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In 2022, I used to be launched to Rotational MonoFeeding, and for 5 weeks, I adopted this new (to me) uncooked feeding mannequin with my canines; I did modify a portion of this food regimen that I disagreed with (extra beneath). This uncooked feeding mannequin, like others, makes an attempt to duplicate the feeding habits of wolves and wild canines.
Please be aware that no scientific research assist the validity of this uncooked feeding mannequin. This does not concern me as a result of philosophy precedes science. In different phrases, individuals provide you with a idea after which comply with it up with scientific research that take a look at it. Nevertheless, I did try to search out science that helps the tenets of RMF as I wrote this weblog put up.
After studying the e-book, a number of segments of RMF made quite a lot of sense. Nevertheless, I did not agree with all its tenets, which resulted in a disturbing interplay with its founder, Nora Lenz. This weblog put up covers my preliminary ideas on RMF and the interplay I skilled with Nora Lenz three years later.
What’s Rotational MonoFeeding?
RMF is a food regimen that believes canines would not naturally eat meat and greens on the identical day. It is believed that canines would gorge on meat someday, forage on vegetation (accessible fruit and greens) a number of days per week, and quick for a couple of days. That is the one uncooked feeding mannequin the place a canine proprietor can feasibly feed their canine meat a few times per week when on this food regimen.
What About Fats?
Individuals who comply with the rotational monofeeding mannequin consider in feeding a low-fat food regimen.
In my schooling in canine diet, I’ve come to know that dietary fats performs a vital function in a canine’s general well being and well-being. Whereas fats is a crucial power supply and aids in absorbing particular nutritional vitamins, extreme consumption or an imbalanced fats profile in a canine’s food regimen can contribute to irritation and sure illnesses.
Weight problems: Excessive-fat diets can result in weight acquire and weight problems in canines. Chubby canines have an elevated threat of varied well being issues, together with diabetes, arthritis, heart problems, and sure varieties of most cancers.
Pancreatitis: Extreme dietary fats, particularly extremely processed or fatty meals, can set off pancreatitis in prone canines. Pancreatitis is characterised by irritation of the pancreas and could be a severe and doubtlessly life-threatening situation. Recurring bouts of pancreatitis can result in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
Hyperlipidemia: Sure breeds, comparable to Miniature Schnauzers, Shetland Sheepdogs, Beagles, and Collies, are liable to hyperlipidemia, an irregular improve in blood lipid (fats) ranges. Excessive-fat diets can exacerbate this situation and result in issues like pancreatitis or the formation of fatty deposits within the blood vessels.
Gastrointestinal Issues: Some canines might have problem digesting and tolerating excessive ranges of dietary fats, resulting in gastrointestinal points comparable to diarrhea, vomiting, or gastrointestinal upset.
It is very important be aware that not all dietary fats is dangerous to canines. Canine require a certain quantity of dietary fats for a wholesome and balanced food regimen. The main focus must be on offering a well-rounded and applicable food regimen that features important fatty acids whereas avoiding extreme quantities of unhealthy fat.
Is Rotational MonoFeeding “Balanced?”
“Regardless of claims from the veterinary occupation on the contrary, we do not know what optimum nutrient ranges are for canines. We do not even know what optimum ranges are for people!” – web page 41.
READ: NY Instances, Is There an Optimum Food plan for People?
RMF is as balanced as a DIY Prey Mannequin or DIY BARF Mannequin uncooked food regimen that does not make the most of meal formulation software program or nutrient testing. Whereas I recognize the necessity to meet a canine’s dietary wants, I additionally query the assumption that we all know what our canines want. We’ve a giant piece, simply not your complete puzzle.
The RMF neighborhood believes that nobody is aware of what a canine wants nutritionally, and by modeling a canine’s food regimen after wild canines, we’re coming as shut as we will get.
“The concept of ‘stability’ has been used to make house feeding way more difficult than it must be. Canine ‘nutritionists’ and ‘holistic’ vets have been the most important entrepreneurs of this delusion, and the Prey Mannequin Uncooked (PMR) and Bones and Uncooked Meals (BARF) feeding neighborhood have adopted it as nicely, not realizing the impact it has on canine house owners who wish to feed [raw dog food] however are too confused or intimidated to know the place to start.” web page 7
Do I agree?
