Quote:
Originally Posted by carisear
Our of curiosity, is raw food supposed to be better for dogs? More energy? Longer life?
Our family dog has generally eaten everything under the sun. A scoop of dry dog food, mixed with whatever food we cook for dinner. Rice, pasta, chinese food, eggs, bbq sauce, you name it, he eats it. He's 20 years old now ( I know, probably not normal ) and we won't change now, but for a future dog, I'm wondering if the benefits are worth the change?
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Short answer: yes, yes, and yes.
(Full disclosure: I own a doggy daycare and we sell a variety of raw foods.) I'll try not to make this sound too sales-pitchy, because even with off-the-shelf dry foods, there are still decent choices if you're on a tight budget. If you're going the dry food route, opt for the natural choices with less filler. You WILL notice a difference in your furry friend's well being.
But as far as results go, we have seen first-hand some of our daycare dogs who switched to raw food, and the changes happen very fast and very noticeably. An extreme case, one of our clients' dog was overweight, losing hair (bald spots), and was grumpy, groggy and anxious most of the time. Within 2-3 months of switching to raw food, the dog's fur completely changed (fur started to grow in the balding spots, and her coat just looked way healthier and fuller), her weight IMMEDIATELY balanced itself out to a healthy-looking size, and her overall personality was just happier and healthier. This was our most drastic and noticeable change. For most dogs, if they don't have any weight, eating or personality problems, at the very least, you WILL notice a change in their energy and mood.
I feed my dog raw food religiously, and 110% recommend it if you can afford it. Otherwise, opt for the best you can afford, and as always, lots of love, care, and exercise!
