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Batch Cook with Bailey, London (2024)

17/08/2024

If you are working with a canine nutritionist who is recommending an elimination diet, make sure that the food they are telling you to feed to do the elimination diet is complete.
If they are telling you to cook one protein and some vegetables that is not complete.
Vitamin deficiency can present as intolerances. The length of time that it takes to do an elimination diet (which can vary) is a length of time that feeding a non complete diet will have an impact.
Elimination diets must be done with a complete diet.
Complete nutrition is vitally important.
You can’t wing nutrition for dogs.
For my nutrition clients who want to cook I use software that helps me ensure the recipes are FEDIAF complete.
For my clients who want to do elimination diets I use a truly single protein complete food. I don’t make it complicated. It’s a simple process. But they will at all times be receiving a complete nutrition profile.
Make sure your nutritionist is using FEDIAF balanced recipes, or is recommending a complete food.
If you’d like a chat about your dogs diet pop me an email on [email protected]

30/07/2024

In the UK the market for pet supplements is worth around £100 million and growing at 7% per year.

It’s big bucks and it trades on knowing that you’ll do anything to make your dog live as long as possible.

Are pet supplements regulated and safe? There are no precise rules or regulations for pet supplements in the UK.

In MOST cases those supplements and multivitamins are COMPLETELY unnecessary.

If you’re feeding a high quality balanced dog food (of whatever type) it’s balanced and you shouldn’t be adding additional omegas, vitamins or other things to boost that food. It’s already balanced. There’s one dog multivitamin on the market that I see everywhere that particularly drives me nuts as they can’t tell you the breakdown of the vitamins…. Unbelievable.
If you’re cooking for your dog or home prepping raw you may well have to add a supplement in the form of vitamin E, Zinc, omega-3 among others. But this should be done with a nutritionist to ensure balance.

If there is a specific medical requirement, a deficiency consult a canine nutritionist and add appropriately

I do use supplements! Soil based probiotics and very high quality joint supplements for my two are regular additions.

But always know why you’re doing it, and don’t add randomly. At best you’re wasting your money and at worst you’re unbalancing their food

If you’d like a bespoke nutrition consultation email me on [email protected]

22/07/2024

One year ago today I picked up a tiny staffie puppy who was the size of a mouse.

Tiny, exhausted from her traumatic beginning and riddled with Giardia she was a very sorry sight.

Today that tiny what I thought was a staffie is this ginormous mastiff who does not lack confidence in any way shape nor form and couldn’t give a stuff about her traumatic beginning because she’s living life with all her enthusiasm and is little Miss Popular Pants everywhere she goes.

2.9kg to 45kg in 12 months. Well done Betty 🤣
Big beautiful Betty.

My wilful, joyous, clown of a k**b dog. You’ve destroyed most of my things and eaten all of my money, but I do love you.

Alan loving you is definitely still a work in progress but one day 🤞🏼

07/07/2024

Alans grass allergies have been horrible this year.
For those who’ve followed me while, you’ll know that Alan hasn’t always had allergies. They were stress induced after we lost Bailey and Tabitha so tragically and so close together a year ago.
They came back this year though.
He’s intolerant to chicken but summer grass/ pollen in the killer.
These are photos of the last two weeks - from his super bad flare up, covered in bumps, sore skin and chewing his skin to today where his skin is smooth and his fur is already coming back and he doesn’t scratch. He’s got a bit to go till his fur is back in perfect condition but I’m thrilled with the progress.
How have we dealt with it?
Wiping him down with iodine and green tea after every walk.
bovine colostrum once a day in food
PEA (Palmitoylethanolamide) added to food daily
Reducing histamines in his diet as much as humanely possible

If you’d like to talk about managing itchiness email [email protected]

29/06/2024

Intolerances - it’s not the same as an allergy.
An intolerance is a gut response, an allergy is an immune response.
Dog’s with protein intolerances typically have upset stomachs and are gassy. The poor gut heath caused by intolerances can lead to itchiness.
There are saliva tests that you can do to identify what intolerances your dog has - this will help massively to identify your dog’s dietary requirements to manage appropriately.
Alternatively you can do an elimination diet.
When considering an elimination diet be very careful. Just some things to consider…
🐶 elimination diets must still be nutritionally complete. Some deficiencies can cause symptoms that look like intolerances. Plus having a nutritionally complete diet is vital for health and longevity.
🐶 is the food you’re feeding genuinely single protein. Check ingredients and check again.
🐶 is one of the other non protein ingredients in the food causing a reaction.
🐶 what is the fat content of the food. Richness can be the cause of a dog getting an upset stomach which would look like a reoccurrence of the intolerance but is in fact the fat content.
🐶 deciding what proteins to trial. If you know a safe protein then great. If not good choices are foods not typically used in commercial pet food - we call them ‘novel’ proteins. Goat. Venison. Horse. They’re all worth considering.

