Boston Barks on the benefits of feeding your pooch raw dog food
Natural dog food brand and store, Boston Barks, tells us everything we need to know about a raw food diet for dogs.
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When it comes to looking after our four-legged friends it’s only right to want to feed them bowls filled with goodness to give them a long, happy and healthy life.
But with so many big brand dog foods filled with preservatives, fillers and god knows what, it can be rather concerning if their processed foods are doing more harm than good.
Have you ever thought about feeding your pooch raw dog food? It’s been all the rage recently but is it really beneficial for your dog? The short answer is, yes.
From a healthy digestive system to helping to keep your dog hydrated, a raw food diet is a natural, nutritious way to feed your furry best friend. You wouldn’t find wolves thousands of years ago eating kibbles and leftover Sunday dinners – so why should it be different now?
With a passion for canine nutrition and stocking all-natural products that are all beneficial to your dog’s health, Whitley Bay-based dog food brand and store, Boston Barks, is the go-to local spot if you’re thinking about switching your dog to a raw food diet.
Offering high-quality raw dog food packed with all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs without any additives and all-natural treats, Boston Barks makes sure your canine companion will be the healthiest version of itself.
We caught up with raw dog food expert and founder of Boston Barks, Libby, to find out everything we need to know about a raw dog food diet.
What is raw dog food?
80% meat, 10% bone & 10% offal (organ). Always look for the 80 | 10 | 10 stamps on your dog’s raw food to ensure you’re buying the correct stuff.
How is raw food good for dogs?
Keeps your dog hydrated – Raw food has a high moisture content which creates natural hydration for your four-legged friend. When it comes to summer if your dog is on a raw dog food diet, you don’t have to worry about them not drinking because they’re already hydrated. Hydration also improves your dog’s skin health and makes their coat shinier, too.
Dental benefits – Kibble and wet food are very high in sugar which causes plaque, unhealthy gums and bad breath. Whereas a raw food diet improves dental health and hygiene as it’s less likely to get stuck in your dog’s teeth. Giving your dog fresh bones as treats act like a toothbrush scraping away plaque and massaging gyms resulting in pearly white canines.
Better for digestion – Big-brand dog foods are processed and have lots of fillers, additives, and preservatives, which are harsh on your dog’s digestive system. Dogs’ stomachs are so acidic, so can’t process them very well which in turn results in smelly poop. One huge benefit of natural raw dog food is that your dog’s poops are odour-free, smaller and less frequent.
How much raw dog food to feed a dog?
With a puppy, we recommend that you feed them three times a day. For adult dogs it all depends on their weight, if you’ve got a small dog, you would change the two meals between six and nine months old and that’s because by then they’ve finished growing. Whereas for a heavier dog, you would usually change this between like 12 and 18 months old because it takes longer for them to get that full size. I work out the right amount of raw food for my customers to feed their dogs, I can also help if you’re dog needs to lose some weight or is lean and needs to put on a bit of weight too.
How do you transition a dog onto a raw food diet?
It’s a straight swap, there is no gradual transition when it comes to raw dog food. This actually helps prevent digestive issues. Start with 5-7 days on tripe, green tripe or tripe and heart. After this, for a further 5 -10 days you need to move onto a meal that includes a protein as well as tripe. This can be chicken, turkey, duck, lamb or beef, try at least two flavours before moving on to complete meals.
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