What should you feed your dog? Raw vs. Kibble (2023)

FAQs

What should you feed your dog? Raw vs. Kibble? ›

Is kibble or raw better for dogs? Although both kibbles and raw have their benefits, a raw diet is the better option for your dog as it is fresh and made up of biologically appropriate ingredients that will boost your dog's health. Besides that, many nutrients in kibble are lost during the high-heat process.

Is kibble or raw better for dogs? Although both kibbles and raw have their benefits, a raw diet is the better option for your dog as it is fresh and made up of biologically appropriate ingredients that will boost your dog's health. Besides that, many nutrients in kibble are lost during the high-heat process.

Separate Feeding: Feed Raw In The Morning And Kibble At Night. This is a better partial raw feeding method for pets with sensitive stomachs and GI issues, as feeding kibble and raw at least 6 hours apart ensures the foods are not sitting in the same part of the digestive tract and may be more easily digested separately ...

As a general rule, dogs should eat approximately 2-5% of their body weight in raw daily food. This will vary depending on the dog's energy and activity levels. If your pet is overweight and needs to lose a few extra kilos, feed them closer to 2% of their body weight and give them more exercise.

Bacteria found on the surface of raw meats can infect pets and people. Infections caused by bacteria found on raw meat can cause diarrhoea, hospitalisation, and death in both people and pets.

The best food to feed is a high quality commercial kibble designed for puppies. This ensures all the nutrients your puppy needs for growth and development are present. You can add cooked meats and vegetables or rice as you wish; however, the main diet needs to be the commercially balanced kibble.

Yes, you can feed both kibble and raw. We know that this is a controversial topic for many people, as generally speaking kibble and raw digest differently. For this reason, many people suggest avoiding feeding both at the same time, and would suggest separating the meals.

An easy way to co-feed your pet, while ensuring they are getting all their nutrients they require, is to choose an easy ratio split – eg. 50/50. This means you will split your pet's diet into 50% of a Big Dog diet and 50% your chosen kibble, and we advise to only feed half the recommended feeding portion for each diet.

Here's the truth about mixing the two foods: yes, you can absolutely do it! In fact, it is highly encouraged that you try to incorporate raw in any way you can, even if it is in small doses.

A Few Other Healthy Foods For Dogs

For dogs, animal protein such as chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, goat, rabbit, pork, beef, fish, and venison should also be an integral part of their meals.

What dog food do vets not recommend? ›

Is raw meat good for dogs? The American Veterinary Medical Association cautions against feeding your dog raw meat because it doesn't provide the balanced nutrition your canine companion needs in their diet. Eating raw meat regularly can increase risk of nutritional deficiencies.

The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes the unregulated feeding of raw foods and discourages “the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens, because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs, as well as humans.”

Overfeeding calcium-based foods, particularly raw meaty bones, will result in overly hard, chalky, and/or crumbly stools. Many pets are capable of eliminating hard stools.

Although research is still in its infancy, there is promising evidence that a raw diet can drastically improve canine cognitive and mental health, leading to improved behavior and an overall higher quality of life.

Raw Meat Proteins for Dogs

According to Dr. Laurie Coger, DVM, CVCP, dogs “thrive on chicken, turkey, and beef,” which make them ideal options for raw food diets.

As Dr. Reimschuessel explained, the study “identified a potential health risk for the pets eating the raw food, and for the owners handling the product.” Owners who feed their pet a raw diet may have a higher risk of getting infected with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.

Common meats to avoid are any processed meats like sausage, bologna, hot dogs etc. Also avoid giving your dog any rib bones as they are extremely brittle and can damage your dog's stomach and throat.

Dogs should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart. But a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.

What should a dogs diet consist of? ›

While meat makes up the majority of their diet, domestic dogs can also derive nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables. These non-meat foods are not simply fillers, but can be a valuable source of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A good dog food will contain meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits.

Most animals thrive when fed smaller portions in 2-3 servings per day, so you can divide the bag's contents into meals that will be satisfying but not indulgent. Small breeds and puppies may need to be fed more frequently to maintain blood sugar levels.

The pH level in dry dog foods is low, so consumption isn't going to affect overall digestion. Dogs actually digest kibble faster than most raw foods, so the “kibble takes longer to digest” claim promoted by some raw food advocates is also false. Keep in mind that every type of food eaten digests at a different rate.

If you're feeding dry foods like kibble or baked, soak it!

Mammals are meant to get their hydration at least partially through eating, and eating moist food makes digestion easier! It can also slow them down, and improve palatability (makes it taste better).

How Much Raw Food to Feed a Dog? Feed approximately 2-3% of your dog's weight daily and split this between two meals. For example, a 50 pound dog would need ½ to ¾ of a pound raw dog food per meal. Very active or working dogs may need more and less active "couch-potato" dogs may need less.

As with humans, breakfast is the most important meal as it kick-starts the metabolism and fills up an empty stomach. Throughout the day, treats can be provided, especially when training, but remember that treats should only make up between 5-10% of your dog's diet.

