**** I am happy to share our journey and the incredible health benefits that feeding a raw and home cooked has brought us. Please note I am not a veterinarian and the content of this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I recommend you find a holistic veterinarian in your area for direct consultation on nutrition and holistic care.
Why Go Raw?
uite simply, it's REAL food. Kibble is devoid of moisture and nutrients- yes even those "high quality kibbles" are still processed and wrecking havoc on our companion animals' systems. Our pets' life spans are being cut short by feeding these dry processed foods. Starting feeding real, fresh foods and you'll see your pets' health and temperament improve drastically. My dogs no longer suffer from chronic ear infections, skin infections, or allergies. Their skin and coats are brighter and shinier. They are more alert and even the seniors have a bounce in their step now. Raw diet saved my first rescued bulldog who was near kidney failure. In only 6 months, her kidney values were normal again.
Many people ask me how to start feeding raw. Going raw can seem overwhelming, but once you get started, you'll see how easy it is. I wanted to create a page to discuss the benefits of raw and explore the many options you have.
Is raw convenient? No. But with convenience of kibble you're sacrificing a lot more.
Is feeding raw (or homecooked) fun? Yes! I love trying new "recipes" and seeing what my dogs get excited about. Champ loved green peas! Charles gets excited for his blueberry/pineapple/ginger smoothie.
Is raw the ONLY way? No. Not all dogs thrive on raw. Some do better on home-cooked. Boo initially thrived on a raw diet- she no longer was only daily prednisone for ear and skin infections. Her ears opened up and had significantly less debris in them. He skin was no longer bumpy with crusty hot spots popping up. However, as she got older, she began having episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. After trying some elimination diets to ID if it was an intolerance to a specific food, we realized she did best when on a home cooked bland diet. So we began cooking for her. She now eats a varied diet, but of cooked foods. And she's doing amazing! See our page on home cooking for your pets.
Many people ask me how to start feeding raw. Going raw can seem overwhelming, but once you get started, you'll see how easy it is. I wanted to create a page to discuss the benefits of raw and explore the many options you have.
Is raw convenient? No. But with convenience of kibble you're sacrificing a lot more.
Is feeding raw (or homecooked) fun? Yes! I love trying new "recipes" and seeing what my dogs get excited about. Champ loved green peas! Charles gets excited for his blueberry/pineapple/ginger smoothie.
Is raw the ONLY way? No. Not all dogs thrive on raw. Some do better on home-cooked. Boo initially thrived on a raw diet- she no longer was only daily prednisone for ear and skin infections. Her ears opened up and had significantly less debris in them. He skin was no longer bumpy with crusty hot spots popping up. However, as she got older, she began having episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. After trying some elimination diets to ID if it was an intolerance to a specific food, we realized she did best when on a home cooked bland diet. So we began cooking for her. She now eats a varied diet, but of cooked foods. And she's doing amazing! See our page on home cooking for your pets.
Types of Raw Diet: |
Prepared Raw / Prepackaged Raw
- Frozen Patties/Bits
- Brands: Answers, Primal, Nature's Variety, Bravo, AllProvide, Darwin's
- Complete raw diets, frozen to maintain nutrition and taste. Keep frozen until ready for use. Defrost before feeding.
- Dehydrated/Freeze Dried
- Uses freeze dried raw meat, fruits and vegetables.
- Add warm water until desired consistency (usually like oatmeal).
- Easy to use during travel.
- Also great for dogs with Mega-Esophagus type symptoms as you can make it like soup.
- Brands: The Honest Kitchen, SoJo's, Bravo, Spots Farm
Pros & Cons of feeding a prepackaged / dehydrated raw food:
Pros:
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Cons:
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Fresh Raw
- Generally speaking, dogs should eat 2-3% of their ideal body weight.
- Feed a balanced diet over time (meaning one meal may be higher or lower in one area, but you're looking at the big picture)
- The approximate ratio to aim for overall is:
- 80% meat, sinew, ligaments, fat
- 10% edible bone
- 5% liver
- 5% other organ meat
- Whole-Prey Model is the concept that the dog eats the entire animal to gain the balance of nutrients necessary. Feeding whole prey (i.e., a whole ground chicken, turkey, or fish) means that they are consuming every part of the animal in the ratio appropriate for them. It also takes the "thinking" out of feeding appropriate ratios of meat/bone/organ.
- Whole Ground Raw/Blends: Many butchers can grind up whole chickens, rabbits, and fish by request. There are also many companies, such as My Pet Carnivore, that sell frozen whole ground animals. This is where we get most of our food.
Pros & Cons of feeding a whole ground / DIY whole prey model diet:
Pros:
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Cons:
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What do we feed here at The Diva Dog House?
- We rotate proteins every few days. We typically do a rotation of chicken, beef, fish, turkey, rabbit, and emu. I add dried ground egg shells when feeding beef to insure adequate source of calcium.
