Here at Espinay we feed our dogs a raw diet (sometimes also referred to in its various forms as the ‘prey model’ diet, ‘bones and raw food’, ‘biologically appropriate raw foods’ or the BARF diet!). After years of research into canine nutrition and feeding our dogs this way for around 17 years we are happy that this type of diet is one of the easiest and best ways to ensure the health and wellbeing of our dogs.

A raw diet is basically feeding our dogs on whole, raw natural foods, and primarily raw meaty bones. Just like us, it is healthy for our dogs to eat foods that have had minimal processing and additives. A raw diet involves feeding our dogs foods that are ‘species appropriate’ for a carnivore. Like wolves and wild dogs, our domestic dogs are carnivores, and at Espinay we believe we have an obligation to feed and rear them the way nature intended to the best of our ability.

While genetics play their part, it has been shown that diet is strongly linked to the development of orthopaedic problems in dogs as well as other species. Overfeeding and a rapid growth-rate can predispose animals to all kinds of problems like osteochondrosis (OCD), panosteitis, and hip dysplasia. We believe that for bone and muscle to develop normally, the nutrients have to be there in a form that the puppy can assimilate. Genetic testing is only the start - we need to feed and raise our dogs to give them the best chance of a long healthy life too. For us that means a species appropriate diet and, for puppies, only the amount of exercise that they want to do. Instead of long boring walks with repetitive motion on hard surfaces, puppies should be allowed to be puppies, playing in the yard much as they wish and letting them stop and sleep whenever they wish.

We constantly hear these days about the number of problems that are affecting dogs. Allergies, digestive issues, cancer, thyroid problems, diabetes to list just a few. Many people spend a lot of time, energy and money trying to deal with these and other issues in their dogs. Many of them have a common link – a malfunctioning immune system. It is our belief that we can do a lot to prevent (or in certain cases, delay) these conditions if we feed for optimum health. A dog in optimum health has an immune system in optimum health.

We have found that our dogs raised and fed on a raw diet have less issues with fleas, less skin issues, are less prone to ear infections and have healthy teeth and gums. It is a sad fact that around 80% of dogs these days will have periodontal disease by the time they are two to three years of age. Regular teeth scaling and cleaning performed by a vet is expensive and general anaesthetic is always risky, particularly with Pyreneans as they have a low metabolic rate. Dogs who are fed a raw diet ‘floss’ their teeth naturally with their food and most never need their teeth cleaned. A healthier mouth means not only better smelling breath, but healthier organs (periodontal disease not only causes problems in the mouth but can infect organs such as the heart and liver) and a healthier immune system.

Feeding a raw, species appropriate diet is not hard. It takes us almost no preparation and the only really essential piece of equipment we need is a freezer. Of course we are feeding multiple dogs, so need more space than the average family! For one or two dogs, their food will easily fit in the average freezer along with food for the human members of the family. It is not expensive to feed a raw diet either, though cost can depend on your sources. Here at Espinay we tend to buy in bulk, which costs us less. You can, however, easily and economically feed a dog or two on a raw diet just by buying from supermarkets and stores in your local shopping centre or markets. There are also many companies that now make ‘ready made’ raw meals. These can be convenient, but they can cost more too.

The main thing we have found with feeding and teaching about raw diets is that people need to think a little differently about how they feed their dogs. We are bombarded with information from pet food companies that promote so-called’ ‘scientifically balanced’ products and claim that they are the only ones who really know how to feed dogs. As a result people lost trust in their ability. Unfortunately many vets promote and sell these products and many of these have only been ‘taught’ canine nutrition by these companies. Lets get realistic. Commercial pet foods really haven’t been around all that long (and only really gained a foothold in Australia in the 1970’s), and if someone tried to tell you that you were incapable of feeding yourself a ‘scientifically balanced diet’ and therefore to stay healthy you needed to eat this one product they produced, and nothing else, for the rest of your life – would you do it? In an age where natural unprocessed food is known to be much better for humans (and much better at keeping immune related conditions such as diabetes, cancer and so on at bay – an interesting correlation there), why would we think that it isn’t better for our dogs too? Step one, trust yourself and your ability to feed your dog. Step two, learn what is ‘species appropriate’ for your dog.

