When it comes to choosing food types to give to your dogs, we are often limited by the food choices that we have when we browse through pet stores. Worst, if your dog is a picky eater, then the problem is further exacerbated when their favourite food brand isn’t available. Of course, even if there are alternatives, most of the kibbles do not always pack nutrients that your dog needs on a daily basis. And that is why sometimes switching your dog to a raw food diet might not be that a bad idea too.
Wait…did you say, raw food?
Yes! You read it right. If you are keen enough, you can always switch your dog to a raw food diet. There are actually plentiful of benefits should you decide to switch your dog to a raw food diet.
It is in their DNA
You see, before dogs are domesticated as pes, they live in the wild and hence their body is equipped with the necessary mechanisms to cope while in the wild, and this means that dogs main staple diet is raw food, since there is no one to cook food for them in the past. Hence, by letting the dogs to eat and consume raw food, you are allowing them to be as close as they can be to their natural self.
Dogs can digest raw food easily
Do you know that the dog’s stomach is able to digest and breakdown raw food easily as well as having the ability to breakdown bacteria better than humans? That is primarily the reason why dogs can survive out in the wild alone. If dogs have a choice, that piece of red meat is always much preferred to processed kibbles since the former is much more flavourful than the processed kibble.
What about E. coli and salmonella in the raw food?
This might just be the main concern that most dog parents might have. Indeed, E. coli and salmonella are in higher levels in raw food, but we have to understand that the dog’s digestive traits are very different from us. If we are given raw food, chances are we will suffer from food poisoning as well as the dread runs. However, dogs are more than well equipped to handle the likes of E. Coli and salmonella. Their digestive system is able to completely kill off the bacteria, hence rendering their presence useless!
Nutrients in its original form
Dogs need their daily nutrients so that they can lead a healthy life. There are so many essential nutrients that the dog needs, but most of the time they are not present in the kibbles that you get off the shelf. However, if you decide on giving your dog raw food, you have the ability to customize their meals to them and hence being able to provide to them a healthy balanced meal.
Also, kibbles are essentially a processed food, hence the nutrients are not in its purest form. Raw food is different as the nutrients are not processed and hence you can be assured that the nutrients taken are wholesome!
Building up dog’s immune system
As mentioned earlier, kibbles are processed food and while there are some dog food brands that does a pretty good job in packing nutrients in, raw food is still the best choice when it comes to boosting your dog’s immune system. This is simply because there are so much choices for you when it comes to raw food. For example, if you want to provide omega-3 fatty acids to your dog, you can mix in some salmon into the dog’s raw food diet! Always remember that the dog’s nutrient is paramount in keeping them healthy.
Benefits of going raw
While boosting the dog’s immunes system is already a huge boost to the dog, there are more benefits than just this! You see, most of the diseases in dogs can actually be prevented. For example, if the dog food that you have been providing is actually high in sodium, it is possible that the dog suffers from liver problem. Or if the dog is old yet the food that you provide is not meant for older dogs, then it can be detrimental for their health.
This isn’t the case for raw diet as they can provide all the important and not-so-important-yet-essential nutrients for your dog. After you start your dog on a raw food diet, you can start to expect that the dog has a shiner, silky coat as well as healthier skin. If your dog is constantly giving your bad breaths that causes you to faint, then switching to a raw food diet will be good as it helps to promote healthier teeth and hence helping to eliminate the dog’s foul breath! The chewing action on the raw diet results in a healthier and stronger jaw too.
When you start the dog on the raw diet, they will eventually be free of allergies as well as helping to extend their life expectancy.
So, should I switch immediately?
This is a resounding no! If your dog is too used to eating kibbles, it will be a bad idea to switch it to a raw food diet immediately. Instead, we recommend you to mix a little of the raw food into their current kibbles. Or you can also opt to give them kibbles first before giving them raw food in the same meal. This will help the dog to acclimatize to the new raw food diet. You can then gradually remove the dog’s reliance on kibbles for food. Note that due to the nature of raw food, we would not recommend you to leave the raw food in the open for long periods of time as it will start to turn bad.
What if my dog rejects raw food?
If your dog is showing signs of rejection, then you might want to reconsider your approach or even the type of raw food that you are providing to the dog. For example, if the dog is against beef, then you can consider giving them chicken or other sources of protein. Also, always start small so that it can whet your dog’s appetite.