Alternatives & Additions To Raw Dog Food
So raw dog food has its ups and downs, as well as some great commercially available options too, but what if thats just not for you or your pet?
Dont worry! Were breaking down the best alternative options to raw dog food next, so you can make sure your pup has the type of food that works best for them.
Is Raw Food Good For Dogs
Dogs have lived on raw meat for thousands of years! But, a raw dog food diet must be appropriately balanced to supply all the nutrients your dog needs. When formulating our mixes of raw dog food, we consulted Doctor Billinghurst. He has over 50 years of experience in veterinary medicine and is the founder of the BARF diet . From him, we learned that variation is essential, and a properly balanced mix will include multiple types of meat, ground bone, tripe, and vegetables. A balanced raw dog food diet will provide all the nutrients your dog needs with no need for supplements!
Why We Chose Raw Feeding The Barf Diet
Over the years I have had a few dogs but one in particular was very a very picky eater. Hennie was a full sized Dachshund that would eat a food for a month or less. As a result we tried every dog food under the sun. We tried wet food, expensive brands, cheap brands, refrigerated tubs, and anything else that could be found at the local box stores. It didnt matter what the food was, after a month or so she would take pieces of it and throw it out of her bowl with her mouth. This went on for a few years, we likely tried 15 or so brands of food.
One day I was reading something about cooking your own dog food. Since we tried everything else we had nothing to loose. So we started to boil chicken in a huge pot, added some sweet potato and other veggies. Finally we had found something that Hennie actually liked. No more throwing the food on the floor. She actually got excited with each meal.
We had two issues with it though. First, we almost burned the house down making it one time. Second we had a larger dog that required lots of food to be cooked.
A few years after we started making the food, we got Keko. She ate about 2.5% of her body weight daily. That amounted to boiling chicken far too often which is a lot of work and makes a mess.
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Can Puppies Eat Raw Meat
Puppies can eat raw meat. Many raw-fed breeders wean their puppies directly onto raw from their mothers milk. You can begin feeding raw the day you bring your puppy home or do a combination of both worlds until your puppies reach 12 months of age. After 12 months, you can transition to 100% raw dog food.
Bringing Raw Food While Traveling By Air
Is it possible to bring dog food from Canada or other countries into the US? Unfortunately, you cant. All pet food entering the U.S. via air is required to be shelf-stable, meaning no refrigeration is required. Further, the USDA prohibits the importation of sun-dried, freeze-dried, or raw products for personal use. If you are traveling with a raw-fed dog, look into some kibble-style dog foods that use very low temperatures, such as a gently cooked dog.
To avoid any surprises during your flight, you are better off calling ahead to find out whats allowed before getting stuck at the border.
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Feel Free To Post Any Questions You Have About Raw Feeding In The Comments
Youre also welcome to share any experiences you have. The info is helpful for the group!
Were also promoting an awesome trial offer from our sponsor, Darwins Natural Pet Products.
You can get 10 pounds of raw dog food from Darwins for just $14.95! No code required.
Now, Ive divided this article into sections for easier reading. Just click on the topic youre looking for:
The Optimum Diet For Dogs
When it comes to feeding your dog a raw diet, the main objective is to feed them a species-appropriate diet. What would they eat in the wild? Owners should endeavour to recreate the same diet using similar ingredients for their dogs regardless of breed, size or age. Feeding a BARF diet , which doesnt include dry or tinned foods, is as close to nature as it gets and helps to satisfy the needs of a dog that are physiologically and anatomically inherent. A raw diet is exactly what nature intended and is the best that you can give your dog.
The optimum raw diet for dogs consists of raw muscle meat, raw bone, raw offal, raw vegetables and some raw fruit. Some people also like to add additional nutritional ingredients such as eggs, fish, goats milk or yoghurt, oils and herbs. However, it is extremely important to get the balance and ratios right in order to meet the nutritional requirements of your dog. Some dogs will have a preference for what they will eat, while others will eat whatever you put in front of them. This is no different to the way in which we pick and choose what we like. We cover this in more detail in BARF raw feeding ingredients.
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Diy Leafy Green Blend / Supplement :
This recipe can be used to meet the 5% vegetable intake dogs can benefit from in a raw or kibble diet. Serving amount: 1/2 tablespoon per 10 pounds of dog.
Benefits: provides your pet with protein, vitamins, and minerals such as: calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, D, E, and K.
This supplement can help with yeasty ears and skin, digestion and leaky gut, inflammation of the joints and other areas of the body. Another benefit is boosted energy.Ingredients:
4 tablespoons collagen peptide powder.
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar .
1/2 cup MCT oil .
