Is Back to Basics Raw Pet Food made from human grade ingredients?

Yes, all of the ingredients in Back to Basics are human grade. The meat comes from local Alberta farmers, fruit and vegetables come from local grocers and all supplements are made for human consumption. Note however green tripe is not human grade, the human grade form of tripe is boiled and bleached, leaving no nutritional benefit for dogs.

How is Back to Basics Raw Pet Food less expensive than other raw pet food?

If you feed a combination of raw meaty bones with RMB Balancer, it will be approximately 30-40% cheaper than ground full meals.

How does the Raw Meaty bone and Balancer diet work?

When feeding a combination of raw meaty bones and balancer you feed 50% Raw Meaty Bones and 50% Balancer. I believe that half of the benefit of feeding a raw, natural diet is improved dental health. This is only accomplished when you feed raw meaty bones. Raw meaty bones clean the teeth by scraping plaque off the teeth and massaging the gums which increases blood flow to the area. Raw meaty bones also provide lots of meat (protein) and the bones provide calcium. It cannot be stressed enough that calcium is ESSENTIAL for bone health especially in growing puppies. By including the balancer the diet is made very simple, because you can’t just feed raw meaty bones. To complete the raw diet you must also include organ meat which has essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids (vitamin A, D and taurine to name a few). Pureed vegetables and fruit provide anti-oxidants and vitamins and minerals. Green tripe is excellent for proper digestion; it is full of enzymes, essential fatty acids and has probiotics (lactobacillus acidophilus) for a healthy intestinal flora. Green tripe is one of the most beneficial things you can add to your dog’s diet. There are also some supplements added to the balancer which promote great health and longevity. Feeding raw meaty bones and balancer is simple, everything needed is added in the mix to make the diet balanced and as close to the natural prey model as possible.

How much will it cost to feed Raw Meaty Bones and Balancer?

If you feed raw meaty bones and the balancer, for a 50lb dog it will cost between $60 - $80/ 4 weeks. The reason for the variation depends on the proteins you feed, if you want to make it cheaper feed mostly chicken backs and beef balancer. It is good to add in some variety of proteins, so if your budget allows you can add in some of the more expensive proteins (like bison and lamb) to mix it up for your dog. Different protein sources provide different nutrients so it is a god idea to feed a variety.

How much will it cost to feed the Full Meals?

If you feed the full ground meals it will cost approximately $96 - $114/4 weeks for a 50lb dog. The cost will vary depending on the proteins you choose to feed.

Why is it better to feed raw pet food?

Fresh food is best, dogs and cats are carnivores designed to eat their food raw. Cooking food changes the structure and the nutrients lose their bioavailability. For more information refer to the benefits of feeding raw and the raw vs. Kibble tab.

What does BARF mean?

Biologically appropriate raw food.

What does RMB mean?

RMB is an abbreviation for raw meaty bones.

What is the difference between Raw Meaty Bones and Recreational bones?

Raw Meaty bones are soft and the dog or cat is able to chew through the bone and consume it. Recreational bones are very hard and the dog or cat would not be able to chew through the bone (knuckle bones, femur bones). Some dogs do okay with recreational bones, however many dogs will go a little overboard with them and break teeth. We recommend using bones such as beef necks, bison necks and lamb necks, these bones will provide hours of entertainment, a meal and won`t damage your dog`s teeth. These bones are also a great tooth brush.

Is it okay to feed kibble and raw food?

It is not recommended because kibble is digested so much more slowly than raw pet food. This slow digestion can create a more hospitable environment for bacteria in the digestive system and cause stomach upset. However it is better to at least feed some fresh food than none at all. If you do feed kibble and raw, we suggest feeding it in separate meals and/or on separate days.

Why is raw food digested so quickly?

Raw food contains live enzymes which assist in the quick, efficient digestion of foods.

What about supplements?

