Duke's Delicious Dog Dinners

Frequently Asked Questions

Just click on the question that interests you...

1. There is so much information out there - what should I believe?

2. Why don't you put garlic in your meals?

3. What else don't you put in the meals?

4. How can I tell if my pet will like your meals without having to order an entire month's worth of meals?

5. When should I give my dog a bone?

6. What is the best way to defrost the food?

7. My dog still seems hungry after eating, does he need more food?

8. Are there things to watch out for with switching to the raw food?

9. Dogs are carnivores aren't they? So why all the vegetables etc.?

10. My dog is drinking much less water now, is he ok?

11. Will my dog's stools change?

12. My dog is used to demand feeding, what do I do?

13. What benefits should I look for?

14. Why don't you sell a month of only beef meals or only chicken meals?

15. Why are your blocks different sizes?

16. What quality of ingredients does Duke's use in the food?

17. Isn't raw food dangerous?

18. Isn't raw food hard on my dog's digestive system?

19. Why do you add oil to the food?

20. I've heard about detoxifying, what is it?

21. How much should I feed my dog?

22. What is your Customer Rewards program about?

23. Can I supplement my pet's meals? 

24. Where can I get more information on BARF diets in general?

1. There is so much information out there - what should I believe?
   
   We know - there is an incredible amount of information on raw food and some of it is just plain wacky! First of all rely upon your own common sense! The whole idea behind BARF diets is to feed your dog what he evolved to eat which is pretty much the same things that wolves still eat. Do wolves eat wheat, grains, cereals or rice? Second of all rely upon your own experience - watch your dog and see how he does.  After a few months on the BARF diet check for yourself to see if your dog's coat is healthier, breath is better, etc. etc. Third, question what you read. We've seen some pretty bizarre claims including one that amounted to saying the meat and veggies shouldn't be together because the meat would eat (digest) the vegetables!
   
   
2. Why don't you put garlic in your meals?
   
   Some people want garlic in their pet's meals because of claims that it boosts the immune system and helps ward off fleas and for that reason used to include it in our meals. However other people feel it is dangerous, saying that it also acts as a blood thinner and could cause problems even in small quantities. We decided to stay on the safe side and leave it out of our meals. For the same reason we don't put in onions.
   
3. What else don't you put in the meals?
   
   This might be the most important question of all. We've never used corn products (meal, starch, dextrose, glucose, modified glucose), oatmeal, gluten, rice, flour, wheat or other grains, or any binders, thickening agents or fillers. We don't believe that during their evolution dogs/wolves would have had any of these substances in their diets. We don't add anything to our food for the purpose of sweetening or thickening it.
   
   
4. How can I tell if my pet will like your meals without having to order an entire month's worth of meals?
   
   Duke's has introduced a new trial pack to address just this concern! Click here to find out more.
   
   
5. When should I give my dog a bone?
   
   We suggest giving your pet a bone first thing in the morning so they begin their day already having satisfied their urge to chew! If you feel your pet's stools are too soft then feeding bone at mealtime may help.
   
   
6. What is the best way to defrost the food?
   
   We recommend taking one meal packet and bone out of the freezer and defrosting it in the fridge overnight – this is preferred to other methods of defrosting such as sitting in the sink. The least messy method is to get a steel or glass bowl with a cover and empty the still frozen contents of the plastic bag into it - then put the covered dish into the fridge to defrost. A polished steel or smooth glass bowl is easy to clean and offers fewer opportunities to germs etc. to hide. 
   
   NEVER give your pet a cooked bone as the bone may be brittle which can cause serious internal injuries. We recommend against using a microwave to defrost the meals as it may partially cook them - NEVER use a microwave to defrost bones or anything that might contain bones! 
   
   
7. My dog still seems hungry after eating, does he need more food?
   
   If your pet has been eating commercial dog food his meals have likely been mostly filler. This means he is used to eating a large amount of food and a certain "feeling of fullness" which he may miss at first, just as we would if we ate nutritionally adequate but physically smaller meals. This will gradually pass as he gets used to the serving sizes and forgets about being stuffed full of cereals and grains. On the other hand do make sure he is getting enough, and not too much, of the food. So if he is losing weight give him more and if he is putting on weight cut back a little.
   