Sure and no. As I mentioned, I do not suppose anybody is aware of precisely what a canine wants nutritionally – all the software program and formulation providers accessible are getting there, however it’s not 100%. Nevertheless, I do not consider in modeling the food regimen I feed my canines after that of untamed canines as a result of my canines aren’t wild. My canines…
- do not get as a lot train as wild canines
- have been uncovered to vaccinations, in contrast to wild canines
- expertise the stress of dwelling with people
Taking a look at how wild canines eat is a useful begin to higher understanding the best way to mannequin their food regimen. Nevertheless, that is not the place it ends.
In line with the RMF e-book, “PMR and BARF feeders too typically assume when their canines do not do nicely that the issues are brought on by genetics, earlier vaccinations, or nutrient deficiency. Assuming incorrectly that they already doing every little thing appropriately with the food regimen signifies that quite than looking for out the actual causes of illness (that are nearly all the time dietary in origin) uncooked feeders will typically blame different components and resign themselves to illness upkeep or symptom administration.” web page 41
Rattling, it is like she learn my thoughts.
I will deal with the remark about canine nutritionists and holistic veterinarians additional down.
Let’s Speak About Rotational MonoFeeding
In line with RMF, canines have just one chamber of their abdomen, which those that comply with RMF consider signifies that their digestive system is about as much as devour one sort of meals at a time.
Whereas this does not make sense to me (when considering of my food regimen and one-chamber abdomen), Nora shared one thing that made sense as I saved studying.
“Digestion is compromised when meals are mixed, as a result of the acidic nature of the digestive chemical substances required to interrupt down proteins truly neutralize those which can be required to interrupt down carbs. The price of feeding multiple meals at a time is that the share of meals utilized is decreased and waste manufacturing is elevated, which suggests each meals and bodily sources are wasted.” web page 27
The elevated waste manufacturing is the main reason behind illness in canines (pg. 27 of the e-book).
That is the place the mono-feeding is available in.
There was a time when individuals believed that consuming an alkaline food regimen was more healthy, and somebody created alkaline water. The one data I discovered that promoted this food regimen for canines was additionally selling an alkaline (high-carb) pet food. #redflags
Though the reason above helps me perceive separating acid-promoting meals from alkaline-producing meals, I could not discover the science that helps the assumption that feeding meat and greens individually is useful for canines.
- Acid Producing Meals: meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, grains, processed meals
- Alkaline Producing Meals: fruits, greens, nuts, seeds, legumes
Fat fall within the impartial camp.
I continued looking out and finally realized that some professionals consider alkaline water does not work as a result of it is neutralized as soon as it hits the acid within the abdomen. This aligns with the assumption that greens are wasted if fed with protein as a result of the advantages the greens present are neutralized.
However is that this true? I do not know.
Rotational MonoFeeding and Greens
So, if feeding proteins and greens collectively results in illness and a canine’s intestine is very acidic, why feed greens?
In line with RMF, wild canines eat prey someday and spend a couple of days looking their subsequent meal whereas snacking on native vegetation. One of many tenets of RMF is to duplicate, as a lot as we will, the food regimen of untamed canines.
RMF may be very pro-fruits and greens and does not see a problem feeding them to our canines so long as we separate a plant-based meal from a meat-based meal by at the least 12 hours. Some uncooked feeders who comply with the RMF mannequin add a fasting day (or two) between meat and plant days.
The ratios beneficial within the e-book are as follows (the plant-based days are to duplicate scavenging):
- 1:1 – 1 plant day, 1 meat day
- 2:1 – 2 plant days, 1 meat day
- 1:2:1 – 1 plant day, 2 meat days, 1 fasting day
- 3-6:1 – 3-6 plant days, 1 meat day
- 1:4:2 – 1 plant day, 4 meat days, 2 fasting days
- 0:7:0 – all meat days
In relation to feeding greens, cooking is healthier than uncooked, pureed greens as a result of cooking makes greens simpler to digest. The e-book additionally recommends candy potatoes, yams, peas (and different greens), and quinoa (a seed, not a grain).
Plant-Primarily based Days
The primary week of RMF, I made a mix of cauliflower rice, chopped broccoli, chopped candy potatoes (restricted), inexperienced beans, slightly quinoa, and Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm. My canines weren’t impressed and responded to this new food regimen in another way.
- Rodrigo ate his meals so long as it was heat and never mushy. Canned pumpkin or candy potatoes are nice for snacks, however he did not need them to be his meal.
- Scout ate half of his meals and walked away (which is loopy since he is on Prednisone and is all the time hungry).
- Zoey and Apollo ate their meals with no points. If I did not choose up his bowl first, Zoey would have fortunately marched her butt to Scout’s dish to complete his greens.
