I haven’t posted in the last week because frankly…it’s all been about food!  A growing puppy, a natural diet and new kitchen appliances pretty much “consumed” the week.   The rate of puppy growth is amazing – growth charts and our own eyes, give evidence to how quickly puppies put on pounds.  When I brought Tai home, his appetite wasn’t that great when offered kibble and I was worried he wasn’t getting enough to eat.  However, a raw chicken wing (skin removed) hit the spot! It got me thinking once again how processed dog foods are well…processed.  And the monotony of eating the same thing day after day is kind of well…boring.  I’ve used prepared raw food diets in the past but found them a little unsatisfying and a BARF diet somewhat unappealing and frankly a lot of trouble.     After talking to knowledgeable friends and my vet, I decided to look into Dr. Pitcairn’s natural diet, as outlined in his book Complete Guide to Natural Health for Cats and Dogs.   After reading through the chapters on why and how to feed a natural diet, I was sold.  I had the information I needed to create a balanced diet from everyday ingredients (with some supplements).  It gave me the confidence to create a high quality nutritional diet for the puppy (and my others dogs).   Not only that, I have a new refrigerator and stove to work with!   And finally, I reasoned, I had raised two children to healthy adulthood on a natural diet.  As evidence, here’s my daughter with 8 week old Tai.  She made a special visit home to see the puppy.  Hey, whatever works to get a visit from a busy 2o-something!  I’ve included the link to Dr. Pitcairn’s web site below.

One measure of how fast Tai is growing is ability (or not) to fit under the couch.  He loves to wiggle under and poke his head back out.  To drag his toys under and wrestle with an empty water bottle.  Well, those days are just about over.  Last night nine-week old Tai managed to get under the couch but struggled to get out and I had to lift the couch to free the little beast! So, Tai is growing and growing – both physically and mentally. He’s gaining confidence in all the new things he’s being exposed to (more about that soon).  His curiosity knows no bounds when it comes to the world we live in – even extending to the other end of the food cycle. 

http://www.drpitcairn.com/nutrition/nutrition_index.html