Why & How I Started Feeding Raw Dog Food

Feeding raw dog food doesn’t have to be difficult!

You guys, I finally finished my transition from kibble via home cooked meals to feeding raw dog food!

Exactly one week ago, I did it.

I mixed raw, organic meat with the pups’ dehydrated smorgasbord from Dr. Harvey’s without cooking it first. 

Up until then, I had cooked their ground beef, chicken, turkey and eggs before I mixed everything in with the rehydrated veggies.

Which, by the way, is a super easy way to make your own dog food at home! You can read more about it in the blog post I’m linking to below:
Homemade dog food with Dr. Harvey’s Veg-to-Bowl grain-free pre-mix

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So, what changed?

Well, I recently read that cooking the meat as opposed to serving it raw actually gets rid of a lot of its nutrients and can cause food sensitivities.

I also learned that a dog’s stomach is made to absorb & digest raw meat, unlike our human digestive system. That’s because it’s very acidic compared to ours.

When I thought about it, it really made sense!

After all, when our dogs used to hunt for their own food in the wild, there was no human available to cook it over a campfire for them, right? 

Ever seen a wolf grill their prey over a campfire?

Of course not!

So I figured, if I’m going to strengthen the pups’ immune systems, I’m gonna go all in by feeding raw dog food.

Benefits of A Raw Dog Food Diet

As you may know, my girl Missy kicked cancer’s butt about 2 months ago.

It was her diagnosis that made me look into ways to strengthen her immune system in the first place.

After all, she was only 3 years and 3 months young when I felt that lump on her throat. I had no idea that dogs her young age could come down with cancer. What in the world??!!

Ever since, I’ve done a lot of research on healthier doggie nutrition.

Granted, home cooked dog food is already a lot better than dry kibbles, but I really wanted to take it up yet another notch.

The benefits I kept hearing/reading about speak for themselves:

• Cleaner teeth & ears
• Shiny coat & healthy skin
• More energy
• Reduced risk of cancer
• Smaller poop volume
• No dog smell
• Less allergies

What Our Raw Dog Food Currently Consists Of (2015)

• Chicken gizzards & hearts – One of the raw feeding lessons I learned is that gizzards and hearts are considered muscle meat, not (secreting) organs.
• Organic ground turkey/beef/duck (from local supermarket & Darwin’s Natural Selections). You can get your first 10lbs of raw dog food from Darwin’s for $14.95 if you’re in the US, which is an awesome deal for testing it out.
• Raw eggs about once or twice a week (from a local grocery store or farm)
• Seasonal fresh, organic fruit (puréed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple)
• Dehydrated, grain-free vegetable mix from either Dr. Harvey’s (Veg-to-Bowl) or The Honest Kitchen (Base Mix)
• Still left to tackle: Whole raw meaty bones. For now, I feed them ground via Darwin’s premade raw meals.

What About Salmonella?

One of the concerns I had before feeding Missy & Buzz a raw diet was the potential bacterial contamination we might be faced with.

But after I read up on it and used my common sense, I realized that it’s no different than preparing a home cooked meal for ourselves that includes handling raw meat. 

For example, when I cut up a raw chicken breast for us humans, I make sure to wash the cutting board and knife I used with hot water and soap. Additionally, I clean up the countertop I prepared the food on. 

Well, preparing the raw meat for the pups is no different than preparing our raw meat! 

I go ahead and wash the knives and dishes I used to prepare Missy & Buzz’s raw meat with hot water and soap right after I used them. Either that or I put them straight into the dishwasher. 

The same goes for the countertops I prepared the raw dog food on. I also wash their dog food bowls with hot water & soap as soon as the pups are done eating.

By the way, that’s something I’ve always done, even back when I fed canned dog food and kibble…I just don’t like seeing dried dog food residue in the pups’ bowls.

Leave your comments or questions below in the comment section!

Related Reading to Feeding Raw Dog Food:

• Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm Dog Food: How to Feed & Recipe Ideas
• What Does Balanced Raw Dog Food Consist Of?
• What Are The Benefits of Raw Dog Food?
• Quick Start Guide to Raw Dog Food
• Homemade Raw Dog Food
• Premade Raw Dog Food
• Resources