There are a few supplements added into Back to Basics Raw Pet Food; kelp, alfalfa, vitamin C and salmon oil. These supplements are non specific, meaning that they are beneficial to dogs and cats however they are not designed to treat a specific condition. If your dog has specific problems there are specific supplements that can help. The first thing you need to consider before adding supplements to try to fix something is whether or not the dog or cat is being fed a species appropriate diet. Supplements cannot fix a poor diet. A proper, raw diet does not usually require a vitamin/mineral supplement; because the food is not cooked the nutrients are not lost. That being said there are some great supplements on the market for things like extra digestive enzymes or probiotics, glucosamine for arthritis etc.

We have had good success with a supplement called NuVet, it has been shown to help dogs with a wide array of pre-existing conditions. If you are interested in this or any other high quality supplements (toys and training supplies) go to http://k9trainingandsupplies.com.

Should I be worried about salmonella?

You should be aware of it; many surveys have shown that poultry products are commonly contaminated with salmonella. Your dog and cat have a digestive system that can take it. The ph of their stomach is very low and kills the bacteria. However people do need to be careful and use safe meat handling practises. Wash your hands and surfaces where food is prepared. Studies have shown that dogs can eat chicken covered in salmonella and not show the bacteria in their saliva or become ill in any way. It has shown that 30% of dogs who ingest salmonella will shed the bacteria in their feces. Make sure you wash your hands after cleaning up after your pet and don`t allow your children to play with the feces. For an excellent article on salmonella go to http://www.positivepetzine.com/salmonella

Are raw meaty bones dangerous?

Dogs and cats are survivalists; they are animals that will do anything to preserve their own life. The likely hood of them choking on a raw meaty bone is very low; remember in the wild they eat whole animal carcasses. Sometimes if your dog ingests something too big they will simply throw it back up and eat it again. I know this is exceedingly gross, but it is part of the way that they eat. You should feed raw meaty bones that are appropriate size, err on the side of too big instead of too small. Raw meaty bones that are too small can be swallowed whole and get stuck. If your dog has to chew the bone, choking is much less likely. If you are really concerned about choking think of this, children are high risk for choking but we would never think of feeding them nothing but mush until they were 5 or 6 years old. The benefits of feeding raw meaty bones (cleaner teeth, better digestion) outweigh the risk.

My dog wants to eat his raw meaty bones on the couch, bed etc?

This is a common problem, try feeding them outside when it is warm and when it is cold you can confine them to an area that is easy to clean. It is easy to teach pups to eat in a designated area; however some adults firmly believe that they must hide with their prize. It is best to allow these dogs some privacy to enjoy their treasure, especially if you have multiple dogs.

Will feeding raw pet food make my dog aggressive?

This is an urban legend...with a small amount of truth to it. Dogs that have pre-existing resource guarding issues will be more likely to act aggressively when given something as good as a raw meaty bone. Resource guarding is a natural behaviour for dogs; this does not mean that it is appropriate. Dogs need to be taught how to act when they have a prized possession, if this is an issue I suggest you seek the advice of a professional trainer which uses positive reinforcement to teach appropriate behaviours. If your dog does not have aggression issues, feeding fresh food certainly will not create them.

Why are bones so important?

Dogs require calcium for bone and tooth development and maintenance. Raw, unprocessed bone is the best way to provide this much needed calcium. Synthetic calcium or rendered bone meal (found in all kibble) are digested differently and can interfere with the absorption of other essential vitamins and minerals. Raw bone is easily digested and anything left over is simply discarded in the feces. In growing pups calcium is essential but is often over supplemented, which can cause many more problems than it solves. Feeding calcium in its natural form is the safest way to ensure adequate calcium.

Why is my dog`s poop different?