If you would like to talk about how to do an elimination diet properly or if you think that your dog might be suffering from intolerances email me on [email protected]

23/06/2024

Betty’s sister is found!!!!! 💕

14/06/2024

Feeding raw doesn’t equal feeding well. (Same for home cooked food)
I like raw feeding. But I only like raw feeding when it’s done properly.
There are only 2 types of ways I recommend feeding raw. Buying a complete food that meets FEDIAF guidelines or preparing yourself using a recipe formulated by a nutritionist using software to ensure balance. (Not a nutritionist who wings it - some will)
Many, many raw foods on the market are extremely unclear about their ingredients. If they don’t state the ratio of offal, and what type of offal and if they don’t list more ingredients than meat, bone, offal and vegetables- it’s not balanced. Even if it says on the packet ‘complete’ it’s very unlikely to be.
You are looking for specific ingredients on the list - what protein and what secreting organ.
You are looking for balanced to FEDIAF guidelines.
If you are feeding a pre prepared 80:10:10 mix its not complete. It’s likely missing a whole range of vitamins and minerals including choline, zinc, omega-3 and fibre. It’s a great base. But it must be added to.
If the raw is cheap please be extremely cautious. Raw feeding isn’t the cheapest way to feed. Anyone who says it is, is likely missing some very vital nutrients in their feeding.
With puppies this is even more important- too much calcium for example in puppies caused bone deformity.
It’s better to feed a high quality balanced kibble than an unbalanced raw. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies always have consequences.
These are some of the ingredients for Betty and Alan this week. All recipes fed to them are balanced using software to ensure they’re getting what they need.

If you have any questions or would like to a nutrition consultation email [email protected]

05/06/2024

A very practical and quick bowl!
I’ve been rubbish at posting recently as with setting up the business , looking after the dogs and working with nutrition clients I’ve been too busy to cook as I normally would!
Back on it this week!
Betty’s bowl has raw complete lamb recipe
Alans bowl has turkey keep me trim recipe.
Alan has his PEA and bovine colostrum for his itchy grass allergies
Both dogs have the same joint supplement.

Why am I giving joint support to young dogs?
Alan as many of you know had knee surgery for luxating patella, and as a consequence is likely to have some arthritis in the future. So though he’s 4 he’s now on a daily supplement.

Betty is a big dog. Some of the breeds in her mix are very prone to arthritis in their old age. So though she’s only 1 and still growing this is the perfect time to be supporting her joints for as good a chance of a happy and mobile life into old age.

With joint health prevention is better than cure! Don’t wait till the problem is there especially if you’ve a breed predisposed to joint issues.

Email [email protected] for advice and information on how to support your dogs joints from puppyhood to old age

22/05/2024

I promised a pretty bowl the other day.
I’ve failed to deliver that.
This bowl is entitled ‘I’m launching a new business and my head is full and I swore I’d defrosted some dog food but I haven’t - what do I have in my fridge’
It’s not balanced.
Alans bowl has a quails egg, a turkey gizzard, avocado and tinned sardines.
Betty’s bowl has quails eggs, avocado, tinned sardines and a turkey neck.
Who on earth has weird stuff like that in their fridge you might ask yourself?
Me. I went to the Polish shop yesterday to get something ‘chewy’ as it hasn’t stopped raining. Turkey neck and gizzard was what I got.
Their breakfast was balanced. Tomorrow will better. They found this delicious.
Balance is important but you’re allowed an off day or two 🤣
If you’d like to find out how to balance your dogs fresh food as part of or all of their feeding pop me an email on [email protected]

If you’re interested in following my new venture follow exciting things are afoot!

