Thursday, January 12, 2012

Getting Your Pets to Eat Raw Dog Food

There's a lot of popularity surrounding the raw dog food diet these days. This is also because a lot of pet owners swear by the positive effects it brings. But if your dog has always been fed otherwise, you should take some caution into transitioning them into this type of diet.

One thing that most pet owners fail to remember is that domesticated pets may no longer have the enzymes necessary to feed on raw food. But this does not mean that they could never do that. It would take time for them to develop such enzymes which is why it is advised that they be transitioned into this natural diet.

In addition to this, it would also be best if you can search for the right source first. While many pet owners who get into this raw diet prefer to make their own meals for their dogs, being a newbie might be too overwhelming for you given the choices you have. So it would be best if you simply buy them as packaged to also help you track the stuff that they eat.

It's not hard to come by raw dog food meals anyway. There are lots of shops that offer them these days. You can even find them in groceries as well as pet shops. However, they can get a little expensive because of their "all-natural" selling point.

Among the best ways to also get these raw dog food meals is to ask from your friends and some colleagues who have advised you about the said diet. They might personally know someone who is creating good meals for raw diet and they might give you that referral.

Aside from your friends, your dog's vet might also be able to help give you some referrals. They might personally a dog nutritionist who is into creating these raw dog food meals. The best part of this is that you get the assurance straight from your vet so you can be sure you are feeding the right stuff to your dog.

You can also try to research online about possible options. You might even find a raw dog food shop near your place. With the internet, you can also make some researches on certain individuals selling these types of dog food to make sure that they are legitimate.

When it comes to feeding raw dog food to your pets, just remember to make a good transition. It would also be great if you can get clearance first from your vet before you get into this. That way, you can really be sure that it would be alright to make the shift.

Implementing the Raw Food Diet for Dogs

Although the raw food diet for dogs proves a lot of healthy benefits, it is still something that requires a transition before being fully implemented. This is because pets are wired differently and also because age is a factor for the success of this new food introduction.

There are some tips that you can use to help make this transition a success. Fasting is one, so that your dogs would have an even bigger appetite the following day. Fasting is also a good way of preparing your dog's digestive system for the new food intake.

When you already begin transitioning into raw dog food diet for dogs, it is important to also lessen the treats that you typically give to your pets. This would help them switch into the diet much faster. Also, remember to have some filtered water around while your dog is taking on their new meals.

Among older dogs, it can get quite hard to make the transition because they are so used to eating cooked meals or kibble. The texture and the smells of the raw food meals would be too different for them. That is why variations are necessary when you first begin to feed them raw food diet for dogs.

So to help them transition much faster, you need to really remove treats from their current diet. This would help make it easier to make them less used to it. You can also ease them up into the diet by poaching the meats or lightly baking them in the oven just so their favors and natural smell would come out. Adding food bribes such as garlic powder may also help their appetite.

In contrast, it may be easier for puppies to be transitioned into raw food diet for dogs. This is especially good if they have never been introduced to solid foods before. But because they are already of the domesticated gene, it would still be necessary to transition them bit by bit. It would even be better if you can get clearance from the vet first to feed them with this diet.

{Once they have been cleared of any health issues, you can begin by feeding them first with 1/8 of raw food. As they have reached the third meal, you can gradually increase the raw ingredients by ¼ and so forth until no kibble is being used for the meals.

All About Grain Free Dog Food

The grain free dog food diet has been taking the world by a storm. A lot of pet owners have been making the switch into this type of diet with the intention of feed their pets with the right type of food items. A lot of benefits have also been attached with eating grain free dog food meals which is why more and more pet owners are becoming interested with it.

It all stems from the fact that dogs use up different nutrients than that of humans. As people, we typically need carbohydrates and use that as our main source of energy. It's different for dogs, because these pets would need protein as their main source of energy. This is why when they are fed with a diet that's high on carbohydrates, their tendency is to grow fat and sluggish.

Aside from this, it has been pointed out too that the wild counterparts or relatives of our pets do not eat as much grains as we feed their domesticated cousins. Wild dogs or even wild cats end up eating raw meat and crunching on bones. They do not eat grains except when they have no other choice because game has been scarce.

In addition to all these expert opinion about grain free dog food, there are also lots of pet owners who swear by its immediate positive effects. They note how their dogs instantly improve its coat and also have healthier skin. Even the teeth become healthier and cleaner when they start to feed on grain free foods.

However, transition is necessary before you fully implement the grain free dog food diet for your pets. Your dog may not easily adapt to the taste as well as the texture of these new set of meals. It is also important that you consult your vet first about this decision, just to make sure that it would go smoothly for your pet.

Because feeding grain free dog food means feeding pets with natural meals, it is important to also choose your options wisely. At first, it would be good to choose a trusted food supplier where prepared meals can be easily bought. You can ask for such referrals from your vet or from friends who have started to adapt the grain freed dog food diet as well.

Because a transition is important, this would mean timing and looking at portions. You need to feed your pet with small amounts of grain free dog food first and gradually increase it in time. This way they would hardly notice the changes in texture and taste of the meals that they are currently eating.

Finally, keep yourself abreast with the latest information on grain free dog food. This lifestyle change would continue to develop and improve through time so it would be best to have some updated news about how it is changing the lives of pets these days.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Raw Food Diet for Dogs Pros and Cons

Pet owners are now increasingly becoming conscious of raw food diet for dogs. It was a notion popularized in the mid 90's by veterinarian Ian Billinghurst. The diet aims to imitate the meals eaten by sled dogs s well as racing greyhounds who feed on raw meals. According to Billinghurst, the same can be fed to domesticated pets because it is a natural meal.

Through this diet, around 80% would be devoted to feeding dogs with actual raw meat and bones. But it should be noted that there are only identified types of meat that should be used. These are from chicken, beef, lamb, and fish only. The same goes for feeding bones wherein chicken and lamb are the two recommended sources.

But aside from these, other important nutrients are also being included in the meals. Among them are vegetables and fruits as well as small portions of organs like liver, kidney, and even a portion of the heart. The organs should also come from the same animals listed as the acceptable raw meats to feed to dogs.

Apparently, there has been a lot of talk too about the positive effects of eating raw food among dogs. Owners say that most of the benefits are seen physically. They say their dogs start to have even more shinier coats after they eat raw meals and they are also finally blessed with better skin.

However, there are still some experts who are doubting the credibility of this newfound diet. Among them is the FDA which says there might still be negative implications about eating raw for pets.

Some experts say that making dogs feed on raw food might do them more harm than good. Their argument is that this type of feeding only increases the possibility of cultivating bacteria. Salmonella can be passed on from the raw meat into the pets and even humans who handle the raw meat can get it as well, they say.

There's also concern about feeding dogs with raw bones. Some experts say that the diet runs the risk of having splinters get caught inside the dog's throat. They also worry that these bones can in the long run cause teeth to break and even have some internal punctures as they pass through the digestive system.

Considering all these pros and cons presented about the raw food diet for dogs, it really becomes important to consult a vet first. Before you try it out for your dog, make sure you can get clearance from the vet first.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

What to Feed as Raw Dog Food

Raw dog food diet is a very promising type of food program for pets because it has so many positive effects. Pet owners have noted how their dogs end up with shinier coats and also healthier skin as they take on this new diet. Dogs also get noticeably cleaner teeth after succumbing to this type of diet.

You can feed your pets with raw dog food either by creating the meals yourself or buying them already prepared. You can give them raw meats but be sure to just stick with fish, chicken, beef, and lamb. In terms of giving them fruits and vegetables, of course these are important and must also be part of their raw dog food diet.

If you will be giving your dogs with raw dog food that are already in packages, just make sure that you research about your source. Check the ingredients contained in every package and take time to know the manufacturers behind the said food item.

Another way to give raw dog food to your pet is by following the prey model. This is also known as the diet that's similar among wild wolves. This doesn't necessarily mean that you would have to let your dogs hunt down their own food but instead, huge chunks of meat will be given to them with some small amounts of bone mixed in with small portions of organs and eggs.

Because of the success of feeding dogs with raw food, it's not surprising to find a lot of commercialized raw diets popping up these days. These are often packed as frozen so that the freshness can be preserved. They are convenient too because you don't have to take your own time fixing the meals yourself.

Aside from feeding your dogs with meat, you can also provide homemade vegetarian meals for them which can help make sure that they are getting complete nutrition. Aside from meat, you should also add some eggs and dairy within their meals. Don't forget to include fruits in puree form and you can do the same method for vegetables such as lightly cooked broccoli, green beans, and squash.

Another quick variant for veggies and fruits would be their dehydrated counterparts. Not only are they cheap and quick to serve, but you can always store them at just room temperature to make sure that their quality do not degrade in any which way.

Finally, the raw dog food diet also dispels rumors that bones are bad for dogs. It can be dangerous when it's cooked and you should only limit giving them raw chicken or lamb bones because these are softer and easier to crunch.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Making the Raw Dog Food Switch

The raw dog food diet has really taken on pet owners by a storm. Because these days not only are people becoming more conscious of eating natural healthy food but they are also becoming more conscious of how they apply this to almost anything. In this case, even pets are included in the healthy regimen.

However, making the switch to feed your dogs with raw food is not that easy. There are some important pointers that have to be taken care of first. Among them is that there should be some transition involved. Your dog cannot change his diet just like that especially if he has been used to eating commercial and cooked foods.

Getting under the transition process would help your pet adapt into this newfound diet. This would help take care of instances wherein the dog would refuse to eat the raw meals given to him. It would also give them ample time to adjust physiologically in terms of developing the enzymes necessary to digest raw meals.

While there is the superficial part of helping your dog's transition, it would still be best if you can also involve your vet into the whole plan of feeding with raw dog food. This way you can rule out any other possible problems and ensure that the said meals would be fit for your dog.

Once you get into the raw dog food diet, you might get inspired by the recipes you will see online. While it's really inviting to do everything on your own, it can get a bit overwhelming to check the ingredients yourself and make sure that they are prepared the right way.

Aside from online shops, there are also pet shops which already sell these pre-packed raw dog food meals. This way you can simply enjoy choosing the types of food to feed your dog and no longer concern yourself with creating them all on your own.

You can also ask for referrals from your friends who have already adapted this type of diet for their pets. They might be a consistent client of a specific shop or raw dog food meal nutritionist. It would be good to get their approval on the matter since they have already been into the diet for their pets for a long time already.

It's really a good thing to try looking into the raw dog food diet. Just remember that you need to help your dog transition to this properly so that they can enjoy all the healthy benefits it could possibly bring.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Grain Free Dog Food is Good

There are surely a lot of good reasons why you should consider feeding pets with grain free dog food. A lot of pet owners have already sworn by its effectivity. But just to be on the safe side, you should definitely consider getting your own research done before you subject your pets to this new kind of diet.

You can also try getting some feedbacks and referrals first from among your own networks. This way you can get the real score behind this type of diet. They can also give you some helpful tips and advice when it comes to transitioning your dogs into this type of diet.

When it comes to feeding pets, it's always better to create the meals yourself. This way you can be sure that you are giving them the right food stuff. This can also help you save on costs because you can find cheap alternatives on your own. There are lots of easy recipes you can follow online.

However, if your schedule tends to be too busy, you can also buy some prepared grain free dog food already. Just make sure you only buy from trusted sources. You should also take the time knowing who the manufacturers are as well as the ingredients used in the food.

If your pets have previously been eating grains as part of their diet, you might want to ease them into this new regimen. You need to remember that they might need to have their digestive system adjust to the new meals you will prepare for them. Add the food bit by bit so that you can prevent them from having an upset stomach.

This diet has actually originated from the fact that dogs are naturally predisposed to eat more proteins. In the wild, they eat more meat than they do grains. Their diet only consists of grains if there is nothing else to feed on.

The immediate effects of eating grain free dog food. Dogs can have a shinier coat because of the new diet and they would also have better skin afterwards. Their stools are also noticeably fewer because what they eat really gets used up inside.

There are also reports that dogs apparently get their allergies from eating grains. So you can help prevent that when you start to give them grain free dog food. Aside from this, you can also observe that your dog's appetite will become much better after a few days.