Andalusian Bullmastiff Puppy Diet

The diet we follow is adapted for our Bullmastiffs from The Complete Handbook for the Dog and Cat by Juliette de Barcli Levy. Prepared easily from readily available ingredients, it is composed of raw meat and vegetables together with supplements appropriate to maximize health and longevity.

How much work would this be for me?

We tailor dietary ingredients to suit the special needs of Bullmastiffs and the food available in a particular area. We help puppy purchasers learn how to get preparation time pared down to 20 minutes or so a week – exclusive of time needed to secure ingredients. Don't forget – it takes both time and money to go to the vet with a sick dog!

What do the puppies eat? What else do you do to keep them healthy?

In addition to "mother's milk," our puppies are raised on a very special diet of venison (no antibiotics or growth enhancers here!), goat milk, honey, almonds, spring water and other first-quality ingredients. They achieve heightened immunity from disease through the use of homeopathic nosodes which build, rather than challenge, their immune systems.

Numerous veterinarians have commented that when picking them up, our puppies are "so dense." We think of the differences between our puppies and less fortunate puppies raised on commercial dog food and vaccines as analogous to the differences between "Wonder Bread" and homemade whole wheat... they're both bread, but what a difference!

BREAKFAST

1 tbsp. safflower, canola or olive oil
raw egg with shell
½ banana, apple, melon or other fruit
400 mg vitamin E
500 mg vitamin C (increase to 1000 mg by 6 months)
1 tbsp. ground almonds
1 tbsp. ground flax seed or a flax seed oil capsule
meat or fish

This may be canned mackerel or sardines if you’re in a pinch, but raw chicken or turkey backs, necks or wings, or venison, fish, or beef is better. Naturally raised if possible. Variety is crucial. You should be able to see the pup’s rib structure but not the individual ribs. If at some growth stages your pup seems too thin, you may add an extra meal or snack of raw fatty chicken or other meat.

DINNER

1/3-1/2 cup chopped raw venison, turkey, chicken, fish or beef organic if possible. Add oil if it’s too lean. Meals should be approximately 15% fat.
1/4 to 1/3 cup food processed dark dense vegetables and/or herbs
clove raw garlic or grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. cod liver oil
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. kelp
1 tsp. powdered alfalfa
1 tbsp. bone meal where no bone is included in the meat choice (If too much, stool will be whitish and chalky. Add until just short of this.)
2 oz liver, kidney or heart

You can thin this mix with unsalted broth or water if too thick for pup to handle. An evening snack of a couple of chicken necks or wings may be needed to tide the puppy over until morning. Treats for good behavior may be smidges of whatever you are cooking/eating, white cheese, leftover cooked meat, hot dogs of the pristine variety, fruit etc.

AS THE PUP GROWS

Increase the amount of food, keeping in mind the provision about rib structure. Chunk the meat rather than grind it. The pup will enjoy small pieces of chicken with bone (start with necks or wings). Gradually increase the size of the pieces. I give organic beef or venison bones twice a week or more. My adults will tackle a whole turkey back with gusto. The pups will do the same with a whole chicken back by four months.

FASTS

Puppies should fast ½ day a week by six months and a full day (with a bone and a couple of bananas) by eight or nine months. By ten to 12 months the pup should be on one meal a day, six days a week. The seventh day should be a fast day, with only water available. No treats!

IN GENERAL

If a pup leaves food or refuses a certain item, you can be sure it’s not needed at this particular stage of development. Try again in a week or so. Puppies love variety. They like herbs, seasoning – in short pretty much anything you eat, they’ll enjoy. Puppies have growth spurts where they need more, and fallow times where they need less. Stay alert!!

SUPPLIERS

Get bone meal, cod liver oil, and kelp from Upco (800-254-8726) or Revival (800-786-4751). Other ingredients are from health food/grocery/drug stores. Penn Herb in Philadelphia (215-925-3336) has powdered alfalfa. I give all my dogs a dropper or two of colloidal silver (40 ppm) each day and I take it myself! This product kills bacteria, viruses and fungus. It is cheapest in the 16-oz. size from Revival.