Eggs should be cooked before given to a dog. Cook or boil eggs plain without oil, butter, salt, seasoning, spices, or other additives. It doesn't matter how your dog likes their eggs — sunny side up, scrambled, or hard boiled — as long as they are cooked.

Pumpkin is a natural source of fibre. Cooked and mashed pumpkin with no added salt can help settle down an upset stomach , improve digestion, reduce anal gland problems, prevent hairball build up and help dogs and cats with both constipation and diarrhoea.

Why do vets recommend Purina Pro Plan? ›

Yes, Purina Pro Plan is good for cats. Backed by 400+ Purina scientists, including nutritionists, behaviorists, and veterinarians, Pro Plan cat food formulas offer advanced nutrition and the highest quality ingredients to nourish your cat's best life. Pro Plan is recommended by veterinarians.

A small amount to entice a sick pet to eat is usually ok. Warm up baby food, especially meat flavors like turkey or beef. Buy small jars so that it won't get moldy before you use it up. Dogs also might like fruit flavors like apple or peach.

Dogs prefer beef, pork and lamb to chicken, liver and horsemeat and strongly prefer meat to cereal diets. They prefer canned meat to fresh meat, ground meat to cubed meat and cooked meat to raw meat. Canned or semimoist preparations are preferred to dry ones.

“Homemade food is a great option for many pets, but we recommend that owners avoid general recipes from books and the Internet and instead consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist,” Larsen said.

Serotonin boosts contentment and focus in dogs, so when fed raw they get everything they need to become calm and balanced. When on BARF dogs produce more endorphins due to the mechanical action of chewing.

Here are some general guidelines for feeding your adult dog raw food: Active, underweight adult dogs should eat 3% of their current weight in pounds per day. Senior, less active, overweight adult dogs should eat 1.5% of their current weight in pounds per day.

Does raw food make dogs gain weight? ›

Smaller dog breeds have smaller stomachs and, therefore, will need just a moderate portion of raw food, whereas, larger breeds can eat larger amounts. Likewise, dogs with higher body metabolism burn more calories, hence, they need to take in more calories than they burn to add weight.

Most puppies and healthy adult dogs can switch to a raw diet using the "Rapid Switch" method, also known as fasting. To do a Rapid Switch, you do not feed their evening meal (fasting 8 to 12 hours), then introduce their new raw food in the morning.

While cooking for your pup is a far better option than highly processed kibble, raw is actually the best diet you can choose for your dog. Cooking meat also removes much of its nutritional value, which then needs to be added back.

Over time, gradually reduce how much you sear the food until your dog starts eating their meals completely raw. Another key component to successfully transitioning your dog to raw is to do it slowly over a 10-day period. You should start by making your pet's meal 75% of their old pet food and 25% new raw food.

Dogs actually digest kibble faster than most raw foods, so the “kibble takes longer to digest” claim promoted by some raw food advocates is also false. Keep in mind that every type of food eaten digests at a different rate.

According to most raw feeders, dogs should eat muscle meat (hamburger, chicken, turkey), as well as a healthy array of organ meat (heart, liver, kidneys), whole fish, and raw meaty bones (aka, RMBs).

After transitioning to a new diet, your dog may experience a period of detoxification in which their body will release toxins through the exterior as a way of cleansing internal organs and tissue. A few temporary symptoms some dog owners may see during the transition to raw are: eye tearing. discharge from ears.

A raw diet usually includes organ meats, muscle meat, whole or ground bone, raw eggs, dog-safe fresh fruits and vegetables, and a dairy product such as yogurt. Advocates of raw food diets site these benefits: shinier coats, healthier skin, improved dental health, increased energy, and smaller stools.

The majority of veterinarians still do not actively recommend raw feeding for dogs. However, some vets do promote raw feeding as a more beneficial diet than most commercial kibble choices [1].

Dry Food: Pros – easy storage and feeding, more energy dense, lower cost, dental benefits. Cons – lower palatability, more grains, more likely to contain preservatives. Dry food is by far more convenient and affordable. The food will not spoil if left out.

Is fresh food healthier than kibble? ›

Is Fresh Food Better Than Kibble? In theory, yes. Fresh food is more wholesome, and you have complete control over what ingredients you add to the recipe. If you consult a veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist, you will be able to provide your dog with the best possible diet as per their own needs.

If a dog experiences diarrhea during the transition, feed lower fat ingredients. If poultry is being fed, remove the skin and trim away any excess fat. This will provide a meal lower in fat to help the body acclimate to digesting raw protein and fat.

Is raw meat good for dogs? The American Veterinary Medical Association cautions against feeding your dog raw meat because it doesn't provide the balanced nutrition your canine companion needs in their diet. Eating raw meat regularly can increase risk of nutritional deficiencies.

First things first, raw pet food can actually make your dog poop less! This is because your pet is now ingesting food that is being digested and properly utilized by the body, resulting in less waste. Plus, another of the benefits of feeding raw is your dog's poop may be less smelly.

With a Raw fed dog, we would expect an 80-pound dog to poop once, sometimes twice a day especially if they've had a bone because you always see a higher volume of poop when there is bone involved and you would get a much smaller poop and less frequently.