Foxboro Doodles

We are all about feeding a healthy, balanced diet here at Foxboro Doodles! We raise our puppies and adult dogs on a balanced diet consisting of both kibble and raw ingredients. We know what you're thinking... "Wait! Is that safe?" The answer to that is... YES! The myth regarding the dangers of feeding both raw and kibble has been debunked! While it is true that not every dog will thrive on a diet consisting of both kibble and raw, those dogs likely would not thrive on kibble alone anyway, so would do best on 100% raw regardless. For the majority of dogs however, adding fresh or raw ingredients to their kibble diet is easy and can offer some wonderful benefits that kibble alone can't accomplish.

For the kibble component, we feed TLC Puppy Food, a high quality chicken, lamb and salmon kibble made here in Ontario. We wean all of our puppies onto TLC Puppy Food and feed most of our adult dogs TLC All Life Stages Food. We love the quality of the food and continue to have great success with the health of our adults and puppies.

When it comes time to start introducing semi-solid foods to our puppies (our "puppy mush", as we call it), we start off with TLC Puppy Kibble soaked in a home-made goat's milk based puppy formula, which is then blended to create a soft, mousse-like consistency. We slowly phase out the milk formula and replace it with warm water as the pups get older. We eventually eliminate the blender from our feeding regime as their puppy teeth continue to come in, and feed the kibble without any added liquid. At that point, we also start introducing raw and fresh snacks and treats into their diet so we know our pups are eating lots of variety and absorbing as many fresh nutrients as they can. Don't get us wrong - we adore TLC Food and know their kibble is very high quality! However, we believe fresh ingredients are also a hugely important component of any dog's diet. We do recommend feeding your raw ingredients at separate times from your kibble meals if you're concerned about digestion rates or if your dog has a sensitive stomach.

For anyone interested in reading more about dog-safe raw foods or how to incorporate fresh ingredients to your dog's diet, we suggest you visit https://perfectlyrawsome.com/ or https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/nutrition/ for some great information. However, before making the switch to a raw diet, please consult a canine nutritionist or raw feeding specialist to ensure you're feeding healthy meals that are achieving nutritional balance.

A wide variety of meat sources is very important in a raw diet, as each animal provides different nutrients. We follow a B.A.R.F. feeding model (awful acronym - we know!) for the raw portion of our dogs' diets, which stands for "Biologically Appropriately Raw Food". When a dog is fed a wide variety of meat sources and the meals are balanced with the right ingredients, they are provided with the vital nutrients that could not be obtained by feeding meat alone. The B.A.R.F Model consists of the following ratios:

B.A.R.F. Model Diet

70% Meat & Muscular Organs

This section includes any raw, unprocessed and unseasoned red or white meat or connective tissue, as well muscular organs such as heart, green tripe, gizzards, etc.

https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/muscle-meat/

10% Bone

70% Meat & Muscular Organs

This section includes any raw, edible bone safe for dogs. It is important to only feed size-appropriate bones covered in meat and connective tissue to aid in safe digestion. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/raw-meaty-bones-rmb/

5% Liver

5% Other Secreting Organs

This section includes the liver of any dog-safe animal source, including beef, pork, chicken, rabbit, turkey, deer, water buffalo, etc. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/liver-other-secreting-organs/

5% Other Secreting Organs

This section includes any other secreting organs, not including the liver. Other secreting organs include: kidney, pancreas, spleen, brain, testicle, thymus, ovaries, etc. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/liver-other-secreting-organs/

7% Vegetables

This section includes the many vegetables that are dog-safe. It is best to feed a rainbow of colours when it comes to veggies, and take care to prepare each vegetable properly for safe digestion and optimal absorption. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/vegetables/

2% Nuts & Seeds

This section includes any dog-safe nuts and seeds that are properly prepared to allow for optimal nutrient absorption. Examples include: hemp seed hearts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, etc. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/raw-seeds-nuts/

1% Fruit

Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries

This section includes all dog-safe fruits. Just like with vegetables, it is best to feed a rainbow of colours to obtain the most variety of nutrients. Fruits selected should be low in sugar and high in antioxidants, like berries. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/fruits/

Limited Extras: Fatty Fish

This section includes all dog-safe fatty fish, fed for Omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. If feeding fish whole, the fish is deducted from the total daily food intake. If just feeding meat, it is deducted from the daily meat intake. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/fatty-fish/

Balancing With Whole Foods

Unfortunately, even with following a perfect BARF Diet, there will be a few nutritional deficiencies. These gaps can be filled with certain foods to help provide your dog with a well-rounded and balanced diet. https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/whole-foods-for-essential-nutrients/

Foxboro Doodles

Professional, Ethical Breeder of Bernedoodles in Madoc, Ontario

Food & Treats

B.A.R.F. Model Diet

70% Meat & Muscular Organs

70% Meat & Muscular Organs

10% Bone

70% Meat & Muscular Organs

5% Liver

5% Other Secreting Organs

5% Other Secreting Organs

5% Other Secreting Organs

7% Vegetables

2% Nuts & Seeds

1% Fruit

Limited Extras: Fatty Fish

Balancing With Whole Foods

Balancing With Whole Foods