How did I start feeding my dogs raw food?
This is the beginning of a love story that has now lasted 20 years between the agronomist that I am and raw dog food.
In July 2000, at the age of 25 and ready to pursue my dream of becoming a breeder, I visited a renowned Portuguese Water Dog breeder in the Niagara Falls region of Ontario. This breeder had been recommended to me by a trusted acquaintance, but I had very little information about her methods and vision before meeting her at her home.
So I went there on July 1st, 10 hours later, upon arrival a pack of dogs greeted us, each more beautiful and radiant with health than the last… No dog smell, no overweight dogs, muscular dogs overflowing with energy, not really what I was used to observing in my canine environment at the time…
It's important to know that at the time, I was working for the Shurgain dog food company (now called Nutreco). So I was firmly convinced that dogs should only eat kibble. Expressing myself as best I could with my rather pathetic English at the time, I finally understood that their dogs were fed raw food. Wow! I was completely in the dark, but my instinct told me that the beauty of these dogs wasn't just down to genetics.
While chatting, I was quite perplexed to hear the breeder simply say: "Poop doesn't smell." Really? Poo that doesn't smell? That's a bit much…
At the end of the day, the breeder presented me with the purchase contract for the puppy that was meant for us, and the contract stipulated that I had to feed the puppy a raw diet. Convinced by what I had observed, I didn't hesitate and signed the contract and wrote the check…
So I left the breeder's with my little ball of curly fur, a bag of chicken necks, and a recipe for making a mix of meats, offal, and vegetables… Commercial mixes and raw food distributors didn't exist back then. This would be the start of an adventure that was sometimes arduous, but one I'll never regret embarking on.
Back home, the mad dash for chicken necks and the food processor began. Needless to say, given the popular saying that you should never give chicken bones to a dog, I had my hand on the phone ready to call the vet if necessary when I gave her the first chicken neck… Well, nothing happened. My little dog simply ate her chicken neck right under the table, quite happy with her prize. Over time, I've acquired tips and experience that have led to my five dogs now being fed a raw diet, which is very easy and enjoyable for me. The pleasure of seeing them savour their feast, their meaty bones, seeing them radiating health and vitality, is priceless to me… Since that July of 2000, not a single bag of kibble has entered the house…
Today I’m pleased to share all my experience with raw food in our online courses!
Karine Simard, Agronomist, M.Sc.
Expert consultant in canine nutrition
