Raw Diet for Canines

When you think about it, wouldn't a dog eat a raw diet in the wild? Wolves and coyotes don't cook their kills or dine out on packaged food. This is the theory behind the current trend of feeding dogs a raw food diet. Proponents extol the virtues of the BARF (biologically-appropriate raw food) diet while critics claim it can be harmful. Still others, notably holistic veterinarians, suggest a combination of raw and cooked foods.

  1. Raw Foods

    • Dogs need a high concentration of protein in their diet. Many raw food proponents advocate including vegetables as well, though some say it is not necessary, preferring instead to include green tripe in the dog's diet. This green tripe (which is actually brown) is not like the white tripe you find in dishes like menudo. It is stomach lining straight from the cow and still contains all the nutrients from the cow's last meal of grass, hay, or other grains along with helpful digestive enzymes. Whether you choose to feed your dog beef, chicken, lamb, green tripe, vegetables, or a combination of these ingredients, be sure they are human grade and preferably organic to avoid hormone and antibiotic contamination. When including vegetables (almost anything except onions), it is best to break them down in some way, either by turning them into a mush to mix with the meat or freezing, thawing, and cutting them to help the dog digest better.

    Portion Size

    • You will need to research which foods and what portion sizes are right for your dog. In general a portion size is about two percent of your dog's body weight. For example, a 10-pound dog will need 3.2 ounces of raw food daily (about the size of a chicken breast) while a 50-pound dog will need 16 ounces or one pound.

    Preparation

    • Preparation of raw food is simple though time-consuming and messy. Preparing raw food meals in bulk, portioning, bagging, and freezing is the best method. Your mixture should be 75 percent muscle meats and organs and 25 percent vegetables and fruits. For example, use your blender or food processor to make a vegetable/fruit mush (the liquid base to bind the meat) from carrots, cabbage, cooked sweet potatoes, ginger, garlic, apples, blueberries, and pears. To this mush add uncooked eggs (some people include the crushed egg shells). Add ground raw human-grade beef, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb or a combination of these meats. Add vitamin E and apple cider vinegar if desired. Portion according to your dog's needs, then bag and freeze it. Serve this concoction straight from the freezer (most dogs prefer it frozen), or thaw it out for dogs with sensitive teeth.

    Considerations

    • Although some raw food advocates promote the use of digestive enzymes, others warn against using them. Raw food diets already contain these enzymes (for example, green tripe) and using more can suppress the dog's natural production of its own enzymes. This can cause difficulty in digestion and a suppressed immune system. Also, holistic veterinarians advocate a combination of raw, cooked, and processed foods specifically designed for dogs.

      Make sure you find out as much as you can about your dog's nutritional needs before you start a raw food diet. Consult with your veterinarian and weigh your dog on a regular basis to ensure the diet is adequate.