Vicki and Steve Austin have nearly 80 years of combined experience in dog training and behaviour. This dynamic duo are the trainers behind many of Australia’s leading puppy class instructors and canine behaviour specialists. They also specialise in scent detection and handling dangerous dogs training, making their knowledge and expertise unparalleled in the field.

As Australia’s top dog trainers and behaviourists, The Butcher’s Dog is thrilled to partner with them, providing you with expert training tips. Having fed their own dogs The Butcher’s Dog, they are strong advocates of its benefits.

Check out their previous blog post for an in-depth introduction to the Austins and their journey in dog training.

Having been gifted a copy of Conor Brady’s Feeding Dogs, by Jo Bridgman of The Butchers Dog (TBD), I am a raw-food-feeding convert. To the point that I would rather my dogs go hungry for a day or two than feed them kibble. Urgh!

So, it was a no-brainer when little Timmy came along. Timmy is a black working-line German Shepherd Dog and he’s gorgeous! The breeder had been feeding kibble with some raw meat. I fed him TBD from the very start; he loved it. It didn’t upset his tummy, and his poops were lovely… well, as lovely as poop can be.

All my previous puppies were fed kibble with one exception, a Border Collie, Bodee, who was raised on raw food based on Ian Billinghurst’s Give Your Dog a Bone. I fed him mainly chicken wings and various raw-meaty bones, plus some pulverised vegetables and supplements including brewers’ yeast, raw honey and kelp powder. However, I was sceptical. I worried that he wasn’t getting everything he needed or getting it in the correct proportions. Now, I don’t need to worry with TBD patties; the work has been done for me by someone (Jo Bridgman) who is a qualified expert in dog nutrition.

The Butcher’s Dog patties give me confidence that not only are Timmy’s nutritional needs being met, but his diet provides optimal sustenance for his active working life. Timmy is a testament to the efficacy of TBD; he is a picture of health and his temperament is superb.

Yes, he was bred with the best chance of a great temperament, but poor diet can contribute to anxiety and aggression issues.

Thirty odd years after my attempt to feed raw the first time, dog owners have started to become more educated in canine nutrition. Many colleagues in the pet industry have become quite knowledgeable on the subject. I’m not one of them! It’s not my area of expertise and I am not willing to provide advice about anything for which I am not qualified.

Thanks to books like Conor Brady’s Feeding Dogs, Rodney Habib and Karen Becker’s The Forever Dog; not to mention the websites, webinars and social media on the subject, the kibble manufacturers no longer have as strong a monopoly on the market. The truth is out there! Two Australian Veterinarians, Ian Billinghurst and Tom Lonsdale were once ostracised by their own profession for recommending raw-food feeding; but now there is a growing number of Veterinarians educating themselves in species-specific nutrition for the improved welfare and health outcomes of our beloved dogs (and cats).

One beneficial difference I noticed in raising a puppy on raw food as opposed to kibble was the ease of toilet training. He just didn’t pee as often! Eating fresh food, means puppies don’t need to drink as much water as they do when eating dry kibble. I’ve raised quite a few puppies over the years, not to mention supporting my puppy-raising-clients through the agonies of toilet training, and this aspect alone is hugely significant.

You can read our previous blog about bringing your puppy home here.

I’m so happy to have found Jo Bridgman and The Butcher’s Dog. I feel confident that Timmy and all our dogs are eating a well-balanced diet that is most appropriate for their species.

Vicki Austin

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