RAW FEEDING MYTHS DEBUNKED

Whether you’re new to raw feeding, have been feeding your dog a raw diet for a while, or are simply “raw-curious,” it’s likely that you’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews. After all, we don’t eat raw meat, so why should our pets? In this blog post we debunk ten common misconceptions about raw dog food diets.

1.Harmful bacteria from raw meat can cause salmonellain- FALSE- yes salmonella can be harnful to humans but in reality, salmonella can only survive in higher pH conditions (4-8+) and requires at least 12 hours to reach incubation. Dogs’ stomachs have very high acidity (about pH 1) while their digestive system is very short. Therefore, any harmful bacteria from raw meat is soon killed when ingested by a dog and passed within 4-6 hours as waste.

2.Havnt dogs evolved? YES & NO - While it is true that humans have undeniably changed dogs, we have changed their external appearance and temperament, NOT their internal anatomy and physiology. In fact, dogs are so much like wolves physiologically that they are often used in wolf studies and as a physiological model for wolf bodily processes. According to Robert K. Wayne, Ph.D., "The domestic dog is an extremely close relative of the gray wolf, differing from it by at most 0.2% of mDNA sequence..." Even the Smithsonian Institute recently reclassified domestic dogs as Canis lupus familiaris,placing it in the same species as the gray wolf, Canis lupus.

Continuing the dog vs. wolf thought process from the previous myth, some people argue that dogs are not as efficient as wolves in digesting raw meat and bones due to weaker digestive enzymes from centuries of domestication. Yet, as discussed previously, dogs have nearly identical anatomies and physiologies to wolves. 

3.Dogs need kibble! FALSE - Kibbled dog foods have only been around for the last 80-100 years or so — way too short for an evolutionary adaptation to take place. So, what were dogs eating before the advent of kibble? Raw meat! Throughout much of history, cooked food was a precious commodity that very few people would waste on something like a dog, since, at the time, they had a much lower social status than they enjoy now. Before this? Wolf-dogs hunted with their masters and hung around nomadic camps, receiving whatever raw meat, bones, and offal were left over.

In fact, the very act of cooking meat destroys or alters many of its essential proteins, vitamins, fats, and minerals. This decreases their bioavailability, and is the reason why processed pet and home-cooked pet foods require the addition of supplements.

4. My dog needs an all meat diet! FALSE - All-meat diets are NOT balanced; you cannot feed your dog a diet of just meat and expect them to do fine. Your dog needs bones, fruits, vegetables, fats and organs as well to obtain all of the proper nutrients.

5. Dogs will develope a pray drive if they eat raw! FALSE -Dogs are natural hunters. They are, by nature, carnivorous. Both kibble-fed and raw-fed dogs may hunt and kill small prey, particularly if they are a breed with a higher drive to do so. Prey drive is determined by a combination of genetics, training, and behavior management — not diet.

6. My dog can't eat bones. FLASE - No, nope, no way. In fact, toy breeds and small dogs need to eat bones more than most other kinds of dogs. The teeth of many small dogs are drastically overcrowded, making them more prone to periodontal disease — their bad breath is evidence of this fact! Periodontal disease can develop rapidly, spreading harmful bacteria to the rest of their body, including the heart, lungs, and brain.

The key to feeding a raw meat diet is properly sizing each meal & avoid giving your dog an entire slab of meat; instead, reach for a balanced premade diet OR consult with a pet nutrition coach on how to make your own at home

-Kristina Reed

Canine Nutrition Coach

Canine Behavioist