The pro's and cons of a Pet Raw Food Diet

 

Deciding what to feed your dog can be a daunting process. There is so much information out there, and much of it is contradictory. Some will rave about a certain type of dry dog food, while others will say that their dogs did very poorly on it. Others still will claim that raw feeding is the only way to feed your dog. Your decision will be based on a variety of factors, including: your individual dog, how much free time you have on your hands, and your personal beliefs about canine nutrition.

 

While everyone has to make the best decision for themselves and their pet, here are some things to think over before deciding whether or not to feed your dog store bought commercial dog food or feed a raw diet.

 

Know Your Dog

Knowing your individual dog is an important component of choosing how you will feed them. Does your dog suffer from allergies? Are they a picky eater? Do they have a tendency to put on weight, or be too thin? Do they have any intolerances you need to watch out for? How old are they?

 

All of these are questions that you should ask yourself when deciding whether to feed your dog a raw diet or commercial dog food. If your dog has serious allergies, a raw diet may be a good idea if you’re ready for the commitment. Eliminating processed foods from your dog’s diet can be a great way to curb allergic reactions.  On the other hand, if your dog is a little vacuum who happily and enthusiastically sucks up whatever you put in front of them, a high-quality commercial dog food may be just the ticket.

 

Time & Dedication

There are pros and cons to feeding kibble or a raw diet (we’ll get into them a little later) but one of the most important ones is convenience.  Scooping up a bit of high-quality kibble into your dog’s bowl is way easier than preparing a raw food diet a couple of times a week (at least!).  When considering feeding a raw diet, be realistic about how much time and research you’re willing to put in. Feeding a raw diet can be beneficial for your dog, but it needs to be done correctly and a good deal of research is needed in order to make sure your dog is receiving adequate nutrition.

 

Pros and Cons

There are plenty of things to consider when deciding what and how to feed your dog. While your dog’s health and wellbeing are of paramount importance, it’s also important to take your own needs, abilities, and schedule into account.  While raw feeding can be especially helpful for dogs with nutritional issues and can do wonders for their health, it is also time consuming, can be expensive, and there is always the risk of harmful food born bacteria.  Commercial dog food, assuming it’s high quality, is convenient and nutritionally complete. However, deciphering which foods are high-quality and which aren’t can be difficult, you’re trusting the manufactures to maintain their quality standards, and dogs with very sensitive stomachs may have issues with commercial food.

 

The pet food industry as a whole has devoted billions of dollars to creating healthy dog food formulas, and raw food enthusiasts have done hours of research and formulated a variety of raw food diets that you can follow if you choose to go that route. It’s all about personal preference!

 

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