Original Diet
Diabetes, skin, ear, and eye problems are rare, and so is hip dysplasia and bloat.
Teeth rarely, if ever, have to be cleaned. Fleas, ticks, and worms are almost unheard of on the
Natural Diet. Overall vitality and energy are unequaled.
Dogs can be worked for a much longer time. Pavi came from a line of Newfoundlands that regularly
worked and were shown until they were 12. He obtained over 20 Agility titles.
You can tailor the diet to individual needs.
Doing so is beneficial for some breeds of dogs, especially imported dogs or relatives of imported dogs, who have difficulty in digesting corn contained in the majority of prepared commercial diets.
You can also substitute individual ingredients as necessary.
Dogs are able to digest and utilize the Natural Diet.
The diet contains a lot of moisture in the natural ingredients. As a result, the dog drinks little water.
The stools produced from this diet are practically odorless and very small in size because the dog utilizes nearly everything he eats.
Young dogs raised on this diet grow more slowly than dogs raised on commercial food
consequently they also have fewer musculoskeletal problems.
Dogs love to eat it. A happy dog is a healthy dog.
4 year old Newfoundland Pavi has been fed only the home-made Natural Diet
Wendy Volhard and Newfoundland Pavi
Transferring to the Natural Diet
Unless your dog is already used to a raw diet, you need to put him on the following short-term transitional meal plan to avoid digestive upsets that may come from the switch to the Natural Diet.
Note: This diet is for a 50-pound dog. Adjust it according
to your dog’s weight. And make sure that fresh water is always available to your dog.
No food. At mealtime, feed 2 teaspoons of honey mixed with a cup of lukewarm water.
In the morning, give honey and water as in Day 1. In the evening, give 1 cup of yogurt or kefir and 2 teaspoons of honey.
In the morning, give 1 cup of yogurt or kefir and 2 teaspoons of honey. In the evening, give 1 cup of yogurt or kefir, 2 teaspoons of honey, and 1 teaspoon of dry or 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs.
In the fall and winter, rotate the following herbs: Parsley, nettles, corn silk, burdock root, ginger root, golden rod, watercress, rosemary, sage, dandelion root, and alfalfa.
In the spring and summer rotate dandelion leaves and flowers, borage, peppermint leaves, sorrel, goldenrod leaves, rosemary, watercress, comfrey leaves, alfalfa, and milk thistle.
In the morning, give 2 cups of yogurt or kefir, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 tablespoon dry or 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs, and 1⁄2 ounce (dry weight) of cooked oatmeal. In the evening, give 1 cup of yogurt or kefir, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 tablespoon dry or 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs, 2 ounces of (dry weight) cooked oatmeal, and 1 garlic capsule.
In the morning, give 1⁄2 normal ration of cereal and supplements as listed in the Natural Diet chart shown in Table 18-1. In the evening, give 1⁄2 normal ration of meat meal as listed in Table 18-1.
In the morning, give the normal amount of food as listed for Days 1 through 6 in Table 18-1. In the evening, give the normal amount of food as listed on Days 1 through 6 in Table 18-1.
Now your dog is ready to follow the full Natural Diet listed in Table 18-1.
Table 18-1
Natural Diet — 50-Pound Dog
- 3 oz. grain mix (dry)
- 2 teaspoons of Blackstrap molasses
- 2 teaspoons of safflower oil
- 200 mg vitamin C
- 50 mg vitamin B complex
- 1 1⁄4 egg, small (4 times per week)
- 1⁄2 cup of yogurt or kefir
- 12 oz. meat (days 1–5)
- 2 1⁄2 oz. liver (days 1–5)
- 14 oz. cottage cheese (day 6)
- 200 mg vitamin C
- 1 teaspoon of cod liver oil
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon of kelp
- 1 teaspoon brewer’s yeast
- 1 1⁄2 garlic capsule (325 mg)
- 2 1⁄2 bone meal or Bone Builder *
- 3 tablespoons of wheat bran
- 2 teaspoons of dry herbs
- 2 tablespoons of fruit (alternate days)
Half-day Fast in p.m.
- 2 1⁄3 oz. grain mix (dry)
- 200 mg vitamin C
- 50 mg vitamin B complex
- 1 cup of yogurt or kefir
- 4 teaspoons of honey
Directions: Breakfast - Cook the grains in the evening and let them sit overnight. Serve the appropriate amount in the morning with the ingredients listed above. Mix all together and serve.
Dinner – Put all the ingredients except the meat and liver into the dog bowl and mix with a cup or less of water. Add the raw meat and liver. Mix together and serve.
