Who wouldn’t want to have a dog in their life? They make really great companions. But most dog owners don’t give very much though on what to feed their dogs, usually turning to commercial dog food to feed their pets. There are of course advantages to commercial dog food, one being convenience, however, if you have a dog living with you, why not look into a raw food diet for dogs?
A raw food diet does offer some advantages. It contains concentrated nutrition whereas dog food in a can contains a lot of fillers such as grains. It also contain a lot of water. These ingredients are what you are paying for in a can of commercial dog food.
There are those who say that dogs cannot properly digest grains. No doubt some breeds digest grains better than others, however there is no doubt they are used because they are inexpensive rather than for their nutritional value.
As commercial dog food need to be cooked as part of the processing process, a lot of the vitamins and minerals in the food are lost. Although extra supplements are added to the final products, can this be as nutritionally whole as the natural vitamins and minerals found in a raw food diet?
More and more owners are feeding their dogs raw food or at least a mixture of both raw and canned. As people are becoming more conscious of what they themselves eat, naturally they are also concerned that their pet is also getting the best nutrition possible. Dog owners are also concerned about the quality of meat that goes into commercial dog foods. Usually these are poor quality meats that are unfit for human consumption. When you buy your dog’s meat yourself, you have much more control over his diet.
It’s natural to have some questions before starting your dog on a raw food diet. Just what do I feed and how much of it shall I give him? Are there any foods that I should avoid? And the biggest question; How can I fit all this into my already busy day?
The good news is a raw food diet is easy to implement. Simply buy more meat and vegetables at the supermarket instead of canned dog food. That’s it! Your dog will know what he does and doesn’t enjoy eating and will regulate the amount.
It will take a little bit of adjusting to get used to how much and what to feed your dog, but once you start to do it, you will have the hang of it in no time. After a while, it is going to become second nature. Your dog will be the one to tell you what he or she likes to eat and just how much.
When it comes to a raw food diet for dogs, I’m pretty sure your dog will end up thanking you for it. This type of diet will also help to keep your dog healthier and the coat shinier. If you are still unsure, why not start slowly and gradually add raw food into you dog’s eating schedule.
Posted under Puppy Care and Puppy Health
This post was written by Noel DCosta on July 26, 2009
