The Benefits Of Raw Food Diet For Dogs

Dogs love raw meat and evolved to eat it. The
benefits of raw food diet for dogs are many. But
the one thing that a dog owner has to keep in
mind when they decide on a raw food diet for
their dog is where the raw food comes from. Most
of the raw food that will be fed to the dog will
be in the form of meat. It's the owner's
responsibility to make sure that the meat and
other raw foods are free of bacteria, parasites
or other toxins that might make the dog sick.

In the wild dogs and other canids eat their food
raw. But the secret is even they can't just live
on the meat and fat of their prey. They eat the
contents of the stomachs and the intestines,
they eat the fur, they gnaw on the bones. This
gives the wild dogs enough fiber, calcium and
other nutrients to keep them healthy. It's up to
the dog owner to make sure that the raw food diet
is just as balanced for their dog. An all meat
diet isn't good for a dog, for it lacks
essential nutrients, especially calcium and
phosphorous. A dog who eats only meat will
eventually develop problems with their skeleton
and their heart.

Before feeding a raw diet, the owner should also
calculate the dog's energy needs and how many
kilocalories it needs just for maintenance. A
Chihuahua might need only 200 kcals per day to
maintain its health, while a lactating Great
Dane might need more than 6,000. The dog's needs
also change according to whether they're inactive
or active, whether they're a working dog, an
older dog, or a pregnant or lactating female.

The best sort of meat to feed a dog, especially
a dog that's active, is duck. Ideally, the whole
duck should be fed to the dog so it can eat the
skeleton and the internal organs. One hundred
grams of duck with the skin on has 430 kcals of
energy, 11.3 grams of protein and 42.7 grams of
fat. Another high energy food is raw herring,
which has 234 kcal, 17 grams of protein and 18.5
grams of fat per 100 grams. Green leafy
vegetables can supply the dog's iron needs, as
well as its need for essential fatty acids.
Brewer's yeast will give it its daily dose of B
vitamins. Kelp, which is a form of seaweed, also
has useful minerals, including iodine, which
supports the thyroid gland, but should be given
sparingly. Beet pulp and chicory are also good
sources of fiber. Fiber's useful in preventing
constipation, inflammatory bowel disease,
diabetes and excess fat in the blood.

Dogs can do well on a raw food diet, but once
again, the owner has to be careful about the
ingredients.


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Victoria Vohn, aka My Granny Geek,
http://mygrannygeek.com , has been researching
potential purchases online since the early days
of the internet. She has owned and operated an
IT company for the past 20 years and has
developed extensive expertise in internet
research. Now she is sharing that research with
you. Visit her website featuring raw food diets
for dogs at http://rawfooddietfordogs.co


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