Hi, forgive my ignorance folks but I've read a lot about naturediet on here so decided to have a look at their website and investigate it. I remember getting a sample at crufts years ago that the dogs wolfed down. I am happy enough with their current complete food which I mix with fresh tripe or smilar and they also get the occasional rabbit, hare etc and fresh bones.

My question is do you all feed naturediet on it's own or with a mixer/complete food? It seems to have very low protein compared with complete foods? According to their site if I was to feed naturediet alone the borzois would need 4 packets a day each which seems an awful lot.

This thread will hopefully help to explain the protein levels in Naturediet as opposed to dry foods.

naturediet is a complete food so it can be fed alone. When I started out feeding it i was mixing it with a dry complete. I then switched to feeding Naturediet alone but with some plain mixer biscuits thrown in (Laughing Dog Mixer Meal). I now feed predominantly Raw but they still get Naturediet from time to time for convenience.

I found the estimates on how much to feed rather high. if I had been feeding the amount recommended by Naturediet I'm sure both my dogs would have piled weight on. I started feeding about half the recommended amount and worked from there.

HTH

I feed Naturediet on its own too - my two (a working type Springer and a Springer x BC) have around 3/4 of a pack each a day.  They aren't skinny, but are by no means over weight.  They've been on this diet for around 3 years now, and look really well on it, particularly the 13 year old crossbred, her coat is sleeky and shiny (apart from the post spey fluff!) the Springer is calm('ish) too.......  Both have very clean teeth too!

Thnaks Digger, I'm confused about the teeth remark though? I can't see how a wet food can clean their teeth? Do you feed bones too - as I do, and do you brush their teeth?

Naturediet contains bone meal which supposedly helps to keep their teeth clean - well something is, because I don't clean 'em!

Thanks Shaynlola, that thread is just what I was looking for, no wonder I was confused :)

You can mix it if you want to keep the cost down and use less of it, but you can also feed it on its own if you want.

It doesn't have low protein - you can't compare protein amounts in wet and dry foods directly.  I believe Nature Diet is actually higher protein than most dry foods, but can't remember the details.

I feed Naturediet alone to my 5 dogs and would definitely not feed the amount they recommend. You really need to go by your dog. If it looks thin give more, if fat give less.

To give you a guide I feed mine as follows:

Goldie weighing 31 kilos - 2 packs a day
Goldie weighing 36 kilos - 2.25 packs a day
Dobermann weighing 28 kilos - 2.75 packs a day
Dobermann (6 months old) weighing about 22 kilos and still growing - 3 packs a day
Sussex Spaniel weighing 16 kilos - 2 packs a day

Hope this helps.

Chaumsong,

If you go to the Naturediet web site forums there is a comment made by one of the Naturediet staff that the recommended feeding amounts are the maximum amount to feed. So moderately or low active dogs, dogs that are fed anything else, etc.  -- most dogs - need to be fed less than the maximum. 

I feed my two Cairns 1/4 pack each, but they have a few treats during the day and  a small meal of fresh veg and people leftovers (meat,fish) in the evening.  One of my dogs throws up bile if she goes too long without eating, so one meal a day with nothing else would not do it for her (or my carpet).

(Protein amount in Naturediet is approximately 4 times the amount listed on the carton, if you are comparing it to dry food.)

Stacey

Thnaks everyone for the feeding guides, your amounts seem far more sensible than the amounts on the website. I think I'll give naturediet a try :)

I feed a complete food and just add a little naturediet for variety. A tray will do my dogs about 4 days.