It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted an update. But there’s a good reason. I have a new puppy in the house! Her name is Wynnie – short for Wynter – and she is the niece of my other dog, Autumn.
Autumn and Wynnie playing a couple weeks ago.
Good Food Matters At All Ages
As many of you know, Autumn thrives on a homemade diet. Before she came home she was on a transitional diet of kibble and raw. Once she came home five years ago, I slowly – and I mean super slowly – started transitioning her into a healthy, homemade diet. Five years later, she is still on my healthy homemade diet plan.
Now, Wynter will be on the same path. As with Autumn, Wynnie came home eating kibble. Not because the breeder thinks this is the best option, but because unfortunately most people will wind up defaulting to kibble.
It’s been about a month since Wynnie came home. I am still giving her the kibble she’s used to, because I don’t want to stress out her GI system more than it’s already stressed. After all, it’s tough being a puppy, coming into a new home, etc. And as they say, the gut is the second brain!
But as of now, she is almost at the 1/2 and 1/2 level – half kibble, half homemade. It took me a month to get to this point, so you can imagine how slowly I have been doing this. A teaspoon here, a teaspoon there.
So far, Wynnie has tried the following foods, all one at a time, in very tiny amounts (starting with about 1/2 teaspoon the first time):
- Chicken breast
- Chicken dark meat
- Ground turkey
- Ground beef
- White fish (flounder and sole)
- Eggs
- Yellow squash
- Zucchini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Sweet bell peppers
- Spinach
- Kale
- Green beans
- Pumpkin
- Broccoli
- Watermelon
- Cauliflower
- White rice
- Brown rice
- Potatoes
- Ginger
- Flax seeds
- Coconut oil
- Butter
- Sardines
Again, I am taking my time with it, but the long term plan is to wean Wynnie off the kibble and onto a healthy homemade diet, just like her Aunt Autumn.
If you are interested in getting your dog away from kibble and onto fresh foods, please contact me. I can help you do it in a safe, careful and truly instinctive way. I believe most people who try feeding a better diet are glad they did it. It can offer major benefits, both short and long term.
Enjoy your dogs! ~ Sarah