Should I Feed Both Of My Dogs The Same
Nah.While you can find plenty of quality raw dog food calculators online, I dont recommend you use them for one reasonI want you to use your brain.With any new skill, theres a learning curve. Learn how to do this yourself instead of relying on a computer program to tell you what to do. That way, you understand what works for your dog. And you know when and how to tweak their diet.With practice, raw feeding becomes quite simple. Sure, youll experience the trial-and-error thats natural to any new endeavor. But youll never become comfortable unless you put the effort in.Remember, raw feeding is a lifestyle change. Participate in it.
But A Far More Important Factor To Determine Is Your Dogs Current Weight
Activity level is worth considering, but its not something to get too hung up on.Most dogs fall with the inactive or average categories. In these scenarios, starting with 2% of their body weight is a good course of action. If you believe your dog is more active, consider bumping their starting percentage up to 2.5 3% of their body weight.
Where Does Your Dog Fall?
Health Benefits Of Feeding Your Dog Raw Food
Are you wondering whether raw food is a good option for your dog? The following are some health benefits for feeding raw foods to dogs:
- Compatible with the biological needs naturally, the digestive system of dogs is designed to digest raw meat because they are descendants of raw meat-eating ancestors.
- Healthy coat and skin raw foods contain plenty of zinc, proteins, fresh fats, and vitamin that promote healthier coat and skin.
- Improved oral health and breath with raw foods, dogs have to tear and rip it up. They also gnaw the bones, removing the tartar and plaque on their teeth. This leads to improved oral health and healthier teeth.
- Improved digestion raw foods promote maximum absorption of nutrients than dry kibble. Kibble takes 7 to 8 hours to be digested while raw foods take about 2 hours.
- Fewer toxins raw foods are natural, unprocessed, and do not contain any fillers and artificial flavors which can be dangerous for your dog.
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Feeding Raw Dog Food To Help Your Dog Lose Weight
You might take a look at your chunky dog and think theyre cute just the way they are but they could be at risk for health problems. The first step you should take is determining what is the standard healthy body weight for your dogs breed. Its natural for some breeds to have a little extra fat, but the norm is different for more lean breeds. The best way you can help your dog live a long and happy life is yes, you guessed it, a proper diet. If your dog is used to processed kibble, excessive treats or even table scraps, your dog is prone to gaining weight quickly. We suggest consulting with a veterinarian first before starting any new diets.
Dogs gain weight the same way that humans do. No exercise and too much junk food will wreak havoc on your dogs weight. BJs recommends a 40% decrease in ounces of raw food if your adult dog needs to lose some extra pounds. You can also cut back on calories by reducing the amount of treats your dog receives.
Another way you can help your dog lose weight is with additional exercise. Most dog breeds love to be active whether thats a walk, a hike, a run, or even a swim. Get your dog outside and enjoy outdoor activities with them. Most dogs only need 30 minutes to an hour of exercise every day. Committing that much time to them every day will help you keep your dog in your life longer and it wont be bad for you either.
Rule Two Handle And Store Raw Meat Safely
One of the main risks of feeding raw is not to your dog, but to you.
Handling raw meat, especially chicken, is always risky. Raw chicken especially is typically contaminated with bacteria such as salmonella. Thats why eating chicken that is raw or not cooked through can make you sick.
You can reduce this risk in a number of ways.
Careful Storage:
Store raw meat in covered containers, separate from your other food and well away from foods eaten raw .
We like these fridge containers from Amazon with clip-on lids. Of course, you can use any container with a lid that is dishwasher proof or can be washed in hot water.
Dedicated Cutting Boards:
Cut up raw meats on dishwasher safe dedicated chopping boards. Remember that you should use these boards for nothing else, but cutting raw meat.
Use dedicated knives too, and wash both in a dishwasher or very hot soapy water.
Protect Your Hands:
Wear disposable latex gloves to handle meat and throw them away when you have finished.
Then wash your hands thoroughly with warm soapy water. The Center for Disease Prevention and Control recommends 20 seconds at least, of handwashing after.
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How To Choose A Raw Dog Food For Beginners
Choosing the safe and best raw food for your dog as a beginner might be complex and challenging. So, here are some factors or things you should consider before feeding them:
- Health It is the essential thing that you should remember. You should choose a raw diet that would help your canines maintain their healthy body.
- Activity Level Energetic dogs, like working dogs, have different requirements of calories. So, it would help if you considered how active your dog is to avoid some health risks.
- Age and Size The amount of raw food for your dog also depends on how big and old they are.
- Food Allergies Some dogs are allergic to some raw food, so be careful on feeding them.
- Taste This thing is so crucial. The food that you should feed must coincide with your dog’s preference.
