raw advisor training pack

RAW ADVISOR
TRAINING PACK
AN INTRODUCTION TO RAW FEEDING
More and more, pet owners are beginning to understand that what they put into
their pets reflects what they see on the outside with regards to overall health,
vitality, energy (whether in excess or sometimes, not enough) and behavioural
tendencies.
With an increase in understanding by pet owners regarding what they are feeding
their pets, raw food is finding a significant place within the pet food market and is
ever growing in popularity.
The only genuinely natural way to feed a pet is to follow
the diet they would have chosen themselves in nature.
Curiosity about raw feeding is continually growing and pet owners are looking for
safe and correct guidance. Pet stores are an important part of educating the
general public about safe raw feeding. There is a need to provide a reputable and
experienced raw food brand in stores to make the most of this fast growing sector
within the pet food industry.
REPORTED BENEFITS OF A RAW DIET
We at Natures Menu receive numerous testimonials every day informing us of the
various experiences of feeding our foods. Below you will find some of the
commonly reported benefits we have heard over the last 30 years of making raw
pet food.
Reports of:
1. Fresher breath, cleaner whiter teeth
2. Stools are harder, smell less and much easier to pick up
3. Easier to digest, sensitive stomachs improve
4. Reduction of allergies and food intolerances
5. Increase in appetite - even in cats!
6. Clears up anal gland issues
7. Less flatulence
8. More stable energy - less hyperactivity
9. Reduction in inflammatory issues such as skin and joint
conditions
10. Older dogs have more energy
11. Conditions such as diabetes and epilepsy reportedly
needing less medication (veterinary supervised)
Customers who have pets that suffer from any of the above health issues may
benefit from switching their pet over to a raw diet.
Many pets also show improvements by transitioning onto our lightly cooked
pouches and cans, but the greatest benefits are seen with our raw food.
RAW FOOD RESEARCH TEAM
At Natures Menu we recognise that we cannot claim that our foods can be used to
treat, prevent or cure any disease. However, with these commonly reported
benefits we have decided to set up a raw food research team. Natures Menu is
dedicated to research and the development of raw food diets for dogs and cats.
Our raw food research team is the first of its kind in Europe. The
aim is to establish the science underlying the benefits of feeding a
raw diet and how they make such a difference to so many of our pets.
In addition we strive to understand and research the consumer market for you, our
retailer, to make sure you are kept up to date with the latest findings and
knowledge within the raw pet food industry.
NATURES MENU COMPLETE & BALANCED
MEALS
The complete and balanced ready meal range is likely to be the most suited to your
customer base. Brightly packaged and with human grade ingredients your
customers will be familiar with, these are a highly popular range.
They come in easy to serve nuggets or single serve portions. Our range includes
puppy, senior, five varieties of adult, banquet, and active. A great selection to cover
all stages of life.
They are convenient, simple to serve and formulated to provide all of the nutrients
that your pet needs on a daily basis. Simply pour, thaw and serve!
Eight varieties from our complete and balanced range are also
grain free – the chicken & fish, senior, banquet, active and all
four of the premium Country Hunter raw meals.
COUNTRY HUNTER RANGE
A premium range of complete and balanced meals
and treats
Nuggets: The grain and gluten free raw nuggets have 4 varieties, 3 of those are
chicken free (venison with blueberry, duck with plum, rabbit with cranberry).
These are a great option for your customers searching for a
chicken free, novel single protein product to feed their dog.
Mighty Mixer: This is an oat, beef liver, fruit and vegetable baked biscuit. We
recommend to soften it slightly with warm water and feed it alongside our minced
meats for homemade raw diets or as a healthy crunchy snack. *It is important to
remember that this is not a complete meal.*
Superfood Crunch: Our Superfood Crunch comes in three varieties and are a
combination of our raw meaty nuggets, which have been freeze dried to lock in the
nutrients and flavours, and our oat and beef liver baked biscuit to ensure a
convenient, complete and balanced meal.
NATURES MENU CAT NUGGETS
This range provides a convenient and simple way to
feed your cat a complete and balanced raw diet.
Available in three palatable grain free flavours, our raw meals for cats come in easy
to serve nuggets, which are only slightly bigger than a sugar cube.
All you have to do is count out the amount of nuggets needed, thaw and serve.
Minces & Meaty Chunk Range
Plain meats with nothing added.
Our plain minces and chunks of meat are for customers who wish to make up their
own raw diets. These customers more than likely will already have some
knowledge about raw feeding.