After the primary week, the canines ate their greens with no points.
In line with the e-book, we should always feed 3-10% of our canines’ physique weight in greens on plant days. I feel this far an excessive amount of, however to offer this food regimen a good shot, I fed my canines 3.5% of their physique weight in greens (roughly 2 lbs. of greens on plant days). I discovered myself hesitant to sincerely comply with the foundations of RMF due to every little thing I’ve realized from different uncooked feeders and holistic veterinarians, which I acknowledge is not giving the food regimen a good likelihood.
The e-book additionally advises us to take heed to our canines and never add something to tempt them to eat their greens. Up to now, I might add an air-dried organ meal topper (from Actual Canine Field), bone broth, or fermented fish inventory to the dish to get them to eat. However not with RMF. As a result of wild canines can go days with out consuming, it is okay for my canines to decide on to not eat their greens.
What About Starvation Pukes?
Once I talked about RMF on my Fb web page, a couple of individuals commented concerning the RMF group encouraging pet dad and mom to disregard starvation pukes and wait for his or her canine’s system to regulate to the brand new food regimen.
My canines will vomit to empty their abdomen once they really feel unwell. To me, this can be a pure response. Starvation pukes aren’t.
Starvation pukes are aggravating for canines and contribute to an unhealthy system. Once I started incorporating fasting days, I began with a modified quick, feeding uncooked goat’s milk or kefir as a substitute of a quick of solely water. It took a few years earlier than I turned comfy with an precise quick (no meals for 20-24 hours), and I now do that a few times per week.
Rotational MonoFeeding and Fats
A nutritionist within the group feeds one plant day per week, and the remainder of the week, she feeds meat as a result of this makes essentially the most sense to her. Studying that jogged my memory that many uncooked feeders modify the mannequin of their alternative to satisfy a person canine’s wants – franken-prey, franken-barf, and now, franken-RMF.
So, I made a decision to maintain fats in my canines’ food regimen as a result of I consider that is an integral a part of my canines’ food regimen.
Advantages of Fats for Canine…
- fats is a superb supply of power, higher than carbs and protein
- fats helps the system higher soak up fat-soluble nutritional vitamins
- fats helps canines really feel fuller for longer, which is why I feed it when a canine must drop some pounds
- fats helps to battle irritation
- fats boosts the immune system
- fats helps cognitive (mind) well being
- fats helps to spice up the metabolism, conserving canines at a more healthy weight
After all, as talked about above, an excessive amount of fats will result in weight acquire and different well being points, particularly when mixed with a high-carb food regimen. And, based on RMF, feeding an excessive amount of fats can result in irritation.
“However it’s my competition that fats consumption as an entire is what is essentially answerable for acute and persistent irritation in canines, and reducing general fats is what we must be trying to do, not including completely different fat to the food regimen.” web page 49
For prey and BARF fashions, I have been instructed to restrict fats to five% of a uncooked meals food regimen (until you might have a extremely energetic canine otherwise you’re feeding a keto food regimen). RMF, alternatively, believes that canines must be fed a lean food regimen, limiting fats as a lot as potential. So, no coconut oil, uncooked goat’s milk, kefir, eggs, or yogurt. RMF recommends trimming all animal fats (fats and pores and skin) earlier than feeding our canines.
There are days when my canines’ food regimen is simply too excessive in animal fats, which is offset by lean days. I solely trim fats on meat when there’s an extreme quantity, like the surplus fats on duck necks, beef roasts, and pork roasts. I do not reduce the pores and skin from complete quail, however I take away extra from duck and rooster.
Does Fats Trigger Diabetes?
No! Being chubby can result in diabetes, and consuming a high-fat/high-carb food regimen will result in weight acquire, which may result in weight problems, which may result in diabetes. However feeding wholesome fat to our canines does not elevate their threat of creating diabetes.
Rotational MonoFeeding and Dietary supplements
There are two issues about RMF that I am fully on board with, and they’re:
- nobody has it proper relating to stability; I consider most are doing the most effective they’ll with the accessible data
- we over-supplement our canines, not giving the food regimen an opportunity to do its magic earlier than we order capsules and powders on-line
“The apply of supplementing with nutritional vitamins, oils, herbs, and so forth., isn’t solely expensive and pointless, but in addition very unhealthful. There are research being performed now that clearly present that topics which can be given dietary supplements truly do a lot worse health-wise than topics that aren’t given them. Dr. T. Colin Campbell references them [studies] in his e-book Complete.” web page 62
Once I tried RMF with my canines, I did not add any dietary supplements, besides Rodrigo’s digestive enzymes, that are required. This saved me time throughout meal instances, and it could save me cash if I selected to change to RMF.