20/05/2024

There’s exciting things coming to South West London!
From the 1st June I am launching
Baileys Canine Kitchen will be a canine nutrition shop out of this rather beautiful VW Camper van in
I am partnering with only the best brands in canine nutrition making choosing the right diet for your dog easy. There will also be natural dog treats and some supplements (but only the ones that work and benefit my clients specific dog)
Bailey’s Canine Kitchen will also deliver locally for those who don’t have transport or struggle with freezer space.
The van interior is a work in progress (though the dogs seem keen already)
The brands I am partnering with will be announced in the coming week over on
Exciting and scary!!
Batch Cook with Bailey remains for bespoke nutrition consultations for home cooked foods and dogs with special requirements.
Give us a follow and if you’re in SW London watch this space - hopefully I will see you soon! 💕

20/05/2024

I wish dog food influencers would stop recommending to add crushed egg shells as a topper to your dog’s food. I don’t know whether it’s my algorithm but it’s everywhere.
Or one influencer ‘canine enrichment’ account who recommended you saved all your egg shells and used them in a bowl as canine enrichment for your puppy to crunch and play with. No. No. No.
If you’re feeding a balanced food whether it’s kibble, wet, a fresh food brand or complete raw, it will already contain all the calcium your dog needs. Don’t add more.
Eggshells are roughly 40% calcium, with each gram providing 381–401 mg
It’s particularly dangerous to overfeed calcium to growing puppies. Calcium is needed for strong bones but is harmful in excess. Pups, unlike adult dogs, cannot adequately regulate how much dietary calcium they absorb from the intestinal tract. Sometimes they absorb and retain too much calcium, which can cause skeletal malformations. (This is true of overfeeding bones to growing puppies too)
It’s less risky for adult dogs but still can cause the malabsorption of other nutrients.
Having said that calcium is very, very commonly a missing nutrient in home cooked dog food and ground egg shells in the right quantities can supply that requirement. Personally I use bone meals as the calcium source in most of my recipes not egg shell, but eggs shell is fine.
So please stop adding egg shells, unless you’re not feeding a balanced diet already and the calcium is missing. In which case get a formulated recipe that gives you the right quantity to feed for your dog’s particular life stage.

13/05/2024

Continuing the theme of cost from the other day.
People ask me a lot about what the monthly cost of feeding is. I can’t tell you exactly as how you shop makes an enormous difference.
I will never claim that fresh feeding is the cheapest option. I see people saying all the time in raw feeding groups that everything you spend extra you save at the vet, and honestly that’s unlikely to be true.
Diet can be therapeutic for almost every condition. It does not cure every condition and there are other factors that cause conditions that aren’t diet - so if your dog has a condition and you feed kibble don’t feel bad. Poor diet can be a contributing factor but when I talk about poor diets my biggest concern is ‘not nutritionally complete’ or ‘balanced’ that will definitely cause health issues eventually.
I generally cook. I also feed raw sometimes but honestly my dogs prefer eating cooked food and so I do it for them.
There are some good complete raw companies out there and some good home cooked companies (they’re are also some not good ones that are still expensive so be cautious). I cook because I couldn’t afford these diets for a dog Betty’s size. Alan it would be more manageable.
I said that I estimated that home cooking for Betty costs around £45 per week.
That’s not true this week. Aldi had 50% off beef. How much did I buy? Loads. This week it’s probably under £30.
Shopping around makes a massive difference- go to the discount aisle in the supermarket. Check the cost per kilo not just the packet price. Go to your local Chinese Supermarket, Polish supermarket, markets or butcher and talk to them. The muscle meat portion of the recipe is your biggest cost. But check fat content - often off cuts/ trimmings etc are too high in fat so be mindful.
I absolutely prefer fresh feeding. I’ve seen fresh feeding help dogs health. There are ways to reduce the cost. You don’t have to fresh feed 100% of the time. However, it’s still more expensive than kibble.
If you’re interested in improving your dogs diet, or struggling with gut health and allergies email [email protected]

09/05/2024

Quail eggs and chicken eggs are both nutritious. However, there are some differences between them in terms of size, appearance, taste, and nutritional content.
Quail eggs are smaller than chicken eggs, so you would need about three to four quail eggs to equal one chicken egg. Quail eggs have a larger yolk-to-white ratio, which gives them a slightly richer taste than chicken eggs. Quails eggs don’t carry a salmonella. This is due to the fact that quail eggs have an increased amount of lysozyme - an antimicrobial enzyme - which kills harmful bacteria. Also, quails have a higher body temperature than chickens which appears to aid them in protective features from sickness. In terms of nutrition, quail eggs and chicken eggs have similar amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and water per 100 grams. However, quail eggs have more fat, calories, iron, vitamin B12 (a common deficiency in dogs with leaky gut), folate, riboflavin, selenium, and phosphorus than chicken eggs. Chicken eggs have more choline, which is important for brain and liver health and is a common deficiency in fresh fed dogs.
Eggs are better poached. One of the causes of biotin deficiencyis found in people eating raw egg diets, rich in avidin, a protein that strongly binds biotin and prevents its intestinal absorption. Biotin serves many roles throughout a dog’s life, supporting the immune system, promoting growth during puppyhood, and helping to maintain muscle composition as your dog enters their golden years.

