10 Tips for Feeding Your Dog a Raw Diet

There are certainly some compelling reasons to ditch the processed kibbles and start feeding your dog a raw diet. The benefits range from improved skin and hair to cleaner teeth, higher energy levels, and smaller stools. It’s also touted to reduce the risk of your pooch developing a number of common diseases and illnesses.

If you’re thinking about making the switch, you might be concerned about what exactly you’re supposed to be putting on your dog’s plate. After all, it’s a little more complicated than just ripping open a bag of kibbles and pouring them into a bowl. But it’s not as daunting as you might think. Let’s make things easier by looking at 10 tips for feeding a raw diet.

Calcium

This is especially applicable to puppies, who require a reliable source of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus to grow. Incorporating bones into your dog’s diet will mostly do the job - they should make up around 12% to 15% of what they eat on any given day. This translates to meaty bones being about a third of their diet.

Some good choices include chicken legs and thighs, turkey necks and lamb ribs. Larger dogs will enjoy beef tail bones. Whole animals including fish, rabbit and poultry are also suitable.

Muscle Meat

Around a third of your pup’s diet should be made up of protein-rich lean meats. This is key to building strong tissues and supporting the enzymes that are essential to any dog’s well-being. Here are some suitable options for muscle meats:

• Beef: Cheek, stew and a small amount of heart (no more than 5%).
• Turkey: Breast meat, tenderloin, ground meat.
• Pork: Shoulder or hind, rib and cushion meat.
• Chicken: Breast meat and thighs.

Organs

It’s not uncommon for beginners to make the mistake of incorporating too little organs in their dog’s raw diet. But organs are nutrient-dense and contain several important vitamins. Depending on how much you can get, aim to include around 10% to 30% organ meats. If liver is the only option, then the ratio should be on the lower end.

More nutritious organs such as kidney, spleen, lung and brain can make up a higher percentage of their diet. Just be sure to incorporate them slowly as your dog might have loose stools while they adjust to the new food.

Fats

Fat is no less important to your dog’s diet than the above-mentioned components, but there’s a balance to be had here. While it’s critical for their immune system and skin health, fat has few nutrients and is high in calories.

That’s why it should make up no more than 10% of their diet. Avoiding high-fat meats like chicken necks, pork belly and ground beef that’s less than 85% lean is a good idea. Some good low-fat meats include skinless poultry, fish and rabbit.

Fruits and Vegetables

It can be argued that fruits and vegetables are necessary components of a raw diet. That makes sense considering the presence of grass and berries in the diets of your dog’s ancestors. Fruits and vegetables also provide unique benefits.

This includes prebiotics, which are bacteria found in plant fibers that are good for your dog’s gut.

Then there are carotenoids. They can be found in carrots and other plants that are red, yellow or orange. These antioxidants stave off ageing.

Lycopene and lutein are also antioxidants. The former protects against cancer while lutein assists in skin and heart health as well as being beneficial to your dog’s eyes. You can find it in dark leafy greens and yellow plants.

Another component of plants is chlorophyll, a green pigment that protects the digestive system against cancer and improves cell health.

Finally, there are flavonoids or bioflavonoids. Colourful plant foods are said to have the highest amount of them and their anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer qualities.

You can incorporate fruits and vegetables into your dog’s diet by blending them or lightly steaming before serving. Either way, try to buy organic produce whenever possible. When that’s not an option, you can soak the produce in one-part apple cider vinegar and four parts water and clean them with a soft brush to remove any harmful chemicals.

Puppies

Younger dogs have different nutritional requirements, so it’s a good idea to read up on a raw diet Puppy feeding Guide before getting started. Check out this guide by Bella & Duke to learn more about what makes a complete and healthy raw diet for puppies. It’s worth noting here that you’re ultimately better off sticking to a premade plan, such as the pre-made raw dog food delivered straight to your door by Bella and Duke.

Raw dog food suppliers can formulate suitable meals based on the individual requirements of your puppy. Plus, the food can be shipped to your door in one simple package, which eliminates the need for preparation. You can also feed your pup with peace of mind knowing that they’re getting all the nutrients they need.

Starch

Starchy foods include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, and peas. They’re no better for your dog than they are for you (which is not very good).

This is because starch can produce insulin, which increases fat build-up. It can also contribute to diabetes. Not only that, but starch can add unnecessary calories, too many of which will disrupt the digestive system. When that happens, your dog can suffer from allergies and inflammation.

In short, it’s best to avoid incorporating any starch into your dog’s diet.

Variety

Nobody wants to eat the same thing every day - dogs included. One of the best things about a raw diet is that you have far more freedom to mix things up and provide a wider range of more interesting foods. Knowing that, it makes sense to take the opportunity to add variety to your dog’s bowl, such as by using different kinds of meat.

Balance

In the context of a dog food diet, it’s difficult to give ‘balance’ an exact definition - despite the fact that commercial kibble manufacturers like to use it as a buzzword all the time. At the end of the day, it’s a matter of ensuring that all of your dog’s nutritional needs are met throughout the week.

You don’t have to spend hours calculating the exact vitamin and mineral contents of everything you’re feeding. Of course, it’s far simpler if you buy raw dog food that is already made by a reliable supplier. Dogs are pretty happy with anything, so it’s up to you to mix and match where necessary - but there’s no need to go too in-depth here.

Fish

Let’s end things off by addressing some matters related to fish. Some owners tend to provide their dogs with fish oil. However, this is not advised as the fats can easily become rancid and cause harm to your dog’s digestive system.

At the same time, the product is seldom manufactured ethically and is often highly processed. You can substitute fish oil for whole meats such as herring or mackerel. Once per week is enough here.

There’s a fair bit of information to take in here. But worry not, as a bit of practice is all it takes to get a good hold of the basics. Once you’ve gotten into a routine, feeding your dog a healthy raw diet will be a breeze and one that they will certainly be grateful for.