Nevertheless, is it applicable to take away all supplementation?
Whereas I consider that pet dad and mom new to uncooked feeding attain for supplementation too shortly, that does not imply that supplementation is fallacious. We must always complement to deal with a well being situation and canopy dietary deficiencies when complete meals is not an choice.
Switching to RMF allowed me to scale back the supplementation in my canines’ food regimen much more. I spotted I used to be falling into the identical lure of reaching for supplementation as a substitute of reviewing my canine’s food regimen when a well being situation cropped up.
A Few Questionable RMF “Guidelines”
So, whereas I like the concept of a brand new uncooked feeding mannequin, rotational monofeeding is not for me.
Canine must be fed a lean food regimen that’s low in fats.
I consider there are wholesome fat which can be helpful for my canines. Formulating their food regimen permits me to raised management the quantity of fats they devour, conserving it at a wholesome stage for every of them.
Veterinarians promote unhealthy issues to maintain our canines sick.
I do not consider that veterinarians are in it for the cash—I used to be stunned by the variety of anti-veterinarian messages within the e-book. Whereas some veterinarians do not assist uncooked feeding or contemporary meals (cooked, and so forth.), I’ve been lucky to satisfy extra pro-dog veterinarians open to uncooked feeding. Nevertheless, simply because I’ve had extra optimistic experiences than destructive ones, I do not wish to take away from somebody’s expertise with a pet skilled.
At any time when I hear backlash about veterinarians, I consider this video by a veterinarian giving a TED Discuss her day:
Candy potatoes are nice for canines on plant days.
I desire limiting natural candy potatoes to treating diarrhea and free stool. Fortunately, candy potatoes are low glycemic (54). The RMF mannequin recommends cooked candy potatoes as a result of they’re going to add some sweetness to the meal that replicates overripe fruit, which is “universally liked by canines.”
I do not know if wild canines will eat candy potatoes, however the level of including them is to duplicate overripe fruit. Since berries and different fruits aren’t ripe year-round, we feed candy potatoes of their place.
Smelt are uncooked sardines; canned sardines ought to NEVER be fed.
I needed to look this one up. Smelt aren’t the identical as sardines; smelt look much like sardines (and anchovies) however aren’t the identical fish. After all, Mr. Google may very well be fallacious right here, however I consider him. “Smelt” sometimes refers to small fish present in freshwater, typically used for meals. They’re recognized for his or her silvery coloration and delicate taste. Then again, “sardines” are a bigger group of fish present in contemporary and saltwater.
Learn Extra: Smelt vs. Sardines — Well being Affect and Vitamin Comparability
The e-book additionally states that we should not feed canned sardines as a result of cooking makes the protein and bones indigestible. I encourage to vary. From expertise, the bones in canned sardines (if there are any) are mushy. After all, that is simply my expertise with merchandise accessible in my space of the nation.
Eggs are unhealthy for canines.
In line with the e-book, whereas eggs make an everyday look in lots of uncooked diets, they need to solely be fed a few instances per week as a result of excessive fats, and “as a result of sure proteins in eggs intrude with the absorption of some vitamins.” web page 79
I feel the e-book is referring to overfeeding egg whites or feeding egg whites solely. The egg whites can act as a biotin blocker, so I frivolously prepare dinner (poached, sunny facet up, soft-boiled) the eggs I feed my canines. Cooking deactivates the biotin blocker within the egg whites. To deal with the fats, I scale back the opposite substances within the bowl when including eggs to the meal.
Canine are omnivores, not people.
I consider that canines are opportunistic carnivores. Simply have a look at the enamel and their counter/rubbish can tendencies. Within the e-book, the writer references a examine…
“One examine of Yellowstone wolves discovered that their consumption of prey dropped by 25% through the summer season months when different meals (fruits, primarily ( had been extra accessible. Even when the wolves within the examine had ample meals, they solely ate contemporary prey each 2-3 days on common.” web page 41
Nevertheless, based on the Nationwide Park Service (NPS.gov), the next is what has been documented concerning the feeding habits of Yellowstone wolves.