   
8. Are there things to watch out for with switching to the raw food?
   
   If their diet suddenly changes many animals can experience a bit of upset stomach or diarrhea; if your pet is sensitive to such changes then try mixing in some of the old type of food with the raw food; over a week gradually decrease the amount of old food until you are using all raw food; this will also help them get used to the decreased volume of food mentioned above.
   
   
9. Dogs are carnivores aren't they? So why all the vegetables etc.?
   
   Dogs are NOT carnivores, that is a common misconception! Dogs, like people, are omnivores which means they need both meat and vegetables/fruits to obtain all their nutritional requirements. Cats on the other hand are true carnivores - it is possible to have a completely healthy cat feeding nothing but meat (beef/poultry/fish). However feeding just muscle meat (e.g. steak, hamburger etc.) will not provide a balanced diet to a cat. And cats can still benefit from eating fruits and vegetables if they are suitably prepared. We offer food packs for cats, which are different than the food packs for dogs. The packs for cats have a higher percentage of meat and a different vegetable/fruit/supplement mixture.
   
   
10. My dog is drinking much less water now, is he ok?
    
    Your pet will need much less water at mealtime than if he was eating dry food but make sure they always have as much water as they want - especially when they are eating bones!
    
    
11. Will my pet's stools change?
    
    Your pet’s stools will be much smaller and much firmer when eating raw food – this is normal. The stools will also be far less smelly. You can expect the stools to be ¼ to ½ their previous size and to be virtually odour free. Also you may see a very light part - this is the remainder of the bone - the part that his body has not used - and is perfectly normal. If you dog's stools are not completely firm you can give more bones and the calcium in them will tend to make the stools firm (don't overdo!).
    
    
12. My dog is used to demand feeding, what do I do?
    
    If your pet has been demand feeding (feeding throughout the day) you can try splitting the meals into two portions however do not leave the food out for more than 10-15 minutes as it will spoil – once your pet has eaten as much as it wants take any remainder away and discard it or cover it and put it back in the fridge. Then, if you wish, over time you can decrease the size of the serving at one of the mealtimes and increase it at the other mealtime, eventually feeding only once a day. This will also work well for most cats. Do not keep defrosted food for more than 24 hours.
    
    
13. What benefits should I look for?
    
    After a week or two you should notice that your pet’s breath has improved, the teeth are cleaner and whiter, their stools are firmer and much smaller with little or no odour. After 1 to 3 months you should notice a definite improvement in the quality of their coat – shinier, softer, less shedding etc. and if they had dry flaking skin this should be much better or even completely eliminated. After 3 months to a year you may notice that any allergies, runny eyes etc. that your dog used to suffer from have gotten much better or disappeared entirely.
    
    
14. Why don't you sell a month of only beef meals or only chicken meals?
    
    Red meat is harder to digest than poultry, even for dogs and cats, so feeding your pet nothing but red meat might cause problems. On the other hand chicken meals don't provide everything your pet needs - the red meat meals contains organ meats which provide nutrition not present poultry. Another good reason for feeding both red meat and chicken is that your pet enjoys some variety! Finally, by selling the same meal mixes to everyone we eliminate some complexity at every stage from production to delivery, which helps keep costs down - you save money! For those who feel they need it we can change the ratio from 50-50 to 75-25 or even 100-0 but we don't recommend that.
    
    
15. Why are your blocks different sizes?
    
    One thing to keep in mind is that chicken and beef are different densities so a beef block and a chicken block that are the same weight will be different sizes. Also one way we keep costs down is by using simple manufacturing processes – that means that even with blocks of the same type there is some variation in size from block to block, with some being larger and some being smaller, but this averages out and over the course of an order.
    
16. What quality of ingredients does Duke's use in the food?
    
    The beef in our raw food is federally inspected and the poultry, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, oils, fish oils and natural supplements are all of human consumption grade. In addition we use a Scandinavian salmon oil from deepwater salmon that is specifically formulated for dogs. If your pet is normally healthy the raw food diet usually contains everything they need to stay that way without extra supplements. Puppies and older dogs have additional dietary needs; you should consult your vet before feeding them the raw food diet since it is intended for the average healthy adult dog.
    
