How often should I feed my dog raw food?

How Much Raw Food to Feed a Dog? Feed approximately 2-3% of your dogs 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.

Why vets don t recommend raw?

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.

Is raw food really better for dogs?

Compared to cooked diets, raw diets are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, which can make your dog seriously ill. But even if your dog doesnt get sick, your pup could shed bacteria into your household, which could then get picked up by another pet or human.

Should I feed my dog raw food everyday?

Dogs can’t talk, but they sure do have their own ways of letting us know that they’re excited to eat. Some do the raw dinner dance, others get vocal, and others even bring us their food dish.

But when it comes to feeding time, switching your dog to a raw food diet can lead to some questions about the amount of food you need to give him.

This handy guide will help you figure out how much you should be feeding your dog so you can feel more confident that you’re not overfeeding, and you’ll always make sure he gets the nutrients he needs.

HOW MUCH RAW FOOD SHOULD I FEED MY PUPPY?

If you’ve ever owned a puppy before, you know how fast they grow. It seems like every time you turn around they get bigger and bigger, no matter how badly you wish they’d stay little. As a result of this growth, puppies need the right portion of raw food to provide them with the nutrients to keep them going.

You’ve come to the right place! We’re proud to announce our Puppylicious: Complete and Balanced raw puppy food. Puppylicious™ has been carefully formulated to ensure all nutritional requirements for puppies are met. Balanced to meet AAFCO Nutrient Profile for Growth and Development (including growth of large breed dogs over 70 lbs.). Puppylicious is the perfect choice for your puppy and will allow you to “love them right from the start”.

Visit our newly added Puppy pages to learn more on Puppylicious, How to transition, How to feed, and frequently asked questions to help guide you through the transition. Click here!

HOW MUCH RAW FOOD SHOULD I FEED MY ADULT DOG?

When it comes to adult dogs, there are other considerations and needs you should factor in. An adult dog’s diet is based on maintenance instead of the growth support that they needed as a puppy.

Just like humans, a dog’s portion depends on their weight, metabolism and their activity level. Of course, you should talk to your vet if your dog has any special dietary needs or medical requirements that affect her food intake.

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.
Adult dogs at an ideal weight should eat 2-3% of their current weight in pounds per day.

If you are wondering how often you should feed your dog, we recommend 2-4 times per day for puppies and 1-2 times per day for adult dogs. Again, this will depend on if your dog has any specific requirements set out by your vet.

Learn more about how to feed your adult dog a raw food diet by clicking here!

FINDING YOUR DOG’S IDEAL WEIGHT

Sometimes it takes more than just looking at your pet to determine their ideal weight. Many long haired and double coated breeds can be harder to gauge by just looking at them. Breeds differ in shape and build, so that can complicate things when you are trying to figure out their weight.

We encourage you to feel them to best determine their physique. Besides, it’s another great reason to pet your dog!

You can determine whether your dog is overweight by using your fist as a guideline.

Feel your dog’s ribs and compare it to your fist. If your dog’s ribs feel like the spot between your palm and your thumb, he is overweight. If his ribs feel like the area of your knuckles, he is underweight. His ideal weight should have his ribs feeling like the back of your hand.

"Should I feed my dog a raw diet?" If you've ever heard another pet parent rave about how his or her dog appears to be thriving on a raw meat diet, you might be asking yourself this question. Proponents of raw diets for dogs point out that dogs are biologically similar to carnivorous wolves, and claim that the benefits of this type of diet include healthier skin, coat and teeth, more energy and smaller stools, according to PetMD. However, there is very little scientific evidence to support these claims. In fact, most of the scientific research on raw meat diets for dogs shows that they could do more harm than good.

Dogs Are Not Wolves

It's a fairly common belief that because dogs are descended from wolves, they should eat a diet similar to that of their wild ancestors. Because wolves are carnivores —meaning that they solely eat meat — it's often assumed that dogs should also be fed a carnivorous diet.

The problem with this assumption is that dogs are genetically different from wolves, says Science Magazine. Dogs split off from wolves and became domesticated thousands of years ago. Since then, they have evolved alongside humans to be able to eat much of what humans eat. In a study published in Nature, genetic researchers found clear evidence that dogs have genetically adapted to eat a diet consisting of meats and starches. Feeding your dog nothing but raw meat as though he's a tame wolf has the potential to deprive him of vitamins and nutrients that are vital to his health. Such a diet could pose serious health risks not only to dogs, but also to people.

Dangers of Raw Diets for Dogs

A two-year study conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from 2010 to 2012 found that raw pet food is more likely than other types of pet food to carry bacteria, including Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes that cause food borne illnesses. This study prompted the FDA to issue a warning about the public health risks of raw pet food diets. Not only that, but veterinary organizations, like the American Animal Hospital Association, officially recommend against feeding raw meat-based diets to dogs, as does the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

While it's possible that your dog could get food poisoning from eating raw meat infected by Salmonella, E. Coli, or other disease-causing bacteria, it's more likely that your dog could himself become a carrier, says The Whole Dog Journal. A dog's stomach acid may neutralize infectious bacteria before they make him sick, but there's a chance he could still pass the bacteria to other dogs or people he comes into contact with. What's even more troubling is that a 2011 study in The Canadian Veterinary Journal found that much of the Salmonella found in dogs fed raw meat diets was a type that's resistant to antibiotic drugs.

Another worry of raw diets is obstruction from any bones or other solid artifacts that are not properly removed from the food. These can cause choking or intestinal damage to your pup. Finally, raw diets are not properly balanced to provide your dog with the adequate levels of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D that are essential to a growing dog's development. For instance, without the right amount of calcium, your puppy could develop skeletal problems.

Balanced Nutrition

Of course, another important criticism of raw diets for dogs is the lack of balanced nutrition. For healthy dogs that aren't dealing with health problems that require a specialized diet, the American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals recommends feeding a diet with the right balance of protein, water, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. High-quality dog foods are formulated specifically to meet these needs in the correct amounts. What's more, a dog's nutritional needs change as he goes through different life stages. Dog foods are typically specifically suited to each stage of your pet's development.

Proponents of raw food diets claim that their dogs' skin and coats showed improvements after switching to raw meat diets; however, it's possible that any previous skin problems occurred from low-quality pet food, an environmental factor no longer around, or negative reactions to an ingredient in one brand of dog food. Instead, switching their dogs to a high-quality dog food may lead to similar improvements while ensuring that their dogs receive the proper balance of nutrients.

Raw Diet Safety

In spite of the risks and the lack of scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of a raw food diet, many people still insist that a raw diet is the healthiest way to feed their dogs. If you're not convinced that raw diets for dogs should be avoided, here are some safety guidelines recommended by the FDA to help reduce the risk of contamination to you and your dog.

Avoid touching your face or mouth while handling raw pet food.
Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.
Clean and disinfect all surfaces, utensils and other objects that came into contact with the raw pet food. The FDA recommends washing the surface with soap and water and then following with a solution of one tablespoon of bleach to one quart of water.
Freeze raw meat or poultry until you're ready to use them (freezing does not guarantee killing of all the bacteria. Salmonella and E. Coli can often be resistant to cold temperatures). Thaw raw meat in your refrigerator or microwave, not in the sink or on the countertop.
Carefully handle raw meat or poultry to avoid spreading raw juices to other areas.
If your pet doesn't finish his food, immediately refrigerate or carefully dispose of the leftovers.
Avoid kissing your dog on or near his mouth, and don't allow him to lick your face.
Be sure to wash your face and hands after handling or being licked by your dog.

It's also a good idea to wear disposable gloves while handling your dog's food and to feed him on disposable plates. Because young children and the elderly are especially susceptible to foodborne illnesses, they should never come into contact with this type of dog food.

Your pet's stool is also a potential source of contamination. Be sure to collect and safely dispose of your dog's stool, taking care not to come into contact with it. Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water when you're done.

With this evidence in hand, you can confidently answer "No" the next time you hear the question "Should I feed my dog a raw diet?" While the enthusiasm of raw diet proponents can be alluring, the safety of your dog and the people in your household should be your highest priority. If you're still not sure, talk to your veterinarian about the best type of food to feed your dog.

Contributor Bio

Jean Marie Bauhaus

Jean Marie Bauhaus is a pet parent, pet blogger, and novelist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she usually writes under the supervision of a lapful of fur babies.

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How often should I feed my dog raw food?

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.

Why vets don t recommend raw?

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.

Is raw food really better for dogs?

Compared to cooked diets, raw diets are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, which can make your dog seriously ill. But even if your dog doesn't get sick, your pup could shed bacteria into your household, which could then get picked up by another pet or human.