Know Better Dog and Cat Food PREMIX

Make a 3lb. batch of dog food:

• 2lbs. (900g) meat of your choice
• 1 1/2 cups of water*
• 1/2 cup Know Better for Dogs
• 1/2 lb (225g) vegetables, chopped and steamed (vegetables are optional) or for the ultimate nutrition, add Gussy's Gut fermented veggies, berries and herbs.

Directions
Larger batches can be made and frozen for convenience.
(* Add more water if desired - especially when preparing the food using ground meat.)

Raw Meat Recipe

* Pour 1 1/2 cups of cold water into a bowl, add Know Better for Dogs premix, and whisk.

* Thoroughly, but gently combine 2lbs. of meat and optional vegetables.  Mix well.

Cooked Meat Recipe

* Add 1 1/2 cups of water to 2lb. ground meat.

* Cook 5-7 minutes on medium heat until brown.

* Cool to room temperature.

* Add 1/2 cup Know Better premix to cooled, cooked meat and stir.

Divide into serving sizes based on the weight of your dog.
Daily servings:
1/4lb. or 1/2 cup - for a 10-12lb. dog
1/2lb. or 1 cup - for a 20-25lb. dog
1lb. or 2 cups - for a 40-50lb. dog
2lbs. or 4 cups - for a 100lb. dog

Freeze the finished product for storage. Thaw as needed.
Thaw frozen dog food by warming to room temperature in a warm water bath before serving. Remove un-eaten food within 30 minutes to be refrigerated. Avoid microwaving on a regular basis.

Tips
Raw will keep in fridge for 1-2 days. Cooked will keep in fridge for 3-4 days.

Click here for our preparation video!

 

Choosing Meats

Since muscle meats are important ingredients in the raw diet, special care should be taken when selecting meat for your dog. Meats must be fresh and should be no greater than 15-20% fat content. Although most dogs appear to have a preference for beef, the following meats are equally well suited in the preparation of your dog's food:

Beef - lean pre-ground stewing meat, heart boneless steak or roast

Lamb - pre-ground boneless stewing meat shank, leg or butt

Poultry - pre-ground boneless, skinless breast fillet or thigh

Venison - pre-ground stewing meat neck, shank, or shoulder

Or use more exotic meats such as buffalo, caribou, elk, moose, duck or rabbit.

 

Try your local butcher or meat processor when purchasing your dog's meats. Supermarkets often cannot supply in bulk quantities and its pre-packaged meats may make it more difficult to obtain the correct amount for the recipe. A butcher will be glad to weigh out your meat and grind the meat for you on the spot.

Meat ground with bone-in is not recommended. The bone content will throw off the calcium balance. 

The use of fish is not advised as feeding raw fish can lead to a thiamine deficiency. (*According to Houpt, Hintz & Shepherd in 1978. Ref. The Domestic Dog, Cambridge University Press, 1995). However cooked fish is a great addition added as a topper.

Vegetables

Although Know Better for Dogs contains all of the essential vitamins and minerals, the addition of optional vegetables, lightly steamed, in a dog's diet is an excellent source of carbohydrates - particularly for larger or highly active dogs. According to veterinary sources, dogs do not require carbohydrates, unless a female is lactating.

Vegetables to add: Squash, pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, carrots, parsnips, beets, yams, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts.

Know Better for Cats 

This is a premix for preparing a raw or cooked cat food.  This healthy diet is ideal for all life stages and is made with 100% human grade ingredients.  Many of the diseases associated with commercial cat foods can be avoided with a balanced homemade meat diet.

** Please note that you can use our Premixes with ANY type of meat.  The Beef Recipe Premix has beef liver powder included. The Chicken Recipe has chicken liver powder included. 

No grains of any kind are used.  Just add any type of raw or cooked meat and water.

Know Better for Cats is designed to be combined with water and raw or cooked human grade meat in the amounts and proportions stated in our literature.  It is not a food for cats on its own nor meant to be a sprinkle-on vitamin supplement.  All other cat foods should be removed from the cat's meal plan, including dry food.

Beef Recipe Ingredients:

Egg yolk, calcium lactate, grass fed beef liver powder, gelatin, whey protein isolate, psyllium husks, EFA from fish oil, taurine, kelp, Vitamin B complex.

Chicken Recipe Ingredients:

Egg yolk, calcium lactate, chicken liver powder, gelatin, whey protein isolate, psyllium husks, EFA from fish oil, taurine, kelp, Vitamin B complex.

The ingredients we use to make Know Better for Cats are human grade quality. The only ingredient in this premix that is not human grade is the chicken liver. It is made in a USDA inspected facility and manufactured for the sole purpose of pet food consumption. All materials are 100% natural, and no preservatives, colours, or other artificial additives are used.

Know Better for Cats - Beef Recipe is available in 3 sizes:
Trial size 4.8oz - makes 6lbs. of finished food
24oz. pouch - makes 30lbs. of finished food
5lb pouch - makes 100lbs of finished food

The average adult cat (weighing 9-12lbs) will require about 1/4lb (1/2 cup) of cat food per day. 

Make a 3lb. batch: (12 - 1/2 cup servings)

Ingredients

• 2lbs. (900g) meat of your choice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup (65g) Know Better for Cats

Directions

Raw Recipe

* Pour 1 1/2 cups cold water into a bowl, add 1/2 cup of Know Better premix, and whisk.

* Add 2lbs. (900g) raw meat of your choice, ground or chopped.  Stir gently until well combined.

 

Cooked Recipe

* Add 1 1/2 cups of water to 2lbs (900g) ground meat of your choice.

* Cook 5-7 minutes on medium heat until brown.

* Cool to room temperature.

* Add 1/2 cup of Know Better premix and stir.

 

Servings

Portion into daily servings - 1/2 -3/4 cup will feed one adult cat. This can be split into two servings.

1-2 days worth can be kept in the fridge, freeze the rest for storage. Thaw as needed.

 

Tips

Thaw frozen cat food by warming to room temperature in a warm water bath before serving.

Remove un-eaten food within 30 minutes to be refrigerated again.

 

Do not leave the raw food out at room temperature.

Avoid microwaving on a regular basis.

 

How to switch your cat to a healthy diet?

When transitioning cats from commercial foods to the raw diet, they can occasionally show some reluctance. If this is the case we recommend that you mix their favorite canned food into the raw mixture. Over the next week or two gradually decrease the canned food until it is eliminated. Also when you are preparing the food, using ice cube trays to freeze the meat mix is a good way to waist less food. Dry cat food should be removed from the meal plan.

Click here for further transitioning ideas

Choosing the Meat

Chicken, turkey, beef, venison, lamb or pork are all good choices. The meat must be fresh, raw and fit for human consumption. Use ground or cut into small cubes. We recommend feeding a variety of meats and rotating these choices if possible. Meat should be no greater than 15-20% fat content. When transitioning cats to this raw diet, poultry has proven to be the best option.

Avoid feeding raw fish and mixing different kinds of meat into one meal. The domestic cat is a carnivore and the digestive system is not designed to tolerate the consumption of vegetables or grains.

Feeding Kittens?

Kittens do not usually require a transitioning period as they have not been programmed to identify only with commercial foods. They can be fed this diet as young as 4 weeks of age, however this does not replace the necessity of nursing. Kittens should be fed 4 meals per day until 4 months old, and then 3 meals per day until they are 12 months of age.

All products are made fresh weekly and the shelf life is one year for cat food (if stored in a cool, dry place).  The shelf life can be extended to 1 1/2 years if the product is stored in the fridge or freezer.

*Holistic Veterinarian Approved