The popularity of the raw dog food diet is on the increase as dog owners look for alternatives to mass produced commercially produced brand dog foods. The general theory being that by feeding on raw, natural organic foodstuffs the overall diet is less reliant on chemicals and additives with more emphasis on what the animal would eat naturally.
A further theory being that the dog is, as a result, healthier and happier. That said, there are both pros and cons to such a dietary approach.
If you are considering switching your dog on to raw food you may be wondering if it is the right thing to do or not. To help you with that decision let us take a look at some of both the pros and cons involved.
Pro: If you start to use the raw food diet your dog may develop a shiner coat. In general, dog food products sold in stores do not contain all the nutrients that the animal needs. One of the key nutrients that you will not find in food products is the oil which helps to promote that shiny coat. The raw foods contain such nutrients, giving your pet a healthier coat.
Pro: If you would like your dog to have more energy, avoid feeding it with processed food. This is because the dog’s body needs more time to metabolize it. The raw food can be digested more easily. This means that the dog’s body can readily extract enough energy from raw food and this translates to higher energy levels.
Pro: The raw dog food diet helps clean and toughen the dog’s teeth, especially when you give it bones to chew on. The teeth rub against the bone as he chews on it. The rubbing cleans off its teeth and strengthens both the gums and teeth against decay.
Con: While the raw dog food diet has many advantages, there are some cons to it. One of them is that raw meat contains bacteria which may cause health problems to the dog. Bacteria can cause many kinds of issues in your dog, just like in humans. To combat this, always buy quality fresh meat from sources you can trust such as your local butcher.
Con: As the dog chews on bones, it may chew too hard making it to swallow the slivers when the bone breaks. This can result to punctures in your dog’s organs. Again, the bones could potentially crack the teeth, making it painful for your dog to eat. Always consider this when giving your dog a bone. Avoid giving him access to brittle bones which may break easily and limit his time with the bone.
Con: When you concentrate so much on feeding your pooch on a raw food diet, do be sure to supplement where necessary with other nutrients and vitamins to still give an overall balanced diet. If you feed the dog on raw food only and for a prolonged period of time, it may experience deficiencies, leading to problems that could become more serious. Ensuring a balanced diet is very important. This way, you will enjoy having a dog that happier and healthier.
Now you have a view on some of the advantages and disadvantages of introducing your dog to a different diet whilst still retaining the overall importance of nutritional balance to his health. It might not suit all dogs so it is suggested that if in any doubt that you take the appropriate professional advice first. See also http://www.musthavemore.info/about/goingraw for additional information.