So, what exactly do we feed our dogs at Espinay? Our dogs’ diet is made up primarily of raw meaty bones. These are bones with meat on them that our dogs eat in their entirety. That’s right, they eat both the meat and the bones. Some of the raw meaty bones we feed include chicken frames, or any piece of the chicken; whole lamb necks, flaps or other off cuts; beef brisket bones; turkey necks and sometimes legs or other parts; whole rabbit; pork hocks, trotters or tails; kangaroo tails. What we feed depends on price and availability. Chicken for example is easy to get and fairly cheap so is often on the menu. These raw meaty bones are fed in large pieces so our dogs get to rip, tear and crunch them. Eating raw meat bones exercises their muscles, cleans their teeth and also keeps them mentally happy as well.

As a smaller portion of their diet our dogs get things like meat without bone (such as chunks or minced beef or kangaroo) and organ meats such as lamb or beef heart, kidneys and liver. They are given fish such as salmon or sardines (either whole raw or canned) around once a week and a couple of eggs each a week. In addition they share healthy table scraps and leftovers such as vegetables and rice when it is available, and get the occasional spoon of yoghurt and/or small amount of crushed garlic added to their dinner. We NEVER give our dogs cooked bones, which can splinter and cause damage.

The only ‘supplement’ we regularly add to all our dogs diet is fish oil capsules which are a good source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. We do use other supplements such as Vitamin C for some dogs, such as growing puppies.

Like us, our dogs do not eat the same thing every day. Like us, their diet balances over time. Feeding them is as easy as taking their food out of the freezer to thaw the night before (and even if we forget to thaw, that is no big deal – they either eat their meal partially frozen, which they love in summer, or get a fish and egg meal that night). Our dogs are kept lean and fit, and along with plenty of free running in our large securely fenced yards and paddocks we find that feeding a raw diet helps promote strong and healthy muscle development. In our opinion this combination also leads to less problems with strains, sprains or injury.

Below are a number of resources to help you learn more about feeding a raw diet.  Or feel free to contact us for more information on the way we feed and raise our dogs.

Veterinary Dental Specialist Dr Tom Lonsdale has an informative website Raw Meaty Bones. He has also written a number of books on the subject.  His book "Raw Meaty Bones Promote Heath" is particularly good for those who wish to know some of the science behind the issue.

Dr Lew Olsen has a range of very informative newsletter articles on her B-Naturals website. Also see her book "Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs: The Definitive Guide to Homemade Meals"

Nutritionist and Newfoundland breeder Kymythy Schultze has a useful book titled "Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet"

The American raw dog food company 'Bravo!' publishes a useful booklet by Melinda Miller which provides basic information for beginners. "Bravo! Beginnings" is available free to download in PDF form.

Leerburg German Shepherd Dogs has a useful free PDF e-book called "Feeding a Raw Diet" on their website .  They also have a good article on feeding puppies at Leerburg Kennels.

Australian veterinarian Dr Ian Billinghurst has published a number of books on feeding a raw diet to dogs. Of his books, I still prefer his first book "Give Your Dog A Bone" for the basic concepts it provides on learning to feed a raw diet.

For breeders, I run an active email list called rawbreeder where you can talk with other breeders about feeding a raw diet to brood bitches, stud dogs and weaning puppies.  This long-running email list was founded at Yahoogroups in 2002 after running at Smartgroups for several years.  It currently has over 1000 members from around the world.

For owners of Pyrenean Mountain Dogs, I also run a small email list called rawpyrs.  When joining, new members should post a welcome message and ask any questions they have.  Members will be happy to respond.  You may also wish to look through the archives for more information on feeding a raw diet to your Pyrenean.