keeping it simple - the missing ingredient in feeding dogs naturally!

by Master Dog Chef Micki

Since I first began to speak on improving the food we feed our dogs, and ourselves, I've witnessed a major decline in preparing (and eating) food, simply.

With the exception of maybe The Last Supper, throughout History, food has been connected with fun and making us feel better. It is the fuel for our personal
"vehicles."

For our dogs, food was the whole shebang, it was their survival. If you have ever lived where the coyote roam, you are familiar with their high-pitched and frenetic celebrations in the middle of the night when they have caught their prey and they are sharing the affair.

Today, our pets no longer hunt and most never have to kick in that natural instinct. Food comes everyday out of nowhere, if they are the fortunate ones who don't have to scavenge on the street.

For over 15 years, I have donned my Master Dog Chef hat and have spoken on
healthier food for our pets.My main goal was the hope of getting the human companion to eat healthier so they could share in the feast with their dog. It was a good goal and for many years, it worked.

Nowadays, when I speak, the first item on my to-do checklist while setting up, is to "look for the exit." It's either me or the message that is flawed. People have never been thrilled to hear that they have to put more effort into being healthy for themselves or their dogs then just opening a bag of something, putting it into a bowl and walking away. But now, it's a lot more serious then that. We've gotten people past the part of just opening any old dog food, now they want "the Rules." Humans don't do well without rules.

I've worked hard over the years, developing an easy way to prepare natural food
for a dog. I've gotten the message that we're all "so busy." I put together a quick way to vary recipes without the need for a measuring cup or worrying about what the end result of the mixture looks like. A dog certainly doesn't care!

Silly me! I fooled myself in believing that a simple plan would do the trick. Simple is NOT what humans favor, in fact, we're downright skeptical of it.

Over the years, the word "simple," developed an unbelievable connotation. I've discovered when I mention how simple my system is, some people tune out. They relate it to how easy our lives were supposed to be with computers and cell phones.

How many of us are trying to ignore that "check engine" light in our car that was supposed to be maintenance-free? So, I'm bucking a head wind here suggesting that you can "simply" feed your dog healthier food.

Linda and her dog, Emma, recently took one of my Basic Cooking Classes. Linda was delighted to see how simple my system was and that she had thought in the past that sharing food with Emma would be difficult. I asked her why she thought that and she said where she lived in Utah, her dog friends, that naturally prepared food, made it quite complicated.

One of Linda's friends bought a freezer and stocked it with meat just for her dog, but never used any of it. She has been researching for months on whether it is better to give her dog raw meat or slightly cooked and how much is best and should grains be added daily or not? Her friend is still researching and doing nothing. She's waiting for "the Rules."

This is where "simple" bites the dust. When I'm giving a talk I always start with asking one question: "How many of you consider a dog low maintenance?" Not one hand is raised. 10 years ago, half of the room shared that belief!

It appears to me that our health and our dogs health has gone the way of that eternal "check engine" light that either stays on all of the time or comes back to haunt us. We have chosen to ignore it and hope everything just gets better. We have also discovered that investigating the "check engine" light can lead us down a long and expensive road with no guarantees that it will go away.

The biggest flaw about ignoring how simple preparing natural food can be is the fact that our dogs are very simple beings. They don't really need the special toys we buy them that end up being replaced by our socks or underwear. They don't care if their treats are bone-shaped or look like Oreo cookies. In my Dog Chefs Kitchen, dogs go nuts over a small piece of slightly-boiled chicken.

We all love our dogs for a lot of different reasons, but one of those reasons is that they are simple and easy to please.

For those of you with Special Needs Dogs, it is justified to take "simple" up a notch, but not more than a notch. A dog's body is designed to repair itself in many ways. It has a specific plan, even if the body is not totally up to par. Health and survival are primary. Fresh and wholesome food assists that primary force.

Feeding your dog naturally takes practice, common sense and a willingness to experiment. Your dog will love every minute of his new olfactory world. Since it's human nature to demand "rules," here are a few to keep in mind:

1.Remember that every dog is different and will have a totally different reaction to food, just like yourself. Every new dog you bring into your household will mean you start over.

2. You will eternally be learning how to be a Dog Chef, this will never end.

3. Variety IS the spice of life for you and your dog.

4. Your dog is constantly changing, so are his nutritional needs. Keep a journal and you'll "see" the change.

5. If it's hard, you're resisting. If someone tells you it's too complicated for you to understand, look for the exit.

6. Make your discovery of REAL FOOD an adventure. Frequent Farmers Markets, meet the farmers, make a butcher your friend.

It's time for us to put away the excuses and appreciate the cornucopia of food we are fortunate to enjoy, even if that information comes to us through our dog!

Bone Apetit!

Master Dog Chef Micki
Dog Chefs of America
www.DogChefs.com
520-398-1411