In an age of readily available, specialized pet foods, it would seem unnecessary, even redundant, to give dogs raw meat that hasn’t undergone any form of thermal processing. But did you know that giving a dog raw food isn’t harmful? Say hello to the BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) diet, a real booming trend amongst dog lovers.
The raw pet food approach is a way of ensuring a nutritionally balanced supply of raw meat for dogs and other pets. It arose many years ago due to observations of primitive canine behavior from the time when dogs were predators. As you know, dogs – over time – became more and more domesticated. But this domestication didn’t stop some owners from feeding dogs raw meat.
Is raw dog food healthy?
There have always been believers in raw meat for dogs, and it’s only recently that the idea has become de rigueur amongst pet owners. An interesting business, Bella & Duke, sell raw dog foods with specially selected supplements, fats, and sometimes vegetables in small amounts. They’ve created balanced raw pet meals, and the dogs seemed to love it.
As Bella and Duke point out, the raw dog food diet has the important advantage that it’s free from artificial colors and preservatives. This purity in ingredients is especially helpful for particularly demanding or allergic dogs. Not all meats are suitable for feeding dogs, and that’s important to remember if you’re preparing the meal yourself instead of buying from a raw dog food supplier.
Should you mince raw dog food?
Meat contains the proteins and fats that are most valuable to your dog, and you can’t deny your dog this type of nutrition. However, it’s better to buy whole meat because ground beef may not be as healthy as you’d presume.
Poultry and beef, with the addition of offal, are dog foods of choice, but it’s highly recommended that dogs avoid raw pork.
Should dogs eat bones?
Conventional, cooked pet food can include bone in the ingredients—a bad idea. Raw meat does contain valuable bone marrow, which is a real rarity for a dog. But once the meat has been cooked, bones turn soft and dangerous because they easily break or crumble. The dog could choke on them, sustain injuries, and shards of cooked or baked bones could even cause perforation of the stomach or intestines. Never give heat-treated bones to animals. Only meat bones, i.e. bones surrounded by muscle, can be given. Such a delicacy allows dogs to brush their teeth, exercise jaw muscles and, most importantly, nourishes and provides essential nutrients.
What meats can dogs not eat?
Serving venison is also not a very good idea. Deer meat is better to avoid, as it can transmit various diseases in its raw form, one of them being rabies. It is also not recommended to mix ready-made dry food with raw meat. This mixing of the two could lead to stomach problems, deficiency or overdose of certain ingredients, and more serious illnesses, including poisoning.
Raw Meat In A Balanced Diet
Feeding your dog raw meat is a very good choice for their health. But before you switch to the raw pet food diet, you should know how to balance the meals properly. Remember that a dog oughtn’t to be fed only meat. The raw dog food diet must be customized to the dog’s specific needs, body weight, age, and activity level. There is no universal raw pet food approach. It’s a regimen that requires a great deal of knowledge and consistency but improving the dog’s condition, and vitality with raw food is well worth the effort.
Is raw pet food more expensive?
Raw pet food is often even cheaper than ready-made dry or wet food. In recent years, the number of suppliers in the United Kingdom has increased. You can get a kilogram of meat for as little as £4. There are suppliers like Bella and Duke who pack the daily portions for the furry friends and add all the important components for a dog. So you don’t need to worry about buying extra ingredients to try and fill out the dog’s appropriate diet. As said before, the process can be more time-consuming if you make the meals yourself, but at least with raw dog food, you know for certain exactly what’s in it and that it’s without artificial additives.
So look forward to your dog being happy and healthy. You will know exactly what your best friend is eating and that they are not consuming any harsh chemicals. We’re often talking about consuming less processed food as humans, and now maybe it’s time that we thought about our pets too.
