The guide above refers to complete, ready-to-eat food which includes meat in the original recipes. We recommend minced meat when possible as it mixes better with Augustine’s SuperFood™.

If you wish to feed offal or organ meats, they can make up 20% of the recommended meat portion in the recipes. Please note that we do not recommend feeding offal more than 3-4 times a week.

Puppies under 4 months of age should be fed the minimum amount, while puppies over 4 months should be fed anywhere up to the higher end of the scale.

Feed puppies 3 times a day and adult dogs twice a day with as much time as possible in between feeds.

It is very important not to feed the daily amount in one go as this may cause bloat, which can be dangerous. Additionally, to reduce the risk of bloat do not feed for at least 45 minutes before and after exercise and ONLY feed when the heart rate is at resting pace. A light walk is not considered exercise.

You know your dog(s) better than anyone, so please remember that the guide is just that – a guide. One 10kg dog will expend a lot more or less energy than the next so commence by keeping to the feeding guide strictly for the first 7 days and then adjust accordingly. For example:

a) If your dog needs to lose weight, feed the amount on the lower end of the scale and do so earlier in the day to allow time to burn off energy.

b) If your dog needs to put on weight, feed the amount on the higher end of the scale and ensure there is time for the dog to sleep shortly after eating.

The nutrient absorption rate of Augustine’s SuperFood™ is extremely high so your dog doesn’t need to eat until it cannot eat anymore to reach its daily required nutrient intake. The quantity of each ingredient has been carefully considered for optimum results.

Dogs in the wild would eat every 3-4 days if they were lucky, indeliberately harnessing the healing and health benefits of fasting. The trouble today is that dogs eat too much, too often, and usually not the right foods. For this reason, I do not recommend feeding bones daily but rather at the most every 3-4 days. One serving of bones can replace one meal of Augustine’s SuperFood™.

In between or as a replacement to bones you can feed vegetables like carrots and zucchinis and depending on your dog’s size and strength you can try goat horns or naturally-shed antlers (preferably elk over deer). Alternating between these is ideal. You can cover any of them in Raw Coconut Oil while it is in liquid state and refrigerate them for a few minutes until the oil hardens before serving. This will make them more tasty and healthier. Feeding raw, whole vegetables is done for the sake of teeth and gum health and not so much for nutrition. It is also a good way to keep dogs busy and stimulated. Remember, it is the rubbing action that helps to remove plaque.

Augustine’s SuperFood™ is designed for optimum freshness and for this reason the original versions must be mixed with the meat of your choice when you are ready to serve.

1. Take out a bag of Augustine’s SuperFood™ the night before you wish to feed and leave it out to thaw.

OR

1. Take out a bag of Augustine’s SuperFood™ from the freezer 20‐30 minutes before you wish to serve and place in warm water (not too hot) in the sink along with the meat (if applicable) until it defrosts and reaches room temperature.

2. If using a vegan recipe, it is now ready to serve.

OR

If using an original recipe, mix Augustine’s SuperFood™ with the meat well in a bowl and serve (unless you prefer to cook the meat). For best mixing, we recommend powder-free, latex-free food-handling gloves. If for any reason you wish to cook or sear the meat, you must allow it to cool before mixing or you risk burning all the nutrients.

Examples of ASF to meat ratios to combine if using an original recipe:

70g bag of ASF - mix with 125g of meat
140g bag of ASF ‐ mix with 250g of meat
280g bag of ASF ‐ mix with 500g of meat

If defrosting enough food for two or three meals for the day, cover any remaining food and keep refrigerated. Depending on the room temperature, remove from fridge with enough time for it to naturally warm up before serving the next meal.

Ensure that any defrosted food is fed within 3 days.

All Augustine’s Approved supplements work synergistically and can be mixed together just before serving. We recommend that Faith’s Cleanse & Detox® and Dynacol Zeolite™ are mixed well into the food in the first meal of the day.

Keep frozen or refrigerated.

Protein is calculated on a dry-matter basis, so the results below will make the food appear to be lacking in protein while this is in fact not the case. Please refer to the FAQ section under Why is the protein content so low? for a more detailed explanation.

Please note that the laboratory results below for Augustine’s SuperFood™ Original – Puppy & Adult recipes were achieved using raw, human-grade kangaroo meat.

You can, however we strongly advise against it as the recipes will be severely lacking nutrition and flavour. If you are waiting for your order of Augustine’s SuperBoost® to arrive and you’d like to get started by making a few meals without Augustine’s SuperBoost that’s fine, but please be aware that long-term use without it may leave your dog severely deficient of nutrients.

