The Scoop on Raw Food Diets
With significant and noticeable health benefits, the popularity of Raw Food Diets for our canine companions is on the rise. Raw food diets emphasize raw meat, whole or ground bones, vegetables, fruit, and goat milk. Sled dogs and racing greyhounds have long eaten raw. Australian veterinarian, Ian Billinghurst, proposed extending the diet to family dogs in 1993. He called it the B.A.R.F. diet, which stands for Bones and Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. He suggested that our furry friends would flourish on BARF dog food since this is how they ate before being domesticated, which you can read more about in his book, Give Your Dog a Bone.
Feeding your pup a raw food diet may be more time consuming than giving them cooked, commercially-made dog food, and it requires more attention in handling, preparation, and sanitation of those raw foods. However, the benefits of a raw diet present themselves very quickly.
Benefits of a raw food diet include:
- Healthier skin
- Shinier coat
- Cleaner teeth
- Higher energy levels
- Smaller stool
With any raw meats, you always need to be conscious of the possibility of spreading harmful bacteria. Be sure to clean any surfaces that these foods come in contact with, and be sure to pick up and thoroughly wash your dog’s dish after feedings to avoid bacterial growth.
While many dog owners exclusively feed either kibble or raw, options now exist that provide the best of both worlds, or a combination diet. These use blends of grains, vegetables, and vitamins mixed with raw meat. There are also several other types of raw dog food diets on the market, including commercially-made raw food diets that are frozen or freeze-dried and combination diets.
Switching your pup’s diet to a raw food diet may seem daunting. If you’re thinking of starting to feed raw, but you’re intimated by the effort, expenses, and uncertainty involved, Steve’s Real Food is a great place to start! Steve’s Real Food contains the natural protein, antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals your dog needs. It is made with ingredients your dog will love, such as hormone and antibiotic-free raw meat, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, functional foods like salmon oil, coconut oil, and flaxseed, raw goat milk, and kelp and sea salts.
Stop by our facility to pick up some Steve’s nuggets, patties, goat milk, and other great brands with products like raw beef bones! Get 10% off raw products when you mention this article!
