| Why The Food You Give Your Dog Matters!If | | | | amazes me to hear the feedback from a dog |
| you're like most dog owners, you probably | | | | owner who has converted to the raw meat and |
| assume that commerical dog foods with brand | | | | bones diet. Virtually without fail, they all become |
| names that are easily identifiable - Purina, Iams, | | | | true believers. In some cases, the improvement in |
| Pedigree, etc. - must be good for your pets, | | | | their dogs is nothing short of startling.A common |
| right? After all, millions of pet owners buy them | | | | fear voiced by many owners is the worry over |
| and feed them to their beloved pets, and surely | | | | the bones getting caught in their dog's throat or |
| they wouldn't all give their dogs something | | | | splintering and cutting them internally. This is a |
| harmful. Unfortunately, this may just be the | | | | common misconception that actually does apply |
| case.Now, before I get any further along, let me | | | | to COOKED bones. Never give your dog a |
| make it clear that I am not a veterinarian. I do, | | | | cooked bone (especially chicken bones)! Raw |
| however, have a science background and | | | | bones, however, are no more of a threat than |
| education, and I've had more dogs in my care in | | | | any other mouthful of food your dog chews. I |
| one year than most people will have in a lifetime. | | | | have yet to deal with even one case of a dog on |
| As an observant and naturally curious person, I've | | | | this diet having any kind of serious problem with |
| paid close attention in the past 20 years to the | | | | the bones (out of hundreds).Yes, handling raw |
| general health of my pets and those I've had in | | | | meat and bones requires a commitment many |
| my care through a rescue shelter I was involved | | | | are uncomfortable with. You have to get over |
| with for several of those years. I've also picked | | | | the 'yuckiness' and embrace the benefits to your |
| the brains of several top vets in my state in my | | | | dogs! Another issue is finding a good source of |
| quest to get to the heart of the matter | | | | affordable products. It's a good idea to locate a |
| concerning the best dog diet.What has become | | | | chicken processing plant nearby. They will often |
| abundantly clear is that one type of diet stands | | | | sell chicken cages (breast bones and related |
| well above all others in terms of fostering good | | | | parts). Chicken cages are ideal because they |
| health and long life. More on that later...I've seen | | | | provide a good balance of meat and bone - not |
| dogs fed commercial foods, both wet and dry, | | | | too much of either in proportion to the |
| from the cheapest brands to the so-called | | | | other.However, you should not always feed |
| "premium" brands. I've also seen dogs who were | | | | chicken. Mix things up to vary their protein |
| fed vegan or vegetarian diets, as well as those | | | | sources a bit. Get some pork and some beef |
| fed raw meat and bones (known popularly as the | | | | now and then to keep things lively and to provide |
| BARF Diet). While individual dogs will do just fine | | | | your dogs with important nutrional elements that |
| on any of these widely divergent diets, what I've | | | | the chicken alone probably isn't providing. And |
| looked for are general trends in population | | | | don't forget to mix up a slop of green veggies, |
| subsets. How do these 10 dogs fare in their | | | | carrots, apples, bananas, and some raw livers or |
| lifetimes when they eat cheap kibble every day? | | | | hearts at least twice a month. [*Note: have your |
| How about those 12 dogs who are getting a | | | | pet checked for allergic reactions to any of those |
| vegetarian diet all the time? And what happens to | | | | ingredients before trying this for the first time. |
| those 25 dogs who are being given a raw meat | | | | Adjust accordingly.]This is the main idea behind the |
| and bones diet? These are the types of questions | | | | success of the raw meat and bones diet: it |
| I've asked as I've dealt with large numbers of | | | | comes closest to simulating the exact types of |
| dogs and their owners or keepers over the | | | | foods dogs ate all during their evolution. Think |
| years.These have in no way been controlled | | | | about it. Did dogs eat processed commercial food |
| experiments, and I would never attempt to pass | | | | from bags or cans? Did they grow and harvest |
| them off as authoritative or as adhering to any | | | | vegetables, fruits, and grains? Did they dine on |
| strict interpretation of the scientific method. In | | | | cooked meats? Of course not! They evolved |
| other words, take my conclusions with a large | | | | eating prey the pack took down and scavenging |
| grain of salt. I'm really just out to get the wheels | | | | the carcasses of former kills. All raw!You might be |
| turning in the minds of all dog lovers who read | | | | wondering, given this evolutionary perspective, |
| these words.After all of this careful observation | | | | why I'm suggesting that you prepare and feed a |
| and tracking, clear patterns have emerged time | | | | veggie-fruit slop every now and then. Good |
| and time again...Dogs that eat commercial kibble or | | | | question! It's a bit unsettling to ponder, but |
| wet food have lots of health problems later in life | | | | consider the state of the prey (or dead bodies) |
| and tend to die youngest. This is even true when | | | | that dogs ate all those years they were evolving. |
| they've been fed "premium" dog foods, | | | | The animals they ate also ate, and more often |
| sadly.Dogs that are fed vegetarian diets do | | | | than not, that meant their stomachs contained |
| better, but must be given large amounts of | | | | undigested vegetables, fruits, and other plant |
| alternative protein sources to make up for the | | | | matter. The dogs dining on them didn't ignore that |
| lack of it in standard vegetarian fare. A purely | | | | stuff - it got eaten along with everything else that |
| vegetarian diet is difficult to provide that will | | | | could be stripped from the body.So you see, this |
| satisfy a canine's basic nutritional needs, but it is | | | | diet works because it mimics what dogs naturally |
| healthier and leads to slightly longer lifespans than | | | | fed on for tens of thousands of years. It really is |
| any commercial brand diet.Without any doubt | | | | that simple. There's nothing deep or esoteric |
| (based on what I've seen over many years and | | | | about it at all.Just try it. Take this challenge: give |
| hundreds of dogs), the best possible diet to feed | | | | your dogs a raw meat and bones diet for 60 |
| your dogs is raw meat and bones with an | | | | days. Try to find a meat and bones source that is |
| occasional slop made up of vegetables, fruits, and | | | | close to a 50/50 meat-bone ratio (chicken breast |
| organ meat. I've seen clear and compelling | | | | cages from a processing plant are great, but you |
| evidence that this diet leads to three amazing | | | | can also try pork necks or beef ribs from any |
| results: much better overall health, excellent dental | | | | grocery store). If you go the pork or beef route, |
| health, and longer lifespans.Countless times, I've | | | | give your pet plenty of time to wear down the |
| seen dogs with repeating, nagging health issues | | | | raw bones. Chicken bones are soft and easily |
| (obesity, allergies, etc.) turn completely around on | | | | chewed up, but pork and beef bones take much |
| a raw meat and bones diet. And it doesn't take | | | | longer. If you don't see any noticeable |
| long to see how much whiter and cleaner their | | | | improvements - healthier coat, more energy, |
| teeth become. This is actually very important | | | | better teeth, excellent blood work-ups - go back |
| (dental health), because a growing number of vets | | | | to his former diet.If you do take the challenge, |
| suspect a link between the bacteria produced by | | | | I'm betting you'll be fairly amazed and continue. |
| poor dental hygiene and internal complications as | | | | About 90% of those I know who've tried it stick |
| dogs age. Because dogs have to crunch through | | | | with it. Give it 60 days. Isn't a healthier, happier |
| raw chicken, beef, or pork bones daily, they get | | | | dog who lives longer worth it? |
| and keep very clean teeth in short order.It still | | | | |