When mixing Augustine’s SuperBoost® into an existing food it can be assumed that the balance of nutrients is reasonably adequate. Therefor you would be using the product as a supplement – an addition to the diet where it acts as a bonus and to assist in levelling out any potential deficiencies.

Organic dog food in Australia is often more expensive than non‐organic but the benefits far outweigh the extra cost. Apart from the ethical reasons to choose organic produce, here are some compelling reasons why organic produce is better for us and the environment:

Organic food tastes better.
Organic farming starts with the nourishment of the soil, which leads to the nourishment of the plant and, ultimately, our palate. Many people prefer organic food because they consider it tastes better.

Organic food production helps protect future generations.
The average child receives approximately four times more exposure than an adult, to at least eight widely used cancer‐causing pesticides in food. Food choices made in the family and community now, determine our children's health ‐ not only now but into the future.
Organic food has higher levels of nutrients.

There is now plentiful research findings that show organic food is far superior in vitamin, mineral and nutrient content. They are especially higher in antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Organic foods have higher levels (up to six times) of salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is produced naturally in plants as a protective compound against stress and disease. Salicylic acid acts as an anti‐inflammatory and helps combat hardening of the arteries.

Organic farming methods prevent soil erosion and build healthy soils.
Organic farms protect the environment by building soil organic matter and by mimicking natural systems rather than relying on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. Compared to soils on conventional farms, organically farmed soils have been shown to have:

• - Less nitrogen leaching
• - Better nutrient holding ability
• - More efficient biological nutrient cycling
• - Less runoff and erosion

Good soil nutrient management planning is critical for any farming operation to optimise plant growth and decrease risks of nutrient leaching and runoff. Many crops are genetically engineered with the Bt toxin in order to resist infestation from insects. Yet root exudates from these plants release the toxin into the soil, where it retains its activity for at least 234 days, long after its release. This stimulates major changes in soil biota that could affect nutrient cycling processes and reduce soil fertility.

Organic farming helps protect water quality.
Pesticides and other chemicals widely used in conventional farming contaminate ground water and rivers and pollute primary sources of drinking water.

Organic food is free of artificial additives.
Organic food doesn't contain food additives which can cause health problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis, migraines and hyperactivity. The use of antibiotics, anti-microbials, hormones and other growth promotants are prohibited in organic production. In the case that animals are treated with veterinary drugs or chemicals, they are prohibited from being sold as organic. The use of synthetic chemicals as preservatives, colourings, antioxidants etc. are also prohibited in the processing of organic foods.

Chemical residues are missing or at very low levels in organically produced food.
Many studies show that most conventionally farmed foods have pesticide and other chemical residues. Over 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming and residues are often present in non-¬organic food. Research has shown that 30 percent of insecticides, 60 percent of herbicides and 90 percent of fungicides are known to cause cancer. These chemicals can also lead to nervous and endocrine problems. Many pesticides and herbicides were registered long before extensive research linking them to cancer and other diseases could be established. Many are endocrine disrupting chemicals DCs). Using chemicals to deal with crop pests creates the same problem as indiscriminate us of antibiotics against germs. The germs get tougher and nastier over time, because antibiotics influence their evolution, killing susceptible organisms and selecting resistant ones. It is the same with pesticides and pests ‐ in some places where pesticides have been used longest and heaviest, patterns of insect predation on food crops are now worse than they were before farmers started using insecticides on crops. Organic growers have pest and disease management strategies that do not use artificial and toxic chemicals.

Organic food production uses less energy than conventional food production.
Modern conventional farming uses more petroleum than any other industry. More energy is now used to produce synthetic fertilisers than to till, cultivate and harvest crops. Organic farming is still based on labour intensive practices such as hand weeding, green manure, and cover crops instead of chemicals.

Certified organic means GE/GM free.
Genetically modified organisms are not allowed under the strict organic certification standards.

- Quotes taken from www.organicfooddirectory.com.au

There are some important considerations to be made when selecting healthy meats.

The healthiest and most nutritious meats for dogs are game meats.

Game Meats That are Highly Nutritious (not speaking ethically)
Kangaroo, Wild rabbit, deer & wild goat.

If You Have To Purchase Farmed Meat
Turkey, lamb & goat.