Determining How Much Raw Food To Feed Dogs Daily According To Weight
They should be given nutritionally balanced raw foods according to the dogs weight. As stated, the minimal amount is two to three percent of the dogs weight, though if they are active or large, then it can increase to four percent. These meals ought to be divided into two portions daily. So dogs that can consume one pound of food every day may be given two daily raw food sizes of half a pound. The determination of the percentage will also depend on the activity levels of the dog. The amounts then to feed would be utilized as an approximate guide, and you can monitor the dog at first to ensure they are not losing or gaining too much weight while on this new diet. Subscribing to the best dog food delivery service companies will help you ensure you are giving Fido the right amount each meal time.
Get to know one brand that offer healthy and balanced raw diet for pets! Read our full We Feed Raw Dog Food Review.
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How Much Raw Food Should You Feed A Puppy
Raw dog food is ideal for puppies because its highly nutritious. It should contain all the essential nutrients that a puppy requires and supply plenty of healthy extras like vitamins, minerals, and other natural ingredients. However, you may be concerned that your puppy still needs some of the nutrients found in kibble dog food. If this is the case, you could try to feed your pup a combination of raw dog food and kibble to ensure they get everything they need. If you decide to do this, you must know how much raw food to feed a puppy so that they dont consume more than the correct calorie count. Puppies should eat raw food of 5% 8% of their body weight which can be split between 2 or 3 meals.
Feeding suggestions:
- A daily consumption of 5% to 8% of your puppys weight, divided between four meals, until they are four months old.
- A daily consumption of 5%-8% of your puppys weight, divided between three meals, until they are 6 months old.
- A daily consumption of 5%-8% of your puppys weight, divided into two meals, until they are one year old.
- You should start feeding your puppy on the adult feeding plan when he or she is one year old.
When To Start Feeding Raw Food To Puppies
- Best to keep puppies on mothers milk as long as possible.
- 4-5 weeks old: Usually on milk till 4-5 weeks old when teeth come in. Then can add food for puppies.
- Mom might regurgitate food for puppies this is great as its predigested food.
- 4-5 weeks old: When adding food use mushy food and minced food and add broth or water to it.
- 6 weeks old: Can add small meaty bones like chicken necks. But youll want to help them out with some predigestion of your own so pound the necks up with a hammer or meat tenderizer to make them easier to eat.
- 6 7 weeks: Most puppies are eating what mom is eating only in smaller amounts.
- Puppies might need more calcium so give 15% bone
- Make sure diet is high quality. Not more than 10% fat or there wont be enough proteins and nutrients in the diet.
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Understand That Raw Food Is Safe For Puppies
Yes!Raw food is safe for puppies and is the healthiest way to feed your dog since it is biologically appropriate.
Many people are afraid of feeding their puppies raw because of the bacteria that are found on raw meat. But, dogs have a higher pH level and shorter digestive tract than people, so the bacteria on raw meat that might give stomach problems to a human, would not do the same for a dog.
How To Prepare And Serve Your Puppys Raw Food
Dont Cut Food Up Too Small
If you cut up meat on the bone, your puppy may swallow large lumps of bone without first breaking them properly.
How small an item you can feed will depend on the size of your puppy. For example, take a Labrador puppy of three or four months old. He may be able to swallow a chicken wing whole if you feed just the last two joints. So it is best to feed the whole wing of a big chicken, or to feed a larger portion such as the back of the carcass.
That way he has to work on the wing to break it down before he swallows it.
Dont Crowd Your Puppy While He Is Eating Raw Meat
It is best not to stand over your puppy while he is eating raw meaty bones.
The idea is to avoid the dog gulping down large lumps of bone at once. They are more likely to do this if they think you are going to take their food away. So let your puppy eat in peace.
This can lead to the puppy gulping down larger quantities of bone than he can digest, instead of breaking it up with his teeth.Raw meat is very valuable to dogs. You can understand why they may worry youll take it away if you hang around while they eat.
Feed Your Puppy Enough Bone!
Many people rely on ground meat and steak. No wonder theyre easily found in local shops and supermarkets.
But feeding puppies ground up beef or steak is not a suitable diet. They need bone and connective tissue in their diet. So, ground meat alone will leave them deprived of minerals, and wont protect their teeth.
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Is There A Raw Puppy Food Diet
Raw puppy food is more likely uncooked protein, grains, vegetables, and fruits fed to dogs. This way of feeding was driven by an idea of fresh food which supports the origin of domesticated dogs.
Eventually, raw food becomes popular not only for puppies but also for adult dogs. And many raw diet approaches were developed and recommended for feeding dogs.