Breakfast consists of:
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Dinner consists of:
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* The Diva Dog Super Golden Paste Recipe :
Coconut Oil, Tumeric Powder, Black pepper, Cinnamon, Spirulina,
I also add into rotation: Manuka (or raw) Honey, Slippery Elm, Dandelion Root, Beet Root, Milk Thistle, Bee Pollen, Echinacea, and Diatomaceous Earth
Coconut Oil, Tumeric Powder, Black pepper, Cinnamon, Spirulina,
I also add into rotation: Manuka (or raw) Honey, Slippery Elm, Dandelion Root, Beet Root, Milk Thistle, Bee Pollen, Echinacea, and Diatomaceous Earth
So you're reading to start raw feeding!
Here's some more tips on whole prey model* ...
Balance over time
- One meal could have more bone content, another more meat or organ. Think overall feeding in a week's time.
- The approximate ratio to aim for overall is:
- 80% meat, sinew, ligaments, fat
- 10% edible bone
- 5% liver
- 5% other organ meat
- Meats are high in phosphorus, bones are high in calcium. When meat is fed with 10% bone you have the exact ratios of calcium to phosphorus required by a dog. Whole prey, fish, eggs and tripe have a balanced ratio.
- Organ meat should not exceed 10% of the diet overall and 5% of that should be liver (beef liver has the highest nutrient levels). Feed liver once a week (or several small servings per week) and try to find an organic, free range source if possible because the liver is responsible for filtering toxins out of the body.
HOW MUCH TO FEED?
- Adult Dogs/Cats
- Most dogs eat around 2-3% of their ideal adult weight per day.
- If your dog is very active, you may need to feed a little more than 3%, or if your dog is more of a couch-potato, you may need to feed a little less than 2% - every dog is different.
- Most dogs eat around 2-3% of their ideal adult weight per day.
- Puppies/Kittens
- Puppies should receive about 2-3% of their ideal/expected ADULT weight split into 3 or more meals per day depending on age. When puppies are four to six months old, they require a great deal of food and a little extra edible bone as they are building their adult teeth. Do not let puppies get too thin at this important age as their energy demands are tremendous when cutting new teeth.
- Puppies should receive about 2-3% of their ideal/expected ADULT weight split into 3 or more meals per day depending on age. When puppies are four to six months old, they require a great deal of food and a little extra edible bone as they are building their adult teeth. Do not let puppies get too thin at this important age as their energy demands are tremendous when cutting new teeth.
OTHER NOTES:
- NEVER NEVER EVER feed cooked bones!
- When bones are cooked they become course, and can splinter and pierce the stomach or intestines. Raw bones are soft enough to bend and digest easily.
- Avoid weight bearing leg and knuckle bones of large animals such as beef, as (even raw) dogs can easily break a tooth on these harder, denser bones.
- Organic, grass fed/ free range animals that are not given hormones or medications are obviously a healthier choice.
- If feeding pork, fish, or wild game, freeze the meat for at least two weeks before feeding to reduce the risk of parasites. I recommend freezing ALL meat prior to feeding to be safe.
- Carbohydrates/Grains are not a natural part of a dog’s diet as they do not have the ability to digest grains properly. Grains should be avoided.
- There is debate over whether dogs need fresh vegetables/fruits. I personally find they do better when they are given these supplemental foods from time to time. Mine frequently get green vegetables with dinner (peas, green beans, etc) and fruits (blueberries, strawberries, bananas) for breakfast.
- Dogs process bacteria differently (and better) than humans do. So no, they won't get sick from raw meat like we would. Click here for more info.
Benefits of Raw Feeding:
Natural food equals natural health and helps provide the essential building blocks of a strong immune system!
After just a few weeks of rawfeeding you will start to see an improvement in their health. After a few months the benefits are incredible and the list of health benefits are endless!!
Here are some benefits I've experienced and I've heard from others who have switched to raw also...
- They ENJOY eating their food and look forward to meal times with excitement (sometimes too much excitement... barking does not make me prepare meals faster Boo!)
- Raw feeding creates a stronger, healthier immune system so they are more resistant to disease
- Shiny healthy coats with less shedding.
- Better oral health when feeding raw bone
- Easier to maintain proper weight.
- Better muscle tone.
- Smaller poops.
- See my supplement page for tips on anal gland health - I have found the answer!
- Less parasites
- True story - I don't use any flea preventatives and my dogs have never had fleas/ticks since starting raw diet.
- I spray them with Richard's Organic Flea/Tick spray (essential oil blend) when going hiking/kayaking/etc
- It can be cheaper in the short run if you buy wisely
- It’s definitely cheaper in the long run as vet bills are dramatically reduced
Here are some great resources to continue your research on raw diet: