatives), including the top 10 ingredients.

Zinc is the only added nutrient because Whole Prey ratios of fresh meat (including muscle meat, organs, and cartilage or bone) provide virtually every nutrient your dog needs.

It’s available at many locations around the US and and on Amazon.

Nature’s Variety Instinct Ultimate Protein

Instinct Ultimate Protein Dog Kibble “mirrors the benefits of raw.” Their website says, it’s a kibble “with the highest levels of protein from real meat and unmatched digestibility (compared to other premium natural dog food brands).”

It’s made with up to 2x more real duck and chicken (it only comes in these two flavors) than many other pet food brands and is free of grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meal, artificial colors or preservatives.

It does contain guaranteed levels of live, natural probiotics, natural omega oils and antioxidants.

There is a different high-quality formula with less protein (if your dog needs that).

It’s available in many stores around the US and on Amazon.

What About the Recent Grain Grain Free – Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) Connection?

Some people who have seen the foods that I feed my Dachshunds have asked me if I’m worried about Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) or warned me about it.

I’m very aware of the potential grain-free dog food connection to DCM. I’ve been following it since the first stirrings last year.

The issue is very complicated though.

It’s true that more and more dogs are becoming affected by the heart condition DCM.

It’s true that the most likely suspect is related to nutrition. Specifically, a taurine deficiency.

It’s logical that the first place to look for a cause is the kind of food the affected dogs have been eating.

So that is what the FDA has been doing.

There is mounting evidence that the dogs developing DCM have been eating boutique, exotic ingredients, or grain-free – “BEG” – diets high in peas/lentils/potatoes.

There is a theory that somehow those ingredients are interfering with the uptake of taurine from food.

Taurine is an amino acid found primarily in meat. It is important for the function of several body organs, including the heart.

Should I Switch My Dog’s Food from Grain Free?

First, I think it’s important to note that dogs who have been eating grain-free, or BEG, diets and have developed DCM have been eating one single food long-term.

As I’ve stated before, I switch my dog’s food regularly.

My reasoning is that  – as blogger friend who is more versed in dog nutrition than I am summed it up – feeding your dog the same thing their whole life can be bad for them (no matter how “good” the food is).

My current stance on the issue is, “Don’t panic and consult with your vet if you have concerns about your dog.”

You can read more about my opinion, and see what I think are the most important articles to read on this issue right now, on our Facebook page.

However, a few main points of the most recent FDA report are:

The current FDA report is just a compilation of dog breed, the dog food they were eating, and a few other details of each case reported to them in the last year or so. It lists facts of the known cases but there are, at their own admission, many, many other factors that could be involved in the heart issues (DCM).

ALL types of dog food (wet, kibble, raw) showed up in their reports at least once but most of the reports came from dogs eating kibble (this could be because a larger number of dogs eat kibble, not necessarily point to kibble as the culprit).

The food brands the FDA calls out are merely a list of foods reported most frequently. The proportions are influenced by several things like how popular the food is (means more people feed it), the income level and preference of the people who submitted reports (they choose to feed these “high quality” foods and can afford it… and can also afford diagnostic testing for DCM), etc.

The FDA is not saying that these foods are PROVEN to be the cause of heart issue in this specific order (and excluding other brands) but they just want you know the facts so you can make an informed decision. In other words, it’s not a statement that the listed foods CAUSED the heart issues, although they may have played a part in influencing it.

The FDA’s FAQ page about the report further clarifies:

It’s important to note that the reports include dogs that have eaten grain-free and grain containing foods and also include vegetarian or vegan formulations. They also include all forms of diets: kibble, canned, raw and home-cooked. Therefore, we do not think these cases can be explained simply by whether or not they contain grains, or by brand or manufacturer.”

At this time, we are not advising dietary changes based solely on the information we have gathered so far. If you have questions or concerns about your dog’s health or its diet, we suggest that you consult your veterinarian.

Anyway, I’m not changing how I feed Gretel and Summit right now. I already do not feed them much kibble, most of the foods I feed them are high in protein and low in carbs (legumes, potatoes, grains), and I rotate their food at least monthly.

