Years ago, a woman came under fire for stating that being a “dog mom” doesn't make you a mother. I remember being outraged by her article. How DARE she tell me that my love for my dogs doesn't compare to her love for her children – love is love. That...
I order 99% of the food I feed my dogs from a local raw food co-op. A raw food co-op is an organization that brings raw feeders together, helping us order ingredients, supplements, and other products as a group to keep costs low. By ordering in bulk, we can buy for...
As dog owners, we always want the best for our dogs, especially their nutrition. Traditionally, dog owners have chosen between kibble and canned dog food. But over the past decade, we've seen a rise in fresh food options, including raw, cooked, freeze-dried, and...
I began adding a vegetable mix to my dogs' diet to help one of our dogs lose weight. I continue making a veggie mix to add fiber, antioxidants, food for the gut bacteria, and additional nutrients to my dogs' diet. Although dogs are carnivores, they benefit from adding...
I fill my freezers with bone broth for the dogs several times a year. It's an easy recipe and offers many health benefits. What is Bone Broth? Bone broth for dogs is a nourishing liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue over 24 hours in a slow...
I am not a dog trainer or behaviorist. If you have issues with your littermates, please get in touch with a professional dog trainer for guidance. Working with a trainer made raising littermates easier for us. When I was researching adopting littermate puppies, all I...
When I was new to DIY, I spent every Saturday cutting up chicken for the meat grinder. I went through three meat cleavers before I realized, “You get what you pay for.” In this post, I will share how I chose my knives, the best knives for raw feeders, and...
I saw a graphic on Instagram the other day that questioned the benefits of coconut oil. This excited me because MCT and coconut oil are a daily part of life, as well as my life with dogs. This graphic inspired me to dive deeper into the benefits of coconut oil for new...
I have been raw feeding for the past ten years and got my start by connecting with some wonderful people who ordered in bulk from a raw food company. I learned what they had going was called a co-op, and their hard work and dedication to bringing these wonderful...
I recently began consuming a teaspoon of MCT oil with my morning tea. I'm also adding the same dose to the morning meals of our senior dogs. I feel more awake, energetic, and happy after only a few days of this routine. So, let's talk about the benefits of MCT oil for...
When I began my raw feeding journey, it never occurred to me to find a course to take to help better understand feeding fresh food to my dogs. I joined several Facebook raw feeding groups and learned the following: Feed 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, and 5%...
National Raw Feeding Week is a holiday created by Kimberly Gauthier (that's me) in 2018 when I noticed that raw feeders didn't have a day on Pet Holiday calendars. As I considered this atrocity, I decided we needed a full week. Later, I learned that there is a full...
As a dog owner, you want to ensure your dog gets the best nutrition. In recent years, bison has become increasingly popular as an alternative to beef, making bison a possible option for dogs with a beef intolerance. But what are the differences between the two...
Medicinal mushrooms are becoming increasingly popular in pet health due to their natural healing properties. Besides providing essential nutrients and antioxidants, specific varieties of these fungi offer a boost to your dog's body and mind that can be hard to find...
When I was new to raw feeding, I couldn't find raw green tripe. But I found canned green tripe and happily fed that to my dogs until I learned about carrageenan gum. I received many comments from people warning me about the dangers of carrageenan gum. I panicked. Was...
I'm a passionate writer in the Pacific Northwest who loves all things dogs. I share what I'm learning as I attempt to crack the code to longevity. Keep the Tail Wagging is a blog dedicated to the dog who inspired this journey: Rodrigo Gauthier - March 2010 - September 2023.
