Working Raw Food Into Your Lifestyle
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Raw food purists will insist that the only “right” way to feed your pet a natural, raw diet is to buy organic
meat and bones, grind them, mix them with the proper raw fruits, vegetables and other foods, add any
necessary supplements, and store the mixture in the freezer you bought especially for this purpose. The
reality is that most people don’t have the time, budget, or (let’s face it) the motivation to turn feeding their
pets into a full-time job. However, feeding your pet a raw diet does not have to be an “all or nothing”
choice. There are many ways to integrate raw food without over-extending your time or finances. Adding
raw, healthy food is beneficial in any quantity, whether it is every meal, a few meals a week, or adding it
as a “topper” to the food you normally feed. Consider some of the options outlined below, discuss your
pet’s specific needs with your veterinarian, and you can find a way to improve your pet’s diet and overall
wellness.
In a perfect world, we would all have unlimited time and money to feed our pets naturally. But
commercially-produced dry and canned foods are so convenient that it can be difficult for many pet owners
to give them up. No processed food is as beneficial as a raw diet, so it is important to choose the best
quality food that you can find and afford. Refer to our food handout (available in our clinic or on our
website’s Learning Center) for suggestions. We also have information on the reasons and general
guidelines for feeding raw, recipes for supplements to use with your commercial foods and entire meals
you can cook at home. Though raw foods are much more nutritious, some owners simply can’t get
comfortable feeding an uncooked diet, so this offers them another way to feed a variety of natural,
unprocessed foods to supplement their pets’ diets.
Perhaps the easiest and most economical option to introduce “live” food is to give raw chicken (or turkey)
parts for your pet’s meal once or twice a week. Yes, this includes the bones! Cooked bones are prone to
splinter and cause digestive problems, but raw bones are a wonderful part of the natural diet. Dogs can
have backs, necks, wings, thighs, drumsticks, or whatever is on special at your local grocery store. Cats
are usually better off with the wings or the small “drummies.” Bones provide calcium, as well as being
great for their teeth. A “raw meaty bone” such as beef knuckles, shanks or soup bones, can be given to
dogs once or twice a week as a nutrition source and a highly effective method of home dental care.
Similarly, a raw egg can be added to the food, and don’t be afraid to include some of the shell, which is rich
in calcium. For those uncomfortable with raw eggs, cook it if you must, but remember raw is better! Plain
live culture yogurt and cottage cheese are other “easy to add” foods.
Since commercial diets are partly sterilized due to the cooking process, all pets eating these foods would
benefit from the addition of an essential fatty acid supplement and a whole food supplement, as well as
probiotics and digestive enzymes. Supplements such as Missing Link also help reintroduce some of the
nutrition lost in processed foods.
Due to the rising demand for natural raw pet food, there are a number of high-quality, pre-made diets
available. You get all the benefits of great ingredients, mixed in the correct proportions, and all you have
to do is thaw it out and serve it to your very happy pet. Some brands of pre-made food include Dr.
Billinghurst’s original Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF), Grandad’s, Three Cheers Raw Raw Raw,
Nature’s Variety, and Steve’s Real Food. Check with your veterinarian or pet supply store to see what’s
available in your area. Many companies also have websites and will ship directly to your home. At first
glance, these foods might seem prohibitively expensive for many pet owners. But remember, you do not
necessarily have to feed the raw diets exclusively if your budget or lifestyle doesn’t support it. Any “live”
food you can work into your pet’s diet is better than none at all! Whether you feed raw 100% of the time,
50%, just a meal or two a week, or simply put a bit of a pre-made raw diet on top of your pet’s kibble, that
is nutrition he or she would not have had otherwise!
There are a multitude of websites, newsgroups and books on feeding a homemade raw diet, if you are
willing to take the plunge into that feeding plan. A general guideline for ratios in preparing a raw diet for
your dog is 60% meat (including bones), 15% vegetables (especially dark leafy greens), 10% offal or organ
meat (such as liver, kidneys, tripe), 10% other healthy meats, eggs or foods, and 5% fruits. This is not
“rocket science” and you don’t have to compare and measure percentages every time you prepare a batch
of food. One of the very best things about a raw diet is the variety. Some days might include few, if any,
vegetables, with or without egg. At times you might use beef, then chicken or turkey, and if there are
hunters in your family you might have venison or other game animal meat available. By varying the meats,
vegetables and other foods you offer, you are giving your pet a richer, more beneficial range of nutrition.
Cats, being true carnivores, would enjoy a similar diet, but with a bigger emphasis on the protein sources,
and would also do well with a taurine supplement.
Take the time to consider the positive impact of a raw diet (or elements of a raw diet) for your pet.
