There are conflicting theories about a raw dog food diet. As people look for healthier alternatives for their dog's diets, the raw food diet has gained popularity. Raw food diets are said to bring dogs back to a more natural diet like, what they would live on in the wild and seems to a be a more healthy diet than commercially processed dog food that most people feed their animals. While there are several different ways to approach a raw food diet for your dog, here are some recommendations.
Start with the Basics
It is important to start with the basics of a healthy diet. Look for meats that are high quality and that are low in fat. Just feeding your dog raw hamburger is not the way to put your dog on a raw food diet. Exploring the different types of meat available in your area is important. Most people use chicken as the base of their dog's raw food diet, but lamb, fish, beef, venison and pork are all options. Just remember that quality counts.
Whole Foods Are Key
Feeding your dog ground meat is not as effective as feeding your dog the whole carcass of the chicken or other raw animal carcass. Dogs need to eat the whole animal, bones and all. This helps the dog get the most nutrients they can from the animal. Some dogs will need to have the bones ground, but if you don't have to do that for your dog its best not too.
No Grains
Dogs are carnivores. Dogs need to eat diets that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Dogs do not need to eat grains. In fact, dogs do not have the digestive system necessary to process grains of any kind. This means that dogs who have diets that include rice, oats and other grain sources are really not getting the best diet. Most dogs have some type of allergy to grains as well. Many dog owners find that once their dog has gone on a raw diet, free of all grains that any allergy symptoms their dog has displayed disappear.
Fruits and Vegetables Are Not Necessary
People know that fruits and vegetables are necessary for humans, and they naturally want to provide their dogs with the same nutrition; however, dogs do not need to eat fruits and vegetables. They get their nutrients from the animal proteins they consume.
Dogs do not need a diet that is similar to that of humans. Dogs are very basic creatures when it comes to their diet. A good rule of thumb is to think about what dogs would eat in the wild. They eat raw animals, rabbits, fowl and other animals that they can kill. Making sure your dog is getting a well rounded raw diet can greatly improve the overall well being of your dog.