What is Natural Rearing
Natural Rearing(NR) can actually be referred to as a “preventative” lifestyle, and it's basic principles are simple, elegant, and as old as nature itself. The foundation of this approach is raising, caring for, and ethically breeding our animals as close to how it was for them prior to them being domesticated. It is the method that bolsters the animal’s overall general health while building and maintaining a strong and balanced immune system. Proponents of NR view the animal as a “whole” individual; being much more than just the sum of its parts. Prevention of ill-ness and fostering well-ness can be achieved when a true Natural Rearing program is followed.
​To truly understand Natural Rearing and put into practice
we need to fully embrace and implement these foundational principals
to give our animals what they must have to thrive!​
RAW DIET
A raw diet for dogs (often referred to as BARF—Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) consists of feeding dogs a combination of raw animal proteins, bones, and organs aiming to mimic the natural diet of wild canines like wolves.
TOXIN-FREE
A lifestyle focused on minimizing exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins that can negatively affect health is crucial. Avoiding toxic chemicals in things like household cleaning products, personal care products, synthetically scented products, toxic chemical-based pesticides, etc. Animal specific examples would be parasite preventatives, shampoos, dog beds, and toys. Filtered water is a must to ensure that is free of impurities like fluoride and heavy metals.
NATURAL MEDICINE
Natural medicine refers to the use of natural substances—such as plants, herbs, minerals, and other naturally occurring elements—to prevent, treat, and manage health conditions. It includes a variety of practices such as herbal medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, nutrition therapy, and aromatherapy, often focusing on holistic care and restoring balance to the body. We use these types of modalities over conventional methods and pharmaceuticals when at all possible for treatment as well as immunizations.
WELL-BEING
Exercise, sleep, and community are an integral part of contributing to an animals overall health. Animals should get plenty of free running exercise outside in the sunshine, on clean dirt and non-treated grass. Proper rest in a dark area with no electronic devices present. As well as live in a pack environment. When these needs are adequately met, they will provide physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
TRUST
Trust in nature's ways. Trusting nature’s design is grounded in its long history of effectiveness, balance, and resilience. Nature provides an interconnected web of solutions for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. From nourishing foods to the healing properties of plants and essential oils, nature offers diverse resources to support holistic health. Nature offers solutions that are time-tested, sustainable, and aligned with well-being, which fosters confidence in its wisdom.
​Natural Rearing is a term that was coined by the great pioneer in natural feeding and rearing practices, Juliette de Bairacli Levy. An English woman, in 1930, who started studying to be a veterinarian. She began feeding raw foods and rearing her Afghan Hounds naturally and treating diseases with herbs. Fast-forward to 2017, Dr. Jeannie Thomason published her book Natural Rearing: Raising and Breeding Dogs The Way Nature Intended , which officially brought these concepts out into the mainstream for the breeding world. Up until that time, there really was no other published work on true Natural Rearing and those handful of breeders who believed it only made sense to raise their dogs according to their species, were truly pioneers in the Natural Rearing field.
​​​A Natural Rearing lifestyle for our companion animals flies in the face of the traditional and conventional approach. At large, we have come to believe that feeding only processed “pet food” that has had synthetic nutrients sprayed on or cooked into it, vaccinating every year to three years, routinely de-worming, and using toxic pesticides regularly is the best and only way to raise an animal. After all, if you don’t, it is likely that you will be considered irresponsible and even “cruel” to the animals in your care.
Time and experience as well as modern science itself, have provided solid evidence that nature’s ways are far superior in providing the elements required for our animals to have a vital, balanced immune system and long, healthy life.
More and more people are coming to realize that the misery experienced with their dog or cat suffering with dis-ease and/or dying at a young age, can be laid directly on the doorstep of following modern, conventional rearing methods. Along with this, a growing number of breeders are wanting to know how to breed and raise truly healthy puppies or kittens that will thrive throughout a longer lifespan. Providing a community and solid resources to support these wonderful and courageous individuals is the driving focus and purpose of the NRBC.
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By Dr. Jeannie Thomason founder of the Natural Rearing Breeders Association in 2009. The site has been decommissioned with her passing, but the information is as relevant now as it ever was. Please look for a Natural Rearing breeder when researching breeders. Ask if they agree with this way of rearing animals.