Do you ever have left over vegetables, fruits, or leafy greens in your fridge that you dont want to go to waste? Instead of throwing them away before they go bad, while theyre still fresh, mix it into a blender and make it a part of your dog’s meals.
Switch From Dry Food To Raw Food
When making the transition from dry food to a raw food diet, some people prefer to make the change gradually. For some, it can be a few days where for others it may take a few weeks. Some people will reduce the kibble and increase the raw at each meal time until the dog is only eating raw food. And some owners, whose puppies or dogs have more robust digestive systems, can make the rapid switch immediately. We discuss both methods bin more detail below.
If you are considering the switch, and would like further help and advice, then please do get in touch. We can advise on what is best for your dog, what you should be feeding, how often and when. We can help answer any questions you may have about a raw BARF diet. You can also take a look at our list of pure and complete raw meals.
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What If I’m Not Ready To Feed Raw Dog Food
If you still find raw feeding intimidating, no worries. Even making small changes can have a great impact on your dog’s health.
Ways you can do this is by adding raw as a topper. We have an excellent Topper Guide that you can use until you are ready to transition fully to raw! This allows you to boost your dog’s meal to be more nutritious than their current wet or dry dog food.
Another way to add more nutrition to your dog’s diet is by feeding natural & healthy treats. Instead of rewarding snacks that have nasty fillers, choose biologically appropriate treats like meat and organ meat treats. You can easily find this kind of treats at our sister store and Crafted Treats, where we sell single ingredient treats that are all-natural for your dog’s best health.
How Much To Feed
Adult Dogs:
- 10 lb dog: Recipe will make a 21 day supply
- 25 lb dog: Recipe will make a 10-11 day supply
- 50 lb dog: Recipe will make a 6 day supply
- 75 lb dog: Recipe will make a 4-5 day supply
- 100 lb dog: Recipe will make a 4 day supply
Puppies:
- 5 lb dog: Recipe will make a 14-15 day supply
- 10 lb dog: Recipe will make an 8-9 day supply
- 25 lb dog: Recipe will make a 4 day supply
- 50 lb dog: Recipe will make a 2-3 day supply
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Dehydrated Raw Dog Food
Dehydrated raw dog foods are another option for those who want the benefits of a raw diet but without the messy aspect of serving raw food. Using very low heat removes moisture from the raw dog food, leaving it nutrient-rich and shelf-stable. Dehydrated diets may require rehydration. Unlike freeze-dried dog food, they will not be ground as finely. Once rehydrated, the food will have a texture similar to a canned diet. Not all dehydrated dog foods are raw.
Air-dried dog foods are another style of ready-to-eat raw dog food.
In general, freeze-dried foods have a longer shelf life, lower moisture content, and taste better than dehydrated foods. Freeze-dried foods rehydrate faster and retain their original shape, texture, and color.
Staying Objective On The Best Raw Dog Food Feeding
There’s a lot of talk about raw feeding and how this diet is based on the way ancestors of dogs survived in the wild.
However, contrary to veterinarians’ opposition to raw feeding, recent studies found a number of benefits this diet provides to dogs. But it’s important not to romanticize easy raw dog food diets.
With all the advantages, like any other type of food, raw feeding still has its negatives.
It’s no secret that it takes more time to make homemade meals, whether it’s raw food or cooked recipes.
They can also be more costly, especially if shopping for fresh meat at your local butcher’s shop.
Finally, because we’re dealing with raw meat, bacterial contamination is a big concern if it’s not done correctly.
For the uninitiated, raw feeding is exactly what it sounds like: a diet that consists of uncooked and unprocessed ingredients.
Because the foods are raw and haven’t been tampered with, they are natural and wholesome, containing no by-products, artificial preservatives, food colors, and no filler.
Moreover, ingredients in the best raw dog food recipes most commonly include meat of different types and eggs.
Furthermore, other recipes will also include seeds, nuts, grains, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, beans, dried fruits , and other foods.
Before you delve into trying these best raw dog food recipes for your pet, let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of preparing easy raw dog food meals.
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Get Creative With The Raw Food Diet For Dogs Recipes
Once you have followed the above recipes a few times, go ahead and get creative.
As long as your dog gets the proper nutrition, you can mix and match ingredients from the various recipes.
Moreover, you can also use them as inspiration to come up with something else your dog would love.
You could even get creative with ingredients and try introducing your dog to something like rabbit meat.
If you decide to create your own recipe, make sure it gives your dog the nutrients he needs.
Most importantly, remember that you want meat to make up about 80% of the food.
Another 10% should be from organs, and 5% each should come from fruits and vegetables and dairy and supplements.
