Dog Raw Diet Weekly Menu
HOW TO MAKE A RAW DIET FOR DOGS…
Look at those bowls of food. OK, so we're not aiming for these exquisite masterpieces initially, if ever, just showing you what's possible! On a side note, I really don't know how any vet can tell me with a straight face their highly processed, high-carb, high-salt, high-chemical crackers made last year in China is as nutritious as the bowl those meals sit in, let alone the meals themselves!
Today you're going to learn:
- How to make a raw diet for dogs
- The rough ratio's you should be aiming to achieve balance
- Which meats to use and where to source
- Items you will need beforehand
- A simple recipe to start you off, as well as method, storage and how much to feed
Dogs are scavenging carnivores, meat eaters, however, it's not just plain "meat" like steak every day that he needs, as much as I'm sure he'd appreciate it! When eating prey dogs waste little. Generally, the whole thing goes down if possible, bar the stomach contents. This is unlike cats who tend to nibble the best bits. Over time dogs have evolved to need all the bits therein. In short, the ideal raw diet for dogs would contain meat muscle, organs, some cartilage and bone.
When feeding dogs I like to think of it like lego, where like builds like, they use muscle meat to build their muscle, cartilage to build their cartilage, bone to fuel bone growth. Organ meat like liver, kidney and spleen are akin to green vegetables for humans. Dogs also need some roughage, normally in the form of skin and hair and nails but this can also be provided in the form of vegetables! On the latter, most are agreed dog's do notneed vegetable matter (meat eaters) but for sure we can include some plant matter, when done correctly.
What are the benefits of raw dog food?
Is raw dog food safe?
THE BASIC FORMULA FOR RAW DOG FOOD…
When making a raw diet for dogs keep in mind the ratio 5:1:1:1; which is 5 parts fresh meat muscle, 1 part fresh bone (or even simpler, 5 parts meat on the bone), 1 part fresh organ meat (liver, kidney, heart, with fresh liver being the most important) and 1 part veg (while not everyone uses veg, it has to be said, I do recommend a little though, as you will see below).
The ratio can vary up to8:1:1where the 8 refers to meat, 1 part organ meat and 1 part bone (on the basis that this is roughly what a rat or rabbit is made of, it's called the Prey Model).However, we find a little more organ meat is beneficial, as is some veg (and the prey model can work out extremely expensive, which is a needless barrier to entry for some, folk need flexibility).
Meat. Meat on the bone is ideal for dogs, they love chewing and breaking it down, and, it's good for them. However, it can be messy and cause people to worry, so it is initially best to buy the meat in mince form, ideally with an approximate 10-12% bone content. Anything with a face is good – chicken, turkey, duck, pork, beef, whole sardines. Fish is good too but it's the only meat whereby you should freeze it first before either including it in your mix or giving to your dog as fish can contain worms that can populate your dog. Tripe and heart is an organ BUT we use them as meat as they are purely muscle. You will find a lot of raw dog foods are bulked with these as they're cheaper than say chicken breast or beef mince. As the other organs store and produce all sorts and thus should be fed in moderation.
Organ. Think of organ meat like green vegetables to humans. Liver, kidney and heart is nutritionally very important for the dog, with liver possibly being the most important. Spleen is brilliant too, when you can get it. Use any organs (beef, turkey, pork, lamb, chicken, duck organs).
Veg. Whaaat?! Veg you cry?! Yes. I feel if you are going to exclude hair and feathers and hide all the other indigestible parts that come with eating a whole animal (which most of us normally do) then a little veg addition adds a bit of fibre to help form a nice poo. It's perfectly OK food for dogs in small amounts. Not only is it a much-needed source of fibre (certainly as some raw dog foods can be quite boney) but it can also add fantastic phytonutrients to their meal when presented correctly (blitzed, so the fibre is broken down and they can get at the good stuff). Some use, some do not. I personally do. Any leafy greens are great. Some even use a bag of frozen green beans, peas, carrots etc, though I try to avoid the veg higher in carbs. More on the science behind feeding dogs veg here.
What about carbs?! It's interesting to note that dogs have certainly taken some tiny evolutionary steps towards carb digestion and this wouldn't have occurred without them being in some way part of their diet in the past, so they're not that unusual an inclusion. But the fact remains dogs have no requirement of carbohydrates in their diet so I don't tend to use them. However, some people include a carb addition, usually as a cheap filler. S ome sighthounds certainly may benefit from some in their normal fare and they can be used to give little in pups or seniors an energy boost. If you want to, a small bit of boiled or soaked porridge (oats), couscous, amaranth or even sweet potato (with skin on, slower to digest than normal potato, which is better for everyone but particularly carnivores who don't appreciate the sugar punch) can be used. We certainly do not recommend rapid-to-digest cereal such as wheat or corn, rice of any kind or white potatoes.
When you think about it, dry food is more than 50-60% poor quality filler! You putting in 10-20% porridge is fine, certainly if money is an issue and while you want to feed lots of meat you are concerned over cost. And you're using the good stuff, not rapid-to-digest crap wheat or corn.
Where to source your bits:
1/2. Buying from raw dog food manufacturers
This is where you need to be a bit careful. As the raw dog food market explodes, there will be more groups entering the market trying to make you pay good money for bad meat. After all, chicken carcass to the unsuspecting eye looks like chicken mince when it's ground fine enough. Check out our article on what is the best raw dog food for a few tips. In short, right now I'm loving Paleo Ridge, if just I helped them with their new range, Paleo Plus one of the best pre-made raws out there, for all these reasons.
Source: https://dogsfirst.ie/raw-faq/raw-diet-for-dogs/
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