FAQs - BARF feeding, Green Dog Deli, fresh ingredients and compostable packaging

How much should I feed my dog?
We recommend that you start by feeding your dog about 280g of our food for every 10kg of your dog's body weight, every day. Our sausages are all an average weight of 100g to make the maths a bit easier!

We also recommend that every 280g be made up of 2 sausages and 1 chicken wing, but you can build these quantities up over the course of the week rather than worrying about cutting up pieces of food.

For example, Spikey, the collie cross, is 15kg. He will be given 420g of food a day. That's 3 sausages and a chicken wing one day, 3 sausages and 2 chicken wings the next. Easy - no mess, no fuss, no waste!

Over time, if you keep an eye on your dog's body shape you will be able to adjust these amounts to suit your dog more specifically. Many factors will affect how much food your dog needs, including where he lives and how much exercise he gets.

Remember to start with your dog's ideal weight - not the weight he is now if he is too thin or too fat!

Back to top

How much should I feed my puppy?
Feed your puppy the same amount of food as an adult dog of the same weight, but increase the quantity of meaty bones to half of the total amount fed. The total amount of food will increase as your dog grows, until she reaches her adult size.

Back to top

How can I tell if my dog is the correct weight?
Your dog should have a natural waist when viewed from above. For very long-haired dogs you may have to feel this with your hands! You should also be able to feel the shape of individual ribs with just a little pressure when running your hands over your dog's chest. If his ribs are nowhere to be found he is likely to be overweight! If his ribs are very noticeable or prominent then your dog probably needs more food. Always consult your vet if you are worried about your dog's health or body condition.

Back to top

Should I feed my dog more than once a day?
While your puppy is growing he or she will need several small meals a day.

Whether or not you feed your adult dog more than once a day is up to you. Our dogs often have a sausage meal, or some fresh fruit, around lunchtime and then their meaty bones later in the day (because this fits in well with our own routine). Sometimes they are fed only once and sometimes they have a day off altogether.

A dog's digestive system is actually designed to have periods of plenty and then time off - this stimulates the stomach to expel anything that has been left behind!

Back to top

Do I need to change my dog's food gradually?
Most dogs can easily be changed from one food to another, particularly those already used to eating a varied diet. However, if you are unsure (or your dog is resistant to change!) then start by adding a little of the new diet to your dog's food and gradually increase the proportion over a number of days or weeks until your dog is eating the food you want.

Back to top

Should I be worried about feeding raw meat?
Dogs have a very different digestive system to humans. It is designed to cope with a certain level of bacterial contamination and food moves through it much more quickly. A happy, healthy dog is much less likely to present a health risk to humans, but sensible hygiene precautions must still be followed! Green Dog Deli products should be stored and handled in the same way as any raw meat purchased to be cooked for human consumption. Our design and packing makes this easy - all packages are sealed, easy to store in the fridge or freezer and there is never any waste.

Back to top

Aren't chicken bones dangerous?
Cooked bones are dangerous to dogs, especially cooked poultry bones. All our bones and chicken pieces are fresh and raw and therefore not brittle or prone to splintering. Fresh, raw bones can easily be chewed and digested and provide essential minerals in your dog's diet. While it is not impossible that pieces of food could become lodged in a dog's digestive system, it is recognised that this risk is minimal compared to the risk to health of poor diet and dental disease. 80% of dogs over the age of three years have some form of dental disease - bringing with it the constant risk of bacterial contamination, tooth loss and the likelihood of general anaesthetic.

Back to top

How can I order my food?
Please get in touch using our online enquiry form, by phone or by e-mail (e-mail is our preferred method of communication). We will then contact you to arrange delivery and answer any questions you may have.

Back to top

How do I pay for my order?
We are very happy to accept cash when we deliver your food! We can also accept payment via online banking and credit/debit card through PayPal. If you would prefer to pay this way we will need your e-mail address and will send out an electronic invoice approximately once a month.

Back to top

Will you deliver to my house?
We always try to deliver to convenient, communal collection points - the kind of places you would be visiting anyway - however, if you can get a few people together or would like a large order for the freezer, then we may be able to deliver direct. Please also ask if you have mobility issues and find it hard to get around. We will be very pleased to help.

Back to top

How should I store my food?
Look after your food by keeping it in the fridge for up to a week (three or four days is best) or storing it in the freezer for up to three months. Make sure you label it with date it was delivered! Don't forget we will pack your food in quantities that make this as convenient as possible for you - always ask if you want a different number of sausages or chicken wings in your boxes.

