Guide to Switching from Commercial to Raw
The raw food diet craze is sweeping the dog nation -- and for good reason. Raw, natural diets are better for dogs, providing them with more nutrition and keeping them healthier. Raw foods don't need all the junk in them to preserve them, and are preserved from natural ingredients. Simply freeze, thaw, and serve! Some people are skeptical that if their dogs eat raw food that one of three things will happen:
- Their dogs will 'crave' blood and turn into man-eaters.
- Their dogs will get salmonella or other food bacteria.
- Their dogs will get spoiled.
First, let me assure you that your dog will NOT turn into a vampire by eating raw meats and bones. If eating raw foods made them aggressive and have the urge to kill one another and us too, how then can you explain packs of wolves living in harmony? If the taste of blood turned dogs and their cousins into cold killers, no dogs would be left, and neither would there be any humans because dogs would have devoured us all! Canines have been eating raw meats way before man, and will continue to do so for years to come. If your dog has food aggression issues, chances are he's had that problem to begin with and you should seek the advice of a trainer on how to stop the food aggression before changing to a raw diet. The only reason is to establish boundaries before attempting a diet change. Let me also add that many aggressive dogs' 'bad behavior' is related to a poor diet.
Secondly, dogs' digestive systems work much differently than ours. They work faster and are more acidic, making it nearly impossible for dogs to get ill from food-bourne bacteria in the way that humans do. Ever notice how, after your dog eats, he need to go 'outside'? They have a smaller digestive system, and it works faster. If you give your dog certain fruits and veggies, you may have noticed that they pass through whole. This is because it does not stay into the system long enough for the stomach acid to break it down. In other words, your dog isn't benefiting from it anyway. Now you know why your dog doesn't get ill from helping himself to a little roadkill every now and then. He may get worms from roadkill, but the likelihood of him getting worms from a raw diet, when purchased from a manufacturer or from USDA approved meats, it is slim to none. Don't buy raw meats from an unknown source, and freeze whatever you aren't using within a weeks time right away to reduce the chance of bacteria (as you would with human food). Always consult with your vet if you think your dog has worms or has diarrhea for more than 24 hours.
Thirdly, your dog WILL get spoiled, but so what? You will feel better knowing he's getting a better diet, he'll be happier because he's getting variety in his food AND liking it, and you'll enjoy getting more years together in the long run. So go ahead, splurge! Isn't he worth it?
The following steps are a basic guide for an average healthy dog. Please consult your vet before switching his diet, if your dog is elderly, ill, or has any medical conditions.
- Don't rush it. Try one kind of protein source first (chicken is usually recommended because it is not as rich, and it is easily digested by most dogs). The ideal switch over is about 1/4 of 'new' to 3/4 'old'. If your dog has any diarrhea, back off a bit and feed less of the new. I prefer a one month plan that goes along these lines:
- Week 1: 1/4 new, 3/4 old ...
