It’s undeniable that a raw meat, organ and bone-based diet is what canines are built for, one needs only to look at their teeth and anatomical structure to see this. Your dog’s hinged jaws are strong and equipped with teeth for tearing and crushing meat and bones. Over time, savvy businesspeople capitalized on the fact that people wanted cheaper and mass-produced sources of food. This led to canned meats that have evolved into the cereal, grain and processed carbohydrate ridden pet foods we see today. Whilst this food was easier to transport, store and sell, (making it appealing for manufacturers, retailers, and consumers) it does nothing beneficial for your pet. Presently, dogs are plagued with all manners of health issues and allergies. Often the disease is treated without addressing the cause. We firmly believe that returning back to a dog’s natural diet will nurture and fuel your dog’s health and overall well-being.
oral health & well-being
One of the more notable features of a dog is of course their mouth. Their teeth, jaw and mouth structure has been designed to suit a carnivorous diet. Whilst dogs can survive on a variety of food, it is often forgotten that these carnivorous variants are not only for nutritional value, but for hygiene and mouth health. A diet including bones, helps remove tartar build up. Chewing on a bone cleans the gums and teeth, promoting overall oral hygiene. Diseases of the mouth can often spread to the head and other parts of the body. A recent study of 60,000 canines has proven a link between gum disease and heart disease in dogs. It is important to prioritise your pet’s oral health and hygiene.
physical development dogs
Dogs undertaking working or sporting duties require the correct structure and muscle development. If we study the diet of human sporting athletes we can see that they consume a diet that provides the right nutrients for their physical and mental health. Dogs are plagued by hip dysplasia, ACL and bone diseases with the root causes not being discussed. Blame is instead placed on genetics rather than malnutrition, which we believe is the cause of most these ailments. Consideration must be placed into providing the correct nutrition for your dog to ensure they have the foundations to properly develop their bones, muscle and ligaments to their full potential. For example, a large dog can grow more than 400 grams per month, the right nutrition must be provided to keep up with this growth rate to ensure they are healthy throughout their adult years.
canine allergies
Pets, like us, need diversity in their diets. Providing the same food to your pet each day increases the possibility of them developing an allergy to it. The style of food you give your pet is important as well, as there are high chances the meat contains added antibiotics and hormones, which can cause your dogs immune system to overreact. We caution against the overuse of antibiotics as they also destroy good bacteria. The majority of your dog’s immune system is located in the GI tract, which means the right balance of gut bacteria is vital for their protection against allergies and determines their overall health. This is why a raw diet is the key to fighting allergies and to building a solid foundation of health. Raw diets are easily absorbed by the dog and do not clog up their GI tract with “fillers”, which can be found in most kibble and processed pet food/ meat.
skin issues
Skin issues and yeast is a massive scourge to an increasing number of dogs. The skin is a living organ and reflects their health externally and gives an insight to their internal health as well. Yeast thrives on sugar and carbohydrates. Kibble or dry food is simply more fuel for the yeast to feast and grow. The medication used to treat such issues can become obsolete when sugar and carbohydrate ridden kibble is given to your dog. Raw feeding provides almost no carbohydrates and sugars, so this condition is starved of its fuel, whilst providing your dog optimum nutrients that fortifies it’s immune system and other vital elements such as the epidermis and coat. This is a simplified example of how feeding a correct diet satisfies the nutritional needs of your dog.
stronger immune
A raw diet strengthens a dogs immune system. It does this by delivering a balance of essential fatty acids, trace elements, cartilage, marrow, immune normalising agents, and strengthening nutrients that all help fight infections and reduce inflammatory conditions. The omega-3 fatty acids in fresh fish act as immune boosters by way of increasing the activity of phagocytes; the white blood cells that eat up bacteria. Essential fatty acids also protect the body against damage from overreactions to infection.
less stools
Natural raw feeding has NO FILLERS. Fillers such as rice, corn, and soy are cheap to provide the huge profit margins involved with kibble sales. Pet food companies are always researching for new and clever fillers that appeal to their consumers. For example, “grain free” is the latest buzzword, which simply means another cheap filler has been used instead of the grain. Just because it’s “grain free” it doesn’t mean it will be of nutritional value or benefit to your dog. It could be potato or beet pulp, it’s still a filler. Raw meaty bones, meat, organs, and offal contain no fillers, every gram your dog eats is direct nutrition and readily absorbed by their system, which is why the stools are smaller. Research conducted showed up to 70% of dogs stools was made up of what was fed to dogs the day before.
mental stimulation
The very act of chewing and relishing a bone provides mental and physical stimulation, whilst also being an enjoyable past time for your pet! It is a wonderful stress reliever and a filling, healthy meal for your dog to sleep off and digest.
Assortment of raw food available at Waggy tails