Nature Knows Best
As humans we know that if we consume a fresh, natural diet we will live longer, healthier lives. Similarly, we know too much processed food will lead to shorter, less healthy lives. What holds true for humans applies equally to dogs. Dogs that eat a natural diet lead healthier and longer lives. While humans have gone from a highly processed diet of “convenient” packaged food starting in the ‘50s and ‘60s, we’ve made a return to real, whole food in the past couple of decades.
Unfortunately, we seem to have forgotten what the natural diet for a dog is. Instead, we feed them the canine equivalent of junk food leading to illness and shorter lives. Happily, it is something that can be resolved with a diet that is ‘species appropriate’, sometimes known as ‘biologically appropriate’ (put more simply ‘as nature intended’!).
A species appropriate diet will include muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meat, vegetable and fruit that mimic what a dog’s wild ancestors ate.
The Importance of Raw Food
Wild dogs and wolves left to their own devices will eat small birds and animals. What’s more, they eat the whole animal, including its bones. Unsurprisingly then, canine digestion is nothing like human digestion. Dogs have no digestive enzymes in their saliva (unlike us) – instead they have very large, expandable stomachs with incredibly potent digestive acids. This allows them to tear raw meat, crunch up raw bones and swallow it whole - the entire digestive process takes place in their stomach.
A species appropriate diet for a dog should contain the same type of whole foods and ingredients consumed by its wild ancestors and in the same form: raw. When food is cooked, its structure is altered and up to 70% of the nutritional value (certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) is lost. Furthermore, dogs need their food served raw in order to digest it properly.
There's a reason dogs love bones
In the wild up to a third of a dog’s nutritional requirement (including calcium, magnesium, complex fats and vitamins) can come from bones. Bones play a vital role in keeping dogs’ teeth and gums clean, not to mention exercising their upper bodies and jaw.
Providing the bones are raw (never feed cooked bones), they are safe and very healthy for dogs to eat.
See the health benefits of raw feeding yourself
The reason why feeding a raw, natural, species appropriate diet is gaining such traction is simple: dog lovers can see the benefits with their own eyes. This includes healthy skin, shiny coats, robust immune system, healthy teeth and gums, increased energy, better digestion and a stronger heart. Not to mention the poo benefits which any raw feeder will tell you about! Dogs fed a natural diet produce very little of it as there is considerably less waste - what there is being firm and chalky.
Happy feeding from the team at Ocean Forest Farm!
Health Benefits