Back to top

How do I change my order?
You can call us or e-mail us - the details are on our Contacts page. We place orders with our suppliers on a Thursday afternoon for the food we make the following Tuesday, so please always give us plenty of time to amend your order. You will always receive confirmation of any change.

Back to top

This works in a similar way. Send us an e-mail (or give us a call) and let us know what you would like. We will then confirm availability and let you know when your order will be ready (usually in a couple of days as all our food is made fresh). When it is ready, we will send you an invoice by e-mail, which you can then pay online from your PayPal account or using a credit or debit card. We will then send your products from our local post office by first class post for your dogs to enjoy!

We do not charge to deliver our fresh food. For the mail order items, typical charges are £3.15 to send out two boxes of treats and £9.85 to send out 16 boxes (we will only ever charge you the actual cost to us, no more).

What is my food made of?
Our sausages are made from fresh meat (either lamb, beef, chicken or rabbit), fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds and herbs. There is absolutely nothing else in there at all. Our herbal products may be a mixture of fresh and dried herbs or herbal tinctures (active ingredients preserved in alcohol). All the meat we use is just as you would buy it yourself from the butcher - in fact there is nothing in our food that you could not eat and enjoy yourself!

Back to top

Are the ingredients always the same?
The fruit and vegetables we use may vary depending on the time of year as we always use fresh, local, seasonal produce. We will never include any fruit or vegetables that could be harmful to your dog.

Back to top

I have a nut allergy, should I be concerned about handling my food?
Although nuts can be good for dogs, we do not include any nuts in our products, as we know people can be allergic to them. The only ingredients in our foods are those listed on our Products page. Absolutely nothing else is added. Ever.

Back to top

Where do the ingredients come from?
All our fresh meats come from our local butcher. They only ever sell meat from animals raised outdoors in the UK. Our fresh fruit and vegetables come from our local, award winning, organic farm. We love visiting them every week!

Back to top

How do you keep your prices so low?
We want our food to be available to everyone so it is a very important part of what we do to make sure our prices stay low. We do this by using the less popular cuts of quality, human grade meat (e.g. lamb breast, chicken wings and thighs) and using whichever fruits and vegetables are plentiful at any time.

Back to top

What packaging do you use?
We use large, robust, reusable containers for our regular customers, who then return them washed and ready to be refilled! Our small containers are reusable and also compostable - they are made from cornstarch, which uses a fraction of the energy to make and transport when compared to traditional oil-based products. We only use recycled (and compostable) bags and even our seals (and the glue they stick with!) are 100% biodegradable and compostable. You will also notice we don't use labels and we keep printed materials to an absolute minimum. Sustainability is of paramount importance to us.

Back to top

What should I do with my packaging?
All of our packaging is reusable. When it can no longer be reused it will biodegrade quickly and easily. Should you not wish to reuse it, or be unable to compost it, please return it to us for collection and we will do this for you.

Back to top

Where is Green Dog Deli based?
Our office is in Clanfield, a small village in West Oxfordshire, UK, and our food is made nearby in the fairtrade town of Faringdon.

Back to top

Why did you start selling dog food?
We saw the difference a natural diet made to our own dogs. Even though they were young and fit when changing from a processed food, the change in each one was really quite incredible (read their stories on our Green Dog Digest page!). We take a great deal of care when planning our own diets, so it seemed only fair to do the same for our beloved pets. First a few friends asked us to make some food for them and it grew from there...

Back to top

What makes your food so good?
The Green Dog Deli Diet follows a formula set out by a leading veterinary consultant after extensive research. It mimics a natural diet that provides everything a dog needs to stay fit and healthy in a form that can be truly enjoyed and easily digested. Because it is fresh and made from the best possible ingredients, all this quality nutrition is right there, unspoiled, ready to benefit your dog!

Back to top

Is Green Dog Deli a charity?
No, we are a profit making company that donates a percentage of those profits to charity every year. Have a look at our Green Dog Digest page for news of organisations we support.

Back to top

Do you know the answer to life, the universe and everything?
Of course. It's 42.

