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Welcome to Raw Foodie Friday where I'll be sharing recipes of what I feed to my dogs.  Every week, I receive an email from someone who wants me to give them a balanced raw food recipe.  I've attempted to do this many times in the past, and I found that I didn't have the experience; especially back when all of my raw meals were made with a base mix.  Today, I make raw meals on the fly daily, and my dogs are thriving, and I'm excited to share those meals with others who need inspiration.

I no longer focus on balance per meal. Instead, I balance over time which allows me more flexibility.  If I'm running low on an ingredient, I don't panic because my dogs' raw meals will be out of balance.  Instead, I add something else and adjust their diet later in the week or the following week.

Ask yourself – do you eat a balanced diet each meal or per day?

So here is a recent raw meal.  Please feel free to ask questions in the comments.

Easy Raw Dog Food Recipe

Emu, Raw Eggs, and Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance

Emu

I order a couple of hundred pounds of emu every summer for my dogs. I like to feed emu because it's another red meat and I believe that our dogs need red and white meat in their diet due to the variety of amino acids and nutrients.  Emu is also very lean, which is great for my girls, who are ROCKIN' their diet (down 8 pounds each).  And emu is great when you have a dog that has a protein intolerance to many of the common proteins – Rodrigo has trouble with chicken, turkey, and beef.

I order the emu through our local raw food co-op.  It comes in chubs (ground), although I can also order it in chunks.  I prefer ground because it takes up less space in our freezer.  I order enough to last five months when alternating with other proteins.

Raw egg

I treat raw eggs as a multi-vitamin because they're packed full of nutrients.  One thing I learned recently is that it doesn't matter if you feed raw eggs or boiled eggs – the act of cooking the egg doesn't change the nutrient profile by much – crazy, right?  I choose to feed raw eggs because it's easy, however, if I had smaller dogs, I would boil the egg to allow me to feed in separate servings.

Not only are raw eggs a good source of protein and fat, but they also add Vitamin A, B12, and D to our dogs' diet.  Eggs support the heart, eyes, skin and coat, and the liver.

Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance Base Mix

I swore off base mixes when I transitioned to DIY raw feeding and liked it!  I believe that a base mix is a great way to add fresh food to a dog's diet without stressing over nutrients and balance.  Looking back, I'm not a fan of the base mixes I fed to my dogs in the past because of the starch in the ingredients.  While potatoes aren't terrible for dogs, I often wonder if the potatoes played a small role in Rodrigo's continued digestive issues and Sydney's weight issues.

Benefits of a Base Mix

A base mix is great for people new to making their dogs' food.  A quality base mix makes feeding fresh food so easy that it allows more people to transition kibble to feeding a homemade diet to their dogs.

• Base mixes are easy, balanced, and nutritious.
• Base mixes can be used with a raw diet or a cooked diet.
• Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance is Non-GMO certified and made in the US.
• Base mixes can be prepared by anyone, including a pet sitter.
• Base mixes make traveling with dogs easier.
• Base mixes are great when you're running low on food or forget to thaw raw.
• Base mixes are a lifesaver if you're sick and have to do meal prep.

Ingredients in Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance

When I read the ingredients panel for Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance, I was blown away.  FINALLY!!! Someone created a base mix that doesn't have grains and a ton of starches.  The squash and pumpkin are considered starchy vegetables, but I think their health benefits outweigh any negatives that starches bring to the diet and often add yellow squash to my fermented vegetables.  Check out these ingredients:

• Broccoli
• Green Beans
• Squash
• Carrots
• Celery
• Cabbage
• Crushed Eggshell
• Spinach
• Pumpkin
• Beets
• Raw Goat’s Milk Powder
• Apples
• Blueberries
• Bone Meal
• Sesame Seeds
• Chia Seeds
• Shiitake Mushrooms
• Green Lipped Mussel Powder
• Milk Thistle
• Ginger
• Spirulina
• Kelp
• Parsley
• Eggshell Membrane

Mixing Raw with Raw Vibrance

I prefer to make my dogs' food in large batches and because I'm feeding four dogs, adjusted the feeding guidelines to allow me to create a batch of food for 2-3 days.

• Add Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance to the bowl: I added 10 scoops each to two 8-quart mixing bowl (total of 20 scoops).
• Add hot water and allow to sit for 8 minutes; the amount of water is in the feeding guidelines. However, I added 2x more because my dogs prefer a liquid consistency when I feed raw using a base mix.
• Add protein choice to the bowls; I added 5 pounds of emu to each bowl (8 pounds total).
• Add oil of choice (fish oil, hemp oil, MCT oil, coconut oil, olive oil); I added 3 tablespoons of emu oil by Ewegurt to each bowl.  I received some to try out and thought “why not?”  Emu oil is made from the fat of emus (nothing goes to waste), and it's high in Omega 3 fatty acids, promotes the body's anti-inflammatory response, and supports joint health.

My Dogs Thoughts on Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance

My dogs licked their bowls clean in record time.  I didn't think the dogs would have an issue with their new food, but one thing that surprised me was how fast Scout ate his food.  He usually takes his time, which is fine because this is better for his digestion.  With Raw Vibrance, not only did he dig in without hesitation, he licked his bowl clean then came to me for more.  Wow!  That is a HUGE endorsement from my somewhat picky boy.

Ordering Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance

You can order Raw Vibrance on the Dr. Harvey's website.

Supplements for DIY Raw Feeding

When I feed Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance, the only supplements I add to my dogs' diet are their joint supplements, which, to be honest, I give to them after they eat.

I do believe that we should add supplements to our dog's meals based on their individual needs. While each of my dogs is different, I believe that all of my dogs benefit from the following supplements, which I add to their meals at least four days a week:

• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Digestive supplement and probiotic
• Joint supplement
• Spirulina

Supplements can be purchased, or they can be provided through whole food sources.  For instance, I can buy a joint supplement, or I can support my dogs' joints by adding more duck feet, beef trachea, and other foods high in glucosamine.  I tend to add both.

• My Supplement List
• Nutrients In My Dogs' Diet

Sourcing for Raw Meat for My Dogs

I purchase everything for my dogs through a local raw food co-op.

• Shop Through a Raw Food Co-Op to Save on Raw Dog Food
• How to Start a Raw Food Co-Op (I Think)
• 4 Examples of Craigslists Ads for Raw Feeders
• 21 Ways to Save Money on Raw Dog Food

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.  I received payment, food, and products in exchange for freelance writing, social media promotion, and sharing my honest thoughts on Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance dog food.  Thoughts shared in this post and on social media for Keep the Tail Wagging®, are honest and based on my experience with my dogs, products I use, try or test, and the research I've done in an effort to raise my dogs naturally.  If you have any questions about this or other sponsored posts, please feel free to contact me via the contact page of this blog.  Thank you.