What is A Raw Diet? A raw diet recreates the way your dogs ancestors, the grey wolf, have eaten in the wild for thousands of years. Left to their own devices, their typical daily diet, like that of their wild cousins. A raw diet gives your dog a biological appropriate form of nutrition. When a carnivore (Meat eating animal) eats a herbivore (plant and grass eating animal) the carnivore eats meat, bone, organs (liver, heart, kidney, etc.), and a small amount of green vegetation contained in the herbivore's digestive tract. These ingredients are the five main food groups of a well balanced raw diet.
There are three different ways to feed your pets a raw diet.
P.M.R. (Prey Mode Raw)* - PMR is designed to provide family dogs with a homemade diet that replicates the diet of a wild canine without requiring the pet to hunt and kill wild prey while eliminating all processed foods and grains.
B.A.R.F. (Biological Appropriate Raw Food)* - BARF is an alternative raw diet, designed to provide family dogs with a modified homemade diet that consists of raw meat and bones as well as vegetables and fruit while eliminating all processed foods and grains.
Prepared Packaged Raw Foods - Raw pet food companies have grown over the past 10 years to help consumers provided a well made raw diet if they are unable to make it themselves. They provide a mix of P.M.R. and B.A.R.F. packaged raw foods. They come in either frozen, freeze dried or dehydrated.
Why Feed Raw & Benefits
Full control over what your pet eats and the quality you provide them
Mirrors what a dog would be getting in the wild - and certainly even the modern day dog has a digestive tract exactly the same as a wolf
More energy and increased vitality
Relief from common skin problems, especially those caused by food intolerance
Aid in health problems such as GI problems, Diabetes and Cancer
A shiny and healthy coat
A sharp decrease in common diseases and conditions like arthritis and diabetes
Improved digestion, fresher breath and smaller and almost odorless poops
Extended life and improved quality of life
Naturally cleans teeth - no need for toothbrushes, de-scaling jobs, or gum disease
If fed correctly it can decreased and you will have non-existent vet bills, your pets are healthier!
Myths to feeding raw
"Dogs and cats will get sick from the bacteria of raw" This is HIGHLY incorrect. The hydrochloric acid in a carnivore’s stomach is a protective enzyme against pathogens. Their stomach is highly acidic (about a pH 1) while their digestive system is short and lacks complexity. Bacteria is killed when ingested and passed within 4-6 hours as waste. Since the time to complete digestion is very short, the bacteria does not stay in the body for long.*
"My Dogs will choke on the bones" Incorrect. Raw bones are very healthy for pets to consume since they are soft. Cooked or dehydrated bones can cause more problems since they can split when eaten.
Raw Food Companies
There are many more wonderful companies that are not included on this list
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*Credit to Perfectly Rawsome - https://perfectlyrawsome.com