Interview with Karin from Deer Valley Danes: How to Raw Feed Your Great Dane for Optimal Health

I recently had the chance to talk with Karin from Deer Valley Danes -  a lifelong Great Dane enthusiast, owner, and raw feeder, about the challenges and opportunities of feeding a raw diet and raw feeding for a Great Dane

Karin has owned and cared for Great Danes for over 32 years, from rescue pups to fancy show dogs, all of whom have been routinely fed a raw diet. She's explored various types of raw diets, from commercial raw diets to BARF (biologically appropriate raw foods), PMR (prey model diets), do it yourself, slightly cooked, and combination diets - learning a lot along the way.

For those new to raw feeding or looking for convenient options, Karin suggests trying out commercial raw food options first. Such as Oma's Pride. While more expensive than kibble, she believes that the cost is worth it when there are potential health benefits like natural digestive enzymes for better gut health, less massive stool production and a higher moisture content with naturally occurring minerals and nutrients. It's important to keep in mind that not all commercial brands are of equal quality though! After getting accustomed with what works best for your pup, you'll be well on your way to exploring DIY alternatives - although Karin warns that it can be difficult to keep a balanced meal if you go this route.

She says there is a lot of buzz about do it yourself raw diets. This option (aka… making your own raw food meals) is perhaps the most difficult to maintain a balanced meal. While this excites and motivates many dog owners who think this is going to be the easiest, most nutritious and most cost effective method to a well balanced raw diet, there are a few objectives to keep in mind. A balanced raw diet using the prey model promotes an 80% protein, 10% organ and secreting organs and 10% bone ratio. Sometimes it’s easier to keep with one source of protein while transitioning to raw (your dog will have preferences and it will be a lot easier to adjust the diet if your dog reacts negatively to a protein). Offal needs to be balanced with muscle meats and organs (heart, kidneys liver etc). Certain bones can be served whole or ground including chicken, turkey and duck necks and possibly chicken backs. Beef bones should be finely ground to a powder if fed with the meal or can be served whole as recreational bones. Make sure the size and shape of the bone is appropriate for the age and size of your dog. For example, a 2-3 inch raw beef bone is going to be too small for your 130 pound adult Dane. If you do feed recreational bones - never leave your dog unsupervised. 

Karin discussed why sourcing your proteins is so important - it's vital that you find a local butcher or source who can answer questions about their product and how the animal was cared for when it was alive. She recommends looking out for signs that the animal may have been fed antibiotics or raised in an unhealthy environment as this will be passed on through their meat - something we don't want to serve our dogs.

ANY protein whether it be chicken, beef, turkey, duck, lamb, venison or whatever you plan to serve is only as good as the animal’s health when it was alive. What does that mean? If your chicken comes from a factory farmed chicken farm - what was in its feed? How was the animal cared for when it was alive? Was it remotely unhealthy when it was processed? It’s a lot to think about but thinking about it serves a very important purpose. If that chicken was fed antibiotics or was raised in a sickly environment - that is what you are feeding your dog. Was the chicken feed made from grains that were sprayed with pesticides? If so, that is what you are feeding your dog. Did the chicken have access to clean water? Every answer to those questions are what you are serving your dogs. The point is to find a local butcher or local source and ask questions. Find the cleanest, natural and ideally organic proteins you can procure.

If your supermarket butcher or local source can’t answer those questions - move on and find another source. Danes have a short enough life span that every moment counts and what we put into their bodies is what we get out of them in terms of a healthy vibrant life span.

In terms of what ingredients should be added to your pup's meals, Karin suggested adding organ meats such as eyeballs, liver, breast meat, sliced bones, pancreas, testicles and tripe - these all provide essential nutrients for optimum health! She also suggested adding Whole Organic Egg, Coconut MCT Oil, Wild Caught Salmon Oil, Whole Milk Yogurt (Sheep/Goat/Cow), blueberries/strawberries/bananas/sweet potato/fresh garden parsley & goat milk but again - small amounts can go a long way! Lastly, she recommends sticking with clean fresh ingredients rather than processed alternatives as our pups deserve nothing but the best.

Karin went on to explain how raw feeding combined with exercise & playtime along with regular veterinary visits (both Eastern & Western styles), low stress environments & positive training & leadership strategies set up our canine family members for many happy healthy years ahead

Karin is also a distributor for Oma’s pride. When asked why she decided on Oma’s Pride as her absolute favorite brand after trying out so many different ones over the years, Karin told me that her pups have done remarkably well with this food. It was their success coupled with Oma’s commitment to high quality ingredients that lead her family down the path of distributing it nationwide.

Her company, Deer Valley Danes, LLC, was created to fulfill a need for raw and combination feeders who need a source for quality raw food and freeze-dried feeding options as well as holistic wellness products that are well researched, carefully selected, and successfully fed to many Great Danes throughout the United States. She specializes in raw feeding for a Great Dane, offering tailored guidance and high-quality products to support the unique nutritional needs of this giant breed.

Over the last decade, she has worked with Great Dane owners and enthusiasts to provide encouragement, recommendations, and assistance for raw feeding for a Great Dane and alternative care. Her expertise and dedication make her a trusted resource in the Great Dane community. You can visit her website HERE.

If your Dane has any underlying health concerns, you may still be able to incorporate raw feeding for a Great Dane into their diet. However, it’s always in your Dane’s best interest to consult with a qualified holistic veterinarian to determine which food options are best for your dog. By combining expert advice with high-quality nutrition, you can ensure your Great Dane thrives on a raw or fresh food diet.

You can visit her website HERE