 I've been an advocate of raw/fresh feeding for a number of years and always fed what is described as DIY. When I first started that was the only way to raw feed. Blending my own mix can keep costs down when feeding a number of dogs. I always believed I couldnt afford to do it any other way and to feed the really high quality, pasture raised, organic meats was out of reach, but it was always my aim to one day achieve that.  Instead I settled on at least feeding organic veg, fruit etc. In keeping my food costs down I had to select meats of lower quality and never dug too deep into the industry, as I normally do, but I had an idea, it probably wasnt good. Afterall it is a money making industry and as we know from the various pet food manufacturers, not all have your dog's welfare at heart and would rather make vast profits.  Recently our bulldog has been having a few health issues of which some presented in digestive problems. These upsets were relatively minor incomparison to the problems with his ears so the main focus was, his ears. I have been working with holistic vets to reslove his issues and it wasnt until it was suggested I remove all processed foods (this was basically shop bought treats) I also looked to upgrade his food to 'completes', to achieve consistency and perhaps stabalise his increasing gut issue. The transformation has been incredible. So much so I got to thinking could I upgrade the rest of the gang, after all, none of them were ill so why should I? I endeavour to feed my dogs the best I can, I want them to thrive and live a long healthy life, for their healthspan to match their lifespan. A famous Greek guy once said, 'let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food' The challenges that face us may have changed since his time but we have known for an awful long time that what we eat goes a long way towards the state of our health.   The hunt was on to find a brand that offered good quality at affordable prices that could also meet my ethical values. I was let down by one company of which I will spare the details here, and eventually got into investigating Paleo Ridge. I had used them before, our youngest weaned on this brand, but I had previously thought where out of my reach to continue. However these days, many brands including Paleo now offer deals, discount offers, subscriptions etc. It was looking promising my goal wasn't too far out of reach after all? An avid follower of RPM (Raw Pet Medics) a team made up of 2 of the best holistic vets in the UK, Nick Thompson and Brendan Clarke, and Conor Brady, author of 'Feeding Dogs' the top rated book on canine nutrition and a Nutritional consultant to the raw feeding industry and dog guardians. I remembered Conor talking of Paleo Ridge. I came across an article written by Conor, which forced me to open my eyes to what is going on in the whole food industry not just pet food. (links at the end of my article, which I encourage you to read to help you make better choices for your dog). Conor discusses the shocking truth about the industry, animal husbandry and welfare, the AAFCO/FEDIAF guidelines for minimum and sometimes maximum requirements of essential nutrients and how they came about. Now can you imagine what they can hide in processed food that no longer looks like any of the ingredients that go into it? After reading the articles from Conor, checking out the Paleo Ridge website, checking the figures on the calculator, evaluating the transformation in our bulldog, I thought I cant afford not to switch ! https://www.dogsfirst.ie/why-i-love-paleo-ridge-raw-dog-food/ https://www.dogsfirst.ie/what-i-learned-formulating-the-worlds-finest-raw-dog-food-paleo-plus/
Paleo Ridge ethics:  #ditchthedry
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