Raw Diet for Dogs

• Pros and cons of raw diet for dogs
• What kind of meats can we feed to our dogs?
• Are there meats that we should cook before feeding to our dogs?
• Are bones safe for dogs to eat? How about chicken bones?
• Do we have to concern about bacteria such as E. Coli in raw foods?
• Besides meat, what other raw foods can we feed to our dogs?
• How do we transition from a dry kibble diet to a raw diet?
• Are there alternatives if a dog parent is not ready to "go raw" all the way?

Pros and Cons of Raw Diet for Dogs

• A raw diet is close to the natural diet originally consumed by our dogs' ancestors.
• Raw meat contains a lot of protein and is rich in many other nutrients such as enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids that are needed by dogs.
• Raw whole foods are full of vitality and energy.
• Many dog parents have reported less illnesses after switching to a raw diet, especially chronic diseases such as skin allergies and ear infections, less year-round shedding, and smaller and firmer stools.
• Dogs on a raw diet have cleaner teeth, less dental problems, and fresher breath.

• Meat is now the most polluted food source in the market - Even meat for human consumption contains toxic materials (e.g. lead, mercury, dioxiin) and residues of pesticide, hormones and antibiotics.
• Producing meat is not eco-friendly.
• A raw diet for dogs consisting mainly of meat and bones may be too rich in protein and fat for our pet dogs, who do not exercise as much as their ancestors.
• A raw diet for dogs consisting mainly of high-quality organic meat, bones, and other fresh wholesome ingredients can be a bit more costly.

Meats for Your Dog

• Chicken (backs, necks, wings, legs)
• Turkey (wings, necks)
• Cornish game hens
• Beef
• Oxtail
• Pork*
• Rabbit*
• Fish*

Meats that Should be Cooked

Are Raw Bones Safe for Dogs?

Bacteria in Raw Foods

Other Raw Foods for Dogs

Transition to a Raw Diet for Dogs

• For the first one or two days, feed a smaller quantity of the usual food plus a bit of meat, and veggies.
• For the next two to three days, switch to a liquid fast. Give only water, broths, and vegetable juices to your dog.
• After that, for the next day or two, add some solid foods (e.g. veggies, or eggs, or small amounts of meat) to the liquid diet.
• Finally, increase the amount of meat, plus veggies, and one type of grain (*grains have to be cooked).

• Keep a diary of raw meals fed to your dog (at least at the beginning), so that you can see which foods your dog likes and dislikes, and which foods cause allergies or digestive problems such as diarrhea or gas.
• Before making the switch, ask a holistic vet to give your dog a physical check-up, and consult the vet about raw diet for dogs.
• To help ease the transition, consider using some herbs that can cleanse the body and rebuild tissue. Some safe herbs that are helpful in this regard are alfalfa and burdock. You can sprinkle about one to three teaspoons of dried alfalfa onto your dog's food every day, or if you can get fresh burdock roots, chop up some roots and add them to your dog's food.

Other Alternatives to Raw Diet for Dogs

• You may want to try to just sear the outside of the meat a bit, or cook the meat completely.
• You may replace raw meat with tofu which is rich in protein. However, eating tofu cannot help your dog clean his teeth.
• You may feed your dog other natural organic dog food.