09/05/2024

Complete Tray bake for the dogs to FEDIAF standards
What’s in the bake?
Turkey mince
Lamb liver
Ox kidney
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Beetroot
Savoy cabbage
Sardines in spring water
Mushrooms
Garlic
Ginger
Thyme
Cinamon
Bone meal
Kelp
Buckwheat flour
Eggs
Wheatgerm oil

Ensuring that your home prepared food is balanced and contains everything your dog needs is important. I love fresh feeding! I can help you ensure that the foods you’re preparing are meeting your dogs nutritional needs.

If you’d like to learn how to prepare balanced cooked or raw food as part of your dogs diet or all of your dogs diet email [email protected]

06/05/2024

As an owner, having a dog who doesn’t eat is distressing.
If your dog won’t eat or is very reluctant to eat then go to the vet. There are many underlying health issues that can cause your dog to be reluctant to eat. Kidney disease, liver disease, infections, dental disease and even cancer. Always get it checked out.
Often if they’re refusing to eat they feel nauseous for some reason.
The next is gut health. An uncomfortable digestive tract kills appetite. Look at other symptoms like gurgly stomach, less than great poo, parping and reflux.
If you’ve ruled these out then ask yourself is your dog really not eating. I often come across with people with normal or even overweight dogs telling me their dog is fussy or doesn’t want to eat. Be honest with yourself. How many bites from your plate, sausages, training snacks, enrichment feeders, treats and chews are they eating. Calories count. Just because they’re not eating from their bowl doesn’t mean they’re not eating. But importantly you’re right, they’re not eating a balanced diet. Cut out the treats - they’re not doing your dog any favours and they’re filling them up.
While there may be other reasons also think about the palatability of their food. Is it just boring and not very nice? I’m a big believer in your dog has a short life, 99.9% of the joy in their short life comes from you - the things you do, the things you provide, the time spent and food. If your dog really doesn’t like something, don’t feed it. Or add to it to make it more interesting. As long as the diet you’re feeding is healthy and balanced it’s also really important that your dog enjoys it.

If you want advice on appetite, nutrition, improving gut health or changing your dogs diet email [email protected]

06/05/2024

Spent the last two days thinking ‘I need to do a batch for the dogs’ and then not doing it because I’m really tired.
And then I thought actually I’ll just post about my back up for when I’m frazzled.
99.8% of the time I cook for my dogs (or there abouts). Sometimes if I’m ill, run down, mad busy or just having one of those weekends I feed and always have a few in the freezer.
It’s a great food.
I don’t feed it as my main food as it’s out of my budget honestly - especially for Betty.
But if you’re worried about embarking on a fresh feeding journey because of the commitment to ALWAYS have to cook. Don’t think you can’t have a back up plan in the cupboard for the days when you’re frazzled. Or even for half the time. You can.
By the way I’ve no links to Different Dog, I just think they’re a good option 😊
If you want advice on your dog’s diet, no matter the route you’d like to take combination, raw, cooked, kibble or whatever email [email protected]

I’ll definitely cook the batch tomorrow 100% 🤣

30/04/2024

I see so much these days on enrichment feeding.
Before everyone shouts at me, hear me out.
Enrichment feeding has been studied to improve the lives of animals in captivity. Lions who are made to climb, chase & pounce are going to be in better condition & less bored than those who are fed a meal they don’t have to move for.
I am not saying that feeding your dog a frozen Kong or a chew, or a Lickimat isn’t great for keeping your dog busy when you are pushed for time & need some peace – its is. I use it with Betty.
But it’s not what I would classify as enrichment – its just occupying them for a while. It also in some cases can increase stress in a hungry dog who’s frustrated that they can’t just eat what is in front of them.
Enrichment activities are things that tap into what your dog was bred for – herding, tracking, chasing, ragging whatever your breed is – there is a genetic purpose there. Fulfilling that requirement is enrichment.
I’m not saying keeping your dog busy is a bad thing. I do it when I am pushed for time. Alan and Betty love a pizzle and they very infrequently will get one & when dogs are puppies they save you from being driven round the bend sometimes.
I love feeding raw meaty bones – but not in addition to their food – I recommend only feeding as part of their food for the calcium content. And if I am honest the ‘recreational’ bones concern me with tooth fractures & in the ability of large breeds to break massive chunks off which can be dangerous. I only recommend bones appropriate to a dog’s size & they don’t tend to be very enriching because of the speed in which they disappear.
I have recently worked with a lot of clients who’s dog’s diets are being thrown out nutritionally – both from a vitamin & mineral requirement & a calorie requirement – because of enrichment feeding which is probably not that enriching.
Cont in comments…

