You may have heard about raw food diets for dogs, but what are they, what are their benefits, and how should you introduce it to your pet?
We answer all your questions about the raw food diet for dogs in our latest blog post.
So what is the raw food diet for dogs?
The raw food diet for dogs refers to any regime that has raw meat and bones at its heart.
There are actually a couple of variations of the raw food diet for dogs.
Let’s start with the BARF diet, which stands for bones and raw food or biologically appropriate raw food.
It’s based on what dogs used to eat before they were domesticated and eliminates grains, often found in ready-made dog food.
The BARF diet typically includes:
- Raw meat, which can be on the bone
- Whole or ground bones
- Organ meats, like kidney and liver
- Raw eggs
- Milk
- Yoghurt
- Some fruits and vegetables that are suitable for dogs, like apples, celery, and broccoli
Be careful never to feed your dog the following items, which can be toxic to them:
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Cherries
- Grapes and raisins
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Tomatoes
You may also have heard of the Prey Model Raw (PMR) diet. This regime only includes raw meat and bones, so no fruits, vegetables, or supplements are allowed.
Both the Prey Model Raw and BARF diets are known as raw food diets for dogs.
Raw food diet benefits
Both of these diets are said to offer your doggo similar benefits:
- Shinier coat and healthier skin
- Cleaner teeth
- Fresher breath
- Increased energy levels
- Reduction of food sensitivities and allergies
- Improved muscle mass
- Easier weight loss
- Healthier gut biome
- Smaller stools
Potential risks
If you’re thinking of embarking on a raw food diet for your doggo, it’s also useful to know about potential risks. These include:
- Health risks to humans due to bacteria in raw meat
- Risk of your dog choking on bones, or bones or their fragments breaking teeth or puncturing your dog internally
- If you follow the PMR diet, know that it may not include all the nutrients they need. This is why some dog owners use it as a temporary measure only.
It’s also important to know how you can manage these potential risks.
To eliminate the risk of contamination from bacteria, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after you handle raw meat. Clean and disinfect surfaces as well.
You should also clean up your dog’s stools straight away, as they contain bacteria and sometimes parasites too.
And if you feed your dog raw bones, monitor them as they eat in case any problems arise. Know that the joint section of bones and ribs are softer and are less likely to splinter.
It’s good to know, though, that eating raw meat does not pose a threat to your dog’s health in the same way it would to a human’s — their stomachs and guts are adapted to digesting raw food efficiently.
How do I introduce the raw food diet to my dog?
If your beloved pooch is used to eating traditional processed dog food, then you should introduce the raw food diet gradually.
Many pet owners find it easier to introduce over a four-week period.
Week 1
- Choose one type of meat to feed your dog, for example, chicken, which is easily digested.
- On day 1, offer one meal per day of your doggo’s old food then give them raw food for their second meal of the day.
- On day 2, offer your dog one-third of their old food and two-thirds raw food.
- On day 3, offer your pup raw food only for all its meals.
Week 2
- Introduce a new protein source, for example, beef. Offer a meal mixed with both sources in the morning, and in the evening, only give your dog the new protein source. This will help you identify any meats that don’t agree with your doggo.
Week 3
- Start mixing in other items from the list to your dog’s diet, for example, raw eggs and safe fruit and vegetables. You can also add raw bones and a third protein source.
By week 4, your dog should have adjusted to its new diet.
Quality is key
Remember, too, that quality is key to changing your dog’s diet. We recommend checking out the Gully Road raw dog food range, bursting with top-quality, human-grade, grass-finished beef products.
Produced sustainably to the highest welfare standards, it’s also the ethical way to buy your dog’s food.
So if you care about all animals, Gully Road makes the natural choice for dog food that gives your pup the zest for life it deserves!
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