What’s the Best Raw Dog Food for Your Pet? – LIFE WITH DOGS

A diet of raw dog food is created to mimic what a dog would have eaten in its natural habitat. The idea is based on their carnivore predisposition. Many have an inherent desire to stalk, find, capture, and eat another animal. It’s their true prey drive. This type of raw pet diet is not for every canine household. However, it is completely natural for the dogs as their ancestors, the wolves, ate the entire animal. Meat, bones, organs, and all. This means that since dogs are direct descendants wolves, they enjoy this diet. We have to acknowledge that they are simply not genetically able to healthily process the 50% carbohydrate of today’s kibble. Kibble is easier to prepare and serve than feeding your dog pet food that is raw but is nowhere close to what a dog’s ancestral diet was.

This raw food diet is fairly new to today’s pet owner world even though racing greyhounds and sled dogs have eaten this way for ages. It is important that if you decide that raw is the way you want to feed your pet then talk to your veterinarian. As with every dog’s diet, there are nutritional limitations depending on your pets’ nutritional needs. It’s important that the diet won’t compromise any existing conditions and will benefit your pet overall. Feeding your dog this diet is not beneficial for those pets who have liver disease and kidney issues so make sure both you and your pups’ veterinarian are on the same page. This raw food diet does have some significant benefits if it works for you and your pup. It offers:

Firmer stools

Improved digestion

Healthier skin and coat

Reduced allergy symptoms

Better weight management

Cleaner teeth

Higher energy

What Does the Raw Dog Food Diet Consist of?

There are fewer option to purchase raw dog food compared to dry or wet if you are looking to shop and buy commercially. So, it’s important to understand the commercially prepared options are not all equal. There is always the choice to cook and prepare raw on your own but that takes work to not only to shop but safely prepare it. As a responsible owner, you need to be careful about E-coli in both homemade and store-bought raw diets when you prepare and serve them to your dog. A significant secondary issue is making sure that all your dog’s nutritional needs are met as its difficult to get the calcium and phosphorus levels correct when meals are prepared in the usual kibble way. Your raw dog food options from the store are often frozen, freeze-dried, or vacuum packed. The raw dog food diet should consist of:

• Muscle meat, often still on the bone
• Bones, either whole or ground
• Organ meat such as liver and kidney
• Eggs
• Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and celery
• Apples or other fruit
• Some dairy, such as yogurt

Top Picks

Vital Essentials Raw

When looking at this raw product, you will find it comes in various forms. You can have a meal boost topper that is sprinkled on top of your pet’s regular meal to help with those picky eaters or give a protein boost. You can serve patties which you crumble into your dog’s dish or actual nibs that look similar to dry food yet are raw. All products are made with farm-fresh raised beef, organs, and bones. It is grain free, gluten free and packed with protein and amino acids. This product has no artificial ingredients, no added hormones, antibiotics, fillers or flavorings.  It is a meal that is ready to go at any time with no preparation needed. A great well-balanced meal for your pup. 

Nulo Freestyle Freeze-Dried Raw

This product is freeze-dried to retain the freshness of the raw meal. It has multiple recipes in the raw form for your pet. It can be served as an added part to your pup’s regular kibble or on its own as a full meal. Its ultra-rich protein and balanced fat recipe of salmon and turkey product has 83% salmon, turkey, organs, and bones with strawberries and then includes the other 17% of ingredients as wholesome vegetables and fruits, such as pumpkin, blueberries, kale, and spinach. It also has GanedenBC30, a great probiotic, that benefits your dog’s digestive and immune health This product is minimally-processed and quickly frozen to lock in the nutrients of the ingredients. It has no corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives (colors or flavorings). It has all the good things of raw food without the hassle of preparing it.

Stuart Raw Naturals

This raw food product line and different recipes to entice your pet. It is made from fresh ingredients that are freeze-dried to lock in their smells, flavors, and nutritional values. It has a single source protein combined with fruits and vegetables loaded with nutrients for your pup. It is grain and gluten-free and has the optimal levels of essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants to support their health and well-being. The flaxseed and salmon oil offer omega fatty acids to keep their coat and skin healthy. It’s a product that will meet your dog’s desire for a raw diet and keep him healthy and active as he ages.

Conclusion

The raw food diet for your dog is one that can have great benefits. Whether the food you choose to feed him is raw or freeze-dried, your pup will get all the benefits. Freeze dried is still considered raw. As with every diet change, talk to your dog’s veterinarian to make sure it will be beneficial for your dog. If you are given the go-ahead, then start your research and pick a brand and flavor that your dog enjoys. Check back in with your veterinarian every so often to make sure your dog is maintaining their weight and all the nutritional needs are being met. This diet is a little trickier than others so it’s best to monitor your pup a little closer to make sure he is getting everything he needs nutritionally.