The Benefits of Feeding Your Dog Raw Food
With all of the unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients that are being put in dog food today, it isn’t a surprise that many dog food products were removed from the shelves in 2007 due to the Menu Foods recall in February of that year.
Many dog owners have turned to making their dog’s food from scratch, rather than purchasing kibble that could end up being on tomorrow’s recall list. The idea of making your own dog food is to stick to ingredients that are natural and balanced to meet your dog’s nutritional needs. This idea is referred to as the “raw dog food diet.”
It is surprising that many dog owners believe that feeding dogs a natural diet is a new concept, when in fact, this has been going on for some time. The basic principle is to feed your dog food that it would naturally eat if he were living out in the wilderness. This diet has often been called “BARF,” standing for Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods.
When putting together a raw food diet for your dog, it’s important that you understand what your dog’s nutritional needs are and that you are capable of meeting them. This may include committing a bit of extra preparation time each day or week (depending on how often you make the food). You should be prepared to do some research and exercise common sense when preparing your dog’s food. You can find tons of tips in the Dog Food for Life eBook.
So, what foods should be included in the typical raw food diet? The answer is simple: meat and vegetables. Half of each meal should be made up of meat and the other half vegetables. If you can, try and get your meat from a butcher to ensure freshness. Start off with just meat for a few days when you are switching your dog. Once your dog has settled into this you can start adding some bland veggies such as carrots. You should use a blender or food processor for your veggies, as this will make it easier for your dog to digest them.
Another item you can add to your dog’s raw food meal is raw meaty bones. Examples of these bones are chicken backs, necks, wings, or turkey necks. They are soft enough for a dog to chew and eat and they provide exercise for your dog’s jaws and upper body muscles. Remember never to give your dog cooked bones!
Good luck with your homemade dog food! You can find out more information about which dog food ingredients should be avoided in store-bought kibble and other helpful information for creating your own dog food and providing hygiene support for your dog by visiting Dog Food for Life Here.
