Introducing the New Dog Chef Range of Functional Wholefoods for Dogs

Our journey so far

Many years ago, my husband and I set out on this journey to achieve one thing — to improve the health of our German Shepherd Dog, Marco when veterinary intervention had failed so miserably.

Along with feeding him a fresh food diet, one of the first things we did was to introduce a number of functional wholefoods into his diet — functional wholefoods that included chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, nettle leaf, spirulina and nutritional yeast.

We promised ourselves back then that one day we would introduce our own range of functional wholefoods for dogs so that other pet parents could get to witness the improvements they can bring to their own pet’s health.

It’s been a while coming, but it’s finally here at last!

What are functional wholefoods?

As mentioned in the introduction, functional wholefoods for dogs are foodstuffs — unprocessed or minimally processed — that provide nutritional benefits beyond simply filling a void in your dog’s tummy. Foods with fringe benefits if you like!

The key difference lies in biological utility. While any food can satisfy hunger, simple fillers merely stop your dog’s stomach from growling whereas functional wholefoods actively optimise its body’s performance and long-term health.

Refined carbohydrates or ultra-processed dog foods quickly stretch the stomach walls sending immediate “full” signals to your dog’s brain. But because they lack fibre and protein, its body digests them rapidly. Insulin spikes to handle the sudden rush of glucose leading to a blood sugar crash shortly after. The result: your dog feels fatigued and hungry again within a short period of time.

Functional wholefoods on the other hand contain bioactive compounds that go beyond basic nutrition to target specific bodily functions such as soluble fibre for heart health, omega-3 fatty acids for brain function and probiotics for gut health. They take longer to break down, promoting the release of long-term fullness hormones. As a result, your dog has constant physical energy, sharper mental focus and a prolonged feeling of fullness.

A few commercial dog treats for example fill the stomach temporarily but cause an almost immediate crash. An oatmeal treat topped with chia seeds and blueberries on the other hand provides beta-glucans for heart health together with antioxidants for brain function and sustained energy.

So chia seeds have become the first in our range of functional wholefoods for dogs.