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Why is raw better than commercial food?
Most commercial foods are full of fillers that are
not healthy for your pet. Dogs are carnivores naturally and that
means MEAT EATERS. Filling them up on grains is just a
way for commercial food companies to cut their costs.
How much meat do they need a day?
Each dog is different but an approximate amount
would be 2% of their body weight, 3% for higher energy dogs , which means a
100lb dog will eat 2 to 3lbs a day. I break my meals into two feedings
per day. Because all dogs are different, just like people if you find
your dog is looking a little plump, cut back...if he's looking a little thin
up the amount, the 2-3% is simply a guideline.
Is it okay for them to eat bones?
As long as bones are not cooked it is absolutely
fine for dogs to consume bones, in fact bones should make up a portion of
their daily allotment. Chicken and pork bones are easy for them to
crush and large beef bones are good for their chewing and cheek muscle development as well as for cleaning teeth.
Do they need fruit or vegetables?
This is an area of controversy and I recommend you
do your own research to arrive at an answer you are comfortable with.
I personally add parsley and/or spinach to their diet on occassion.
You can add small amounts of apple, carrot etc. for fibre.
What is tripe?
Tripe is the stomach lining of the cow or lamb of the animal. Green
tripe includes the contents of the stomach wall...grass and digested food
etc. Tripe is chock full of vitamins and minerals and is one of the
most nutritional things you can feed your dog. I make it a
large part of their daily diet.
Won't they break their teeth on bones?
It is of course possible for your dog to crack a
tooth on a large bone so it is important to remove large beef bones once
your dog has chewed the meat off them and cleared them of marrow. The
longer a bone sits the drier it gets which is when you might have a problem.
Avoid smoked and cooked bones. Small chicken and pork bones are not
likely to hurt a dog's teeth and will actually promote dental health as they
keep their teeth clean. Remember, dog's jaws were created for ripping,
tearing and chewing through bone.
Won't they get sick eating raw chicken? What
about salmonella?
Dog's digestive systems work much differently than
humans. Their bodies digest more quickly and are more acidic which
makes it almost impossible for them to get sick from bacteria in food.
Dog's digestive systems are smaller than humans and food passes through it
much more quickly making it harder for them to digest certain foods like
grains and vegetables. Obviously it is important to wash your hands,
counters and dog dishes after feeding raw meat as you would when preparing
it for your family.
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