Back to top


Green Dog Digest	The wolf at the door	Barking up the wrong tree	Your dinner's in the dog
Home Our products Our ingredients Delivery Contact Us
	Education. Facilitation. Research. There is no such thing as a stupid question. So, if you don't find the answers you need here, don't ever hesitate to contact us. We can always recommend good books for you to read and we have quite a library of our own should you wish to borrow a book or two. Green Dog Deli also runs a programme of workshops. Please get in touch with us for more information or check out our Green Dog Digest page to see where you can meet us at shows and events around the country. We will always be pleased to hear from you!
	*Feeding the Green Dog Deli Diet* How much should I feed my dog? How much should I feed my puppy? How can I tell if my dog is the correct weight? Should I feed my dog more than once a day? Do I need to change my dog's food gradually? Should I be worried about feeding raw meat? Aren't chicken bones dangerous? *Buying from Green Dog Deli* How can I order my food? How do I pay for my order? Will you deliver to my house? How should I store my food? How do I change my order? What about mail order products? How much will the postage and packaging cost? Ingredients and Packaging What is my food made of? Are the ingredients always the same? I have a nut allergy, should I be concerned about handling my food? Where do the ingredients come from? How do you keep your prices so low? What packaging do you use? What should I do with my packaging? Our Company Where is Green Dog Deli based? Why did you start selling dog food? What makes your food so good? Is Green Dog Deli a charity? Do you know the answer to life, the universe and everything?
	How much should I feed my dog? We recommend that you start by feeding your dog about 280g of our food for every 10kg of your dog's body weight, every day. Our sausages are all an average weight of 100g to make the maths a bit easier! We also recommend that every 280g be made up of 2 sausages and 1 chicken wing, but you can build these quantities up over the course of the week rather than worrying about cutting up pieces of food. For example, Spikey, the collie cross, is 15kg. He will be given 420g of food a day. That's 3 sausages and a chicken wing one day, 3 sausages and 2 chicken wings the next. Easy - no mess, no fuss, no waste! Over time, if you keep an eye on your dog's body shape you will be able to adjust these amounts to suit your dog more specifically. Many factors will affect how much food your dog needs, including where he lives and how much exercise he gets. Remember to start with your dog's ideal weight - not the weight he is now if he is too thin or too fat! Back to top How much should I feed my puppy? Feed your puppy the same amount of food as an adult dog of the same weight, but increase the quantity of meaty bones to half of the total amount fed. The total amount of food will increase as your dog grows, until she reaches her adult size. Back to top How can I tell if my dog is the correct weight? Your dog should have a natural waist when viewed from above. For very long-haired dogs you may have to feel this with your hands! You should also be able to feel the shape of individual ribs with just a little pressure when running your hands over your dog's chest. If his ribs are nowhere to be found he is likely to be overweight! If his ribs are very noticeable or prominent then your dog probably needs more food. Always consult your vet if you are worried about your dog's health or body condition. Back to top Should I feed my dog more than once a day? While your puppy is growing he or she will need several small meals a day. Whether or not you feed your adult dog more than once a day is up to you. Our dogs often have a sausage meal, or some fresh fruit, around lunchtime and then their meaty bones later in the day (because this fits in well with our own routine). Sometimes they are fed only once and sometimes they have a day off altogether. A dog's digestive system is actually designed to have periods of plenty and then time off - this stimulates the stomach to expel anything that has been left behind! Back to top Do I need to change my dog's food gradually? Most dogs can easily be changed from one food to another, particularly those already used to eating a varied diet. However, if you are unsure (or your dog is resistant to change!) then start by adding a little of the new diet to your dog's food and gradually increase the proportion over a number of days or weeks until your dog is eating the food you want. Back to top Should I be worried about feeding raw meat? Dogs have a very different digestive system to humans. It is designed to cope with a certain level of bacterial contamination and food moves through it much more quickly. A happy, healthy dog is much less likely to present a health risk to humans, but sensible hygiene precautions must still be followed! Green Dog Deli products should be stored and handled in the same way as any raw meat purchased to be cooked for human consumption. Our design and packing makes this easy - all packages are sealed, easy to store in the fridge or freezer and there is never any waste. Back to top Aren't chicken bones dangerous? Cooked bones are dangerous to dogs, especially cooked poultry bones. All our bones and chicken pieces are fresh and raw and therefore not brittle or prone to splintering. Fresh, raw bones can easily be chewed and digested and provide essential minerals in your dog's diet. While it is not impossible that pieces of food could become lodged in a dog's digestive system, it is recognised that this risk is minimal compared to the risk to health of poor diet and dental disease. 80% of dogs over the age of three years have some form of dental disease - bringing with it the constant risk of bacterial contamination, tooth loss and the likelihood of general anaesthetic. Back to top *How can I order my food?