The range we provide includes 400g blocks of minced meats, 2kg bags of free flow
minced meats and bags of meaty chunks. Majority of our minced meats and free
flow minced meats contain minced bone, but our just beef, just tripe and beef &
tripe are bone free products.
The 400g blocks of minces are great for puppies and dogs new to raw feeding. The
free flow minces are the most popular with adult dogs. They are perfect to mix
with other elements of a raw diet and are easier to handle as they pour very easily.
The chunky pieces of meat are great options for those dogs that like to chew on
something as part of their meal.
HOMEMADE RAW DIET
The guidelines we recommend to create a homemade raw
diet are as follows:
60% meat together with 20% ground, juiced or finely
chopped vegetables and fruit (our ready-made fruit and
vegetable nuggets are also great for this) and 20% cooked
brown rice, sweet potato or oats.
It is important to ensure customers use vegetables and fruits that are suitable for
pets. Dogs can’t digest cellulose (found in plant cells), so the vegetables and fruit
must be broken down via grinding, juicing or finely chopping. This allows the dog
to obtain the nutritional value of fruit and vegetables.
Many raw feeders do not include grains, fruit or vegetables in their dog’s meal.
There are many opinions about this and it has never been proven that one way is
better than another. It is really up to the owner and what works better for the dog.
For some pets the starch can be difficult to digest. Many raw feeders try to avoid
any white or refined grain/carbohydrate, such as wheat or soy.
All of our minces, except the tripe and all beef, are created by mincing carcass with
the meat attached.
We always recommend dogs receive raw meaty bones and chews as part of
their raw feeding regime. This is primarily to assist in oral and dental
health, but also to ensure your dogs can perform the species appropriate
behaviour of chewing bones.
Raw Meaty Bones and
Chewing Meats
Great for including in a raw diet as part of the meals.
We have a wide range of natural and nutritious meaty bones and chewing chunks.
If your customers don’t feel comfortable giving their pets raw bones we have bone
free options that are still great for chewing (beef trachea, paddywack and beef
meaty chew).
These are to be fed alongside the ready-made meals as treats or as part of a homemade raw diet.
The marrow and knuckle bones are very hard bones and will last longer than some
of the other varieties. They are best used as recreational bones for experienced
adult dogs, as puppy teeth are not strong enough to handle such bones. We
recommend to leave a dog with a marrow bone or knuckle bone for no longer than
20 minutes at a time. It is safe to wash it off and store in a sealed container in a
fridge for later use.
Raw meaty bones provide a range of healthy nutrients
Raw Meaty Bones and
Chewing Meats
These are to be fed alongside the ready-made meals as treats or as
part of a home-made raw diet.
Although not essential when feeding our complete raw diets, we recommend that
dogs and cats receive raw meaty bones such as chicken wings, beef ribs or duck
necks a few times a week alongside the nugget meals. This is to assist in oral and
dental health, but can also have a positive effect on behaviour. The faeces will be
much lighter in colour and drier, have a less pungent smell and be easier to pick up
due to the bone content. Please be advised - feeding too much bone can lead to
constipation.
NATURAL FEEDING
Our gently cooked range of ambient products
Our cans and pouches are not deemed to be raw meals but are filled with our top
quality raw ingredients and then gently cooked once in the pouch or can.
Gently cooking the ingredients within the packaging ensures the nutrients and
flavours are retained within the pouch or can. We do not use meat meals or meat
derivatives in our cans or pouches.
These meals are a great alternative for when feeding raw isn’t the most practical.
We have found our cans and pouches are a great option for a raw feeder to use if they go away
on holiday or to pet shows and cannot take frozen food with them.
Our pouches and cans are also very commonly reported as being highly palatable and enticing
for pets to eat.
Our pouches and cans contain no additional sugar. This could be one explanation for the
consistent reports we receive from cat owners stating their diabetic cats improve when moving
onto our pouches.
The Country Hunter range of cans are grain and gluten free, but they all contain chicken. It is
important to remember that these products are not identical to the raw product.
Our new line of Country Hunter dog and cat pouches are also grain and gluten free. The Country
Hunter dog food pouches are made with 80% real meat and wholesome superfoods such as
sweet potatoes, green beans and mixed berries. The single protein options are perfect as a daily
diet for small breeds and as a convenient alternative to larger breeds fed our single protein raw
meals –they’re also perfect as a healthy KongTM filler!
The cat varieties, which have a mighty meat content of 96%, include superfoods such as antioxidant rich cranberries and blackcurrants. They are wonderful for those fussy, older cats.
