As a canine nutritionist, I understand that each diet created for a dog in our world has benefits to their health and nutrition. Your dog’s diet might not be suitable for your neighbour’s dog but what matters is that it is beneficial to your dog’s health and stomach! There are a lot of rumours about how good or how bad a raw diet is for dogs but let’s focus on the benefits and also talk about negatives and how a lot of them can be prevented.
Let’s go back a few hundred years; before dogs were domesticated, they were hunters in the wild and ate whole prey that they hunted. Sure, dogs didn’t have the same life expectancy they do today as there were no vaccines and medicines available, but the food they ate was never an issue as it was fresh, wild caught and full of nutrition.
Dogs back then were also scavengers, picking berries and fruits at their eye level which were edible and tasty! There were no grains back then and only wild fruit and veg. I know there are many people in the world that have different views on the correct feeding methods. I support everyone who puts effort into research and the wellbeing of animals, that’s why on this blog there’s no bashing and just some extra education!
When crafting a raw diet, it is important to ensure your dog’s breed’s specific requirements are met. This means that a little Pomeranian might have a slightly different menu created for them than a Labrador. A dog that is more active in their life will need higher protein levels for energy and muscle development. On the other hand, breeds who are prone to kidney issues or obesity would benefit from controlled protein intake. Switching between different proteins when feeding, caters to diverse protein requirements. When you’re clueless about raw food and don’t know where to start, I always suggest making an online appointment with me, that way we can go through your dogs breed specific requirements, diet changes and nutritional needs; creating the perfect plan for your dog that meets all their nutrition and health goals.
When thinking about feeding your dog raw, it is acceptable to do this alongside nutritionally approved kibble! Many people in the world would have kibble as a base, and raw food as a topper for some extra nutrition! Make sure to also do your research though, so you meet your dog’s nutritional requirements! To contact me please visit dublindogcare.ie and text or email me your query on WhatsApp or email. (See contact info below).
The fat content in raw feeding is very important. Breeds like huskies thrive on slightly higher fat intake unlike a yorkie who require a lower fat intake to prevent excess weight gain. Maintaining the right calcium, zinc and phosphorus levels in raw feeding is crucial for bone health, growth etc. Imbalanced minerals can lead to skeletal problems in dogs such as the Great Dane. The bone percentage in your dog’s raw food will be different and breed-specific to meet their mineral needs. Each dog breed requires different levels of vitamins like A or E. These would come from fruits, veg and organ meat in your tailored plan. The amount of raw food fed at each meal is also different for bigger or smaller breeds, depending on activity levels and so on. Your plan from us would be very different for each dog in the household.
Now let’s talk about the benefits and disadvantages of raw food:
So now you can see the pros and cons and how a lot of the cons may be avoided! Always source your meat from reputable providers that have never had recalls. I always suggest that if you buy from your local butchers, after creating a portion, freeze it before making it into a meal.
A raw diet doesn’t have to be homemade. There are so many suppliers nowadays that have already done the hard work for you. All you must do is research which one is suitable for your dog. You may also reach out to us for an appointment where we research for you and give you information about extra supplements to be added into the diet to meet all your dog’s needs. There is also freeze-dried raw food out there in the market where you just have to rehydrate the food and serve it if its nutritionally balanced.
Let’s look at another con. You can’t free feed your dog raw food as it will go bad after a certain amount of time, but I personally don’t think anything of it as feeding balanced portions 2 to 3 times a day of raw food will give your dog time to digest their food. It will build a pattern when they need to go potty and probably make them excited waiting for the next meal!
One important lesson about raw food is the preparation. Always wash your hands and bowls before and after making and feeding raw food as bacteria will gather on them. Do not use plastic cutlery as they tend to absorb bacteria that can also be passed onto humans. Glass tupperware is best to store your raw food in.
Never use a microwave to defrost raw food as it can cook it on the outside which is dangerous as raw food usually contains bone and it will be frozen on the inside. Never cook raw food that contains bone. It is very dangerous and can cause intestinal blockages and even death! On the other hand, you may hand cook homemade raw food that doesn’t contain bone but than we would just call it homemade cooked food, and this would need different supplements to raw food. You can always make an appointment and speak with us to pick what diet is best for your dog. After reading this blog I hope you gained some insights into raw dog food. This blog is purely to help you to learn a little more about raw diet and maybe even decide if it’s something you would ever want to try! Please reach out to us with any concerns when you’re planning to feed your dog raw. We can be your guide, and we provide 8 to 12 weeks where we will be within your reach with any answers to any of your questions. We will help you make a clear plan for your dog on how to start, what and where to buy your food and many more.
Text Now on +353 83 070 2739
Email now at dublindogcare2016@gmail.com or simply find us on our socials and reach out!
https://www.facebook.com/KlaudiaPCD/