Leading the Way Dog Training and Guide Dogs

Raw Food Diet for Dogs


Ever wonder what is in the kibble? Maybe the wide-scale pet food recalls have had you wondering about raw diet for your dogs. For some, the the idea of feeding a fresh, well-hydrated, varied, raw diet, whose enzymes and amino acids have not been altered by cooking, didn’t seem like such a radical idea. To others, the thoughts of food poisoning and other concerns creep in. In this two part article, I am going to dicuss the pro and cons of both.

Owners often switch to raw feeding in times of crisis, such as when their dogs have been diagnosed with deep-seeded problems like allergies, says Monica Segal, author of "Optimal Nutrition, Raw and Cooked Canine Diets: The Next Level" (Doggie Diner, 2007). But more and more owners are becoming proactive. “They’re asking themselves, ‘If a method of feeding is being touted as good when an animal is ill, why not when it’s healthy?’”

Still, despite the interest — and the growing number of companies that offer frozen and freeze-dried raw diets — many vets are still uncomfortable with the idea of feeding dogs a diet that mimics what they would eat in the wild: basically, raw meat, uncooked bones, and pulverized vegetables and fruit. Among their concerns are the risk of bacterial contamination, dietary imbalances, and internal injury from inadequately chewed bones.

Not every dog is cut out for a raw diet, agrees Segal, who is certified in animal healthcare by the University of Guelph and formulates raw diets for her clients.

“If you have a really immune-compromised dog, it might not be the way to go.”

When it comes to objections about raw feeding, its advocates note that good hygiene is important when handling any raw meat. Most healthy dogs can handle bacteria such as Salmonella or E. Coli, and grinding raw meaty bones into a hamburger-like consistency eliminates any choking risk. (Never feed cooked bones, which are brittle and can splinter.)

Nutritional balance is also a concern. Not having an adequate calcium source, for example, can leave a dog at risk for severe orthopedic problems. The key is never to embark on a raw diet without doing adequate research. In addition to Segal’s writings, a good introduction for wannabe raw feeders is "Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats" by Kymythy Schultze (Hay House, 1999).

One of the biggest drawbacks to raw feeding is cost. Segal notes: If you do it right, but don’t have affordable meat sources, feeding your dog can be as costly as feeding yourself.

From the canine point of view, though, the pluses of raw feeding are pretty obvious. “Very few dogs,” Segal says with a grin, “will turn their noses up at it.”