We’ve all had the experience where we sit down with family or friends to enjoy a wonderfully prepared meal only to look down and have those big puppy dogs eyes staring back at us to say ‘what about me?’.  It’s easy to let our precious pets slip our minds when there is so much going on. So here are some tips for creating the perfect Raw Christmas feast.    

What Makes A Balanced Raw Christmas Meal?

Christmas lunch or not, our pets need a variety of wholesome foods to provide them with a wide range of nutrients. In creating a balanced raw meal opt for leaner proteins (be mindful of fat), include fish and don’t be afraid to try the weird (sometimes icky) and wonderful things that provide a range of benefits for your pet. Christmas dinner could be a great time to try out some of these wonderful treats like liver that have many amazing benefits and taste great! 

Here are the 3 main things to remember when serving up your pets Raw Christmas meal and any other special meals throughout the holiday season.  You can refer to our raw food calculator to see the recommended portion of each.

1. Calcium – You need to include bone in your pets diet and these also make a great Christmas gift for your fur baby to enjoy amongst the family festivities. Bones contain both calcium and phosphorus which your pet needs in their diet. Meat is high in phosphorus and too low in calcium. So an all-meat diet may cause bone and nervous system issues in your pets and severe bone issues in growing animals. It is important to get the balance of calcium and phosphorus right. Read more about Feeding Bones Safely. 

2. Organs – Try including organs in your pet’s festive feasts. Organs are the nutrient-rich parts of the animal and without them, your pet could be missing some important vitamins and minerals. Read more about which Vitamins and Minerals you will find in a Raw food diet.

3. Proteins – Once you’ve filled your pet’s Christmas plate with the right amount of meaty bones and organs, the rest should be made up of nice lean meats. Our pet’s need proteins to build strong tissues. And good quality proteins support the hormones and enzymes they need to survive and thrive.

Christmas Dinner Ideas

If you wish to have a bit of fun this Christmas and create a Christmas themed meal for your companion animal to enjoy here are our top 3 Christmas meal ideas.

Santa’s Little Helper 

• Meaty Bones: Duck Wings
• Organs: Lamb Liver
• Proteins: Turkey Mince 

A Rawsome Christmas

• Meaty Bones: Salmon Fingerlings 
• Organs: Emu Liver
• Proteins: Roo Turkey Mince 

Jingle Bones

• Meaty Bones: Duck Feet
• Organs: Roo Organ Mix 
• Proteins: Chicken Turkey Fish 

Christmas Treats 

Our favorite Christmas inspired treat is the Deer Antler, these are the best dog chews ever, and they come 100% from nature, they do not splinter, last months, give your furkid true minerals and promote healthy teeth and gums. Deer Antlers are ethically sourced and shed naturally from deer, so no Rudolphs, Dancers or Prancers are harmed and absolutely nothing is added to the processing of this product.

Check out the full range of natural dehydrated treats that will make a perfect Christmas treat for your fur companion throughout the festive season.

Disclaimer – These meal ideas have been picked as Christmas theme ideas, we recommend that you still use our Raw Food Calculator as a guide to your pet’s specific dietary needs and keep in mind that some of these protein mixes will include ground bone and organ components. 

Foods Pets Should Avoid This Christmas

Christmas is usually the time to indulge, celebrate and have fun – and as part of the family, our dogs will normally be enjoying some of the Christmas spirit as well! However, it’s important to be aware of the dangers our furkids can be susceptible to from food and drink consumed over the festive season. Here’s our list of foods pets should avoid this Christmas.

• Ham Bones – It may be tempting to give your pooch leftover leg ham, roast turkey or chicken, it is detrimental to their health! Ham and other salty meats and foods are very dangerous to pets. In addition to being high in fat, they are also very salty which can cause serious stomach ache or pancreatitis. Also, large breeds of dogs that eat salty food may drink too much water and develop a life-threatening condition called “bloat.”   

• Chocolate – The chemical theobromine, which is a bit like caffeine, is found in chocolate and is toxic to dogs. Even small amounts can cause agitation, hyperexcitability, tremors, convulsions and problems with the heart. The darker the chocolate, the more potent levels of theobromine become – with baker’s chocolate the most dangerous. Veterinary treatment should be sought for any dog ingesting more than 20 mg/kg of theobromine – that’s equivalent to 3.5 g/kg of plain or dark chocolate and 14 g/kg milk chocolate. White chocolate does not contain enough theobromine to cause toxicity, but it can be fatty and pose a potential risk of pancreatitis. Avoid putting any chocolate on or under the Christmas tree, as the temptation might be too great for our four legged friends.

• Christmas pudding and mince pies – Grapes and dried vine fruits (currants, sultanas, raisins). Grapes and their dried products (currants, sultanas and raisins) are toxic to dogs. Ingestion of even a small quantity can cause severe kidney failure. 

• Onions (and garlic, leeks, shallots and chives) – Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and chives all belong to the Allium species of plants and can cause toxicity. Initially there can be vomiting and diarrhoea but the main effect is damage to red blood cells, resulting in anaemia. This may not be apparent for several days after ingestion.

• Alcohol – Alcohol can have a similar effect in dogs as it does in their owners when drunk in excess. They can become wobbly and drowsy and in severe cases, there is a risk of low body temperature, low blood sugar and coma. Dogs may help themselves to any unattended alcohol left lying around over Christmas, so ensure it’s always out of their reach.

• Macadamia nuts – Macadamia nuts can cause lethargy, increased body temperature, tremor, lameness and stiffness in dogs.

• Artificial sweeteners – A sugar-free sweetener called xylitol is often found in the sweets we consume over Christmas. This is poisonous to dogs and can even cause toxic effects in a small dog. Xylitol can induce the release of insulin in the body, resulting in low blood sugar and sometimes liver damage. Signs of poisoning can be rapid or delayed, and include vomiting, lethargy, convulsions and coma. The prognosis is good if the low blood sugar is treated quickly.

• Leftovers – If there is any food left over at Christmas, be careful to dispose of it well and keep it out of the reach of your furkids. Not only may the food include ingredients toxic to dogs, mould in leftovers (including yoghurt, bread and cheese) can produce toxins that cause rapid onset convulsions in dogs.

Although it may be tempting to feed your pets Christmas food, they are very harmful for their health and well-being and it is important that they stick to their balanced raw diet all year round, including Christmas.

We would like to wish all of our customers a very Merry Christmas. May you and your fur families have a safe and Happy New Year and we look forward to supplying you with Australia’s Best RAW Pet Meat in 2021.