Clear, practical guidance for dog owners who want to make informed decisions without getting lost in conflicting advice, fashionable claims or frantic internet searches at midnight. Explore evidence-led resources on balanced nutrition, fresh feeding, sensitive stomachs, puppy development, behaviour, food safety and everyday care. Our guides are written and reviewed by Monika Rozwarzewska-Delves, a qualified Canine Nutritionist, Canine Behaviourist and Dog First Aider.
Start with what your dog needs
Not sure where to begin? Choose the issue closest to what you are dealing with today.
My dog has a sensitive stomach
Learn what a “sensitive stomach” may actually mean, which signs deserve attention and how a calm, structured feeding approach can help you identify what works for your dog.
My dog no longer wants to eat kibble
Compare freshly cooked food with dry food, understand the practical differences and decide whether a change would suit your dog and your household.
I need to try a single source of protein
A single-protein plan can make it easier to monitor digestive or skin-related symptoms, but only when every treat, chew and extra is also considered.
I have a new puppy
Start with age-appropriate nutrition, safe socialisation, realistic routines and practical support during the most important early weeks.
I want to store fresh dog food safely
Learn how refrigeration, freezing, defrosting and sensible portioning help preserve food quality and reduce unnecessary waste.
I need personalised feeding guidance
Every dog is different. A consultation can consider age, weight, activity, body condition, current diet, preferences and practical feeding constraints.
Start Here: Dog Nutrition Essentials
These guides explain the principles that matter before individual ingredients, trends or marketing claims enter the conversation.
Why a Balanced Diet Matters for Dogs
Variety can make meals more enjoyable, but it does not guarantee nutritional balance. Learn what a complete, appropriate diet should provide and why life stage, energy needs and body condition matter more than the number of ingredients in the bowl.
Fresh Dog Food vs Kibble: Which Is Better for Your Dog?
A practical comparison of freshly cooked and dry dog food, covering processing, moisture, convenience, storage and the importance of looking beyond simplistic “good food versus bad food” arguments.
How to Transition from Kibble to Fresh Cooked Dog Food
A gradual transition gives your dog’s digestive system time to adjust and makes it easier to monitor appetite, stool quality and tolerance.
Dog Feeding Myths Busted
Separate useful nutritional principles from fashionable claims about meat, grains, bones, leftovers and supposedly “natural” ways of feeding.
How to Monitor Your Dog on a New Food
Changing the food is only the beginning. Learn what to observe in your dog’s stool, body weight, appetite, energy, skin and coat after introducing a new diet.
Sensitive Stomachs, Allergies and Food Trials
Digestive upset, itching and food refusal can have many possible causes. These resources help you organise your observations without assuming that every symptom is caused by an allergy.
Fresh Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs
Understand common signs of digestive sensitivity, possible triggers and the practical value of consistency, gradual changes and simple feeding records.
Single-Protein Diets for Dogs
Learn when to use a single-protein approach, how to choose one protein source and why treats, chews and flavoured supplements must also be included in the plan.
Seasonal Allergies in Dogs
Itching, paw licking and skin irritation can be caused by environmental allergens as well as food. Learn why the distinction matters before repeatedly changing your dog’s diet.
Monitoring Your Dog After a Food Change
A structured record of symptoms, stool quality, appetite and body condition is more useful than relying on vague impressions or changing several things at once.
Herbs That May Support Digestion
A cautious guide to several herbs traditionally used for mild digestive support, including preparation methods, small starting amounts and important contraindications.
Need help choosing a sensible starting point?
Fresh Feeding, Ingredients and Safe Storage
Fresh feeding should be practical, nutritionally appropriate and safe. These guides explain how to introduce, store and evaluate freshly cooked meals.
How Freezing Dog Food Preserves Nutrients
Correct freezing slows bacterial growth and helps preserve food safely. Learn what freezing does, what it does not do and which defrosting shortcuts should be avoided.
How to Move from Kibble to Fresh Food
Follow a gradual transition plan and learn when to slow down rather than forcing the digestive system to keep up with an ambitious timetable.
The Real Benefits of Fish Oil for Dogs
Learn what EPA and DHA are, why dosage and product quality matter and how omega-3 fatty acids may support normal skin, coat, joints and cognitive function.
Buckwheat in Dog Food
Buckwheat is a gluten-free pseudocereal rather than a form of wheat. Explore its nutritional characteristics and the reasons it may be used in an appropriately formulated recipe.
Natural Additions: Herbs and Seaweed
Learn why carefully controlled amounts of selected herbs and seaweed may be included in a recipe, and why “natural” does not mean that unlimited quantities are automatically beneficial.
Puppy Nutrition and Early Development
The first weeks with a puppy involve much more than choosing food. Nutrition, sleep, socialisation, handling, safety and realistic routines all shape the puppy’s development.
What Your Puppy Really Needs
A practical guide to mental stimulation, safe socialisation, gentle handling, appropriate freedom and the calm presence of a trusted human.
Puppy Socialisation
Learn why early experiences matter, what the sensitive socialisation period means and how to introduce people, dogs, sounds and environments without overwhelming the puppy.