What Is The Best Raw Food For Puppies
If you make sure that your puppy has access to the following raw ingredients, at least once or twice each week, he should be able to access the nutrients he needs:
- Kidney, heart, lungs
Eggs make a great raw food for puppies. Some dogs will eat the shell too, which is fine. You may have to whisk the egg slightly the first few times you feed, to get the puppy started.
There is no truth to the myth that pork is poisonous to dogs. It is fine to feed puppies pig feet, meat, and organs.
Remember to avoid those large weight bearing bones as these are very hard and may damage your puppys teeth.
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Getting Help With Using Raw Food For Puppies
If you are having trouble deciding between raw food and kibble for your puppy, then have a look at our pros and cons of raw.
There are also lots of raw feeding dog owners on my forum, so do come along, say hello, and let us help and support you.
Theres good advice about the practicalities of feeding raw to help you choose whether or not raw feeding is for you
Good luck with using raw food for puppies!
How Many Times A Day Should I Feed My Dog Raw Food
It is recommended that you feed your adult dog their total daily requirement of raw food two times a day. This helps prevent bloating in large breeds and is better for your dogs digestion.
Two meals per day also prevent begging by your dog between meals. If you have a busy schedule, feeding your dog once daily is also fine.
For puppies up to 16 weeks old, you should spread their daily food intake over four meals. Between the ages of 17 and 24 weeks, feed your puppy 3 times per day, and from 25 weeks old, feed your dog twice per day.
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How To Properly Handle & Store Raw Food
The following are the ways to properly handle and store raw food:
- Keep thawed food in the refrigerator for three to four days.
- The bone should be discarded after use because it can be brittle and dry.
- You should keep the leftovers in the fridge immediately.
- Keep food in the freezer until they are ready to be used. You should not refreeze thawed food.
- Thoroughly wash your hands after cutting meat as well as after feeding your dog.
- Wash working surfaces and utensils using hot soapy water.
- Thoroughly wash the feeding dishes after use.
- Use stainless steel dishes.
What Age Can I Introduce Raw Food To My Puppy
You can start giving your puppy raw food as you are weaning them at about 8 to 12 weeks. When starting a puppy on a raw diet, the most common worry among pet owners is the number of microbes raw food comes with when it comes to your puppy. It is wise to note that dirt or the environment around us contains billions of microbes that puppies have access to all around us. The study also shows that giving the mom raw food before the puppies are born improves the quality of the puppy when it comes to immunity, growth, and health. Access to these not only helps your pup improve the immune system but make it possible to handle raw food.
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Double Check Your Own Math With Raw Feeding Calculators
Another way of figuring out how much to feed your pup is going online and using raw feeding calculators.
My favorite ones are the calculators from Raw Paws Pet Food and from Perfectly Rawsome. Perfectly Rawsome differentiates between PMR and BARF .
Theyre super convenient and also a great way to double-check your own math.
How Much Bone Does My Puppy Need
Puppies need a substantial proportion of their diet to be bone.
You can buy pet foods that contain minced bone, and its ok to use these as part of your puppys diet. But he needs to chew on actual bone to benefit from the dental hygiene aspects of a raw diet.
A dog that eating enough bone will produce firm stools that crumble when dry. If your dogs stools are loose he is probably not getting enough bone. Too much offal will also produce loose stools.
If your puppys stools are hard and difficult to pass, you are probably feeding too much bone. It might be best to cut back a little.
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What Kind Of Raw Food Diets Are There For My Puppy
There are primarily three different kinds of raw food diets out there that dog owners follow: the BARF , PMR , and Ancestral diets.
The BARF diet consists of 70% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organ, and 10% vegetables and fruit. The BARF diet was created by Dr. Billinghurst.
The PMR diet consists of 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ meat, with 5% of organ meats fed as liver, whereas the ancestral diet is compromised of 75% meat, 25% fresh vegetables, and some trace minerals. The ancestral diet was described by nutritionist, Steve Brown.
You will have to choose which diet works best for you and your dog if you want to make the next best step in its life.
How To Start Your Puppy On A Raw Diet
Really young puppies will need to eat their first raw meals in minced form because they dont know how to chew yet.
A raw diet for puppies 3 to 5 weeks old: they can be offered minced raw meat consisting of muscle meat and minced raw meaty bones, served warm. You can add some raw goat milk but shouldnt add secreting organs yet.
A raw diet for puppies 5 to 8 weeks old: you can start introducing secreting organs and raw meaty bones. Add amounts of liver first followed by other secreting organs as well as small, whole RMBs to the minced raw meat such as chicken necks, feet or wings.
The puppies will start pulling meat off the bone which teaches them to chew.
Remember to always supervise feeding time involving raw meaty bones. This applies to adult dogs as well. For more information on RMBs, check out our blog post: Can dogs eat raw poultry necks?
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