When it comes to food, dogs really aren’t all that fussy. In fact, they’ll eat just about anything they can find… even if it’s not actually edible!
This is why it’s important to keep a close eye on your pup at home and when out and about, in case they pick up something they shouldn’t. You don’t want an expensive trip to the vet, after all.
If you’re wondering what nutrition is best to give your pooch, you might want to consider looking into the benefits of following a raw food diet, a course of action that many dog owners believe to be the healthiest for their pets.
The idea of raw feeding is that it gives your pet all the nutrients they need in order to be healthy and thriving, avoiding any processing or unnecessary cooking that can strip the nutrients out and instead providing domesticated dogs with similar options to what they would naturally eat out in the wild.
A typical raw diet for dogs will include good quality protein and bone, vegetables and berries and superfoods, all of which are combined to help your dog maintain their health.
Protein should make up the majority of the mix, since this is what dogs are meant to eat. Common ingredients include beef, duck, white fish, salmon, lamb, turkey and chicken, while offal and organ meats are also included because they’re so nutrient dense.
Berries and veg are then added into the mix, with the likes of carrots, raspberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, kale and Brussel sprouts all included because of the antioxidant benefits they bring. As for superfoods, you can expect to see kelp, turmeric, ginger and black pepper included in the ingredient list.
What is important to note, however, if you are thinking of transitioning your pup is that raw food (particularly meat) can contain pathogens, bacteria and parasites that would normally be killed off during cooking processes.
As such, unless you’ve done extensive research and have complete confidence in what you’re doing, you could be putting your pup at risk. It could also be a good idea to chat to your vet about changing diets, as they’ll have in-depth knowledge of canine nutrition and will be able to provide you with all the guidance you need.
There are also lots of brands out there that have done a lot of the hard work for you and have come up with recipes that ensure all your dog’s nutritional needs are met, without compromising their health or putting them at risk of pathogens. For further tips on making the switch, check out this blog post on the Bella & Duke website.
Want to find out about our latest dog training packages? Get in touch with Sean Hyden to see how he can help.
