Dog Nutrition: Raw Feeding Guide

Looking to start feeding your dog a raw diet? As with any nutrition, venturing into the unknown can be quite daunting so it’s important to weigh up the pros & cons of changing your dogs food. We’ve teamed up with RAW food specialists Natures Menu to bring you a guide on RAW feeding and it’s benefits for your dog.

What are the benefits of a RAW diet?

One of the main benefits of the RAW diet is the improvement in oral health for your dog. Introducing a more natural diet to your dog avoids the build-up of sugars in their saliva which leads to a lot of oral health problems, including bad breath.

Feeding a RAW diet can also help alleviate allergies and intolerances in dogs, as there are no additives in the ingredients, and you can choose which extras you pop into their meal such as grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Poo! When feeding a RAW diet, your dogs poo becomes more manageable in that RAW diets produce a firmer poo, which is easier to pick up.

Other benefits include shinier coat, healthier skin, and more stable energy, meaning your dog is less hyperactive.

How do I introduce RAW food to my dog?

Introducing RAW food to your dog is easy! Natures Menu suggest a 7-day transition period when switching over to RAW food so your dog can adjust to the new food slowly, avoiding any digestive issues and unbalanced stomach PH levels.

To start: on day 1 replace one of their original meals with a RAW meal, slowly increasing the number of raw meals day by day until they are fully transitioned to RAW food on day 8.

How do I feed RAW food?

There are several ways to feed RAW food, you can use purely complete nuggets or mince blocks, or you can use a mix of frozen meat, vegetables, and grains to create a balanced meal for your dog at home.

All you need is a suitable tub with a lid. Measure out the required amount of food and either leave in the fridge to defrost overnight or at room temperature for 2-4 hours to defrost and serve.

When handling RAW food, we would always advise to practise good hygiene including washing your hands thoroughly after handling the food, plus washing any food vessels in hot, soapy water.

For more information on RAW feeding, you can speak to our in-store nutritionists who can help answer your queries and get you started on your dogs RAW feeding journey.