What’s in the Bowl

Slow-cooked chicken, leftover ground beef scramble, oat and carrot Sloppy Joe, ground eggshells, peas, chia seed mucilage and salmon oil.

This is a protein-forward bowl combining chicken and beef with a varied fibre base, direct calcium from eggshell and marine omega-3 from salmon oil.

What’s working

Two-animal protein foundation
Chicken and beef provide highly digestible animal protein alongside iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins. Using two meats also broadens the nutrient profile rather than simply increasing a single protein source.

Good fibre diversity
Oats, carrots, peas and chia provide several quite different fibres. Oats contribute beta-glucans, peas add pulse fibre and resistant starch, carrots provide vegetable fibre and chia mucilage introduces a soluble gel-forming fibre.

Built-in calcium from eggshell
Ground eggshell provides a concentrated calcium source alongside the phosphorus-rich chicken and beef. This gives the bowl its own calcium component rather than relying on calcium supplied elsewhere in the rotation.

Useful fat profile
Chicken and beef contribute intrinsic animal fat, while salmon oil provides EPA and DHA. The added fat also assists absorption of fat-soluble carotenoids from the carrot.

Less obvious but relevant

Peas add more than another vegetable
As a pulse, peas contribute plant protein, fibre, folate and manganese, while also broadening the fermentable substrate available to the gut microbiota.

Chia and oats complement one another
Both contribute soluble fibre, but they do so through different structures. Chia’s mucilage adds a gel-forming component alongside the beta-glucans from oats, increasing the variety of fibre presented within the same meal.

Calcium and phosphorus together
The eggshell is particularly useful in this bowl because the two meats are naturally phosphorus-rich. Rather than looking at eggshell simply as an isolated calcium addition, it complements the mineral profile of the principal protein ingredients.

Bottom line

  • A substantial mixed-protein bowl based around chicken and beef.
    • Ground eggshell provides direct calcium alongside the phosphorus-rich meats.
    • Oats, peas, carrot and chia create a broad mixture of plant and fibre sources.
    • Salmon oil supplies EPA and DHA and complements the fats naturally present in the meats.

*****

THE TASTING

And you have to be quick with the camera, before it’s disappeared and the bowl is licked clean!

 

Note: These meals are examples of what my dogs are eating as part of a rotation diet. I haven’t shown all the meals, nor necessarily the difference between morning and evening meals (which are generally lighter). In addition to these meals, my dogs are given salmon oil and kefir or yoghurt every day.

 

 

Important Considerations:

  • Always consult your veterinarian before making any significant dietary changes, particularly where there are pre-existing health conditions or dietary restrictions.
  • If you are feeding commercial food, check the label for ingredients before giving more. Excessive intake of any foods can have adverse effects.
  • Ensure (where possible) that you use high-quality, organic products specifically formulated for pets (or better still, human grade ingredients) to avoid any potential adverse effects.
  • Introduce new foods gradually to avoid adverse effects such as gastrointestinal upset or diarrhoea.
  • I provide nutritional information purely as a helpful guide. Nutritional information on ingredients is obtained from the US Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central site (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html) and any nutritional information provided in recipes is based on an online calculator: calories and other information will vary based on brands, ingredients and other factors.
  • Check nutrient levels and recommendations for your dog’s weight, age and activity. For example this nutritional guideline produced by FEDIAF.
  • I am not a professional canine nutritionist but supporting research is cited.
  • The recipes shared were created by me and tested in my kitchen – and tasted and approved by our doggy friends!