When feeding raw you will find that your pet poops less because they are utilizing more of the nutrients in their food. Raw fed pets have small poop which is often white and chalky, this is the effect of the natural bone. It is common for your pet to strain a bit and allows them to express their anal glands, which you either would normally have to do yourself or pay someone to do it. Once in a while you will find mucous in your dogs poo, this is common for raw fed dogs. There is mucous in the intestinal tract and it is normal for it to be shed once in a while, especially when first starting with BARF. If this is a very common occurrence it may be due to lactose intolerance, if you are feeding dairy discontinue and see if that helps. If it is not due to dairy and continues to occur frequently take a stool sample in to the vet as it may be due to parasites or a digestion problem.

My dog has diarrhea?

Canned pumpkin is great for halting diarrhea. This can be picked up at the grocery store. Diarrhea can be a normal part of detox when switching to the BARF diet; it should let up in a week or two. As a rule raw meaty bones make stool more firm and muscle meat, organ meat and vegetables make stools looser. So if you are noticing your dogs stool is a little bit loose on a regular basis you can increase the raw meaty bones and decrease the balancer. If your dog is acting sick and has had diarrhea for several days or has severe diarrhea take them to the vet.

My dog is constipated?

Constipation is often the result of too much bone, this can be easily alleviated by feeding a bit more balancer, the organ meat and vegetables in the balancer will help get things moving again. Canned pumpkin can also work to alleviate constipation.

My vet does not approve of the BARF diet?

Many vets have had very little education in animal nutrition and most of the time the lectures on nutrition are given by guest speakers from a pet food company. If your vet doesn`t accept your input into the care of your pet than I would suggest finding a new one.

What about when I am traveling?

You can still feed a natural diet on the road. You can use a cooler for your pet`s food and bring along some canned sardines or mackerel. You can often stop at grocery stores and grab chicken wings and some inexpensive cuts of meat. There are also some dehydrated raw pet foods on the market (NRG) these are a bit pricey but work great when you are traveling, it takes up very little space and you just add water to the mix. Don`t forget to stop at the grocery store and get some fresh meats once in a while though.

My dog/cat is in their golden years, any special considerations?

Feeding a BARF diet to an older dog or cat does have a few considerations. Many older dogs and cats are suffering from dental disease from years of eating kibble, if the dental disease is causing pain they may be reluctant to eat raw meaty bones. In this case I would suggest getting your dog`s teeth cleaned, you might be surprised at how youthful they are after a teeth cleaning. Once the teeth are taken care of introduce the BARF diet just like with younger dogs and cats. Many of our senior friends have medical conditions and are under the care of a vet and on prescription diets. I would suggest that you seek the advice of a holistic vet when switching a dog or cat to the BARF diet when they have pre-existing conditions. A glucosamine supplement is also highly recommended for older dogs, it makes a great difference in energy levels and you will notice your older dog is not nearly as stiff and sore. You can purchase glucosamine supplements for dogs at a pet food store or online, you can also use "people" glucosamine supplements.

My dog has had teeth pulled; can I still feed the BARF diet?

Absolutely, if your dog has had dental problems all the more reason to feed raw meaty bones. The raw meaty bones will prevent further dental problems by massaging the gums and scraping plaque off the teeth. If your dog has no teeth I would suggest feeding the ground full meals.

I have a very small dog can he still eat raw meaty bones?

Yes, toy breed dogs have even more dental problems than bigger dogs because their jaws tend to be proportionately smaller and there is less space for their teeth. For dogs under 15lbs it is recommended that you feed small raw meaty bones like chicken necks and wings.

Can I just feed raw meaty bones?

No, you should also feed organs, tripe and mashed fruits and veggies. The ideal diet had 50% raw meaty bones, 10% muscle meat, 10% organs, 10% green tripe and 15% fruit and veggies. This is the purpose of the balancer, to provide the extra essentials that raw meaty bones do not have.

Which diet is better, raw meaty bones and balancer or full meals?