Your dog should get about 30-52% of his calories from protein, 47-63% from fat, and 1-7% from carbohydrates.
The dietary fat provides concentrated energy and helps with essential fatty acids to maintain coat and skin health. Carbs also provide energy.
Raw Dog Food Supplements
Most commercial raw diets that adhere to AAFCOs nutritional guidelines do not require additional supplementation.
Likethe ones weve reviewed above, pre-made raw dog food has all the nutrients our dogs need.
Before adding supplements to your dogs diet, consult a veterinary nutritionist to ensure your recipe covers all your dogs dietary needs. You must also review the packaging to ensure the product contains the right vitamins, minerals, and other necessary ingredients.
If youve determined your pup needs supplementations, these are some of the best raw dog food supplements.
- Calcium and phosphorous, especially for puppy diets
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Trace minerals like iodine, selenium, and zinc
- Vitamins including Vitamin A and Vitamin B12
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Amino Acids Required In Your Dog’s Raw Diet
Diy Supplement For Digestion
– Raw goats milk
– Organic turmeric powder .
– Cinnamon .
– Ginger .
– 1 Blackberry in each square mashed up . Feed 2 ounces per 20lbs of pet weight.
Benefits:
Helps digestion and decreases inflammation throughout the body. Cinnamon is antibacterial, anti fungal, and helps with joint inflammation. Turmeric is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifier. Turmeric in larger amounts also helps with joint health. Ginger aids in digestion and is an antioxidant as well.
Goats milk contains less lactose than cows milk, therefore making it a better option for any pets with lactose sensitivities. Raw goats milk is digested at a faster rate as well. Pasteurized milk kills the live enzymes and nutrients needed to help digestion. Raw goats milk is a better alternative to pumpkin when aiding in digestion.
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A Guide To Feeding Raw Dog Food For Beginners
Firstly, if youre worried that feeding your dog a raw diet is too complicated, time-consuming or expensivelets kick those thoughts to the curb right here and now!
Heres why switching to raw dog food is less stressful than what you may think:
- All you need to know are the recommended ingredients for your dog, and the rough proportions to feed
- With some simple planning, youll spend hardly any more prep time than what youre already used to.
- Dogs are made to eat raw food its completely safe and healthy for them.
- You dont need to source the finest cut of prime steakyour pup will be delighted with a range of cost-effective raw foods .
Is A Raw Meat Diet Considered A Balanced Diet
This diet can be balanced if you follow some basic guidelines. I wouldnt suggest you jump right into feeding raw or the BARF diet unless you do a bit of research. The raw fed diet isnt simply giving your dog raw meat and then youre done. A dogs diet needs to be balanced just like your diet does. If you eat the same thing every day you are bound to have nutritional deficiencies if you do not supplement with proper nutrients and minerals.
There are some things to be aware of such as how much meat, bone, organ, veggies, and fruit should be in the food to achieve optimal nutrition. Large dogs have different needs then smaller dogs, just like senior dogs differ from puppies. In the future i will have more information available on the dude and a dog website. Please check back or consider signing up for my newsletter.
Remember you can supplement the raw diet if you need to. If there are certain things that are not available in your area you should use supplements. My dog gets a daily multivitamin twice per day. The raw food that I create lacks the omega 3 and omega 6 that is found in fish. I do not add fish to the grind because its sometimes hard to get. I was also buying a locally available raw pet food with salmon, I could not tolerate the smell. As a result, I chose to supplement for omega 3 and omega 6.
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What Are The Meaty Bones
Meaty bones are all those bones that are covered in meat and are soft enough to be digested and demineralized in the dogs stomach through digestion and gastric juices.
Some examples of meaty bones suitable for the BARF diet are:
- Chicken: wings, neck, backbone.
- Calf: ribs, neck.
- Quail: any piece.
Bone chips and fragments are very dangerous to the dog, as they can cause severe perforations in the intestines.
Once chewed, the bones form a compound that is not as dangerous to the dog.
Note: However, certain recommendations should be followed when making use of bones in the BARF diet:
- Poultry or rabbit bones should always have meat around the bone to reduce the potential risk of chipping.
- If you notice that the bone no longer has meat around it, pick it up immediately.
- If your dog does not chew the bones and swallows them quickly, it can be very dangerous. the solution in this case is to carefully chop the bones before serving them to your dog.
- Do not offer your dog only one type of bone with meat. Variety is the secret to run fewer risks.
- Bones are very important in the BARF diet as they provide your dog with phosphorus, calcium and other essential minerals.
- Hard bones, such as calfs knee, can be used as a recreational bone, as the dog will have a lot of fun gnawing on it this type of bone provides the dog with excellent mental stimulation and also promotes dental hygiene.