RAW FEEDING GUIDE
We could write chapters upon chapters of what a raw diet consists of and the intricate facets of raw feeding but for now, we intend to give you a very brief overview of the whole concept and encourage you to do your own research and learning about it!
The usual basis of a raw diet is a protein blend that fits a roughly 80% muscle meat, 10% bone and 10% organ ratio. we HIGHLY recommend that regardless of which raw feeding system you are going with, you rotate proteins as much as you are able as different proteins have different nutrient profiles. There are MANY additions you can make to your pets raw diet but the most common one is the addition of some sort of omega source (think small oily fish or an added oil such as hemp seed). Some people choose to add this on their own while some choose to go with blends such as the Dogs Choice Advanced Beef/Bison which contains added kelp for iodine requirements and added hemp seed for omega requirements. Raw diets can be so fun and exciting with variety for your dog, they'll surely be thankful you've made the switch!
WHAT IS A RAW DIET?
There are two methods that we recommend for making the switch to raw and we encourage every pet owner to do their research and choose the method that best fits their beliefs and lifestyle.
METHOD 1: GRADUAL
Start by mixing in 10% raw with your pets existing food. Each day increase that amount by 10% until you have graduated to 100% raw. Monitor for tummy upset and if this happens feel free to pull back into an even more gradual switch over a longer period of time.
METHOD 2: COLD TURKEY (pun intended!)
With this method, we recommend a 24 hour fast from any/all food and then directly into 100% raw. Similar to method 1, monitor for tummy upset and possibly consider method 1 if there are any tummy issues.
HOW DO I SWITCH MY PET TO A RAW DIET?
HOW MUCH SHOULD I BE FEEDING MY PET?
Guidelines on quantities to feed when you switch to a raw diet vary between 1%-2% of your pets ideal weight per day. Puppies/kittens under two years old need more nutrition and may eat up to 2-10% of their weight depending on their age.
You notice we said guidelines… That’s because your pets metabolism and level of activity varies as wildly from one to another as yours and mine. If you have a highly active working dog that is heavily exercised, you may need to feed more than the guideline. A sedentary, couch-potato, even a very lovable one, may need less. The quantity you feed your pet is not a measure of your love. Start with the guidelines, keep an eye on your pets weight and over time determine the ideal amount to keep your pet healthy and trim.
