As the raw diet gains momentum in the pet food world, frozen dog food is becoming more popular. There are many frozen food options available, varying in nutrition and ingredients as with dry kibble.
Frozen Dog Foods
Because concocting a raw diet for your dog can be difficult, many people opt to purchase already mixed commercial raw diets. These can be purchased in almost any protein variety available. Pork, turkey, chicken, beef and lamb are the most common, but for the picky or allergy-prone dog, you can find quail, rabbit, antelope and other exotic meat.
Depending on which commercial brand you purchase, these meals may consist of just ground meat or meat with ground bone and vegetables. Meat mixes consist of muscle meat as well as organ meat, such as liver, heart and other organs that a dog would consume in the wild. There are also frozen vegetable mixtures available if you want to mix your own or just feed vegetables for a meal.
Several varieties are available, some formed into logs that must be thawed and cut while some are already cut into patty size. Choose the serving size based on the size of your dog. For a puppy, feed 10 percent of body weight spread over three or four meals. For an adult dog, feed 2 or 3 percent of body weight in two meals. You may need to adjust if your dog is more or less active or if you are trying to keep the weight down.
Frozen Raw Bones
Many owners who feed raw diet supplement with raw bones. This is especially important if you feed a variety that doesn't include raw bone. Meat doesn't contain a lot of calcium, so predators receive the bulk of their calcium from consuming bone. If you remove that from your dog's diet, he is not getting all the nutrients he needs.
Raw bones come in many shapes and sizes from all different protein sources. Common treats include chicken feet, necks and backs. This will suffice for a smaller dog, but larger dogs may need turkey necks or cow bones, which can come from various parts of the body.
Don't cook these bones. They will become brittle and break in your dog's system. Give them for your dog for a designated amount of time. Don't let him take it outside and bury it or save it for too long. If your dog has a tendency to eat too fast, give the bones frozen or only slightly thawed so your dog will spend more time eating more carefully.
Frozen Raw Treats
In addition to raw food and bones, many companies have developed frozen treats for dogs that imitate human ice cream and popsicles. These treats are made from dog-friendly foods such as bananas, berries and peanut butter and prove to be very popular for a special snack.
If you are interested in switching your dog to raw food, visit your pet store and check out the variety. Make sure to include bone and vegetables in your dog's diet if you decide to make the switch.