What is raw dog food?
A raw dog food diet is made of uncooked muscle meat that is may still on the bone. Other organs will be either whole organs or ground-up organs into a powder. The most common organs used in raw diets are the liver, kidney, and hearts. Other things found in the raw food diets are raw eggs, vegetables, fruit, and some dairy such as yogurt.
What are the Benefits of feeding dogs a raw diet?
There are some great benefits that do come from feeding your dog a raw diet. These are a few
Shiny Coat
Feeding a raw diet can provide many nutrients that are needed for a healthy, shiny coat. Your dog’s skin may seem healthier because of more natural ingredients in its diet.
Prevent Dental Issues
Dogs are known to have a dental disease at least some time in their life. When you feed a raw diet, you can help your dog’s teeth be a little bit cleaner since these raw diets do not contain all of the unhealthy preservatives that are found in many of the commercial dry dog foods. These preservatives will cause an excessive tartar build-up on your dog’s teeth.
Higher Energy Levels
Since raw diets are very high in protein, your dog will have a higher than normal energy level. These high protein diets also lead to smaller stools because their bodies will use the natural fats and fibers, creating less waste.
No preservatives
If you are feeding raw diets, this guarantees your pet will have healthy and fresh foods without all of the added fillers and preservatives. These preservatives are needed to help keep regular food from spoiling. Without these preservatives in the raw dog food, you will need to ensure that your dog eats all their food as soon as you give it to them, and it does not stay sitting out untouched for hours.
Tips when feeding a Raw diet?
With these added benefits of feeding your dog a raw diet, there are a few things that you need to do to make sure that your dog stays healthy while eating this diet.
Make sure their raw diet is fresh
When you feed your dog a raw diet, you will have to find some time to prepare your food. Some people do this ahead of time and freeze the food they prepared in bulk into daily potions. They will take out a few days’ worths of food at one time to thaw. Some dogs can are very picky and may not eat raw diets unless they are made fresh daily. At first, this can be very time-consuming, but you can easily develop a routine to help save time.
Make sure their diet is completely balanced
With raw diets, it is hard to feed your dog a diet that is completely balanced if you are making it yourself. Your dog’s diet will need to contain all the needed vitamins and minerals of a typical diet to help keep your pet healthy. If a dog eats a raw diet that does not have the essential nutrients for a long time, they can have major health issues due to these deficiencies. You should always consult with your veterinarian before starting to feed your dog a raw diet. They can help you develop a balanced meal plan that provides your dog with the appropriate nutrients. It may even be necessary to supplement your dog’s diet with specific vitamins to make sure that their daily needs are met. These vitamins can typically be found at local pet stores or online and are not expensive.
Final Thoughts
Feeding a raw food diet does have a few great benefits. If you do decide to feed your dog a raw diet, make sure that it does get eaten right away, or the food can go bad and make your dog very sick. Commercially prepared raw diets are another great option for you to feed your dog so that you know that it is completely balanced, and you do not have to spend extra time preparing meals for your dog every day.
Recent Comments