What to Do If You Are Concerned About Your Own Dog

If, unlike me, you are immediately concerned about your dog’s health or diet, here are a two things you can do:

Consult with your veterinarian to check the current health of your pet’s heart, check for a taurine deficiency, and discuss your dog’s diet.

Transition your dog’s food (follow these instructions if you do) to something that is lower in peas/lentils/potatoes. Foods to look into would be ones that are primarily protein (organ, meat, bones) and/or contain low glycemic grains.

You can also do more reading on DCM and taurine deficiency in general.

So there you have it. These are the foods that I have deemed high quality for my fit and healthy Dachshunds (although, like I said, they occasionally eat other dog foods too).

Leave a comment below if you have a question about these foods or our feeding routine in general.

<!– –>

source http://www.luckydogsolutions.com/what-i-feed-my-active-dachshunds-to-help-keep-them-healthy/ from Lucky Dog Solutions https://luckydogsolutions.blogspot.com/2020/07/what-i-feed-my-active-dachshunds-to.html

[barryswamsleyaz]

What I Feed My Active Dachshunds to Help Keep Them Healthy

I’ve been asked these questions lot over the years:

“What dog food do you recommend for Dachshunds?” “What should I feed my Dachshund to keep them healthy like yours?” “What do you think about food X or Y for Dachshunds?”

For the most part, I’ve also creatively dodged those questions a lot over the years.

You see, every dog is different. Every owner preference is different. Every budget is different.

There isn’t one right food for every dog.

Also, as we’ve found with the recent Hill’s Pet Nutrition recalls, and the potential grain-free dog food – heart health connection, what we think is good for a while can turn out to be not so great after all.

However, I finally decided it was about time I wrote something about what Summit and Gretel eat though. That way I have a place to point people when they ask in the future.

While I’m still not comfortable recommending specific foods for other dogs, I’ve become more comfortable with the idea of sharing what works best for us and letting you make the decision about what is right for your yours.

Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase.

The Dog Foods That I Feed My Healthy Dachshunds

I’ve fed all forms of dog foods over the years – kibble with grain, kibble without grain, canned “wet” food, pre-made frozen raw food, freeze dried raw food.

Today, no matter what the food type, I primarily choose dog foods that are high in protein.

Protein is important for muscle development, which is really important for active dogs.

Note: High protein works for my dogs. It doesn’t work for all dogs so be sure to check with your vet if you suspect your dog.

Summit and Gretel primarily eat raw dog food now but it’s more of a personal choice.

I give them frozen prepared raw because I’m not interested in learning how to create a balanced diet and making my own raw meals at this time.

However, I do sometimes, for a treat and additional nutrient variety, add fun things to their raw dog food to “dress it up”.

I’m also not a stickler for raw feeding.

I mean, humans don’t eat the same food all of the time. It would make is unhealthy – and, to me, that includes different FORMS of food, not just different brands or sources of protein.

That means, at any given time, Summit and Gretel may be eating a food that is not on this list.

But here are the foods I love and feed the most frequently.

Favorite Frozen Prepared Raw Dog Food for My Dachshunds

Darwin’s Natural Selections

Darwin’s Natural Selections raw dog food is convenient because you can sign up for a subscription and it arrives on your doorstep every 4-6 weeks (your choice) packed in dry ice.

All of their balanced, complete meals – chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, and duck – are made of 75% grass fed or cage-free meat and 25% organic vegetables.

They are also free of gluten, grain, steroids, hormones, and antibiotics.

You can customize your order by choosing the meats you want and the amount of each.

Darwin’s Food can be shipped anywhere in the United States for a $6.50 minimum (shipping costs vary depending on where you are located). If you live in the Seattle or Portland metropolitan areas, you may be in their free home delivery area.

If you’re new to Darwin’s and not sure what or how much to feed you can contact them for a free menu consultation.

Wild Coast Raw

Wild Coast Raw dog food is a “seasonally sourced craft raw food” created with oversight from a veterinarian with 25 years experience.

One of my favorite things about this raw food is that the ingredients are ground but not as small as with most raw foods. You can actually still see chunks of meat in there.

While “flavor” choices can vary by season, their grass-fed beef and free-range turkey meals seem to be available most of the year.