TASTY TREAT RANGE
Our grain and gluten free real meaty treats for cats and dogs contain 95% real
meat that have been gently cooked to release an amazing meaty flavour.
These are great for training and are wonderful option for owners to hide
medication in.
Our grain free, freeze dried raw meaty treats for dogs and cats are packed with
delicious ingredients with a little bit of a crunch. They are great for training and
crumbling over food.
CUSTOMER QUESTIONS…
Can I mix raw meat with a dry kibble type food?
We do not advocate mixing raw meat with a processed dry kibble, but many
people do feed this way with no problems. Our opinion is that feeding both
together in the same meal has the potential to compromise effective digestion.
The transition times for these foods are known to be different, as are the digestive
requirements. Our goal is to make transition and feeding a raw diet as simple and
as safe as possible.
Will the food be safe to feed? Will there be bacteria on the
food?
Essentially, there will always be some bacteria, just as there would be on your own
meat when you handle it at home. At Natures Menu we strive to ensure the levels
are safe to feed raw.
This is our statement on bacteria:
“The safety of our foods is top priority here at Natures Menu. With facilities linked to human food production
standards Natures Menu leads the market with our continued quality handling methods, the use of good
HACCP controls, Defra approved micro-biological testing, raw material traceability and outstanding
microbiological testing practices. We genuinely care about your pets and are proud to say that we work hard to
ensure our raw pet foods face the most stringent safety and bacteria testing in the UK.
We have separate temperature controlled departments for raw material, production, packing, despatch and
finished goods, in order to maintain the highest standards and safety for both humans and animals that come
into contact with our foods.
Our manufacturing plant in Norfolk has been specifically built in line with all current EU legislation for the
manufacturing and distribution of raw meat products.”
Bacteria and Hygiene
Our company run a specialist delivery service to ensure the food is delivered direct
to your freezer, minimising any risk of the product defrosting at delivery and having
to be re-frozen again before consumption. Thus avoiding the subsequent bacteria
problems that can arise from re-freezing.
Our Manufacturing Facilities are registered by DEFRA, registered plant No.
28/720/9200/ABP/PTF.
We believe hygiene is of utmost importance. We recommend you wash utensils,
hands and surfaces when dealing with raw food, just as you would when dealing
with your own meat. You must also ensure that the food is not re-frozen after it
has been defrosted.
Also, dogs fed a raw diet adapt to have a more acidic (more resilient) stomach pH
(1-2) to neutralize bacteria found in their environment and food.
How do I store the products?
All the raw frozen products need to be kept frozen until needed. We recommend to
remove only the amount required and to defrost in a sealed container in the fridge
overnight or on the side for about two hours (until defrosted).
Make sure you implement the same hygiene, utensil and hand washing practices
you would use when handling your own raw meat.
Once defrosted we recommend using it within 24hrs – you may prefer to keep the
meat you eat at home for longer, but our recommendation for meat is 24hrs only.
Do not refreeze the meat after defrosting.
Some pets prefer to eat the foods at room temperature, this is especially true of
cats. In this situation it can be useful to leave the food out for a short period of
time for the food to reach room temperature. We recommend to keep the food
covered in this situation.
Will my pet’s stools be affected if they are changed over to a
raw food diet?
The general observation and feedback we receive from customers who feed a raw
diet, with the appropriate amount of raw bone, is that they will have drier, more
solid, much easier to pick up stools - improving walks for everyone! The firmer
stool will also aid the anal glands to naturally express themselves.
If you follow the transition recommendation for cats and dogs the stools should
not be compromised by a sudden change in diet. As we enforce and comply with
very stringent safety testing and laws, it is unlikely that bacteria will negatively
affect stools.
Can I simply switch a dog over to Natures Menu raw foods
or should I swap gradually?
The easiest way to switch dogs to a raw diet is to do it gradually over a period of a
week.
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Days 1-7 divide daily ration into 50% raw and 50% previous food
Feed in alternating separate meals, avoid mixing if possible for easier digestion
Ideally meals are about 12 hours apart
From day 8 feed 100% raw ration
While many healthy dogs can cope without a transition period, we recommend this
method to allow the body time to:
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Adjust digestive enzyme release
Alter stomach pH
Adapt intestinal microbiome (‘friendly’ bacteria)
Promote healthy digestion and metabolism
Can I mix and match raw food and Natures Menu pouches?
It is safe to simply switch between our raw foods and steam cooked pouches
without having to transition animals over. This makes it much easier for those
wishing to use our gently cooked range whilst away on holiday with pets.
