The FAQs of Raw-Feeding for Dogs | Part One

Believe it or not, there are still so many myths and questions creating confusion around raw feeding our pets. So many, in fact, that we’re going to split our myth-busting blog into two parts. In part one, we’re going to cover some of the common FAQs that we often see floating about online…

What Is Raw Feeding For Dogs?

Let’s keep it simple from the offset… Essentially, a raw diet for our dogs (and feline friends alike!) is typically made up of bone, raw meat, muscle, organs, fruits, and vegetables. There are tons of different varieties, forms, and flavors for you to choose from in the world of raw feeding. So, we’re gonna’ quick fire a few info bites to help make the picture a little clearer for you:

• The meat and bone in pre-made raw dog food is usually ground (there are different options when it comes to types of mixes, but we’ll cover that next time!)
• A good ratio for raw dog food is 70% meat protein, 10% bone, 10% organs (including up to 5% liver), 7% vegetables, 2% seeds or nuts, 1% fruit
• You should aim to swap the meat protein source (chicken, turkey, beef, etc.) at least every 2 weeks at a minimum 

Are Raw-Fed Dogs Healthier?

We admit that we may be a little biased, but we’ve got a whole heap of testimonials to suggest that raw feeding your pooch renders tons of benefits. Smaller, more "pick-up-able" poops, shinier coats, healthier skin, improved energy levels, healthier teeth & gums, just to name a few! After all, a raw-fed diet is the most natural, species-appropriate diet our four-legged friends can have…

Let’s look at the alternative - kibble. The truth is, most commercial kibble foods have high amounts of grains and cereals in each morsel, which is far from ideal for our pups in particular. Carbohydrates can be tough for dogs to digest and can cause symptoms such as stomach ache and constipation (this is especially true for those that already suffer from digestive troubles).

So… Looking at the bigger picture, we’d be pretty confident in saying that, generally, raw-fed dogs are indeed healthier!

Can Raw-Fed Dogs Eat Cooked Meat?

What’s that making our nose twitch? Oh, that’s right… yet another benefit of raw feeding! Unlike those on kibble diets, raw-fed pets generally have no problem switching between raw and cooked meats. Of course, we’d recommend sticking mostly to raw, but the occasional cooked bowl topper makes a nice treat for our furry companions.

Can Raw Feeding Dogs Make Them Aggressive?

PSA: raw feeding your dog will NOT make them aggressive!

It’s time to debunk another myth with this one… There’s absolutely no correlation between raw feeding your dog and aggression. Your dog’s behavior with people and other animals is all to do with socialization, and nothing to do with their diet. That’s not to say that what we feed our hounds has absolutely no effect on their general behavior… Just like as humans, if we ate highly processed foods all the time, it could have an impact on how our mind works, too! But aggression? Nada.