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Hey, Reader!

One of my favorite things about this newsletter is that it’s not a one-way street.

Your questions, comments, and real-life experiences shape what I write about here just as much as my own dogs do.

This week, a new subscriber named Wendy left a thoughtful (and very relatable) comment under my blog post How to Include Healthy Fats in Raw Dog Food — and I want to share it with you, because I know she’s not alone.

Wendy asked:

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by fat levels, bloodwork results, or the jump from PMR to BARF — this one’s for you.

Here’s what I told Wendy (and what you can take away from it):

When dogs need lower-fat raw diets, protein choice matters a lot.

Rabbit is one of my go-to options here. It’s naturally lean, easy to digest, and works beautifully as a base protein — especially for dogs who can’t tolerate poultry.

To keep the diet balanced without pushing fat too high, I like this general structure:

• ~70% rabbit (meat, bones, organs)
• ~15% oily fish (think herring, mackerel, or sardines for Omega-3s)
• ~15% puréed plant matter

Yes — even in low-fat diets, healthy fats still matter. Oily fish lets you add Omega-3s strategically without relying on fatty meats.

A few important details many people miss:

• Iodine still needs to be covered (kelp is usually the easiest option unless you’re feeding whole prey regularly)
• Iron matters, especially with white meats like rabbit — including spleen helps balance that out

If you’re currently using an 80-10-10 premix, the transition doesn’t have to be dramatic:

• See if your brand offers a rabbit-based 80-10-10
• Start by adding small amounts of fish and plant matter
• Most dogs adjust within a few days, but very sensitive dogs may do better with a slower 7–10 day transition

And as always: bloodwork changes = loop in a holistic or homeopathic vet if you can. Raw feeding and medical insight work best as a team.

If you want to go deeper, these two posts will help:

• ​Click here to read all about rabbit for raw dog food: where to buy it & how to use it​
• ​And click here to learn which whole raw fish you can feed your dog​

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Also: This week, I officially started a one year school program to further my education in raw dog food (and raw cat food!) nutrition.

I’m enrolled at the THP School, founded by Swanie Simon. I'm lucky enough that my current employer, raw dog food brand BARFER'S, pays for this, so I'm very grateful for this opportunity.

There isn’t a perfect English label for this certification (yet), but the goal is simple: to deepen my understanding of canine nutrition, read bloodwork more confidently, and keep giving you guidance that’s not just experience-based — but properly grounded.

I’ll share insights along the way, especially where they’re helpful for real-life raw feeding decisions.

Funny enough, one of my US readers (thanks, SonJa!) mentioned an American podcast episode that had Swanie Simon on as a guest in December 2025! What a small world, right?!

​Click here to list to The Integrative Animal Health Collective Podcast — on this show, Swanie talks about natural animal health and holistic approaches, sharing insights from her decades of experience in herbalism, raw diets, and naturopathic care for pets.

Happy raw feeding,

Barbara

My raw feeding recommendations:

• ​This trial pack from Raw Paws Pet Food lets you test 9 proteins for less—plus get 15% off with code K9Savings.
• Raw Feeding Miami has an amazing raw dog food ingredient selection. Use this link for 10% OFF your first RFM purchase.
• ​Try ​this 10lb trial box from Darwin’s for 50% less (up to $100) —you’ll get to test it without wasting money. Fun fact: I started my raw feeding journey with raw dog food from Darwin's!
• ​Use code OLIVEW10 for 10% off through 08/13/2026 (affiliate link) for Wildfang's Olive Wood Dog Chews.
• ​My favorite resources for a healthy dog lifestyle - everything from freezers to knives, food storage containers, cutting boards, supplements, meat grinders as well as dog training tools and travel gadgets.

Got Questions, Comments, Or Ideas for Future Topics?

Feel free to email me anytime at barbara@k9sovercoffee.com.

Feeling thankful for my raw feeding advice?

​Add a few $$$ to my tip jar here.​

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