What is raw feeding?
Raw feeding is the process of feeding your animal a biologically species appropriate diet. Cats are obligate carnivores and benefit from a meat only diet, where as dogs have been known to forage for fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables as well as eating meat. Raw diets are usually made up of a composition of 80/10/10 which means their diet is made up of 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal, you may also find diets are listed as 70/10/10/10 which is 70% meat, 10% bone, 10% offal and 10% fruit and veg.
How do you raw feed?
Raw feeding can be done in 2 ways – Complete and DIY. Complete means purchasing a food that is already made up for you in a mince style, this will include any bone, offal, veg requirements and will be labelled as 80/10/10 or 70/10/10/10.DIY means purchasing all the components
separately and balancing the meal yourself.
separately and balancing the meal yourself.
A question we are always asked is why feed raw? And what are the benefits?
So, let’s have a look at what you can expect when changing your dog onto a raw
diet.
Stool Improvement
Once fully transitioned to a raw diet your dog will poop less often. This could be as little as only once every two days! The thing to remember is less poop in, less poop out. When on a raw diet dogs are utilising all the nutrients. When they do have a bowel movement it will also be much smaller in size, have a reduced odour and be firmer to the touch – making clearing up after much easier and helping naturally express the anal glands.
Skin and Coat Improvements
This is usually the first improvement noticed by pet owners – the ‘raw fed shine’ – and it can be visible within the first few weeks of beginning to feed a raw diet! Your companion will be soft and smooth to the touch, there will be no odour around them or their possessions, and their fur will shine (black fur becomes glossy and white fur glistens).
Reduction in Allergy Symptoms
Good news for those whose dogs experience intolerances, allergies and itching. The physical symptoms of allergies reduce first, so you can expect to see less itching, followed by digestive symptoms (yes, that means no more stinky bottom burps) and finally immune-suppressed symptoms like ear infections.
Mental and Physical Activity
This is classed as a hidden benefit, but on that has the largest impact on a dog, they receive a tremendous amount of mental stimulation and physical exercise when eating raw from the tearing of muscle meat and the crushing of bone. You will notice your dog is much more excited at meal times.
Dental Benefits
Once fully transitioned to a raw diet there will be a visible reduction in plaque build-up without the need for dental chews or tooth brushing. Your dog’s teeth will be pearly white and their gums a healthy bright pink colour.
The bones fed in a Raw diet naturally scrape to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth.
The bones fed in a Raw diet naturally scrape to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth.