What to Expect When Switching Your Dog to a Raw Diet
Many pet parents have switched their dogs to a raw food diet because of the many benefits that dogs can gain from it. People who advocate for raw feeding say that it has resulted in their fur babies being so much healthier. The reported benefits for dogs are the following:
- Superior joint and bone health
- Strengthened immune system
- Improved skin and softer, shinier coat
- Superior dental health
- Reduced stool volume and odor
- Enhanced reproductive health
- Reduced body odor
Despite its many benefits, many people are still on the fence as all dogs are different, and you can’t predict how they’ll respond to this change. And the fact of the matter is, change is scary, especially if your dogs happen to have other underlying medical conditions.
But to ease your worries, you can expect the following should you decide to transition to raw food. This is how you can gently ease them into the new diet:
Starting Out
The first thing you should do is pick the type you’re going to feed your dog. Ideally, it should be easy to obtain and not too pricey. Chicken is usually an excellent choice to start. Don’t worry about mixing or blending meats. Stick to just one and see how your dog likes it.
What you’ll get at the supermarket will be gutted and without hands and feet. This means that your chicken will be 33 percent bone. You can start with a section of the chicken breast that includes the rib. Remove the skin and cut it into appropriate sizes for your dog. You can start by mixing it in with their dog food. If they don’t have a sensitive stomach, you can try feeding them without kibble.
Trial and Error
The second phase of this transition will involve checking their stool regularly. You can disregard the first week as whatever the state their stool is in is a sign of them adjusting. After that, you need to make sure it’s not too loose or too tight. It should be just right, so pay close attention to that.
If you notice that their stool is okay, you can go ahead and start introducing other parts of the chicken, like wings and drumsticks. These have a lot more in them, so make sure to balance that out by keeping chicken breast in the mix.
When they’ve gotten used to all parts of the chicken with healthy stool, you can continue on this route for the next few weeks. If you’re considering trying another meat, make sure to follow the same slow process to give them time to adjust.
Getting Used to it
Once your dog has entirely switched to raw, you can add other raw items like organs (starting with the heart and liver) and vegetables. Veggies are still important to give your dog a nice and balanced diet. The liver is an essential part of a dog’s diet, while heart meat is similar enough to muscle meat that it’s an excellent place to start.
The Bottom Line
The best way to transition your dog to a raw diet is by doing it slowly and steadily. While any kind of meat will do, some dogs still have their preferences. It’s important that you still give them variety and mix it up from time to time, even if you’ve introduced them to raw food.
EarthWise Pet Fremont is a pet grooming wellness spa in Washington. You can count on us to take good care of them. Our goal is to keep them as comfortable as possible, so let us know if there’s anything extra we can do to help!