All formulas are made with organic vegetables.

This food is made in Olympia, WA and it appears that it’s only available to purchase in Washington State pet stores.

Steve’s Real Food

Steve’s Real raw dog food is a complete and balanced diet made with grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free meats and poultry.

Steve’s Real Food follows Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (B.A.R.F.) model of 80% Meat/Organ/Bone and 20% Produce.

They source most of the meat and all of the produce from the Northwest.

The meals come in beef, chicken, turkey, turducken, and pork.

You can find Steve’s Real Food at many pet stores around the country.

Nature’s Variety Instinct® Raw

I like Instinct® Raw dog food because it’s high quality and pretty to easy to find in any major city (and some not so major) when we travel.

Their balanced, complete meals are made with 85% real meat and organs and 15% fruits, vegetables and vitamins and minerals.

They use ingredients closest to their natural state like real meat and non-GMO fruits and vegetables.

Their raw meals never include grain, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors or preservatives.

Meal choices include beef, chicken, and lamb.

You can find Instinct® Raw at many pet stores around the country.

Vital Essentials

Vital Essentials was the first frozen, prepared raw food that I fed Gretel and my previous Dachshund Chester.

Chester was 8 when I made the switch and I saw a huge difference in his energy levels.

That change was likely due to a switch to raw food in general but this Prey Model Raw (PMR) food is unique because it doesn’t contain any fruits or vegetables. Your dog gets all of the nutrients it needs from only meat, organs, and bone.

In the case of Vital Essentials, the ratios are 45% muscle meat, 45% organs and 10% bone content (all from the same protein source).

Vital Essentials raw meat materials are harvested in the U.S.A and they process 100% of our own food in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Meal choices include beef, chicken, duck, rabbit, and turkey.

It’s available in stores around the US.

Favorite Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food for my Dachshunds

There is a disagreement over whether freeze dried “raw” dog food is actually raw. It IS processed and some people claim that the drying process can diminish the benefits of fresh, raw meals.

Personally, I believe that the processing and drying doesn’t make a significant difference in the nutrition, specially if you choose those brands that make an effort to maintain as much of the original nutrients as possible during processing.

However, these foods contain significantly less moisture than raw food so it’s very important to re-hydrate them or at least add a good amount of water to the food when feeding.

Small Batch Freeze Dried Sliders

Small Batch is one of my favorite freeze dried dog foods to use because it’s easier to crumble and rehydrate.

Depending on where you buy this food, it’s either made in a facility in California or Oregon. All ingredients are sourced from those states and/or Washington and Colorado.

Small Batch is made with all-natural, certified, humanely raised and harvested meats that are free of hormones and antibiotics.  They try to use certified organic meat whenever possible.

Vegetables and herbs used are certified organic, non-GMO, and free of pesticides.

Meal flavors include beef. chicken, turkey, duck, and lamb.

All of their formulas are 88% beef, 10% produce, 2% supplements (except for the lamb which is 78% lamb, 20% produce, 2% supplements)

Small Batch is available in stores around the US and on Amazon.

BIXBI Rawbble

Rawbble freeze dried dog food comes in little nuggets so you can “feed it just like kibble”, although I still sometimes smash the nuggets a little so they soak up more water (or I just add water to the bowl and let them float on top).

Rawbble is USA made and sourced with 98% meat, bones and organs.

It’s free of grains, gluten, animal meal, hormones, antibiotics, fillers, artificial flavorings or colors, and preservatives.

Meal choices include pasture-fed beef, free-range chicken, free-range duck and wild-caught salmon with free-range chicken.

Rawbble is available at many retailers around the US and on Amazon.

Orijen Freeze Dried

Orijen freeze dried dog food is one of my favorites just because I trust the really high quality of Orijen foods.

They claim that their gentle freeze drying process allows their food to “provide all the benefits of a raw diet in a convenient dry form.”

This is a “Whole Prey” raw food made with 80% meat/game/fish ingredients, 10% vegetables/fruits/botanicals, and 0% grain/potato/tapioca/plant protein concentrates.

It contains no grains or gluten.

Orijen freeze dried food comes in their Original, Regional Red, and Tundra formulas.

