Feeding a Pomeranian is extremely important. To keep our companion healthy and enjoying a beautiful coat, we must provide an appropriate diet.
Our dogs eat a BARF diet, also known as RAW.
BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food. RAW simply means uncooked.
The BARF diet was developed by Australian veterinarian Dr Ian Billinghurst, who argued that a diet based on natural ingredients, as close as possible to that of wild ancestors, is better than commercial dog food.
Modern dogs of every breed—Pomeranians, Wolfhounds and crossbreeds—can eat foods similar to those of their wild ancestors.
Their digestive system has not changed greatly through domestication. Unlike the obvious changes in appearance and behaviour, it has remained largely unchanged, telling us much about their nutritional needs. A dog cannot move its lower jaw horizontally to grind food, and its molar shape also prevents this. It can bite off pieces and tear them.
Dog saliva contains no amylase or other enzymes that break down carbohydrates such as grains and potatoes. Unlike ruminants, dogs have a short digestive tract. About 80% of digestion takes place in the stomach, which contracts when empty.
Dispelling myths about BARF
- Is natural feeding expensive? NO! 🙂 An adult dog should receive 3–4% of its body weight if less active, up to 6% if very active. Since a Pomeranian weighs about 2–3 kg, the amount is surprisingly small.
- Does raw meat make a dog aggressive? NO! A diet suited to its evolutionary adaptations can support psychological stability. Raw meat contains substantial tryptophan, and avoiding heat processing allows this amino acid to be absorbed as fully as possible. Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin, which has a key influence on mental balance.
- Do raw bones make raw feeding impossible for Pomeranians? NO! Our Pomeranians cope very well with chicken wings, for example.
- Are fillers such as grains, groats, rice and potatoes essential? NO! Manufacturers use them to minimise production costs. Fillers are unnecessary bulk.
What to feed
Meat: practically any meat available from a reliable source can be used. Exceptions are game (because of ASF) and pork offal.
Meaty bones: chicken necks and wings, duck necks, and chicken, duck or rabbit carcasses—in other words, bones that a small dog’s jaws can manage.
Offal: hearts, gizzards, spleen and liver, excluding pork and game.
Extras: egg yolks, fish oil and other natural supplements available online.
Owners of puppies from our kennel can count on our guidance with Pomeranian nutrition. 🙂
The Secrets of Dry Dog Food
Does reading the ingredients on the packaging tell you what is inside? Not necessarily!
A food label is valid for five years; even if the manufacturer changes the recipe, it may legally continue using an outdated label.
Packages weighing less than 10 kg do not have to give the full composition.
If the final manufacturer adds no preservatives, it can label the product “contains no preservatives”. This does not mean none are present: a supplier of ingredients may already have added them, for example to the meat, without this appearing on the label.
The permitted variation in guaranteed nutritional or energy value is ±500%. Declared ingredient content refers to the food before cooking or baking. Because meat is mainly water, evaporation during heat processing changes the ingredient proportions. The original example gives the following figures:
Before cooking / after cooking: meat 600 g (60%) / 231 g (23%); bone meal 160 g (16%) / 308 g (31%); corn 140 g (14%) / 269 g (37%); additives 100 g (10%) / 192 g (19%). The percentage attributed to meat protein drops sharply after heat processing, with corn making up the largest proportion.
This is an optimistic example: many foods declare roughly 20% meat.
Putting the actual final composition on the label requires special permission, as it departs from the rules. Dry foods may contain preservatives whose carcinogenic effects have been reported in research and which are prohibited in human food. The list is long; those named here as the most dangerous are BHA, BHT, E320, E321 and E324.
“Meat” in dog food is usually chicken meal: material that cannot otherwise be sold, such as feathers, combs and beaks.
The ash content can indicate whether the food contains meat or feathers: up to 3% may indicate meal made from whole chicken, while more than 3% indicates waste products.
Wording tricks: what the terms mean
Contains chicken = 4% chicken (for example, feathers).
With chicken = 4–14% chicken (for example, feathers).
Rich in chicken = 14–26% chicken (for example, feathers).
Paste of chicken = 26–100% chicken (for example, feathers).
Made of chicken = 100% chicken (for example, feathers).
Made of chicken meat = contains actual chicken meat.
Full article: Dog Nutrition According to J. B. Larsen