Raw Diet For Your Dog
Many scientists agree that the current canine sharing you heart and home is most likely a descendant of the wolf. As such, they are genetically inclined to a much more diverse diet than the local pet store currently offers. There is some debate on the issue but one thing is clear if you want a healthy animal you must feed it what it would consume in its natural habitat. One need not look any further than the habits of the wolf to find what a natural diet would consist of. These animals live in the wild in diverse areas, but their prey is usually small mammals and local vegetation. You see most animals will eat naturally the diet required for healthy organs and long life. Reports suggest that the current commercial pet foods do not provide vitamins and mineral essential for health living, leaving pets at a higher incidence of allergies and diseases. Carnivores were never meant to consume cooked grains that are a large part of the commercial pet food industry.
Commercial pet foods have recently garnered a lot of attention after several cases of pet poisoning. Over 5600 products have been recalled, store brands and prescription only foods have been affected. The majority of contamination has come from the ingredients, processed dog foods contain many cooked grains that have come from the leftovers of food made for human consumption. In addition, they may contain chemicals such as preservatives that are carcinogenic. In a plant in Ontario, it was found that dead animals, including dogs and cats were cooked fur and all to be placed in pet food. All I can say is yuck, not only does it sound unhealthy but it disgusting as well.
Researching very little it is easy to find sample diet plans if you are thinking of going raw. There are common ingredients that all seem to agree on such as, raw meat, chopped or juiced vegetables and essential vitamins. The essential vitamins include vitamins E and C along with essential fatty acids like omega three. Add to these three eggs, shell and all, up to three times a week and you have the basics of a raw diet.
Now you may be asking yourself where to get all these ingredients. The best place may be your local butcher, as you can get the irregular cuts of meat at a discount. Now I am not talking about bad meat that is not fit for consumption due to disease or defect. You can get things like bones that the customer requested removed from a particular cut of meat or the extremely fatty pieces that cannot be sold. This should not be your only source since you will need to add poultry and fish to the diet and it is highly unlikely you will find that at the butcher. Your local grocery store will carry the rest of the raw meat that you will require. Pick up things such as turkey necks, pork neck bones and chicken thighs or leg quarters. Remember these are merely suggestions based on the best price for what your canine needs, if you can afford to feed them rib eye then by all means do so.
To get the essential fatty acids you can pick up tuna, salmon or mackerel. All these contain omega three fatty acids essential to a healthy animal. The vitamins E and C will best be purchased as a supplement since it may be hard to get your pet to consume enough fruits and vegetables to get them naturally. When you make any changes in your pets diet monitor them closely, you will find what they like and what they do not and be able to make adjustments as necessary. There is much more available information out there do your homework and enjoy a healthier pet.
Written by Charlotte El Amin
