Feeding dogs raw food diets is on the rise and there is no doubt that more and more pet owners prefer feeding their pets raw dietary food, after all it is in the dog’s nature to enjoy Kibble diet.
With that said, in this post, we explore everything you need to know if you too are considering feeding your dog raw diet meals to your pet dog.
There is no secret that dogs raw food diets have tons of benefits, from re-introducing your dog back to their ancestral diet, saving on dog food shopping or to controlling the level of chemical additives heavily processed dog food bought from the store contains.
So, regardless of your goals, feeding a raw diet to your dog is extremely beneficial.
Reasons why dog owners prefer raw food diets
- 1. The first reason why dog owners prefer a raw food diet for their dogs is that they are inexpensive as compared to those already packed and processed dog foods.
- 2. Secondly, most kibble formulas contain ingredients that are not really needed such as unnecessary carbohydrates, empty fillers, and preservatives that have no place in the dog’s body.
- 3. The heating process used to make dry food for dogs takes away a lot of the ingredients’ nutritional value
These three factors are the main reasons why dog owners are making the switch to raw food, they also provide greater control of the dog’s health.
Tips to follow when switching your dog to a raw food diet
The following are the tips to follow when you’ve finally decided to switch your dog to a raw food diet.
1. Firstly you should Consult with your veterinarian.
The first thing you need to do when you have decided to switch your dog to a raw food diet is to consult the veterinarian who will help determine whether your dog is a good candidate for the diet or not.
A veterinarian does not recommend raw food diets for puppies because it is difficult to balance phosphorus and calcium correctly for the puppies, and dogs with cancer too should not be on a raw food diet.
2. Do your research as well
After you have consulted the veterinarian for advice, the next step is to do your research properly on the kinds of raw foods your dog will be needing because dogs are different and need different amounts of protein and by doing research on the amount of protein your dog needs, you’ll not cause diet complications for your little friend.
For example, dogs that are about 33 pounds need 25 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat per day, while puppies who are 12 pounds need 56 grams of protein and a maximum of 21 grams of fat per day.
3. Know how much your dog needs to thrive.
It is important to know how much your dog needs to thrive, different types of dogs need different amounts o foods in order to thrive each and every day, so do your research property.
Most dogs will need about 2 to3 percent of their weight per day that is 2 to 3 percent of the weight they should be for their breed. Meaning that a 30-pound dog needs 0.6 to 0.9 pounds of food per day.
4. Make sure you are balancing the dogs’ diet correctly.
It is as well essential to Know the amount of protein and fat in the food you are giving your dog, you should know about understand the nutritional makeup of the foods you are giving to your dog make sure you are balancing the diet of your dog correctly.
For instance, 100 grams of chicken (about 3 ounces) has 31 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat.
5. Keep phosphorus and calcium at a 1:1 ratio.
We all know that Meat is high in phosphorous and bones are not, foods such as fish and eggs will balance the food. This ratio doesn’t mean your dog’s diet needs to be 50 percent bone.
Rather, it means that the amount of calcium your dog is getting should be roughly the same as the amount of phosphorous he’s getting, usually about 10 percent bone to 90 percent meat.
6. Buy a kitchen scale.
Buy a kitchen scale because it will help you to know what you’re feeding your dog when you measure it out.
Budget tips for feeding your dog a raw diet
When you’re on a budget, there are plenty of ways to be frugal when you’re planning your dog’s diet. Below we have listed some great money-saving tips that can save you money.
1. Buy Inexpensive Raw Ingredients to save money
Avoid using prime cuts of meat. Your dog doesn’t need human-grade cuisine. They won’t even be able to tell the difference, use animal products that are typically thrown out or otherwise undesired for human consumption, these are actually very beneficial for your dog.
They still contain all the protein your dog needs and contain calcium and plenty of minerals. Other common ingredients include chicken feet, poultry carcasses, pig heads, and much more.
When it comes to organs, your options are even more plentiful. Organs are a vital part of any raw food diet. They’re chock-full of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
2. You should Communicate With Your Local Butcher
Your local butcher ish an excellent place where you can get raw foods for your dog because they work with raw animal meat on a daily basis.
So talk to your local butcher and find out what they do with the bits and pieces that aren’t up for sale. Some places will sell them to farmers and animal owners who use raw food. If they do, it’s probably at very affordable prices.
Another option is to check with the meat department of your favorite grocery store. They may offer similar options and sell meat products at discounted prices before a new shipment is brought in.
3. Always Buy in Bulk
If you buy in bulk you will get a great deal on meat products because discounts are usually offered on very large orders. If that’s the case, you can team up with other owners.
This would be beneficial for every party involved. Not only that, but you’ll have plenty of brains to pick if you ever get stuck creating a recipe.
Tips on how you should be Feeding your dog
The following are tips on how you should be feeding your dog:
1. You should freeze certain meats
You have to freeze some certain meats for a specific time period before you feed them to your dog because it helps kill parasites that could harm your dog.
The kinds of meats you should freeze are pork and salmon they should be frozen for at least 3 weeks prior to you giving them to your dog. However, some experts recommend never to feed salmon or trout raw.
2. You should Branch out.
Some of us don’t eat chicken feet and tripe because we think it’s gross, but these are actually great for your dog and they enjoy them too this is because to dogs, meat is meat.
Beef trachea, tails, and testicles are also a great meal for your dog, they’re nutritious too. The best part about these is that they are cheaper and ado easy to obtain so when on budget, this is the best choice for your little best friend.
3. You should Feed your dog muscle meats.
You must feed your dog plenty of muscle meat equal to about 3/4 of its diet muscle meats are from most animals, from cows to chickens to lamb, you can also try other meats, such as duck, moose, deer, turkey, rabbit, and goat.
4. Give your dog bones
Bones will provide calcium to your dog’s diet, therefore, your dog should be getting about 10 percent of his diet from bone and in place of bone, you can use dried, ground eggshells then Pour 1/2 teaspoon in for every pound of meat you feed your dog.
5. Use organ meats but not too often.
Liver is the great type of organ meats to feed your dog and they provide essential nutrients but they should strictly make up about 10 to 15 percent of your dog’s diet meaning you should be feeding it for a meal once or twice a week, other organs, such as heart, kidney, spleen, and gizzards should make up the other 5 to 10 percent of your dog’s diet.
6. Add nutrients to the dog’s diet
Vegetables, fruits, and grains should make 5 percent of your dog’s diet. When feeding these you should cook before you give them to your dog and If the meat your feeding your dog is corn-feed rather than grass-fed, you may need to add a flax seed oil or fish oil supplement to provide omega-3 fatty acids.
You can also try feeding fatty fish twice a week to help counter this problem. It is advised that you process vegetables before feeding them to your dog to help her get the most nutrients from them.
Try pureeing them or juicing them to help break down nutrients. Alternatively, you can steam the vegetables for a few minutes. Dark, leafy greens are a good choice.
7. Don’t feed your dog cooked bones
Avoid giving your dog Cooked bones because they can splinter, causing problems for your dog and you should also avoid feeding your dog weight-bearing bones from large animals such as a cow’s femur to your dog because they can break teeth and cause digestion problems.
We advise that after you’ve given your dog the food, pick the leftovers if your dog doesn’t finish all of its food, cover it, and put in the refrigerator after she is done to preserve it.