- Feeding habits: generalist carnivore; scavenges when potential and has been recognized to eat small quantities of vegetation
- Major meals sources in Yellowstone: Winter: elk (>96%), bison (3-4% and rising lately; deer (1.5%); Spring: elk (89%), bison (7%), deer (7.1%); Summer time: elk (85%), bison (14.1%), deer (<1%)
- Elk killed monthly per wolf: 1.83 elk/wolf/month throughout winter
- Elk killed per yr per wolf: 18-22 elk/wolf/yr (all age courses, together with neonate calves)
- Kilogram per wolf per day wanted for survival: 3.25 kg/wolf/day; can eat 15-20% of physique weight in a single sitting
This contradicts what I learn within the e-book. However, then once more, canines aren’t wolves. The classification of canines is a typical dispute within the uncooked feeding neighborhood.
Is Rotational MonoFeeding Protected for Canine?
Rotational MonoFeeding has combined opinions with devoted followers who consider the food regimen saved their pets and prevents/reverses illness. Whereas others consider RMF is predicated on pseudoscience and allegedly promotes the hunger of canines, encouraging pet dad and mom to deal with severe diseases with fasting as a substitute of looking for veterinarian care. The Feeding Uncooked Fb group members talked about ” cult ” a number of instances.
Primarily based on what I’ve realized concerning the Rotational MonoFeeding neighborhood and my abhorrent expertise with the founder, Nora Lenz, I would not advocate RMF as a uncooked feeding mannequin. I remorse selling it as such on my weblog and in my e-book.
In 2025, I realized extra concerning the apply of Rotational MonoFeeding after a disturbing interplay with Ms. Nora Lenz. It began after I was made conscious of a dialogue during which Ms. Lenz claimed that I had contributed to the demise of my canines, who had most cancers, particularly Scout, as a result of he underwent chemotherapy. Ms. Lenz shared articles from her web site claiming that Rotational MonoFeeding can forestall, reverse, and remedy canine most cancers.
I emailed Ms. Lenz asking her why she would make this assertion, which I discover merciless and missing in empathy. As canine lovers, I feel we perceive the ache of shedding our beloved companions, and to see somebody blame me for my loss whereas concurrently monetizing this tragedy was a shock.
4.1.2025 e-mail to Ms. Lenz: Somebody despatched screenshots of the horrible stuff you mentioned about me, insinuating that I killed my canine who had most cancers. I’ve by no means mentioned something destructive about you or Rotational MonoFeeding. It wasn’t for me, however I respect that it really works for others. To see you talking about my canine when you understand nothing about that journey is disappointing. I actually admired you and what you dropped at the neighborhood. Pushing in opposition to the grain, and creating an alternate that to assist canines. What did I do apart from promote your e-book and group so others who had been might study from you? Why would you say such darkish, merciless issues about me?
Ms. Lenz responded aggressively, doubling down on her stance that I’m guilty for the demise of my canines. She admitted that she mentioned these merciless phrases due to her animosity in direction of me, as a result of she believed I deleted her touch upon my YouTube channel. This remark:
After this interplay, a number of people revealed their experiences with the Rotational MonoFeeding group within the Feeding Uncooked Fb Group Feeding Uncooked on April 4, 2025. Many shared display captures of questionable recommendation, together with fasting a cat for seven days, utilizing fasting to deal with pyometra, and extra. A number of group members shared their very own experiences with Ms. Lenz and her followers, which mirrored my expertise.
Remaining Ideas on Rotational MonoFeeding
I attempted this uncooked feeding mannequin, however it wasn’t for me. I can not fully agree with a number of of its tenets, and I could not give it a good shot. In 2022, I wasn’t ready to low cost this mannequin. At the moment, I strongly discourage individuals from following Rotational MonoFeeding as a result of:
- the destructive opinions elevate severe issues
- the founding father of this neighborhood is, in my expertise, abusive and does not stand for dissent
I respect everybody who has a ardour to assist pet dad and mom make their canines more healthy and lengthen their lives; I can not assist somebody who hides behind their ardour to justify spitting on the reminiscence of a beloved pet and judging a pet mum or dad throughout a delicate time, like a most cancers prognosis or demise of a canine. Ms. Lenz does not know me or my canines. She wasn’t there when my canine, Scout, was identified with lymphoma. She wasn’t there after I needed to make robust choices about his therapy. She wasn’t there to rejoice when he went into remission, and he or she wasn’t there on that unhappy day when my canine succumbed to the most cancers and handed away in my arms.
However I used to be there each day. And I don’t consider Rotational MonoFeeding would have saved my canine.
Learn Extra About Uncooked Feeding