28/04/2024

Another complete oven bake for Betty
🥩 venison chunks
🥩 beef mince
🦃 turkey mince
♥️ venison heart
🐄 ox kidney
🐑 lamb liver
🌻 sunflower seeds
🎃 pumpkin seed
🎣 wild salmon tinned
🦪 mussels
🍠 sweet potato
🍄‍🟫 sh*take mushroom
🧄 garlic
🌿 thyme
🦴 bonemeal
🍃 kelp powder
🥚 eggs
🥬 cabbage
🫑 red pepper

To find out how to balance your dogs meals whether cooked, raw or a mixture of cooked and kibble email [email protected]

24/04/2024

As you know I love fresh feeding when it’s done right.
When fresh feeding is done without using a formulated plan or a premade and formulated bought food it can be very detrimental - especially for puppies

Puppies nutritional requirements aren’t the same as adult dogs. It is a time when they are growing and building their bodies for their lifetime. It’s vital that nutrition isn’t ’winged’ during this vital period of their lives.

Puppies grow quickly, maturing to adulthood by the time they are 10-12 months of age for small and medium sized breeds and 18-24 months for large and giant breeds.
Growth rates for puppies vary by breed and involve a complex process of interactions among genetics, nutrition, and the environment. Proper nutrition is critical to the health and development of puppies, regardless of breed, and it directly influences their immune system and body composition.

When choosing a diet for your growing puppy it is important to understand the key nutrients: protein, fat, calcium, and digestible carbohydrates as well as providing all the vitamins and minerals needed for your puppy to thrive.

For example calcium is needed for strong bones but is harmful in excess. Pups, unlike adult dogs, cannot adequately regulate how much dietary calcium they absorb from the intestinal tract. Sometimes they absorb and retain too much calcium, which can cause skeletal malformations. This is particularly seen in large breed dogs.

When choosing a diet for your puppy look for a quality food balanced to FEDIAF guidelines or work with a nutritionist who can give you recipes balanced to FEDIAF guidelines for a puppy. Whether you choose raw, home cooked, wet or kibble it’s vital your puppy is receiving proper nutrition

If you need help email [email protected]

22/04/2024

Feeding Betty costs me about £45 a week.
Bear in mind she’s a giant 44kg 11 month old mastiff.
She’ll go through the recipe I’m making today in just under a week - it’s a loaf recipe which is saving me heaps of time at the moment. It’s different to the one I posted the other day, different ingredients and proteins but both complete.

Where does that sit in comparison to other feeding methods?
Premium kibble - more expensive
All pre-prepared home cooked diets - way cheaper
All complete (FEDIAF) raw foods - way cheaper
Premium tinned foods - comparative or cheaper

There are much cheaper ways to feed her if I’m not comparing to premium brands and if I got stuck I’d feed her that.

Alan is tiny so cost is less of a factor for his food.
I’m actually feeding him at the moment because I don’t want to cook two different things as I’m super tight on time and their needs are wildly different currently. He’ll go back to home cooked soon but for the moment I’m just giving myself some time back.

The loaf I am making today is balanced to FEDIAF guidelines
This recipe has beef mince and lamb mince from the reduced aisle in Sainsbury’s (go at the end of the day)
The beef liver and beef kidney from
Bone meal from
Kelp from
Turkey gizzards, pork tongue, savoy cabbage, sunflower seeds, sweet potato and eggs from my local Polish shop. (I find them really reasonable)
Frozen sardines and frozen mussels from my local fishmonger
Tinned salt free wild salmon, ginger, garlic, pumpkin seeds and thyme from

When I adopted Betty I thought I was adopting a 20kg as an adult staffie. That was incorrect 🤣. If I end up not being able to 100% fresh feed her one day I’m not going to feel bad about it. She has a great life.

I love fresh feeding. I believe in it, my dogs thrive on it. Feeding well balanced fresh food is fantastic. I love fresh ingredients. With Bailey I saw the incredible difference it made to his gut issues & demeanour. His reactivity almost disappeared.

However, thing of greatest value in all my dogs lives has been the security I give them & the amount of fun we have together. 💕

Batch Cook with Bailey

17/08/2024

30/07/2024

22/07/2024

07/07/2024

29/06/2024

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14/06/2024

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09/05/2024

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