Are you always at the vets? Perhaps your pup is struggling with their weight. Maybe they don’t seem as energetic as before. It should come as no surprise that today’s commercial dog foods are a primary contributor to common problems and conditions. How they can affect our pets is certainly not worth the convenience.
More and more owners are switching to raw diets that are free from the processed ingredients and harmful manufacturing methods that go into kibble. If you’re one of them, you might be wondering where to start. There’s a lot more to raw food than opening a bag and filling a bowl.
Here are 5 quick rules to simplify raw dog food for beginners.
Lean Meat Comes First
Muscle meat is at the foundation of a raw dog food diet. Between half and a third of their sustenance should come from rich and lean sources of protein. Your best options include ground beef, turkey and bison. Pork shoulder, chicken thighs, stewing lamb and tenderloin are also suitable. Fat is important as well, but in the right quantity.
Serve Fat Sparingly
It’s worth noting that fat is valuable to dogs in several ways, including supporting their nervous system and immune function, not to mention skin health. However, it also has downsides. This includes high calorie figures and very few nutrients. Ideally, there shouldn’t be much more than 10% fat content in a raw dog food diet.
Keep it Balanced
One of the benefits of a raw diet is that it puts an end to feeding the same bowl of desiccated kibble every day. Your dog will appreciate having so many new flavours to enjoy. That said, you need to ensure that you’re giving them the correct amount of protein, carbs and nutrients.
One of the best ways to do this is to consider raw dog food from a company like Bella and Duke. They’re a raw dog food UK supplier that delivers meals that are tailored to your pup’s individual needs. With their complete raw dog food, you can be assured that you’re feeding them just enough of everything and not too much.
Calcium is Crucial
All dogs require a steady source of minerals, especially when they’re growing up. While meat is high in phosphorus, you’ll have to throw in some bones to provide enough calcium. This is why around 12% to 15% of your pup’s raw diet must be bone. Chicken wings, turkey necks, beef tail bones and whole rabbit are all great options.
Incorporate Organs
Despite usually being absent from dry foods, organs are one of the most powerful sources of nutrients for dogs. Without them, your canine companion can miss out on key vitamins. Between 10% and 30% of a raw diet should be organ meats, but it depends on what you can find. If you only have liver, for example, then it should be on the lower end.
Hopefully, this raw feeding guide has made things a little easier for you. Choosing to make the switch is one of the best things you can do for your canine companion, so don’t hesitate to go for it.
