Why Feed Raw Dog Food

At RawFedK9 we support a Prey Model Raw diet being the only biologically appropriate diet for your carnivore. There are many benefits of a raw diet for dogs as the more natural and biologically appropriate diet for not just your dogs, but also your cats. Dogs are carnivores - they have evolved and thrived on raw food for a millennium, it is what their digestive systems are designed for.

Raw dog food feeding is commonly mistaken for a new way to feed your dogs, however raw feeding existed long before the invention of kibble which was invented in the 1800s as an imperishable food during lengthy sea journeys. Dogs have evolved for a millennium on a raw diet. Many argue that the domestication of the wolf, which in turn led to all the different breeds we have today, has caused dogs to be far removed from their raw meat-eating ancestors.

While looking at a dog externally there are many different shapes and sizes, but internally all dogs have the same anatomy. Starting with your dog’s skull shape and dentition through to their shorter foregut and hindgut, a dog's internal anatomy is consistent with carnivorous animals.

 All raw diets are not created equal, it is important to start with quality ingredients for your pet's raw food to ensure your pet receives the full benefits of a raw diet for dogs. Most importantly, it is not too much to ask, to know every single ingredient that is in your pet's food!

Are Dogs Carnivores?

Yes, they are, further supporting the benefits of raw food for dogs! Carnivores have sharp jagged teeth that are designed for grabbing, ripping, and tearing meat. Carnivores do not possess the same flat molars used for grinding vegetation as omnivores do. A carnivore’s jaw will hinge open widely, allowing them to gulp large chunks of meat and bone. Their powerful jaws and teeth are designed to crush bones, Carnivores cannot chew as they have no lateral movement in their jaws. The dog also has a very short foregut compared to omnivores and a short smooth hindgut. This allows raw dog food to pass through quickly. Omnivores have much longer intestines because vegetation takes a long time to break down.

Feeding dogs as though they were omnivores causes strain on the pancreas as it must work harder as the body tries to deal with indigestible carbohydrate-filled food. This is a clear indicator of the benefits of raw feeding dogs, as it explains why plant matter comes out the same way it went in (undigested), even when it has been pre-processed or blitzed. Dogs that are fed a raw diet including carbs will have larger stools for this reason.

Carnivore Dietary Needs

Another common misconception is that dogs eat tripe to satisfy their need for vegetation. It has been well documented and observed that wild wolves and carnivores do not eat the stomach contents of their omnivore prey. During observation, it was witnessed that the stomach is pierced during consumption of the carcass, and the contents leak out or are often shaken out by the wolf. No attempts are made to eat the digested vegetable matter from the prey.

Science and our dog’s ancestors allow us to determine that dogs are most definitely carnivores. A Prey Model Raw Diet suggests that starches, cellulose, grain, and carbohydrates have no place in a dog's natural diet.

The PH level (acidity level) of a naturally fed dog's stomach is very low. When stomach juices are at full flow, digesting meat and raw bones, levels are lowest at PH 1 (equivalent to car battery acid). Even when not digesting, PH levels range from PH1.5 to PH 2.1. This acidic stomach protects dogs from harmful bacteria as they cannot survive the hostile environment.

Commercial Diets

A grain-heavy, additive-filled diet puts their whole system under pressure. The organs are overworked trying to digest the indigestible. It's no wonder that the immune system becomes severely compromised. It has become the norm for dogs’ stools to be unbearable, among other concerns that have been normalized due to refusing to acknowledge the diet lacking. The main ingredient in most kibbles is grain. It is cheap, stable, and readily available. It is also completely inappropriate to feed dogs. Kibble is cooked down into sludge which is then compressed and dried into little differently shaped kibble that is then colored and marketed to appeal to humans. Synthetic vitamins are sprayed on, then preservatives are added to maintain a shelf life of a minimum of one year. Finally, it is placed in pretty packages with claims that it is 100% the best thing you can feed your pet. This type of processed kibble cannot compare to raw pet food benefits for dogs.

Why Are Raw Dog Food Diets So Different?

The most unfair thing that we can do to any of our pets is to treat them as though they are humans. Our pets deserve to have a biologically appropriate diet, one that has them thriving rather than merely surviving. Many people will ask why so many dogs with health issues improve on a raw diet. Because you are eliminating the cause of the symptoms. It is not enough to just switch to a diet that has a better label or one that claims to have better quality ingredients. Many pet lovers begin on the journey towards a better diet for many reasons, but most commonly because their pet is suffering the effects of a poor diet. But why feed raw dog food? As many continue on their journey, they start raw feeding and will soon find out that not all raw diets are created equal. When a dog is suffering from a poor diet or even allergies, the only true way to eliminate the symptoms is to eliminate the source causing the symptoms, in many cases, this is a specific protein allergy or most commonly added carbs and fillers. Our dog’s internal anatomy, digestive system, and teeth all tell us that a raw diet is the best diet you can feed your dog. It contains all the nutrients they need and more importantly, it is the correct diet for them. By feeding raw, you are making an informed choice that acknowledges and supports your dog’s need for the benefits of a raw diet for dogs that is natural and healthy, and more importantly, aligned to their needs as a species.