There has been a growing demand for raw dog food since veterinarian Billinghurst proposed and conceptualized it in the early 90s. Although this is still a very controversial diet many people have embraced it owing to the fact that racing greyhounds have been performing very well and have been fed raw meals for a lot of years.
Speculations exist that the idea of feeding dogs with raw food is rather an evolutionary-based line of thought with the aim of trying to fit in pet dogs to the wild canine characteristics lived by their ancestors. This is still a controversial thought that can be discussed further.
Benefits of raw food
There are numerous advantages of raw dog food that have been put forward. The most noticeable advantage is shinier coats. Therefore if you want your dog to have shiny and healthy skin then you may need to incorporate raw food in their diet. Another advantage is the clean teeth.
This is because of the high moisture content that raw food has as compared to dry food. With this kind of food, the dog will also have smaller stools. It is also believed that raw food gives your dog more energy as compared to other foods.
Demerits
Most people who believe raw dog food is not healthy to argue that the food could pose a great risk to both the dog and people interacting with the dog. This line of thought, however, is based on the idea that the raw meat could have some bacterial infection.
Therefore before you feed your dog that raw meat, ensure it has been checked and certified to be healthy. You should also have in mind that it should be given with other food supplements to ensure the dog has a balanced diet. We have elaborated on this in our post about Qualities of natural dog food.
What It Consist
Many people wonder what raw dog food contains. This is helpful especially when you want to make homemade food for your dog as a supplement. Majorly raw food for your dog can contain meat.
It is recommended that the meat is gained from the muscle attached to the bone. You can also have uncooked bone, either ground or simply in its holistic nature. You can include body organs in your diet, for example, the liver and the kidneys.
Fruits, dairy, and fresh vegetables can also come in handy as a raw diet for your dog at home. If you miss out on all the food above then you can try eggs that are raw. Therefore if you are planning on preparing a different meal for your dog, ensure you get some of the nutritious foods mentioned.
Raw dog food is still a growing trend in pets feedings programs, although it has some opposition based on its demerits. However, the demerits can most certainly be outweighed with careful consideration, preparedness, and planning for your dog. This is not to say that your dog should be fed entirely on raw food but once in a while, there is no harm in giving your dog a taste of its ancestral behavior.
