What is raw feeding?
Wild dogs, and our dogs’ common ancestor the grey wolf, are all predators. They are designed to chase, catch, kill and eat other animals.
Raw feeding is designed to replicate the kind of diet that wild dogs and wolves eat when they catch and consume their own prey, and to replace commercial dog food entirely, for the modern raw fed dog.
Why should I feed a raw diet?
A raw diet provides a range of benefits that commercial dog diets can never hope to even closely match.
These benefits include:
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no doggy odour
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naturally cleans teeth - no need for toothbrushes, de-scaling jobs, or gum disease
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the time it takes for a dog to chew a raw meaty bone gives their stomach adequate time to get the acids moving
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much less stools produced - and they are firm, and turn chalky after a couple of days
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decreased or non-existent vet bills (your dogs are healthier!)
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less cost for dog food - commercial dog foods are ludicrously expensive
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mirrors what a dog would be getting in the wild - and certainly even the modern day dog has a digestive tract exactly the same as a wolf
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puppies develop at a more appropriate rate - and quick growth spurts are avoided. A GOOD breeder will want to stop fast growth in any pup.
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the ripping and chewing involved in eating raw meaty bones develops the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles of the dog. Commercial dog foods will never assist in this important muscle development.
What have people reported?
People who have switched their dogs to a raw diet from commercial dog foods have found the following:
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dogs who were previously un-energetic and sluggish become completely new dogs once the raw diet feeding begins
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allergies their dogs previously had on commercial foods, disappear once they start with the raw diet
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arthritis has significantly reduced or disappeared in some dogs switched to raw
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better weight control
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no more doggy odour!
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their dogs are living longer on a raw diet than what their other dogs previously had survived on commercial dog foods
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that their bitches managed their pregnancies better
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better weight and survival figures in puppies
Why is commercial dog food not good for my dog?
There are a range of problems with commercial dog foods. In summary:
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a dog's food should never be cooked. It should be fed in a raw natural state like nature intended. Cooking a dog's food ruins most of the nutritional value.
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dogs should have access to raw meaty bones. These clean their teeth, work and develop their neck and jaw muscles, and the chewing action prepares their stomach for the incoming food mass. Chewing bones also slows down the eating process considerably, making it far harder for a dog to over eat.
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dog foods have as their main ingredient cereals - the main ingredient your dog should be eating is raw meaty bones. And it is these very cereals that cause a range of problems such as allergies.
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commercial dog foods are laden with preservatives, colors (dyes), and salt. They have additives to make the food taste better so that the dogs will overeat.
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the vast majority of commercial dog foods have far too much carbohydrates in them. High levels of carbohydrates are linked to over-eating, diabetes, weight gain, and numerous other problems. Dogs should eat a diet with only a small amount of carbs.
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there is no substitute for a raw diet.
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and most scary of all:
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your vet is most probably recommending a commercial diet because of financial inducements and a lack of independent learning
