Raw Dog Food Recipes

Why Raw Dog Food Recipes

There is a school of thought that believes that dogs should only be fed a raw food diet. There are valid arguments for feeding your dog this type of diet. I will outline the arguments for as well as the arguments against a strictly raw food diet, allowing you to decide for yourself the best way to feed your dog.

The primary argument for feeding your dog a raw good diet is that it most closely resembles their natural diet. Since wild predators eat what, ie raw meat, so should your dog. This argument is based on the assumption that the best diet for your dog is going to be the one nature intended for it. In other words since wild dogs eat raw meat, then raw meat is the best diet for all dogs. This includes feeding your dog, whole animal carcases (of small animals) as well as animal bones, ignoring vet recommended dog food recipes. Some believe that the dogs diet should consist of 100% raw meat, however this is a bit extreme. Not even wolves are 100% carnivores. While they do hunt and eat meat, they will eat just about anything they come across, including fruits and vegetables. Most supporters of the raw food diet will agree that some carbohydrates are healthy for the dog.

Why Not Raw Dog Food Recipes

While this may appear reasonable at first glance I do believe that there are some flaws in their reasoning. The fact that wolves/wild dogs hunt and eat raw meat does not mean that your dogs natural diet is raw meat. Domesticated dogs are not wild dogs. The biology of domesticated dogs has changed quite a bit over the years. This is evidenced by that fact that there are so many different breeds of dogs. Have you ever seen a toy wolf, or a golden coyote? Me either. Many anthropologist believe that the domestication of dogs occurred as a result of dogs feeding on the garbage thrown away by newly formed societies. This allows someone to make the argument that a domesticated dogs natural diet is garbage, not raw meat. Now, I’m not suggesting you feed your dog garbage, not even close. I’m simply trying to point out a potential flaw in the logic.

Secondly, the raw meat eaten by wild dogs is typically from an animal that has been recently killed, mean harmful bacteria will not have had a chance to develop. That simply isn’t true with store bought food, which is where most of this raw food comes from. The meat in supermarkets or butcher shops has a much higher level of bacteria than a fresh game kill. It’s why we are so strongly encouraged to thoroughly cook our meat.

Despite it’s potential shortcomings the raw food diet does provide some benefits that can be adopted by all pet owners. Feeding your dogs bones can be a healthy addition to their diet. Bone marrow contains a lot of nutrients for your dogs. They are also an excellent source of calcium. Something that is often lacking from a dogs diet. When giving your dog bones make sure that they are as fresh as possible. Old bones have the potential to make your dog ill, doing more harm than good.

While the debate continues about the virtues of raw dog food recipes, one this is clear. Homemade dog food will provide your dog with a superior level of health and vitality, increasing his life span and level of joy.