* Please get in touch using our online enquiry form, by phone or by e-mail (e-mail is our preferred method of communication). We will then contact you to arrange delivery and answer any questions you may have. Back to top How do I pay for my order? We are very happy to accept cash when we deliver your food! We can also accept payment via online banking and credit/debit card through PayPal. If you would prefer to pay this way we will need your e-mail address and will send out an electronic invoice approximately once a month. Back to top Will you deliver to my house? We always try to deliver to convenient, communal collection points - the kind of places you would be visiting anyway - however, if you can get a few people together or would like a large order for the freezer, then we may be able to deliver direct. Please also ask if you have mobility issues and find it hard to get around. We will be very pleased to help. Back to top How should I store my food? Look after your food by keeping it in the fridge for up to a week (three or four days is best) or storing it in the freezer for up to three months. Make sure you label it with date it was delivered! Don't forget we will pack your food in quantities that make this as convenient as possible for you - always ask if you want a different number of sausages or chicken wings in your boxes. Back to top How do I change my order? You can call us or e-mail us - the details are on our Contacts page. We place orders with our suppliers on a Thursday afternoon for the food we make the following Tuesday, so please always give us plenty of time to amend your order. You will always receive confirmation of any change. Back to top What about mail order products? This works in a similar way. Send us an e-mail (or give us a call) and let us know what you would like. We will then confirm availability and let you know when your order will be ready (usually in a couple of days as all our food is made fresh). When it is ready, we will send you an invoice by e-mail, which you can then pay online from your PayPal account or using a credit or debit card. We will then send your products from our local post office by first class post for your dogs to enjoy! Back to top How much will the postage and packaging cost? We do not charge to deliver our fresh food. For the mail order items, typical charges are £3.15 to send out two boxes of treats and £9.85 to send out 16 boxes (we will only ever charge you the actual cost to us, no more). Back to top What is my food made of? Our sausages are made from fresh meat (either lamb, beef, chicken or rabbit), fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds and herbs. There is absolutely nothing else in there at all. Our herbal products may be a mixture of fresh and dried herbs or herbal tinctures (active ingredients preserved in alcohol). All the meat we use is just as you would buy it yourself from the butcher - in fact there is nothing in our food that you could not eat and enjoy yourself! Back to top Are the ingredients always the same? The fruit and vegetables we use may vary depending on the time of year as we always use fresh, local, seasonal produce. We will never include any fruit or vegetables that could be harmful to your dog. Back to top I have a nut allergy, should I be concerned about handling my food? Although nuts can be good for dogs, we do not include any nuts in our products, as we know people can be allergic to them. The only ingredients in our foods are those listed on our Products page. Absolutely nothing else is added. Ever. Back to top Where do the ingredients come from? All our fresh meats come from our local butcher. They only ever sell meat from animals raised outdoors in the UK. Our fresh fruit and vegetables come from our local, award winning, organic farm. We love visiting them every week! Back to top How do you keep your prices so low? We want our food to be available to everyone so it is a very important part of what we do to make sure our prices stay low. We do this by using the less popular cuts of quality, human grade meat (e.g. lamb breast, chicken wings and thighs) and using whichever fruits and vegetables are plentiful at any time. Back to top What packaging do you use? We use large, robust, reusable containers for our regular customers, who then return them washed and ready to be refilled! Our small containers are reusable and also compostable - they are made from cornstarch, which uses a fraction of the energy to make and transport when compared to traditional oil-based products. We only use recycled (and compostable) bags and even our seals (and the glue they stick with!) are 100% biodegradable and compostable. You will also notice we don't use labels and we keep printed materials to an absolute minimum. Sustainability is of paramount importance to us. Back to top What should I do with my packaging? All of our packaging is reusable. When it can no longer be reused it will biodegrade quickly and easily. Should you not wish to reuse it, or be unable to compost it, please return it to us for collection and we will do this for you. Back to top Where is Green Dog Deli based? Our office is in Clanfield, a small village in West Oxfordshire, UK, and our food is made nearby in the fairtrade town of Faringdon. Back to top Why did you start selling dog food? We saw the difference a natural diet made to our own dogs. Even though they were young and fit when changing from a processed food, the change in each one was really quite incredible (read their stories on our Green Dog Digest page!). We take a great deal of care when planning our own diets, so it seemed only fair to do the same for our beloved pets. First a few friends asked us to make some food for them and it grew from there... Back to top What makes your food so good? The Green Dog Deli Diet follows a formula set out by a leading veterinary consultant after extensive research. It mimics a natural diet that provides everything a dog needs to stay fit and healthy in a form that can be truly enjoyed and easily digested. Because it is fresh and made from the best possible ingredients, all this quality nutrition is right there, unspoiled, ready to benefit your dog! Back to top Is Green Dog Deli a charity? No, we are a profit making company that donates a percentage of those profits to charity every year. Have a look at our Green Dog Digest page for news of organisations we support. Back to top Do you know the answer to life, the universe and everything? Of course. It's 42. Back to top
Green Dog Digest	The wolf at the door	Barking up the wrong tree	Your dinner's in the dog

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Education. Facilitation. Research.