The Ancestral + AAFCO nutritional philosophy is a food-first approach incorporating the Ancestral Diet while utilizing tools to formulate the recipe to AAFCO’s standards.
This is the approach I take when formulating recipes for my own dogs and clients’ dogs. Allowances are made for bioavailability and variation in ingredients that are available to the dog parent.
I choose to balance to AAFCO’s standards as opposed to NRC because NRC’s standards are outdated.

You can learn what an Ancestral + AAFCO formula might look like HERE.

The focus is to:
- The focus is to use species appropriate ingredients
- It encourages feeding wholesome, real food that incorporates nose-to-tail animal parts.
- Raw Meaty Bones are fed and bone substitues are kept to a bare minimum
- Balance is achieved by feeding a variety of meat, seafood, organs, bones, and fiber
- Fiber includes fur and feathers and is preferred over vegetables
- Supplementation is done with purpose
- Synthetic ingredients, vitamins, and minerals are avoided
- Seafood should be included with every meal
- Heart should be included in the diet (for taurine)
Supporters of the Ancestral Diet + AAFCO: Canine Nutritionists who ensure recipes are formulated optimally to AAFCO’s standards. Any personalized recipes I formulate will be balanced according to AAFCO.
