Ingredients For health
Helping dogs achieve superior health!
Many people assume that a dog's natural diet is a meat only diet. Unfortunately this is untrue as a meat only diet is highly unnatural and unbalanced. Meat should form only a part of the over-all healthy diet, which should include bone, fruits, vegetables, offal and other supplements as well.
Main Proteins
Beef Organs
Beef Organs
Beef Organs
Artisan Raw includes 6 different organs, heart, green tripe, kidney, liver, lung and spleen as our staple organs. they are high in protein and rich in minerals and vitamins. Containing vitamin A, D, B6, B12, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, iron, zinc, taurine, and pantothenic acid. It is important to know that the heart and tongue are not secreting organs and count as muscle meat. We do include heart as a staple lean meat in our beef content.
Beef
Beef Organs
Beef Organs
Beef is a first class protein. That is, it contains all the essential amino acids necessary for dogs of all ages, including growing dogs, pregnant dogs, female dogs feeding puppies and of course not-doing-so-much-dogs. Protein is its major role in healthy nutrition. It also supplies varying amounts of fat, water, vitamins and minerals. Because it supplies fat and protein, it also supplies energy. Raw beef is low in sodium and high in potassium. That is good news for dogs with heart problems. Of the meats, beef is the best source of and very high in iron as well as containing zinc, vitamin B2, B6, B12 and vitamin D.
Wild Salmon
Beef Organs
Wild Salmon
Artisan Raw only uses Wild Salmon. High in omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Salmon works to maintain a healthy heart and a strong immune system. It has also been shown to reduce inflammation from arthritis and skin conditions. It also stimulates the growth of a luxuriant, healthy coat.
Chicken
Wild Salmon
An excellent source of highly digestible protein, high in amino acids and essential fatty acids. Also contains high levels of selenium, niacin and vitamin B6. A staple for many raw diets because it is easily digested due to the bones being made of mostly cartilage, which provides essential calcium. Chicken backs provide a great meat to bone ratio and are also high in essential fatty acids.
Chicken Feet
An essential ingredient for large breed dogs as they contain natural Glucosamine and Chondroitin. Glucosamine aids in the repair and renewal of damaged or worn cartilage and Chondroitin helps neutralize the destructive enzymes and improves the quality of the synovial fluid. The natural combination of Glucosamine and Chondroitin is found to be most effective for joint treatment. This is essential to help support joints stressed by a large-breed dog's greater weight.
Fresh Whole Eggs
Described as nature’s perfect protein. Rich in choline, which is known to reduce inflammation. They are also high in selenium, iodine, vitamin B2, B5 and B12 and vitamin D. Eggs protect against loss of eyesight, cataracts and macular degeneration. The egg shell provides a good source of natural calcium.
Vegetables
Leafy Greens
Leafy Greens
A great source of vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, manganese chromium, folic acid and potassium. Typically we use Spinach, Bok Choy, Romaine and Nappa Cabbage
Spirulina
Leafy Greens
Spirulina is a microscopic algae and a powerful "superfood" addition to a dog's natural diet. It is exceptionally dense in nutrients, containing over 60% vegetable protein along with a vast array of vitamins, including A, B-complex, C, and E. This deep green ingredient is highly effective at strengthening the immune system and helping the body manage seasonal allergies or skin irritations. It is also rich in essential fatty acids that promote a thick, shiny coat and healthy skin. Beyond basic nutrition, spirulina acts as a natural detoxifier for the liver and kidneys, helping to clear toxins and improve overall gut health.
Red Pepper
Red Pepper
This is an excellent source of many essential nutrients. By weight, red peppers have three times as much vitamin C as citrus fruit. Moreover, red peppers are a very good source of beta carotene, and they offer a good amount of fiber and vitamin B6. Pepper stimulates circulation and enhances blood flow, it is considered food for the circulatory system and as a digestive aid. Red peppers are one of few foods that contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help prevent various forms of cancer.
Garlic
Turmeric
Red Pepper
Garlic is a much debated ingredient. Many sources believe that garlic is toxic to dogs and it should never be used in dog food. However, we believe it has real value when it is used raw and in a measured amount - and we will show you the amount. That said, several of our meals contain no garlic at all, for those who would rather avoid it.
Turmeric
Turmeric
Turmeric
Beneficial for a wide variety of conditions in dogs. Curcumin, an ingredient of turmeric, contains the most beneficial components of this spice. A potent anti-inflammatory, can be helpful for painful inflammatory conditions like arthritis, a common problem in dogs. Stimulates bile production in the liver, essential to the digestion of dietary fats. An antioxidant that removes free radicals from the body. Free radicals can wreak havoc in the body and possibly lead to such conditions as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The active ingredients in turmeric will also provide an antioxidant boost.
Garlic Continued
Garlic - why we stand by our choice to use it in our Complete Meals
Garlic is the most debated ingredient we use, so here is exactly where we stand.
The concern is real and we are not going to talk around it. In large amounts, garlic damages a dog's red blood cells. That is well documented, it is why so many sources say to avoid garlic entirely, and we take it seriously. It is also why several of our recipes contain no garlic at all, including our Hypoallergenic.
What we do not accept is that the ingredient matters more than the amount. We use garlic raw, at a small, deliberate, measured dose, the way it has long been used in raw feeding. We are not making it out to be a cure-all.
On ticks and fleas: there are a lot of anecdotal reports from raw feeders that garlic helps, and the reason is not clear. It may be the odour released through the dog's skin as the compounds are metabolised. We have not tested it and we know of no trial we could point you at, so we will call it what it is - anecdotal.
It's All About Dosage
Too much of anything is bad for you. Even minerals you assume make you and your dog healthy can be harmful in large daily amounts. Vitamin D and Zinc are both good for them, as long as you are not overdoing it. Garlic is no different. At some level all of these have the potential to be toxic.
So here is our number, and where it sits. We use garlic at 0.5% of each recipe, measured by raw weight. For a 50 lb dog eating five pucks a day, that comes to about 2.8 grams of garlic.
The most conservative figure in the published research is 5 grams of fresh garlic per kilogram of body weight per day, the level associated with red blood cell changes in dogs (Lee et al., 2000). More recent work puts the point of real toxicity considerably higher. That works out to about 0.13 grams per kilogram of body weight - around 40 times below the conservative threshold.
We would rather show you the arithmetic than ask you to take our word for it.
Not all forms of garlic are the same
Raw Garlic - this is the only type we use. Crushing fresh garlic is what forms allicin, the compound most of the interest is about, and it breaks down with heat. Raw keeps it intact.
Cooked Garlic - garlic cooked under high heat (boiled, roasted, sauteed) loses that compound and a high percentage of its nutrients. We do not use cooked garlic.
Powdered Garlic - we do not know or trust the dehydrating processes behind powdered garlic, and the concentration per gram is very different from fresh. We do not use it either.
The safe dose is not the same for every dog
Dosage is the whole argument on this page, so it is worth saying plainly that the safe dose is not identical for every dog.
A handful of Japanese breeds carry red blood cells with a higher potassium content that are markedly more vulnerable to oxidative damage - the Akita, Shiba Inu, Japanese Spitz, Shikoku and Kishu. These dogs can react at amounts that are harmless to other breeds.
If you have one of them, or a dog with a known blood condition, choose one of our garlic-free recipes. Email us and we will tell you exactly which meals those are.