We believe that a diet with raw meaty bones is best, raw meaty bones clean teeth which is essential for good health. Your dog and cat will also get the full “real food” eating experience. Most people really enjoy watching their pets chomp down on and enjoy raw meaty bones. Not to mention how much your dog and cat will love eating raw meaty bones.

Do the full meals have calcium?

Yes, 10% of the full meals are raw bone meal. It is essential that calcium comes from a natural uncooked source. Artificial and cooked bone meal can interfere with vitamin absorption such as thiamine, iron and zinc.

What is the best way to store the raw dog food?

The easiest way to keep the food once it is defrosted is in reseal able Tupperware containers. You can defrost the food in the fridge which takes 24 – 48 hours. You can also fill the sink with cold water and place the vacuum sealed bag in the water, this way will only take a couple of hours to defrost the food. The vacuum sealed bags will not leak, so you can safely defrost the food in your sink (with cold water) or your fridge.

How should I measure the food?

Once you get an idea of how much your dog needs you can get away with just “eye balling it.” For the balancer and full meals 1 - 8oz cup equals ½ pound of food, so you can just use a measuring scoop to calculate the amount of ground food. For raw meaty bones you can get a kitchen scale to weigh the food, or you can guesstimate and just keep a close eye on your dog’s waistline. For example an average 50lb dog would get 2 chicken backs and an 8 oz scoop of balancer in a day. This can be in one meal or split into two, you can also feed balancer one day and RMBs the next.

Can I buy Back to Basics Raw Pet Food in stores?

Yes, Back to Basics Raw Pet Food is sold at Calgary's Sleep Rover Dog Hotel and Daycare.
99 Skyline Crescent NE, Calgary AB T2K 5X2.

Do you offer specialty mixes?

Yes, if you would like a specific diet mixed just for your dog contact us by phone or email to discuss the details. Specialty mixes are perfect for dogs with allergies or any special nutritional needs. Specific supplements can be added, you can increase the amount of a specific ingredient or take an ingredient out etc. Not all dogs are the same and not every diet works for every dog. This is a great way to create a diet that works best for your dog’s specific needs.

Do I have to order online?

No, you can also order by phone or email and alternative payment arrangements can be made.

How long can I keep raw food for?

Once the raw food is defrosted it can be kept in your fridge for 3-4 days.

Are chicken bones safe for my dog or cat to eat?

Raw chicken bones are safe to eat, cooked chicken bones are not. When the chicken bones are cooked they become sharp, brittle and hard to digest, you should never feed cooked chicken bones to your dog or cat. It is often believed that all chicken bones are dangerous and this is not the case. When chicken bones are raw they are soft, pliable and easy to digest.

Helpful Links

www.janzhaus.com
Great German Shepherd breeder – feeds a raw diet.

http://k9trainingandsupplies.com/
For toys, training supplies and supplements.

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359
An excellent article about what is really in pet food.

http://rawfed.com/myths/index.html
Myths about raw feeding – Lots of great info.

http://www.schraderhausk9.com/vitamin-c_miracle_cure_for_hd.htm
Excellent article about a possible link between hip dysplasia and vitamin C.

http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/healthypets.htm
This site has lots of great information on holistic care for your pets.

http://leerburg.com/
This site has a ton of training info and videos. Also has great info about feeding a raw diet.

Sleep Rover Dog Hotel and Daycare.
99 Skyline Crescent NE, Calgary AB T2K 5X2.

http://www.metropawlitan.ca
Metropawlitan Dog Training offers the complete training program for your dog. From basic puppy and dog training and raising to advanced, off leash reliability and real world obedience used for real life situations, we can help you meet your specific training needs. Small group classes are provided to ensure all clients receive individualized attention.

http://wheresyoursit.com
Recommended Calgary dog trainer.

http://www.k9joy.com/
Informative site with lots of nutrition and behaviour information.

If you have any questions that are not answered here please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

>> Read words from our satisfied customers – raw pet food testimonials

>> Start Shopping for Raw Pet Food Now