*However every animal is different so we would recommend to introduce the new
food before going away just to make sure the pet can tolerate the change.
How do you switch a cat onto Natures Menu raw cat food?
The key point is to do this gradually and have patience.
Cats are inherently more suspicious of changes to their environment compared to
dogs. This means making a successful transition to a new food requires a greater
level of time and patience.
For cats fed dry food, we first suggest a very gradual change to our lightly cooked
pouches of real meat before making the full transition to frozen raw nuggets.
We recommend the ‘two bowl technique’.
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Place a single defrosted nugget in a separate bowl beside the normal portion
of food
Repeat at every meal until they begin to show an interest, this often takes 1-2
weeks
Slowly reduce the previous food while increasing the number of nuggets
Be patient, it is normal for this process to take as long as 8 weeks
Important points to remember:
 Always defrost thoroughly, cats prefer food closer to room temperature
 Do not allow you cat to starve themselves, this can lead to liver problems in
some cases
 Always try to vary flavours of foods given to prevent latching onto one variety
 Be patient, cats are highly suspicious of change
How do you switch a cat onto Natures Menu raw cat food?
(Continued)
If the ‘two bowl technique’ is not an option, it is safe to complete the process using
one bowl.
If there is a medical reason that means you need to simply switch your cat straight
over to the food this is safe to do. You simply run the risk of the cat not taking to
the food as well as if you gradually wean them on to it.
Can puppies and kittens be given raw diets?
Absolutely Yes!
Unless there is a medical issue the young animal’s digestive system will be able to
cope with the diet. Our puppy and kitten ranges are made with high quality
portions of chicken and have a higher protein content to support growth. The
puppy and kitten diets we provide are nutritionally complete and balanced, so
nothing needs to be added to them.
It is safe to wean puppies, from 3-4 weeks of age, on to our raw puppy nuggets or
junior cans & pouches, and kittens onto our raw cat nuggets or kitten pouches. We
just recommend to add some warm water to make them into a paste that is easy
for them to lap up. It is safe to lightly warm, not cook, the products before feeding
(oven or stove top, please do not microwave). Please make sure the product is cool
enough before feeding. From 6 weeks of age you may find they no longer require
the food warmed or water added.
When can I move my puppy on to the adult range?
It is safe to move puppies and kittens to the adult varieties between 16 and 20
weeks of age, dependent on rate of development.
We recommend and encourage you to consider introducing different meat types or
a variety of complete and balanced raw meals throughout your puppy and kitten’s
growth stages. Dogs and cats evolved in nature to find their own foods through
hunting, therefore providing the natural variety in ingredients.
Is it safe to feed raw meaty bones to pets?
Of course, but only if they are raw and selected appropriately for the age, breed
and experience of the animal you are feeding.
Raw bones are moisture rich, softer and more flexible compared to cooked bones.
Cats for instance have always eaten the raw bones from mice, birds or even rabbits
that they catch regularly. Once a bone is cooked they become dry and brittle, this is
when they can easily splinter and potentially causes problems. Please do not feed
cooked bones.
All of our products are safely sourced, stored, fully traceable and deep frozen at
18oC for 10 days to ensure it is safe for raw consumption. Our evidence based
freezing protocol (-18oC for a minimum of 10 days) is set in place for all our raw
ingredients to address any potential parasite issues.
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A few helpful pointers to feed raw bones safely:
It is important to educate owners in the feeding of bones, especially if they are
new to raw feeding:
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When introducing raw meaty bones to a pet we advise owners to keep hold of
one end of the bone and enable the dog to lick, chew and nibble at the meat
We advise to introduce raw meaty bones 3-4 weeks after transitioning them
onto a raw diet
We advise to be cautious offering raw meaty bones and chews to pets not fed
a raw diet as their digestive system may not be able to tolerate them as well as
a raw fed pet
Care must be taken with the types of bones given to dogs
o Puppies should not be given marrow bones or knuckle bones due to
their greater density and the risk of fracturing developing, fragile
deciduous teeth
o Older dogs who are inexperienced bone eaters should also be
introduced the same way as puppies with the bones becoming more
adventurous as the dog gains experience
Never leave a dog unattended with a bone
We recommend to never cut or saw bones
We would suggest feeding an appropriate raw bone 1-3 times a week if they
are being fed Natures Menu complete raw meals
Too much bone can cause constipation so please monitor stools carefully. Very
dry, white stools can indicate too much bone in the diet
Why should you feed raw bones?
Raw meaty bones can contain a wonderful range of natural nutrients.
