Raw Food Vs. Dog Food
So you've got a new dog and you're wondering what to feed him. The market is full of commercial diets, and you've heard that some people feed their dogs raw meat. What should you do?Dogs are omnivores which means they require meat, fiber, and other nutrients to stay healthy. Generally, adult dogs need a diet that consists of 22-25% protein and 15-19% fat, although puppies, pregnant dogs, and active dogs will have different nutritional requirements.
If you choose to feed your dog a commercial based diet, it is very important to choose a high quality food. You want to make sure that a good quality protein source such as lamb meal, chicken meal, or turkey meal is the number one ingredient. You want to stay away from foods that list a grain as the number one ingredient or contain lots of byproducts and preservatives.
Many people choose to feed their dogs raw food or the BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food) Diet. This diet consists of raw meaty bones, vegetables, offal (the organ part of the protein source), recreational bones, and proteins like cottage cheese and eggs with the shells. Proponents of this diet claim that it keeps their dogs healthier than commercially prepared diets.
The following are some pros and cons of both diets:
Testing: People who advocate raw diets claim that the diet is tried and true and has been tested positively for centuries on wild dogs. They say that since commercial diets have been around since only the 1950's, there is no long term testing that has been done on this food. Proponents of raw food claim that the increase in allergies, dysplasia, and other health conditions is as a result of dogs being fed commercial dog food.
People who believe in commercial dog food point to the millions of dollars each year companies such as Purina, Iams, Hill's, and Nutro spend on scientific and field testing of their products. They believe that commercial dog food contains all of the nutrients that a dog needs to grow and be healthy and that since the BARF diet is complicated, expensive, and difficult to prepare, many people do not properly understand it and are not appropriately feeding their dogs.Grains: Advocates of raw feeding say that dogs cannot properly digest grains and therefore do not feed them. They feel that the commercial market uses grains because they are inexpensive fillers.
Proponents of commercial dog food say that as dogs are omnivores, it is only natural that they require the nutritional benefits of grains. They feel that people who feed raw food are depriving their dogs of this nutrient.
Raw Ingredients vs. Cooked Ingredients: People who feed their dogs raw food diets feel that nature intended for animals to eat their food raw and that cooking damages the chemical makeup of foods and that cooking the food actually damages an animal's immune system.
Those that feel that commercial food is the way to go, claim that there is no difference between cooking the animal's food and cooking human food. That all of the nutrients are still active in cooked food providing healthy meals for animals.
Additives: People who believe in feeding their dogs raw food feel that no additives are needed and that their animals are getting all of the nutrients they require. They feel that the commercial food companies use additives to enhance the palatability of their food effectively "addicting" a dog to it.
Commercial food advocates say that additives such as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are essential to giving the dog the proper balance of nutrients he requires, while raw food is missing some essential vitamins and minerals.
Variety: Those who feed raw food feel that dogs need variety in their diet and that commercial food is very boring for them.
Commercial food advocates say that dogs have very sensitive digestive systems and that variety actually can cause things such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Whether you choose to feed your dog the BARF diet or commercial food, it is important to be educated on what a dog's nutritional requirements are. You should also consult your veterinarian for his recommendation on diet.
What Is BARF?
All Natural Dog Food
It actually sounds kind of gross, but BARF is an acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food. Many health conscious veterinarians are huge advocates for this diet
which can completely replace commercially prepared dog food. One of the first proponents of the BARF diet was Dr. Ian Billinghurst who still recommends it today. He believes that it is the ultimate way to get our pets in to optimum health. Many people believe that the BARF diet simulates what your dog would eat in his natural environment.Many people feel that there are a lot of health advantages to feeding a raw food diet. Many owners who have dogs with problems such as allergies, skin problems, weight problems, and anal gland problems have found that the bones and raw food diet has helped to significantly remedy these issues.
Some of the advantages to feeding a biologically appropriate raw food diet include no consumption of preservatives found in most commercially prepared kibble diets, it usually tastes better to your dog than regular dog food, and in general, muscle mass and body condition improve on a raw food diet. One also often finds that dogs produce fewer stools, eat more slowly, and have fewer health problems. Many advocates of the raw food diet also claim that it is less expensive than commercially manufactured dog food. One of the biggest disadvantages to this diet is that it takes longer to prepare.
If you decide that you would like to try the BARF diet with your dog, you must first do the research. There are many websites and books available to guide you through the process. Talk to your veterinarian, though many veterinarians are unfamiliar with the BARF diet. Find people in your area that feed the raw food diet to their animals. Make sure it is right for you and your dog before you try it.
The next step is to transition your dog from his commercial dog food to his new bones and raw food diet. You may want to do this gradually as oftentimes dogs develop digestive problems when switching to new diets. Some advocates of the BARF diet recommend switching your dog to the new diet cold turkey, however.
When feeding a raw food diet, you will generally want to feed your dog twice per day. The first meal of the day will usually consist of raw meat and bones like turkey or chicken legs, thighs, wings, or necks, pork riblets, lamb chops, and the like. The second meal will consist of a mush made with raw meat, fresh vegetables, and Offal (the organs parts of the meat you are feeding).
Use ally you will want to supplement this with cottage cheese, eggs with the shells, yogurt, fruit, fish, and recreational bones (which are the harder to chew kinds of bones). This can vary, so do your homework. You will want to avoid grains. Advocates of the biologically appropriate raw food diet agree that dogs do not have the proper digestive systems to deal with whole grains and that most food allergies are grain related.
Most advocates of the raw food diet do not recommend supplements. If you aren't sure what to do, speak with your veterinarian.
Many people are hesitant to feed their dog a raw diet because they are concerned about their dogs choking on bones. While these incidents occur, proponents of raw food diets say they are rare, and that generally, dogs choke on cooked bones, not raw ones.
There are commercially prepared raw food diets on the market. While this is always an option for you if you choose to feed raw food, many advocates of the BARF diet recommend against it. They argue that these foods have different regulations that human grade foods, oftentimes contain unnecessary supplements, are ground foods (and the whole basis of the BARF diet is raw, meaty bones), and are much more expensive than visiting your local butcher.
If you decide that the bones and raw food diet is something that you'd like to try, first talk to your veterinarian about your decision. Then, do as much research into the diet as possible. Talk to others who feed the diet. You may find that by feeding the BARF diet you are improving the health of your dog.
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