The Benefits Of A Raw Diet For Dogs
Feeding your dog a raw diet is the practice of breaking away from commercial pet foods and, instead, opting to feed your beloved dog a diet that closely mimics the type of diet he would have in the wild. While your dog is certainly more domestic pet than wild wolf, the benefits of a raw diet for dogs are universal.
The Basics Of A Raw Diet
A raw diet is one that does not incorporate dog kibble or any commercially manufactured pet food. It includes the following, instead:
- Whole chicken, or any of the parts of a chicken
- Beef
- Pork
- Fish, whole or filleted
- Turkey, any parts of a turkey
- Venison or other exotic meats that may be available, like ostrich, bison, or rabbit
- Organs from any of the above are also important
- Eggs, whole
As the name suggests, a raw diet is just that – one that it is raw! This means that none of the meat being fed to your dog should be cooked. While many are under the misguided belief that raw bones can splinter and choke a dog, the reality is that cooked bones are much more likely to splinter and cause great injury to your dog. There is some debate as to whether or not you should feed your dog fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. However, as with anything concerning the overall health of your dog is it up to personal preference.
The Health Benefits Of Feeding Raw
There are incredible health benefits to be seen when a dog is fed a raw diet. Every dog is different, so you may experience additional benefits not listed below.
- Dogs that eat a raw diet work their teeth and gums a lot more than dogs that are simply fed a commercial dog food. The benefit of working those teeth is that the bones will work as natural teeth cleaners, working towards removing plaque and other dental build-ups. This can reduce the need for your veterinarian to perform dental work on your dog.
- A raw diet has shown to reduce the production of stools.
- The cost of feeding a raw diet is significantly lower than feeding commercially produced dog foods.
- Dogs tend to be a lot healthier when fed a raw diet, especially if they previously suffered from food-related allergies. This translates into less money spent at the vet’s office getting expensive treatments and of course, an increase in the comfort levels of your dog.
- A marked increase in energy levels is very often seen in dogs that had previously been lethargic.
- A shiny and healthy coat returns; many commercial dog foods leave your dog with dry skin and dull coats.
- Many commercial dog foods can make a dog smell rather unpleasant; a raw diet all but eliminates the dreaded “dog smell.”
- For dogs that have been previously overweight, there is a marked improvement in their physical health as they drop the excess weight. Free-feeding of commercial dog foods can often result in dogs eating until they simply can’t eat anymore, which then leads to obesity.
Dogs that are fed a raw diet are not just much healthier and have fewer health problems, but they also have a much longer life expectancy. The toxins and chemicals used to mass-produce dog foods can lead to a range of problems in domestic dogs that can simply be avoided by going back to what nature intended for your pup.
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