Chewing raw bones can be an immensely satisfying and relaxing experience for cats and dogs,
but it can also benefit the dental health of your pet too. Eating raw bones allows all dentition to
be used as it was designed for: incisors for nibbling small meaty pieces and cartilage away from
the bone, canines for gripping larger meaty pieces and ripping/tearing through chunks and pre
molars and molars for grinding down pieces of meat and crushing bone. Raw bones can be
nature’s toothbrush!
Can I feed raw meaty bones to my cat?
Once your adult cat is used to eating the raw cat food it is advisable to offer them
an appropriate raw meaty bone, such as a chicken wing or a duck neck a few times
a week.
Just like dogs, cats can digest raw meat and bone. In fact many cats have already
been eating raw meaty bones from rabbits, bird or rodents for years in our
outbuildings and back gardens!
With cats, always keep an eye on where they take their bones, as they have a
tendency to hide them where you least expect.
How much should I feed?
Feeding guides are available on the packaging and online to guide your customers
on how much to feed their pets. The amount advised is the total daily
recommended portion and can be divided into multiple meals.
Historically, recommendations for raw feeding have started at 2-3% of the pet’s
ideal body weight per day with further adjustments as needed. However, upon
further research Natures Menu have found this method to be inaccurate especially
for pets at the extremes of the healthy bodyweight range. Therefore we developed
new feeding guides based on FEDIAF (The European Pet Food Industry Federation)
guidelines, specifically tailored to take into account energy levels, age, bodyweight
and calorie requirements to more accurately calculate daily recommended
amounts.
Natures Menu are also acutely aware of the current obesity epidemic affecting cats
and dogs and take our responsibility to provide appropriate feeding guidelines very
seriously. However, it is important to remember these are still just a starting point
and it is safe to make further adjustments for each individual until a healthy body
condition is maintained.
Ensuring Hygiene
Always remember this is raw food. Even meat bought for human consumption can
still carry bacteria. While cats and dogs can tolerate raw meat, us humans are a
little more sensitive.
With that said, we boast excellent bacterial testing procedures to ensure risks are
as low as possible. We also deliver straight to freezers in our freezer delivery vans,
so the food is never defrosted before it reaches you.
We recommend to always wash hands and utensils after handling raw meat, and to
never re-freeze the raw foods once they have been defrosted.
Safety is of the utmost importance.
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Always wash your hands after handling raw foods
Always clean any surfaces you used to prepare your pet’s raw meal
Always wash your pet’s bowls and any utensils you used during meal
preparation
Never re-freeze meat that has been defrosted
Keep raw food frozen until the day of consumption – our ready-made
nuggets take roughly 2 hrs to defrost, the plain mince blocks may take
longer, sometimes needing overnight defrosting.
Aim to use a fridge to defrost meats where possible and for overnight
defrosting
Keep all defrosting meats on the bottom shelf of your fridge to avoid spillage
onto products below
Throw away any uneaten raw food
Only keep defrosted meats in the fridge for 24hrs
Which customer base might Natures
Menu foods be most suitable for?
Problematic Pets
Based on our customer feedback, dogs or cats who are showing symptoms of the
following could benefit from feeding Natures Menu foods:
*We would like to stress that the following information should never be used as a
substitute for veterinary advice, if a pet is unwell we would always recommend the
owner seek veterinary attention in a timely manner
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Allergies or food intolerances
Skin conditions: dermatitis, redness of skin, itchy skin, itchy paws
Digestive issues: sensitive stomachs, colitis, loose stools or constipation,
gastro-enteritis
Anal gland issues
Stomach cramping
Joint inflammation or arthritis
Obesity
Fussy Pets
Our foods are reported to be extremely palatable and great for pets who suffer
from:
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Poor appetite
Loss of appetite
Picky or fussy eaters
Many pet owners claim our foods are “the only thing they will eat”!
RAW ADVISOR
QUALIFICATION
BECOME A RAW ADVISOR
Thank you for your interest in becoming a certified Raw Feeding Advisor for Natures Menu.
Please answer the following 36 multiple choice questions by going to the below link and submit.
click here to become a certified raw advisor!
Please note that there is no time limit on this and you may reference your Raw Consultant
Manual.
Please note that to become a certified Natures Menu Raw Advisor we require a 85% pass rate.
Should you be unsuccessful you can re-take the Raw Advisor Qualification Quiz until you have
passed.
If you've been successful you will receive a badge in the mail within 4-6 weeks. Good luck and
thanks again.