Please choose wisely and research the where the meat originates from, right from the hunt or farm all the way to how it is processed and ends up at your local grocer. Even certified organic meat still comes from an animal that is produced to a price point. Yes, the feed the animals consume may be organic but it doesn’t mean that it is the nutritious or that the animal is free from certain exemptions that permit the use of pharmaceuticals.

While there is no such thing as humanely sourced meat, please select a meat that has less impact on the environment. We strongly recommend the use of human grade meat (certified organic when possible).

Do not use pet mince because often it contains more than just meat, even if the packaging says otherwise. This is due to a legal loophole in food labelling and includes food for humans.

Game meats are safer because they bare less allergy risks, especially since their diet is more likely to be free from chemicals. It's not just about what the animal the meat came from is, but what that animal was eating.

I have heard of many of people steering away from game meats because they say they are too rich and it gives their dogs the runs. This is because all things require moderation. If a dog has 100% high protein game meat then yes, expect the runs. When game meat is mixed with a balanced food like Augustine's SuperFood your dog will produce very good, firm poop and there will be no more gas.

On the contrary to traditional pet food marketing, I believe dogs not only need, but deserve a variety of foods. When selecting meats to incorporate into your dog's Augustine SuperFood diet, try and stick to game meats and birds when possible. It makes sense to replicate the type of meat that a dog could hunt in the wild.

Beef is the most allergy prone meat for dogs and can also give them gas. Chicken is also a very unhealthy meat an even organic chicken consists of 4%-7% chlorinated water. Leave the piggies alone too, I wouldn't go there.

While dogs are designed to primarily eat meat, there are many health benefits to including plants into their diet. There are things we can feed that go against nature (e.g. processed food), and then there are beneficial things that we can do to help support nature such as to feed them high-quality plant ingredients. Click to view Rethinking The Canine Diet.

Naturally, the more processing we put food through, the more nutrients and enzymes needed for superior digestion and nutrient absorption are destroyed. Additionally, dogs lack the ability to correctly break down the cellulose wall that plants are surrounded by so we need to assist them. It is not uncommon to see vegetables exiting the body looking similarly to when they went in. When feeding raw vegetables for teeth and gum health we are not necessarily feeding for nutrition so that is acceptable.

To maximize the nutritional benefits of raw plant ingredients we need to get vegetables as close to a puree as possible. The Vitamix and L’Equip are two blenders that we recommend for make Augustine’s SuperFood™. For larger batches we recommend Robot Coupe.

Dogs can digest cooked vegetables so alternatively, you can either steam or cook the vegetables if preferred. Please remember that just like us, dogs are electrical beings with a “life-force”. We are all made of energy and it makes sense to consume fresh food that is not over-cooked and devoid of nutrients. The less processing, the more we maintain the structural integrity and beneficial frequencies of the food.

As discussed above, the more we process food the more nutrients we destroy. Dogs are designed to consume raw meat and we should respect that, however there are some exceptions…

If feeding farmed animals that are transported to abattoirs and are made to line up to be slaughtered, they are highly stressed, which in turn alters protein composition, vitamin content and minerals and notably, their cortisol levels are elevated and this is passed on to our dogs when they consume the meat. Cooking the meat helps to burn-off the high cortisol levels.

If a dog is severely immune-compromised it can be beneficial to consume cooked meat to avoid illness from bacteria and pathogens, but we do stress that this is for severely immune-compromised dogs.

When mixed with high protein and low-fat game meats, the original versions of Augustine's SuperFood™ contain no less than 15.5% protein (calculated on a fresh matter basis).

There are varying reports that claim the optimum protein levels for a dog are between 20% and 30% of their daily food intake. Here is where it gets tricky... Something that is extremely overlooked is that these figures refer to a dry matter basis, hence why dry food appears to have very high protein levels.

Dry food lacks moisture, so to get an accurate idea of how much protein a dog actually has on a daily basis you would have to take into consideration just how much more water a dog would drink on a dry food diet compared to a fresh food diet which contained much more moisture to begin with. Once you add how much water a dog consumes into the equation, the protein levels of a dry food diet decline and start to resemble the protein levels of fresh moist food.

The most overlooked part of working out how much protein to put in a dog’s diet is the fact that dogs do not just eat a staple diet every day. Some dogs are given treats, others get bones and all dogs sniff out things to consume while out on walks or in the yard.

By the time Augustine and Faith’s day is finished they will have their rations of training treats and foods that help keep their teeth and gums healthy. Their protein intake will easily end up being anywhere between 25% and 30%.

