Willows House
We all know that dog food is abundant and easily available. It is a busy business – there are so many dogs to feed.
Then you may be surprised that we have come into the dog food market when there is already so much choice. The reason is that we could not find the food we were looking for, and Willow, our Fox Red Labrador, (now 2½ years old) is very hard to please.
Actually, it was us who were hard to please on her behalf. We did not like what we were feeding her.
The basic reason why we were disgruntled about what we were buying and giving to Willow was that it did not look and smell like proper food – what we could eat. And Willow thought so too. She went off the bought stuff.
What does it say on the tin?
An examination of the labelling on the food we were buying showed that there was very little real meat and veg included. We are looking for beef, chicken, and vegetables particularly and those elements are often there, but they do not add up to 100%. It seems that there is much included which cannot be understood from the labelling and is a mystery. What is ‘feed materials’ or ‘broth’ (37.5%)? We noticed that there are a number of additives in almost all processed dog food, including various vitamins, and minerals with supposedly nutritional benefits. And a chemical called L-Carnitine in one tin. (Look it up in the dictionary and explain why that is included! It is a chemical which helps to turn fat into energy apparently). This must be the definition of ultra processed food!
Having taken advice, we find that what is good for you and me as a wholefood diet, is also good for your dog. Sadly, the dog food industry wants to reduce the cost of ingredients by using low quality material, so that the dog owner can more easily afford it, but as Dr Anna Dengate sees first hand, as a vet specialising in gastroenterology at The Vet’s North, she says she’s seeing an increase in the number of dogs with bowel problems. “They do really well without the additives and preservatives that are required for most dog food to be stable for months on the shelf. Those dogs really benefit from a wholefood diet.” And the additives are doing harm and not good.
The alternative is Dogs Dinner Delight
We have learned so much about what goes into a can of dog food, we can’t bring ourselves to give it to Willow any more. We now cook our own food for her. She enjoys it more than ever. I gave some to a friend in Aston Clinton, for her 2 spaniels. The report was “They absolutely loved it (it looked good enough for me to eat too)”
So we decided that we could make it and sell it commercially, and here we are!
For months, this has been Willow’s diet. It is prime wholefood – where possible, fresh, locally sourced and always unprocessed – except by slow cooking.
The balance in the diet, which is ‘all purpose’ is likely to suit every dog. 35%beef mince, 40% chicken breast and thighs, and 7 different vegetables 25% (green beans, carrots, potato, sweet potato, peas, cauliflower and broccoli). The vitamins, protein and carbohydrate are all in the food – so no additives are necessary. It is just the perfect, unadulterated prime, wholefood diet. We gently slow cook it for 5 hours in our own home, which releases the goodness, the flavour is enhanced, it smells divine and it is easily digested.
Then we decant it into recyclable and reusable plastic boxes. When cooled they are stored in the freezer. We deliver to you our customer, frozen or fridge cool.