One week ago, I finally jumped over my own shadow and did it: I mixed raw, organic meat in with the pups’ dehydrated veggies without having cooked it first.
You may wonder what brought about my change of heart?
Benefits of Raw Dog Food
Since my girl Missy kicked cancer’s butt about 2 months ago, I have done a lot of research on healthier doggie nutrition. The benefits speak for themselves:
Cleaner teeth
Shiny coat & healthy skin
More energy
Reduced risk of cancer
Smaller poop volume & no dog smell
Less allergies
As a consequence, I transitioned both Missy & Buzz from a high-quality kibble & wet food mix to a homemade diet using dehydrated vegetables & organic, cooked meat:
Homemade dog food with Dr. Harvey’s Veg-to-Bowl grain-free pre-mix
I have recently read on several occasions that cooking the meat as opposed to serving it raw actually gets rid of a lot of its nutrients.
I also read that a dog’s stomach is really made to absorb & digest raw meat, unlike our human digestive system.
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? Of course not!
Our Raw Dog Food Consists of:
Organ meatMuscle meat (chicken gizzards & hearts) – One of the raw feeding lessons I learned is that gizzards and hearts are considered muscle meat, not organs. Only secreting organs (learn more about feeding organs by clicking) count towards organ feeding.- Organic ground turkey/beef/duck (from local supermarket & Darwin’s Natural Selections)
- Raw eggs about once or twice a week
- Seasonal fresh, organic fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple)
- Dehydrated, grain-free vegetable mix from either Dr. Harvey’s (Veg-to-Bowl) or The Honest Kitchen (Base Mix)
What About The Potential of Bacterial Contamination When Feeding Raw Dog Food?
One of the concerns I had before feeding Missy & Buzz a raw diet was the potential bacterial contamination we might be faced with. After reading up on the matter & using my common sense, I realized that it really is no different than preparing a meal consisting of meat for us.
When I cut up a raw chicken breast for Ian & myself, I make sure to wash the cutting board & knife used with hot water & soap, and also clean up the countertop I prepared the food on.
Well, preparing the raw meat for our pups is no different than preparing our raw meat! The utensils & dishes used to prepare Missy & Buzz’s raw meat get washed with hot water & soap immediately after having used them.
The same goes for the countertops which came in contact with the raw food, and their food bowls get the same immediate washing with hot water & soap as soon as the pups have finished eating (that’s something I’ve always done, even when we fed kibble & wet food ~ I don’t like the sight of dried food residue..#OCD).
Leave your comments or questions below in the comment section!
8 comments
I put eggs in my dog’s food and let me just say, MaddiethePug has SUCH a beautiful, shiny coat because of it! Best thing I could have done for her (and she was my husband’s dog before he met me; he says her coat is so much more beautiful now). I am a big supporter of a raw diet when it comes to my pugs regular meals, 10000%! Of course, MaddiethePug sneaks a cheeseburger here and there….haha. Great post!
Thanks so much 🙂 It’s so great to hear that a fellow dog blogger feeds a raw diet! There really seem to be a lot of benefits to feeding raw! Horray for MaddiethePug’s shiny coat ~ I bet her breath smells good, too 😉
I’m still in the transitioning phase of some high-quality dry food and cooked meat with lots of fresh veggies and fruits. Your articles have given me more confidence though to go raw.
Thank you, Elaine, it has been a rewarding journey so far, and the pups couldn’t be happier & healthier on their new diet. I’m so glad that you have found my articles helpful ~ you just made my day!!
Exciting! I’m glad you’re giving raw a try. I hope it’s going well.
It’s going fantastic!! I can’t believe I didn’t try this sooner! I suppose I really thought it would be so much harder to feed a balanced, raw meal! Once you get over that initial mental hurdle, it’s a breeze!
Hi Barbara, another amazing post! So, we finally got our allergy test! Based on your recommendations, I was really looking into buying Balanced Blend, but they have salmon oil:-( While the Darwin foods have yams 🙁
I will keep reading your blog for more ideas! In the meantime, I can make some food myself based on the results.
Hi Anna, thank you! So Rocky is allergic to salmon oil and yams? Anything else?