Raw Food Diets for Dogs: What You Need to Know

Raw Foods, For Those Of You Not Trying To Make A Themed Blog Post That Starts With U!

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of feeding dogs uncooked, or raw, foods?  Raw food diets for dogs seem to be becoming more and more popular.  There are even companies now who sell commercially prepared raw foods for dogs, so you can get the benefits of feeding raw without having to worry about preparing or balancing your dog’s food yourself.

Fully raw diets are not for everyone.  My dog Kitsune is testament to the fact that raw food diets don’t work for all dogs.  Feeding fully raw, especially home prepared raw, takes a lot of commitment on the owners side as well.  Not only do you have to deal with a lot of raw meat, but you have to make sure you do lots of research!  Raw food diets can be amazing for dogs, but a poorly balanced raw food diet will mean your dog isn’t getting all the nutrients he/she needs, and that can prove deadly.

Not ready to feed a fully raw diet?  That’s ok – but it doesn’t mean you can’t still let your dog enjoy raw snacks every now and then.

Uncooked snacks don’t have to be just meats.  For example, near the beginning of this challenge I posted about carrots and mentioned that raw carrots are not only a snack that many dogs enjoy, but all that crunching may actually help to clean your dog’s teeth!

It would take too long for me to post all the types of fruits, vegetables, and yes, meats, that dogs can consume uncooked here!  So, instead, I’d love to hear from my readers – what are some foods your dogs enjoy eating raw?

My dogs love raw meaty bones!  Even though I don’t feed a full raw diet, I give them RMBs to chew mostly because they enjoy them so much, and they do an amazing job at keeping my dog’s teeth clean.  Kitsune, who is highly food motivated, also enjoys a wide array of raw fruits and vegetables.  Some of his favorites include apples, carrots, green beans, and, as strange as it may sound, lettuce.  Fenrir, on the other hand, is a picky eater and not very motivated by food.  Even so, he loves RMBs and will usually happily eat uncooked green beans.

Comment below!  Have you ever considered a raw food diet for your dog?  Whether you have or not, are there any foods your dog is particularly found of eating uncooked?

This post is a part of the 2016 Blogging from A to Z challenge!  You can learn more about our challenge theme here.