Socialisation vs Training
Socialisation builds safe associations with the world. Training teaches specific behaviours and cues. Puppies need both, but they are not interchangeable.
Why Puppies Cry at Night
Understand why a newly arrived puppy may seek warmth, safety and physical closeness, and how to support adjustment without treating normal distress as manipulation.
Puppy Starter Bundle
The Puppy Starter Bundle includes three 400 g packs of freshly cooked food for weaning and early growth, a printed copy of The Complete Puppy Care Guide and a one-hour consultation.
It is designed to make the first weeks calmer, clearer and slightly less dependent on contradictory advice discovered online at 2 a.m.
Health, Safety and Welfare
These guides cover everyday risks, seasonal concerns and welfare decisions that affect more than the contents of the food bowl.
Keeping Pets Safe in Hot Weather
Learn how to manage water, shade, walks, hot surfaces, cars and early signs of heat-related illness.
Easter Foods That Are Toxic to Dogs
Chocolate, raisins, sultanas, currants, xylitol and very fatty foods can all create serious risks. Learn what to keep out of reach and what to offer instead.
Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream?
Human ice cream may contain unsafe ingredients, excessive fat or lactose. Explore safer ways to offer a cooling summer treat.
Five Welfare Needs Every Dog Owner Should Know
A dog needs more than food and shelter. Learn about appropriate environment, nutrition, natural behaviour, social needs and protection from pain and illness.
Dog Castration: Health, Behaviour and Ethics
A balanced examination of possible benefits, risks and behavioural considerations. Castration should be an individual decision, not an automatic response to every problem.
The Dangers of Feeding Human Food
Learn which everyday foods can be toxic or inappropriate for dogs and why “my dog has eaten it before” is not the same as evidence of safety.
Dog Behaviour and Everyday Life
Understanding behaviour helps owners respond to the dog in front of them rather than relying on labels such as stubborn, dominant, guilty or badly behaved.
Why Your Dog May Seem Different in Winter
Shorter days, reduced exercise, weather and changes in household routine can all affect sleep, appetite and behaviour.
Let Your Dog Recover Without Calling It a “Reset”
Dogs rarely need a fashionable detox or dramatic January transformation. They often need sleep, predictability, calm walks, opportunities to sniff and a manageable routine.
Why Dogs Roll in Smelly Things
Explore some of the evolutionary and social theories behind a behaviour that is perfectly logical to a dog and significantly less appealing to the person who owns the sofa.
Why Do Dogs Tilt Their Heads?
A closer look at sound localisation, attention and the charming head tilt that owners find almost impossible to resist.
The Mystery of a Dog’s “Zoomies”
Learn why dogs suddenly race around the room or garden and when bursts of frantic activity are perfectly normal.
The Benefits of Crate Training for Dogs
Understand how a crate can be introduced as a safe resting place rather than used as punishment or long-term confinement.
Why Do Dogs Bury Their Treats?
Explore the instinctive reasons behind hiding food and why a perfectly good treat may apparently need to be saved for a less convenient location.
British Dog Breed Guides
Our breed guides explore history, original purpose, temperament, behaviour and the practical realities of living with some distinctive British dogs.
Bedlington Terrier
The lamb-like terrier with a working past, considerable speed and much more determination than its haircut suggests.
Beagle
An affectionate hound with an extraordinary nose, a strong instinct to follow scent and a rather flexible interpretation of recall.
Airedale Terrier
The largest terrier, developed as a versatile working dog and later used in demanding military, police and family roles.
Jack Russell Terrier
Small, fearless, energetic and created for demanding work rather than quiet decorative placement on a cushion.
English Setter
An elegant sporting breed known for its gentle nature, endurance and long history as a working gundog.
Border Collie
An exceptionally intelligent working dog whose need for mental engagement cannot always be solved by buying another tennis ball.
Need Personalised Advice?
Online resources are useful, but they cannot assess your individual dog, medical history, body condition, current diet and household circumstances.
Dog Nutrition Consultation
Get practical support with food choices, portioning, transitions, feeding routines and organising observations when your dog has individual dietary needs.
Explore Freshly Cooked Meals
Browse our range of small-batch, freshly cooked meals made with clearly identified ingredients.
Puppy Starter Bundle
Combine age-appropriate food, a printed puppy care guide and a one-hour consultation during the first weeks at home.
Delivery and Subscriptions
Learn about ordering freshly cooked dog food across the UK or arranging regular deliveries through a subscription plan.
About the Advice on This Website
Monika Rozwarzewska-Delves is a qualified Canine Nutritionist, Canine Behaviourist and Dog First Aider. She develops Nika Pet Food recipes, provides individual feeding guidance and writes practical resources for owners who want clear information without fashionable nonsense.
Nika Pet Food prepares freshly cooked dog food in small batches in East Sussex, using clearly identified ingredients and practical production and food-safety controls.
Latest Guides
New nutrition, behaviour, puppy care and food-safety articles are added regularly.
Explore the latest practical guides from Nika Pet Food, covering fresh feeding, canine health, behaviour and everyday care.