Over the years, I’ve spoken to thousands of loving pet parents. Almost every conversation starts with the same reassuring sentence:
“I don’t feed kibble. I cook fresh food for my dog every day.”
And every single time, I smile because I know it comes from a place of love.
But then I ask, “What does your dog’s meal usually look like?”
The answer is often: Boiled chicken and rice. Sometimes an egg. Occasionally a few vegetables.
While this is undoubtedly better than feeding leftovers from our own plate, it still isn’t a nutritionally complete diet. And that’s something many pet parents simply aren’t aware of.
Fresh Doesn’t Always Mean Balanced
As an Animal Naturopath and Canine Nutritionist, I firmly believe that fresh food is one of the greatest gifts we can give our dogs.However, fresh food without balance can quietly create nutritional deficiencies over time.
Unlike us, dogs cannot choose what goes into their bowl. They rely entirely on us to provide every nutrient their body needs, not just today, but every single day.
A truly balanced meal isn’t just meat.
It should include the right proportions of:
- High-quality muscle meat
- Calcium from edible bones
- Liver
- Other secreting organs
- Fibre-rich vegetables
- Healthy fats
- Essential vitamins and minerals
- Functional herbs and seeds
Every ingredient has a role to play.
When these nutrients are missing or present in the wrong proportions, it may affect
immunity, digestion, skin and coat quality, joint health, growth, hormonal balance, energy levels and long-term vitality.This is why canine nutrition is much more than simply putting fresh ingredients into a bowl.
It’s about creating balance.
Why Working With a Nutritionist Matters
One of the biggest myths in pet nutrition is that adding a few vegetables or sprinkling supplements over food automatically makes it complete.It doesn’t.
A balanced diet requires understanding nutrient interactions, calcium-to-phosphorus ratios, organ percentages, digestibility, bioavailability and species-appropriate nutrition.
This is exactly why consulting a qualified canine nutritionist can make such a difference.
My goal has never been to make feeding complicated. Instead, it’s to help pet parents feed confidently, knowing every bowl supports their dog’s health rather than unknowingly creating deficiencies.
The Other Extreme: Ultra-Processed Pet Food
Unfortunately, many dogs today are also eating diets made almost entirely from ultra-processed foods.
These products often undergo intense heat processing, which can reduce naturally
occurring nutrients. Synthetic vitamins and minerals are then added back to compensate.
Many also contain highly refined carbohydrates, fillers and heavily processed ingredients that bear little resemblance to real food.
While they certainly offer convenience, I don’t believe convenience should come at the cost of long-term health.
Just as we increasingly choose fresh, minimally processed foods for ourselves, our dogs deserve the same consideration.
Fresh Food Is the Future
Nothing can truly replace real, wholesome ingredients.
Fresh food provides naturally occurring nutrients in forms that the body can easily recognise and utilise. It supports healthier digestion, stronger immunity, healthier skin and coat, lean muscle development and overall vitality.
But fresh food should never mean guesswork.
It should always be balanced.
Life Gets Busy… And That’s Okay
Let’s be honest.
Not everyone has the time to shop for multiple ingredients, calculate nutrient ratios, prepare balanced meals and cook every single day.
Between work, family, travel and everyday responsibilities, life gets hectic.
And that’s perfectly okay.
No pet parent should feel guilty for wanting a healthier option that’s also practical.
Why I Created Tojo & Don Slow-Cooked Complete Meals
This is exactly why I created Tojo & Don Slow-Cooked Complete Meals.
When I formulated these recipes, my goal was simple:
To make fresh, balanced nutrition easy and accessible for every pet parent.
Every recipe is thoughtfully designed from a canine nutrition perspective using wholesome ingredients in species-appropriate proportions.
Each meal contains:
- 76% premium-quality meat
- 5% liver
- 5% other nutrient-rich secreting organs
- 2% soft edible bones
- 2% bone powder for balanced calcium
- 8% fresh vegetables
- 2% carefully selected seeds and functional herbs
The meals are slow-cooked at low temperatures to retain maximum nutrition while improving digestibility and preserving natural flavour.
No shortcuts.
No unnecessary fillers.
Just real ingredients carefully put together to nourish your dog.
Fresh Food Made Convenient
Every meal is delivered frozen, so you can safely store it in your freezer for months.
Simply thaw, serve and watch your dog enjoy real food.
Each box contains 15 convenient 200-gram packs (3 kg total), making portioning effortless while reducing waste.
Whether you feed it every day or keep it on hand for those busy weeks when cooking isn’t possible, you can feel confident that your dog is still receiving a complete and balanced meal.
More Than Just a Product
At Tojo & Don, we don’t just make dog food.
We create meals the same way I would formulate them for my own dogs and for the families who trust me with their pets’ health.
Every recipe reflects the philosophy I’ve practised for years as an Animal Naturopath and Canine Nutritionist:
Fresh food. Thoughtfully balanced. Backed by science. Made with love.
Because our dogs aren’t just pets.
They’re family. And every family member deserves food that helps them live a longer, healthier and happier life.
For more info visit : https://tojoanddon.com | www.ratisaxena.in
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