It is also more important to focus on the quality and digestibility of the protein rather than the quantity. Quality proteins in dog food are much like the quality of cars. There are V8’s and then there are V8’s. Our proteins come from fresh organic food. They do not come from animal meal concentrates of questionable origins.

When dogs are fed appropriately, they naturally assume their perfect weight and do not need heavy dieting. It is vital that dogs consume plenty of good quality fats because this is where they get their energy. The secret in Augustine’s SuperFood™ is that when mixed with a lean meat (original versions), its main source of fat is composed predominately of medium chain triglycerides. The same applies for the vegan recipes that do not require meat. MCT’s are very special and are not like other fats. They go straight to the liver and get converted into energy. The more energy your dog has, the more it exercises, the more it exercises, the leaner it stays, the leaner it stays, the less chance of obesity related issues.

Dogs consuming Augustine’s SuperFood™ regularly without the use of processed treats are lean and muscular.

Would you like to feed the highest quality Golden Paste to your dog or cat? As the image above suggests, you may already be doing so without realizing.

We are supremely confident that our lecithin is not only the best quality found anywhere in the world, but it is also much more effective than black pepper at improving the bio-availability of turmeric’s anti-cancer properties.

The amount of curcumin found in the turmeric used to make Augustine’s SuperBoost® is approximately 6%!

Let’s not forget that it is the same Turmeric Powder and Lecithin Powder that we mix with our Raw Coconut Oil to produce for topical use and while the results are impressive, the best part is that the SuperHeal™ recipe is free!
You can additionally feed your own home made or purchased golden paste or our SuperHeal™ as a bonus, but it is not overly necessary.

It is beneficial to have a bowl full of hardened Raw Coconut Oil (refrigerate if need be) for dogs to lick for approximately 20 seconds a few minutes after each meal. It is anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and promotes fresh breath.

The one limitation of any fresh food diet is that it is relatively soft and does not exercise the jaw and/or help to clean the teeth and gums. It is the rubbing action on the teeth and gums that helps to clean teeth.

The right fresh, raw bones and/or vegetables are essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. It's not just about helping keep teeth clean, dogs also need to exercise their teeth and gums to keep them in good health. It is important to have fresh bones to grind and chomp on. If they don’t use them, they risk losing them. The hidden repercussions of dental diseases can include liver and kidney disease, heart and lung issues, and upset stomachs, not to mention terrible breath.

Like human teeth, it is important to not allow plaque build-up. Although bones and vegetables help with the actual cleaning of teeth by rubbing plaque away, the best way to clean canine teeth is by brushing them, just like we do.

I can appreciate that it is near impossible for most people to brush their dog’s teeth, so I recommend the next best thing - give them fresh bones and/or certain vegetables (e.g. carrots and zucchinis). Depending on your dog’s size and strength, in between or as a replacement for bones and vegetables, you can try goat horns or naturally-shed antlers (preferably elk over deer). Alternating between these is ideal. You can cover them in Raw Coconut Oil while it is in liquid state and refrigerate them for a few minutes until the oil hardens before serving. This will make them more tasty and healthier. Feeding raw, whole vegetables is done for the sake of teeth and gum health and not so much for nutrition. It is also a good way to keep dogs busy and stimulated. Remember, it is the rubbing action that helps to remove plaque.

There is a myth that raw bones are bad for dogs. Rawhide and alike are much more dangerous. Not only can dogs choke on the pieces, they can get sick because the stuff is indigestible. Bones, on the other hand, get softened up fairly quickly in a dog’s stomach because they have strong digestive enzymes made for that purpose. There is always a possibility that a dog will choke on a piece of bone, especially if it’s small and they try to swallow it whole. But they can choke on anything. We just need to keep an eye on our dogs to make sure they are safe. Canines have teeth made for ripping raw meat and jaws made for crunching raw bones. It’s natural for them.

Dogs in the wild would eat every 3-4 days if they were lucky, indeliberately harnessing the healing and health benefits of fasting. The trouble today is that dogs eat too much, too often, and usually not the right foods. For this reason, I do not recommend feeding bones daily but rather at the most every 3-4 days. In between or as a replacement to bones you can feed vegetables covered in Raw Coconut Oil as discussed above.

It is also a myth that dogs will get salmonella from fresh, raw meat and don’t worry about raw eggs. In fact, raw eggs are great for dogs. Eggs provide great nutrients, including Omega 3’s and 6’s.

