To get the summer off to a good start we have given one lucky K9 Magazine reader the chance to test Butchers Chicken and Tripe to see what benefits the change of diet has on their dog. With long days spent outside and sunny, summer outings to be had, what better time to implement changes to your dog’s diet where both you and your dog will see and feel the results.

Butchers Chicken and Tripe On Trial With Helen Fayers of ABCDogs

Dog Stats

Dog’s Name – Ace
Dog’s Breed – Labrador Cross
Dog’s Age – 5 years old
Dog’s Coat Type – Medium coated (feathering similar to Spaniels or Goldies)
Dog’s Weight – 20 kg
Dog’s Health – No recurrent health issues. He is neutered and he is fully vaccinated inc Kennel cough.
Last Visit To The Vet – April 2010 as an emergency having consumed 4x lethal dose of dark chocolate! Obviously he survived (with emergency treatment). He has suffered no after effects.

Background

Ace is a rescue dog who came from a pound in Ireland as a puppy with his litter-mates. His mother was known to be a Labrador whilst his father was completely unknown.

He has a medium, heavy retriever type coat, bit woolly around his “trousers” and ears due to neutering but generally his coat is shiny. However, he does believe he is part hippo and spends an inordinate amount of time wallowing in mud; Ace and the hose pipe are well acquainted most days.

He is wormed regularly and wears a Scalibor collar during the summer months. I use Frontline sporadically. He gets CSJ “Billy-no-mates” herbs in his food daily to help combat fleas and ticks.

Ace gets approx 2 hours off lead exercise daily in open countryside.

Current Eating Habits

Ace is fast, smart and the greediest dog I have ever known. His ability to unlock doors, climb through windows, jump from a standing position onto head height shelves to steal food is legendary. He has been known to climb through upstairs windows and traverse flat roofs to get through another window to help the cats with their meals!

How this dog is still alive considering what he has consumed in his lifetime is a miracle.. but I can
dine out (excuse the pun) on his antics for many years.

Not surprisingly, Ace has a cast iron constitution, rarely vomits or suffers from diarrhoea. He has no skin problems, ear problems or behavioural issues – unless you count stealing food – which I don’t.

I am convinced Ace enjoys the sport of outwitting us as well as the rewarding act of eating. He can target a “novice dog watcher” in our home and it is very rare that he does not manage to relieve unsuspecting dinner guests of their nutritional burden, when a head is turned to gratefully receive a “top up” in an empty glass or a conversation distracts briefly. He will also, on occasions, consume other dogs faeces – eurgh!

Current Diet

Ace’s weight is, surprisingly, in the normal range, however if he has supplemented his daily ration then great pains are taken to ration him to avoid him becoming the obese creature he so clearly desires to be!!

Aside from his own supplementation, Ace’s normal diet has been a combination of raw minced meat, chicken wings, Nature diet and a dry mixer from CSJ called CpXtra. He does also get some Burns dried food from time to time.

Ace is fed twice daily, times vary as I feed to suit my timetable but generally it will be approx 6.30 am and either about 5 – 6pm or approx 9 – 10 pm – depending on what classes I am running.

He may get the additional large raw bone or cow’s ears from time to time. We also offer food rewards for training which are usually liver jerky – but he wouldn’t care what it was really. Ace is not fussy! Raw lamb makes all my dogs, really gassy and “farty” so I now avoid this meat.

Current Toilet Habits

Ace’s bowel movements are usually twice daily, occasionally three times daily. Elimination early morning prior to feeding and mostly, second time is during his walk. His stools are small dark and firm, not over-powering in odour – unless he has been a-thieving! In the garden he will always eliminate in the same place – so even if I don’t see him go, I know which stools are his.

If he has stolen extras there is usually an increase in quantity more than a change in consistency.

The Trial – Butchers Tinned Chicken and Tripe

I have substituted all the wet foods/meats with Butchers Chicken and Tripe. He has been getting two meals a day of Butchers Chicken and Tripe mixed with CpXtra. Ace has eaten the food with relish and I have noticed no change in appetite.

Changes 24-48 hours

There may be a little more gloss to his coat.

There have been no changes behaviourally, except for no incidences of coprophagia recently. I cannot put this down to the food change as yet, because he hasn’t been eating it long enough and we would need to return to his original diet to be sure it is due to the Butchers Chicken and Tripe.

The main difference has been in Ace’s stools. The number of eliminations remains the same, however, his stools have been lighter in colour, softer and larger. The odour change is insignificant and I feel he is generally less “farty”.

The other difference affects me rather than Ace.

Conclusion

On balance it would work out much cheaper for me to maintain him on this diet rather than his previous diet. Generally, I expected this food to not do as well as I feel it has. I am going to maintain Ace on this combination for a further 4 – 6 weeks as it is only by then that I will be able to draw significant conclusions regarding dog’s condition, weight and faecal quality.

If he maintains condition, I will be happy to recommend Butchers in combination with my chosen mixer to my class and behavioural clients as a good affordable alternative to the higher end foods we generally recommend.

I will update here again a few weeks once we’re further into the review.

Interested in finding out more about changing your dog’s food? With 25 years experience, visit online at www.butcherspetcare.com for further nutrition advice.

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