Feeding exclusively commercial pet food could be compared to a human surviving on a diet of only Ramen
noodles or boxed macaroni and cheese. The person probably wouldn’t die, but how healthy would they
be? If you can come up with a plan to integrate wholesome raw foods into your pet’s diet, you will have a
happier, healthier pet, with great teeth and coat, elimination (or a significant reduction) of allergies, skin
condition, ear infections, and digestive problems, fewer visits to the vet’s office, and a much improved - and
longer - overall quality of life!
meat and bones, grind them, mix them with the proper raw fruits, vegetables and other foods, add any
necessary supplements, and store the mixture in the freezer you bought especially for this purpose. The
reality is that most people don’t have the time, budget, or (let’s face it) the motivation to turn feeding their
pets into a full-time job. However, feeding your pet a raw diet does not have to be an “all or nothing”
choice. There are many ways to integrate raw food without over-extending your time or finances. Adding
raw, healthy food is beneficial in any quantity, whether it is every meal, a few meals a week, or adding it
as a “topper” to the food you normally feed. Consider some of the options outlined below, discuss your
pet’s specific needs with your veterinarian, and you can find a way to improve your pet’s diet and overall
wellness.
In a perfect world, we would all have unlimited time and money to feed our pets naturally. But
commercially-produced dry and canned foods are so convenient that it can be difficult for many pet owners
to give them up. No processed food is as beneficial as a raw diet, so it is important to choose the best
quality food that you can find and afford. Refer to our food handout (available in our clinic or on our
website’s Learning Center) for suggestions. We also have information on the reasons and general
guidelines for feeding raw, recipes for supplements to use with your commercial foods and entire meals
you can cook at home. Though raw foods are much more nutritious, some owners simply can’t get
comfortable feeding an uncooked diet, so this offers them another way to feed a variety of natural,
unprocessed foods to supplement their pets’ diets.
Perhaps the easiest and most economical option to introduce “live” food is to give raw chicken (or turkey)
parts for your pet’s meal once or twice a week. Yes, this includes the bones! Cooked bones are prone to
splinter and cause digestive problems, but raw bones are a wonderful part of the natural diet. Dogs can
have backs, necks, wings, thighs, drumsticks, or whatever is on special at your local grocery store. Cats
are usually better off with the wings or the small “drummies.” Bones provide calcium, as well as being
great for their teeth. A “raw meaty bone” such as beef knuckles, shanks or soup bones, can be given to
dogs once or twice a week as a nutrition source and a highly effective method of home dental care.
Similarly, a raw egg can be added to the food, and don’t be afraid to include some of the shell, which is rich
in calcium. For those uncomfortable with raw eggs, cook it if you must, but remember raw is better! Plain
live culture yogurt and cottage cheese are other “easy to add” foods.
Since commercial diets are partly sterilized due to the cooking process, all pets eating these foods would
benefit from the addition of an essential fatty acid supplement and a whole food supplement, as well as
probiotics and digestive enzymes. Supplements such as Missing Link also help reintroduce some of the
nutrition lost in processed foods.
Due to the rising demand for natural raw pet food, there are a number of high-quality, pre-made diets
available. You get all the benefits of great ingredients, mixed in the correct proportions, and all you have
to do is thaw it out and serve it to your very happy pet. Some brands of pre-made food include Dr.
Billinghurst’s original Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF), Grandad’s, Three Cheers Raw Raw Raw,
Nature’s Variety, and Steve’s Real Food. Check with your veterinarian or pet supply store to see what’s
available in your area. Many companies also have websites and will ship directly to your home. At first
glance, these foods might seem prohibitively expensive for many pet owners. But remember, you do not
necessarily have to feed the raw diets exclusively if your budget or lifestyle doesn’t support it. Any “live”
food you can work into your pet’s diet is better than none at all! Whether you feed raw 100% of the time,
50%, just a meal or two a week, or simply put a bit of a pre-made raw diet on top of your pet’s kibble, that
is nutrition he or she would not have had otherwise!
There are a multitude of websites, newsgroups and books on feeding a homemade raw diet, if you are
willing to take the plunge into that feeding plan. A general guideline for ratios in preparing a raw diet for
your dog is 60% meat (including bones), 15% vegetables (especially dark leafy greens), 10% offal or organ
meat (such as liver, kidneys, tripe), 10% other healthy meats, eggs or foods, and 5% fruits. This is not
“rocket science” and you don’t have to compare and measure percentages every time you prepare a batch
of food. One of the very best things about a raw diet is the variety. Some days might include few, if any,
vegetables, with or without egg. At times you might use beef, then chicken or turkey, and if there are
hunters in your family you might have venison or other game animal meat available. By varying the meats,
vegetables and other foods you offer, you are giving your pet a richer, more beneficial range of nutrition.
Cats, being true carnivores, would enjoy a similar diet, but with a bigger emphasis on the protein sources,
and would also do well with a taurine supplement.
Take the time to consider the positive impact of a raw diet (or elements of a raw diet) for your pet.
Feeding exclusively commercial pet food could be compared to a human surviving on a diet of only Ramen
noodles or boxed macaroni and cheese. The person probably wouldn’t die, but how healthy would they
be? If you can come up with a plan to integrate wholesome raw foods into your pet’s diet, you will have a
happier, healthier pet, with great teeth and coat, elimination (or a significant reduction) of allergies, skin
condition, ear infections, and digestive problems, fewer visits to the vet’s office, and a much improved - and
longer - overall quality of life!