Your pooch means the world to you. For this reason, you want to feed him a diet that will heighten his quality of life and help him stick around for as long as possible. Raw food diets for dogs are not widespread, but the practice is gaining steam. Pet parents who advocate this eating plan consider it a safe and nutritious way to maximize a dog’s health.
Raw diet basics
Before dogs were domesticated, they survived in the wild without commercial dog food, or cooked food for that matter. A raw diet goes back to the basics and encourages pet parents to feed their dogs food in its natural state, meaning the food is not processed or cooked in any way. On any given day, a canine may chow down on a variety of raw meats, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and raw bones.
Nutritional impact
When foods are in their natural state, they are more nutritious. Once they are cooked or processed, the nutritional value diminishes. Since commercially manufactured pet food is heavily processed, it has almost no nutritional value. Also, commercial grade dog foods contain fillers, chemicals and other additives that take a toll on your dog’s health.
When your pooch eats raw food, he reaps the benefits of the added nutritional value. Many supporters who feed their pets raw food suggest their canines have healthier skin, shinier coats, smaller stools, healthier teeth and higher energy levels.
Is a raw diet safe?
The fact that dogs are still in existence today suggests these animals are capable of eating raw food and thriving. Opinions on the safety of this type of diet differ widely among veterinarians.
Many traditional vets don’t feel feeding pets raw food is wise, whereas many holistic vets advocate the practice and stand by its safety.
Bacteria, malnutrition and choking
Although domestic dogs have digestive systems similar to their wild counterparts, there is a risk of illness from bacteria when raw meat is not stored properly. The threat of bacteria not only applies to your pooch, it can also spread to household members who handle the raw meat and the feeding bowls.
If a raw diet is not carefully planned, your canine can miss out on essential nutrients and become malnourished. Also, when you feed your pet bones, there is a risk of choking and internal punctures.
If you opt to move forward with your raw food quest, handle and store meat properly and plan your pet’s meals carefully to make sure the diet meets all of his nutritional needs. If you are skeptical about this diet, don’t dive in headfirst. Instead, try a fusion approach and feed your dog both raw and commercially prepared pet food. If you find your pet enjoys raw food, you can slowly remove the commercial food from his diet.
We supplement our dog’s food with chicken backs and beef liver frozen and then ground together….putting a little in with their dry food. It also gets them to eat the dry with no complaints…..
No one should feed anything to a dog without fully researching it first. Many kibbles are terrible for dogs and, while I don’t feel that any can compare to a raw diet, some are great foods that can give you a thriving, healthy dog. A raw diet should be thoroughly researched. Don’t just read some articles on it. Speak to people who have been successfully doing it for a long time. My own vet has been feeding raw for nearly 20 years and many of the people who helped me transition several years ago have fed raw for longer than… Read more »