Can My Dog Eat Raw Meat?(part 3)

Raw Meat Diets for Dogs

“It’s All About Ingredients, Ingredients, Ingredients.” 

Want to read Part 1: Raw Diets for Dogs Part 1 

Here is Part 2 as well: Raw Diets for Dogs Part 2 

Dear Ask Darwin’s,

I really need to know what to look for in a raw diet for Monty.  I am sure you think your product is the best, but why? To me, it looks like all the other companies have the same claim. I was thinking of making it myself. My friends tell me I’m crazy. If I do, can you tell me what I need to include?

Kenny – California

Dear Kenny,

I started my road to raw by making the meals myself.  My friends (and family) had a similar reaction. I was crazy.  After reserving my Sundays for meat grinding, vegetable chopping, precisely measuring, careful weighing, bagging, bagging, bagging, freezing and spending way too much money on equipment and all the organic small-batch ingredients I had to admit, they were right, I was crazy.

This experience, while challenging and even sort of fun, in the beginning, lead me to Darwin’s. I will admit I comparison shopped.  I can honestly say I not only fed my Doberman this raw I, because of her amazing change (she lived until she was 17), eventually came to work for them.

Let’s talk ingredients for raw meat meals.

Whether you are shopping or making it yourself make sure your meals are non-GMO, grain-free, gluten-free and non HPP (high-pressure pasteurization). The sourced meats should be free range; (raised cage free) grass-fed, and is free of steroids and artificial growth hormones. If possible the vegetables should be organic and be perfectly married to the selected protein.

If you are, for instance, creating your own beef meals:

Approx. 68% of the mixture should be a combination of:

Ground Lean Beef Meat, Beef Hearts, Beef Kidneys, and Beef Livers

Approx. 30% of the mixture should be a combination of:

Squash, Yams, Beets, Zucchini, Celery, and Romaine

Leaving about 2% for the rest of selected nutrients:

Bone meal, Organic Hempseed Oil, Iodized Salt, Inulin (Extract of Chicory), Manganese, Zinc, Amino Acid Chelates, and Vitamin E

Phew.  I hear you. Where do I get this stuff? How much of each do I add? In powered or liquid form?  Human- grade?  Do I ask the kid at my local pet store?

All great questions. While I am, of course, a Darwin’s girl, my mission is to make sure you buy from a reputable company that lists its ingredients – in detail. Don’t be shy. Ask about the origin of their ingredients – don’t forget to ask about GMO and HPP.

One last comment is about freshness. Yes, Monty will always get the freshest of fresh if you make it yourself. However, freshness is possible elsewhere. Make sure you know the manufacturer’s date. Not the expiration date. Expiration dates mean nothing. It may expire in a month or two; however, it tells you nothing about when the food was made. It could have been made a year ago. Think about it.

There are a ton of sites that offer recipes for a do-it-yourself raw meal and of course good companies that have great raw products.  Check it out.

• See Spot Live Longer by Steve Brown
• Real Food for Healthy Dogs & Cats by Dr. Becker
• Keep the Tail Wagging by Kimberly Gauthier

I hope this helps!

Jeanne

We hope you’ve gotten something out of our series on

 “Can my dog eat raw meat?”

I openly believe in all things “green” (except teeth). I love crafting words that make people think, painting with watercolors, amazing individuals who really are working to cure breast cancer and, of course, sushi. I’m the mother of two amazing canines and am passionate (and quite knowledgeable) about dog nutrition. And, in spite of Lucy Van Pelt’s objections, I let my dogs kiss me on the mouth. To see all my watercolor gallery of my favorite furry faces check out Artisan Tails.