    
17. Isn't raw food dangerous?
    
    For the humans involved the dangers are the same as from handling raw roasts, turkeys, chickens etc. in preparing your own meals - you should certainly take all the same precautions: thoroughly clean countertops, utensils and anything else that comes in contact with the raw food!!! The FDA recommendation is: “Keep the product separate from other foods. Wash working surfaces, utensils (including cutting boards, preparation and feeding bowls), hands, and any other items that touch or contact the product with hot soapy water.” You should store the raw food separately from other foods. Keep the food frozen until ready for use and thaw in a refrigerator.
    
    
18. Isn't raw food hard on my dog's digestive system?
    
    Not for a healthy dog. Dog's have a much shorter intestinal tract than humans (so food is in the body a shorter time) and a very acidic stomach both of which are much better at dealing with things like E. Coli and Salmonella bacteria. Remember these are animals who naturally like to bury their food for a while before eating it - a dog can happily eat things that would make the average human very ill. However it is worth repeating our earlier advice: if you have a puppy, an older dog or a dog that for any reason might have a weakened immune system you should consult your vet before starting him on any raw food diet.
    
    
19. Why do you add oil to the food?
    
    We add oil for nutritional reasons. It is also what your pet's body burns for energy. This is one reason why our meals may appear to be smaller than what you are used to feeding - fat/oil is a much more concentrated form of energy than carbohydrates. The oil we use is cold-pressed from deep sea salmon.
    
    
20. I've heard about detoxifying, what is it?
    
    This is something some BARF supporters talk about seeing with dogs a few weeks after beginning on BARF. The idea is that after being on healthy food for a while the body tries to purge itself of all the accumulated toxins from the previous diet. So for example some BARF supporters talk about "loose or mucous covered stool, their coats may get worse before they get better, their eyes may begin to run or their ears might get gooey." While we haven't seen this with any of the dogs we've been feeding BARF we advise taking your dog to the vet if such symptoms occur - it may be something completely unconnected to their diet.
    
    
21. How much should I feed my dog?
    
    While this will depend on your dog's age, lifestyle etc. we advise conservative amounts. Some BARF suppliers give recommended serving sizes that we feel are far too large, for example they might recommend a 90 pound dog get 3lbs (1.5KGs) of raw food. We would recommend starting with our Large meals (600grams/1.3lbs) for that size dog - more if she/he is more active than average, less if less active. If you feed your dog more than he needs it is simply either excreted or put on as extra weight - the first is work for you and second bad for your dog! It is usually easy to determine how much to feed: if he loses weight feed more and if he gains weight feed less. 
    
    Our serving sizes are based on average dogs in each weight range and provide a good place to start - then you can adjust up or down as required. Remember too that if your dog is used to eating a lot of grains and cereals mixed into his food then he will be used to having a very full stomach - it may take a few weeks before he starts to feel full on the new diet but don't give in to those big sad eyes! Every dog owner knows that just because he acts hungry doesn't mean a dog actually needs more food. 
    
    
22. What is your customer rewards program about?
    
    It rewards our customers for their word of mouth advertising. Part of every sale we get from someone you refer to us purchases “points" for you. You can use the points towards your future purchases. In no time at all your pet could be eating for free - for life! Click here for more information.
    
    
23. Can I supplement my pet's meals?
    
    Most pets will appreciate a little variety. Some people give eggs, fish, extra bones etc. and you can also try different meats such as lamb. If you are going to do it on a regular basis we recommend reading up on the BARF diet principles first.
    
24. Where can I get more information on BARF diets in general?
    
    

    If you want additional information on raw food we recommend starting with:

    “GIVE YOUR DOG A BONE – The Practical Commonsense Way To Feed Dogs For A Long Healthy Life” by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, B.V.Sc.[Hons], B.Sc. Agr., Dip. Ed. ISBN 0-646-16028-1. 
    
    If you have trouble finding it let us know and we will try to find a copy for you.

SAFETY REMINDER:

Do not let human food come in contact with your pet’s raw food. Thoroughly clean hands, surfaces, utensils and anything else that comes into contact with raw food.