It’s available at many locations around the US and and on Amazon.

Favorite Canned Dog Food for My Dachshunds

Have you looked at the canned food options lately? I feel like there are almost more canned options than kibble and there are a bazillion of those.

To keep it simple for myself, I personally prefer pate style foods that are high in protein.

Identity Canned Dog Food

Identity Canned Dog Food stands out to me for a few reasons.

First, it’s one of the few wet dog foods that I’ve found that, in addition to being grain free, contains no potatoes or legumes.

Second, the company is 100% committed to using only the finest quality ingredients.

All of the flavors – grass fed Angus Beef, free-range quail and turkey, free-range prairie pork, free-range NZ lamb, free-range heritage turkey, free-range Cobb Chicken, and free-range Canadian Duck – use responsibly raised/sourced meats that are never frozen before production.

The meats are also 100% free of added hormones and antibiotics and are 100% GMO & BPA free. The food is manufactured in Canada and the company is US family owned.

A moist it’s a moist, limited ingredient pate that can be fed as a complete & balanced meal or as protein-rich topper to kibble or raw dog food.

I order this food from Amazon.

Hound and Gatos

Hound and Gatos came personally recommended to me by a friend who runs a Dachshund rescue in Florida.

It’s made of 100% Animal Protein (no plant protein), contains no fillers or meat by-products, and is manufactured in the USA in USDA-inspected facilities.

It comes in three flavors – Paleolithic Diet, Pork & Pork Liver, Duck.

Hound & Gatos was awarded, “The Most Trusted Pet Foods” by TruthAboutPetFood.com 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.” It was also included on the Whole Dog Journal approved canned foods list for 4 years.

It’s a pate style grain free canned food that’s a complete meal for all life stages.

I order this food from Amazon.

Instinct Ultimate Protein

Instinct Ultimate Protein is a grain free pate style canned dog food that’s a complete & balanced nutrition from real ingredients to support your dog’s health from puppy to senior.

The meats used in the food are “responsibly sourced” and the food is at least 95% protein (more for some flavors).

It’s made without grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, carrageenan, artificial colors or preservatives – ingredients known to trigger food sensitivities.

It comes in two flavors – chicken or beef.

This food is available on Amazon and many pet food stores around the country (including Petsmart).

Favorite Dry Kibble for My Dachshunds

Note: These foods are on the “most commonly reported pet food brands named in DCM (heart condition) reports submitted to the FDA” (although lower on the list). See below for more details and my take on that.

Orijen Dry Dog Food

I’ve been a long-time fan of Orijen “Biologically Appropriate & Grain Free” dry dog food.

I don’t stick with just one of their formulas. However, I choose the Regional Red flavor most often.

They also make Original, Tundra, and Six-Fish flavors.

Although we don’t have to use it because Gretel and Summit are so active, I love that Origen makes a high-quality Fit & Trim food.

No matter which of their foods you choose, it’s at least 80% meat/game/fish ingredients, 10% vegetables/fruits/botanicals, and 0% grain/potato/tapioca/plant protein concentrates.

A full 2/3 of their meat ingredients are fresh (refrigerated, without preservatives) or raw (flash-frozen, without preservatives), including the top 10 ingredients.

Zinc is the only added nutrient because Whole Prey ratios of fresh meat (including muscle meat, organs, and cartilage or bone) provide virtually every nutrient your dog needs.

It’s available at many locations around the US and and on Amazon.

Nature’s Variety Instinct Ultimate Protein

Instinct Ultimate Protein Dog Kibble “mirrors the benefits of raw.” Their website says, it’s a kibble “with the highest levels of protein from real meat and unmatched digestibility (compared to other premium natural dog food brands).”

It’s made with up to 2x more real duck and chicken (it only comes in these two flavors) than many other pet food brands and is free of grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meal, artificial colors or preservatives.

It does contain guaranteed levels of live, natural probiotics, natural omega oils and antioxidants.

There is a different high-quality formula with less protein (if your dog needs that).

It’s available in many stores around the US and on Amazon.

What About the Recent Grain Grain Free – Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) Connection?

