More and more dog owners are making the switch to raw dog food for their dogs and for good reasons. Conventional dog diets are often filled with additives, are made with poor quality ingredients, and are often balanced using artificial chemicals to meet protein, fat and carbohydrate requirements. Going for raw or natural diets seems like a better option especially when the food is prepared at home. Read on to know why it makes sense to switch your dog to a raw or natural diet today.
Avoid chemicals and additives
Switching to raw or natural dog food means your dog can avoid eating meals that are laced with fillers and additives, from preservatives that prolong the shelf life of kibble to sawdust, corn meal, antibiotics as well fake flavorings that are used to make dog food taste and smell like real meat.
If you prepare your dog food naturally using fresh ingredients at home, you know what goes into each bowl of dog food so you have better control over your pooch’s diet and the health outcomes that result from this diet.
Shinier coats and more energy
A typical raw dog food diet is composed of fatty meats and crushed bone. This is often the reason why dogs on raw or natural diets have shinier, healthier coats and more energy. Most natural diets can be formulated to be high in protein which is good for young dogs or those that need to gain weight.
However, it is important to be careful when feeding raw food diets to dogs with existing healh conditions. High fat, high protein diets are generally not recommended for older dogs or those suffering from liver or kidney problems.
Introduces Variety
The most obvious advantage to raw or natural dog food is that you can make it as colorful and as interesting as you want for your dog. Dog kibble and canned dog food look and taste the same and they are often not enjoyable to look at. Natural meals made of raw or cooked meats, broccoli, cauliflower, and fruits like apples and blueberries make for a pretty enjoyable meal that even humans wouldn’t mind eating.
It is important to note that you don’t need to feed your dogs raw meats during each meal. Switching to a natural diet instead of artificial kibble and canned dog foods can give you the health results you want for your dog, even if you start with cooked chicken meat paired with vegetables and fruit. As long as you keep these meals balanced to meet his protein, fat and carbohydrate requirements, you can keep your furry best friend happy and healthy.