Different bones suit different dogs, so be sure to select a bone that suits the dog’s age, size and strength. Look for bones that are soft enough to be broken down and eventually swallowed. Bones need to be hard enough to rub away at plague but soft enough to not cause damage. Giving dogs big, unbreakable bones can wear down their teeth prematurely as well as causing chips, difficulties with digestion and can be more of a choking hazard. I recommend giving your dog something to grind on every 1-2 days. You can even insert Augustine’s SuperFood™ into bones or toys and keep your dog busy for hours.

To learn more about dental health please view the blog entry Teeth & Gum Health by Brian Borg.

Yes. The Augustine’s SuperFood™ recipes are provided to you for inspiration. Firstly, we ask that you stick to the recipes without deviation for 14 days – we’d like you to see what is possible.

From there you are welcome to alter the recipes to suit your time constraints and budget as well as to provide variety for your dog.

You can:
- Alternate the type of meat you use.
- Replace vegetables. For example, you can replace broccoli with celery.
- Alter the ratios in order to add in other vegetables. For example, you can use 50% of the recommended amount of broccoli and add 50% of celery.

*Please note that it is not advised to deviate too much from the recipes to ensure your dogs are receiving adequate nutrition.

Feeding treats seems to be synonymous with having a dog, but we rarely ask why we them feed treats. I can think of five main reasons:

1. To supplement the diet with additional nutrients.
2. For teeth and gum health.
3. For training purposes.
4. Social conditioning and habit as a direct result of pet food marketing.
5. Out of guilt.

To learn more please you can view the full article Why do we feed our dogs treats?

There are thousands of treats on supermarket shelves that contain numerous additives, flavourings and nasties, none of which contribute to improving the health of our dogs.

The vast majority of pet treat companies rely on marketing to gain consumer confidence and divert peoples attention from reading the labels. A simple Google search will show you that the majority of ingredients in these products are not only of not benefit to our dogs, but they are potentially causing serious harm over time.

My opinion is that we should keep it simple and feed fresh meats, vegetables and fruit. Yes, there are other novelty treats and ingredients we can feed but the above mentioned should be regular staples.

To read more please view the full article What are the best treats to feed my dog?

In short, yes!

All science starts with an observation, which leads to a hypothesis and then on to trials.

There’s no way to say the following without admitting that I’m a poop watcher. Let’s be honest - observing your best friend’s poop is a great way to get an indication of physical health.

When I first fed the vegan recipes of Augustine’s SuperFood™ to my dogs I made an interesting observation. I was astounded by how large Augustine’s poop was on the vegan recipe. Even my little Maltese, Mishka’s poop looked like it came from a dog twice her size.

That’s when this enthusiastic poop watcher had an epiphany. I thought back to conversations about dogs who couldn’t express their anal glands through raw diets with bones and realized…it’s less about how hard a dog squeezes when pooping and more about how wide the anus expands.

This makes sense to me. Bones in the diet partially dissolve during the digestive process, creating those small firm poops raw feeders are so proud of! But sometimes these little poops are too small to expand the anus wide enough to naturally express the glands.

While the vegan versions of Augustine’s SuperFood™ are the best way forward 2-3 times a week for dogs with serious anal gland issues, the original versions are enough for most dogs to help them naturally express their anal glands. Truth be told, all three of my dogs have never had anal gland issues on the original recipes.

To read more please view the full article Express Your Dogs Anal Glands Naturally Through Diet!

Absolutely! At a minimum you can even mix Augustine’s SuperBoost® well into any other food using Raw Coconut Oil. Augustine’s SuperFood®, Augustine’s SuperBoost® and Raw Coconut Oil are all very healthy for pregnant and lactating dogs. If a lactating dog is depleted, you are welcome to feed a little more than the feeding guides suggest.

Every animal has different tastes and interests so it is natural from time to time for some dogs to not immediately take to Augustine’s SuperFood™. Additionally, many dogs trying our recipes for the first time are switching from heavily processed foods that are full of strong and unnatural flavours designed to keep dogs interested.

If your dog does not like the food, a good starting point is to sear the meat lightly and allow it to cool before mixing it into Augustine’s SuperFood™. This helps to bring out the juices and flavour. Please ensure that you are using powder-free and latex-free food-handling gloves to mix it all together very well and prevent your dog from separating the meat from Augustine’s SuperFood™.

If that does not work, the next step is to cook the meat well.

Failing that, you can try increasing the amount of meat and reducing the amount of Augustine’s SuperFood™, and gradually reverting to the correct amounts in the feeding guide over the period of 1-2 weeks.

You can also try changing the meat you are feeding.