Some people who have seen the foods that I feed my Dachshunds have asked me if I’m worried about Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) or warned me about it.

I’m very aware of the potential grain-free dog food connection to DCM. I’ve been following it since the first stirrings last year.

The issue is very complicated though.

It’s true that more and more dogs are becoming affected by the heart condition DCM.

It’s true that the most likely suspect is related to nutrition. Specifically, a taurine deficiency.

It’s logical that the first place to look for a cause is the kind of food the affected dogs have been eating.

So that is what the FDA has been doing.

There is mounting evidence that the dogs developing DCM have been eating boutique, exotic ingredients, or grain-free – “BEG” – diets high in peas/lentils/potatoes.

There is a theory that somehow those ingredients are interfering with the uptake of taurine from food.

Taurine is an amino acid found primarily in meat. It is important for the function of several body organs, including the heart.

Should I Switch My Dog’s Food from Grain Free?

First, I think it’s important to note that dogs who have been eating grain-free, or BEG, diets and have developed DCM have been eating one single food long-term.

As I’ve stated before, I switch my dog’s food regularly.

My reasoning is that  – as blogger friend who is more versed in dog nutrition than I am summed it up – feeding your dog the same thing their whole life can be bad for them (no matter how “good” the food is).

My current stance on the issue is, “Don’t panic and consult with your vet if you have concerns about your dog.”

You can read more about my opinion, and see what I think are the most important articles to read on this issue right now, on our Facebook page.

However, a few main points of the most recent FDA report are:

The current FDA report is just a compilation of dog breed, the dog food they were eating, and a few other details of each case reported to them in the last year or so. It lists facts of the known cases but there are, at their own admission, many, many other factors that could be involved in the heart issues (DCM).

ALL types of dog food (wet, kibble, raw) showed up in their reports at least once but most of the reports came from dogs eating kibble (this could be because a larger number of dogs eat kibble, not necessarily point to kibble as the culprit).

The food brands the FDA calls out are merely a list of foods reported most frequently. The proportions are influenced by several things like how popular the food is (means more people feed it), the income level and preference of the people who submitted reports (they choose to feed these “high quality” foods and can afford it… and can also afford diagnostic testing for DCM), etc.

The FDA is not saying that these foods are PROVEN to be the cause of heart issue in this specific order (and excluding other brands) but they just want you know the facts so you can make an informed decision. In other words, it’s not a statement that the listed foods CAUSED the heart issues, although they may have played a part in influencing it.

The FDA’s FAQ page about the report further clarifies:

It’s important to note that the reports include dogs that have eaten grain-free and grain containing foods and also include vegetarian or vegan formulations. They also include all forms of diets: kibble, canned, raw and home-cooked. Therefore, we do not think these cases can be explained simply by whether or not they contain grains, or by brand or manufacturer.”

At this time, we are not advising dietary changes based solely on the information we have gathered so far. If you have questions or concerns about your dog’s health or its diet, we suggest that you consult your veterinarian.

Anyway, I’m not changing how I feed Gretel and Summit right now. I already do not feed them much kibble, most of the foods I feed them are high in protein and low in carbs (legumes, potatoes, grains), and I rotate their food at least monthly.

What to Do If You Are Concerned About Your Own Dog

If, unlike me, you are immediately concerned about your dog’s health or diet, here are a two things you can do:

Consult with your veterinarian to check the current health of your pet’s heart, check for a taurine deficiency, and discuss your dog’s diet.

Transition your dog’s food (follow these instructions if you do) to something that is lower in peas/lentils/potatoes. Foods to look into would be ones that are primarily protein (organ, meat, bones) and/or contain low glycemic grains.

You can also do more reading on DCM and taurine deficiency in general.

So there you have it. These are the foods that I have deemed high quality for my fit and healthy Dachshunds (although, like I said, they occasionally eat other dog foods too).

Leave a comment below if you have a question about these foods or our feeding routine in general.

<!– –>

from Lucky Dog Solutions http://www.luckydogsolutions.com/what-i-feed-my-active-dachshunds-to-help-keep-them-healthy/ from Lucky Dog Solutions https://luckydogsolutions.tumblr.com/post/624382194787467264