A facebook post asked me:

Hello Christina, My name is Jacqui from Melbourne Australia and As I have read a lot about you and really respect your work, I just wanted to ask your advise as to whether or not you believe I am on the right path in terms of feeding my dog a “balanced” fresh diet or if you have any suggestions on what is?

I am currently feeding (what I hope is) a nice balance of fresh foods over the month Or do you think every single meal should be balanced?

For example I feed my senior dog
65% Fresh human grade muscle meats Like diced chicken, lamb, goat, rabbit, turkey etc
10% raw meaty bones of birds
10% Organ Meats (50% of that Liver)
10% Cooked Or Canmed Fish (no salt in water)

Anyway any advice you can possibly give me in regards to whether or not I’m
Getting it right? And if not? what I should do to correct it? That would be super appreciated.

Many Thanks & Kindest Regards
Jacqui & Sebastian (my furbaby )

My answer to her:

Jacqui – You have a very lucky dog to have you for a mom. Just as in people there is no one right diet. We can all agree that fresh is best. Next we all disagree. the way to know if you are feeding the best is to keep a journal (see my web site to download the dog ebook journal) and especially to use the early warning signs. One student noticed that her dog’s coat was shinier if she fed 1 Tablespoon of rice per every 4 C of food. Blew me away – how could the body be that specific. My cat’s hair coat is at its best when I am giving VetriScience’s NuCat vitamins – but no others so far.

First, I agree that we are balancing over the month, not the meal.
Second, I would change from a dice to the biggest pieces of meat (for most meals) that your dog will eat. A 50# dog could get a rack of ribs, or 1/2 a chicken carcass, or a chicken back, or some turkey necks, or a chuck steak. They need to use their teeth to RIP AND TEAR, to strengthen their JAW BONES. All the rest is up to knowing what works best for your dog!!!

Dr. Jeff Feinman and I do a BLAB.im webinar every Thursday from 2-3 USA time ( may be a bit early for you – 6 AM). You could get his opinion. cut and paste what you feed. You will get lots of different opinions, but you can evaluate how your dog is doing. Good job.