The Safe and Healthy Alternative to a Raw Dog Food Diet
Supporters of the raw dog food movement are without a doubt coming from a
place of love for their pups. They point out that raw food more closely
resembles the meals that dogs and their canine ancestors would have
eaten, so unlike kibble, a raw diet is exactly the sort of fare that
dogs have evolved to eat. And those supporters are absolutely right.
That being said, does the fact that Spot or Lassie’s wolf ancestors ate nothing but raw food really mean that a raw diet is the best or healthiest way to go? And, if not, is there a healthy dog food alternative? For the answers to these questions, read on, dog lovers.
Why a Raw Diet Isn’t a Great Idea
For those unfamiliar with the raw diet, it’s just what it sounds like—a mixture of uncooked foodstuffs. The most commonly touted formula for a raw meal is a 5:1:1 ratio of raw meat, fish, or poultry; veggies; and a carb like rice, sweet potatoes, or oats.
In defense of raw diet proponents, the raw regimen does have elements that are superior to a diet of kibble. For instance, raw food is generally easier to digest, it retains more moisture, and you tend to know exactly what’s in your dog’s bowl. That’s the good.
As for the bad: Raw food can have a heightened risk of harboring harmful bacteria. Having watched them eat things best not considered or discussed, we know that dogs have tough tummies. However, that doesn’t mean “invincible tummies.” Dogs can and do contract any number of nasty pathogens from eating bad food, just like us. And it’s not just owners serving up questionable chicken.
A disturbing FDA study that tested 196 raw pet food samples found Listeria monocytogenes or salmonella contamination in 47 of them. There are some additional risks, as raw meals made by pet owners and even some pet food companies can be nutritionally unbalanced, especially if an informed veterinarian nutritionist (with your pup’s best interest at heart)wasn’t involved in the creation of the meals.
The Healthy and Safe Alternative
So where does that leave us? The takeaway you’re (hopefully) left with after considering the benefits and drawbacks of a raw diet is that the best-case doggy dinner scenario is one that retains the benefits of a raw diet but without the risk.
Thankfully for dogs and their people, that’s an entirely doable scenario. The key is feeding your dog a diet of human grade dog food that has been professionally created and gently cooked via sous-vide. Overcooking results in food that’s not only less appetizing, but it also reduces the profusion of vitamins and minerals, resulting in less healthy food. And if it’s not tastier and healthier than the alternative, what’s the point?
The options for giving your pooch sous-videcooked, healthy dog food are the same ones you have for the obtaining of your own meal: You can make it or buy it. As sous-vide equipment isn’t common kitchen accoutrements and can be a bit of an initial investment, delivery of humangrade, sous-vide dog food from a reliable and responsible company such as Grocery Pup seems to be the most popular preference. Additionally, by ordering your pup fresh dog food from Grocery Pup, you can rest assured he or she will be eating high-quality, well-balanced meals in tasty flavors that were created with a veterinarian nutritionist.
Whatever you choose, if the result of that decision is your best friend getting food as healthy and delicious as he or she deserves, you’ve done it right.
About Grocery Pup
Grocery Pup is your pup’s dream come true. For dog lovers by dog lovers, they specialize in home delivery of delicious, nutritious sous-videcooked meals for your fuzzy friends. It’s perfect for fussy eaters or pooches who need sensitive stomach dog food. Grocery Pup is proud to provide your pup pals with a healthy, well-rounded diet created with a veterinarian nutritionist. Grocery Pup meals are crafted from human-grade whole food ingredients and cooked in a USDA-certified human grade kitchen. This means you’ll find no rendered meats, fillers, chemicals, or by-products in any Grocery Pup product. Instead, you’ll find real, high-quality ingredients your pup will love.
Find the healthy dog food your pup will beg for at Grocerypup.com
That being said, does the fact that Spot or Lassie’s wolf ancestors ate nothing but raw food really mean that a raw diet is the best or healthiest way to go? And, if not, is there a healthy dog food alternative? For the answers to these questions, read on, dog lovers.
Why a Raw Diet Isn’t a Great Idea
For those unfamiliar with the raw diet, it’s just what it sounds like—a mixture of uncooked foodstuffs. The most commonly touted formula for a raw meal is a 5:1:1 ratio of raw meat, fish, or poultry; veggies; and a carb like rice, sweet potatoes, or oats.
In defense of raw diet proponents, the raw regimen does have elements that are superior to a diet of kibble. For instance, raw food is generally easier to digest, it retains more moisture, and you tend to know exactly what’s in your dog’s bowl. That’s the good.
As for the bad: Raw food can have a heightened risk of harboring harmful bacteria. Having watched them eat things best not considered or discussed, we know that dogs have tough tummies. However, that doesn’t mean “invincible tummies.” Dogs can and do contract any number of nasty pathogens from eating bad food, just like us. And it’s not just owners serving up questionable chicken.
A disturbing FDA study that tested 196 raw pet food samples found Listeria monocytogenes or salmonella contamination in 47 of them. There are some additional risks, as raw meals made by pet owners and even some pet food companies can be nutritionally unbalanced, especially if an informed veterinarian nutritionist (with your pup’s best interest at heart)wasn’t involved in the creation of the meals.
The Healthy and Safe Alternative
So where does that leave us? The takeaway you’re (hopefully) left with after considering the benefits and drawbacks of a raw diet is that the best-case doggy dinner scenario is one that retains the benefits of a raw diet but without the risk.
Thankfully for dogs and their people, that’s an entirely doable scenario. The key is feeding your dog a diet of human grade dog food that has been professionally created and gently cooked via sous-vide. Overcooking results in food that’s not only less appetizing, but it also reduces the profusion of vitamins and minerals, resulting in less healthy food. And if it’s not tastier and healthier than the alternative, what’s the point?
The options for giving your pooch sous-videcooked, healthy dog food are the same ones you have for the obtaining of your own meal: You can make it or buy it. As sous-vide equipment isn’t common kitchen accoutrements and can be a bit of an initial investment, delivery of humangrade, sous-vide dog food from a reliable and responsible company such as Grocery Pup seems to be the most popular preference. Additionally, by ordering your pup fresh dog food from Grocery Pup, you can rest assured he or she will be eating high-quality, well-balanced meals in tasty flavors that were created with a veterinarian nutritionist.
Whatever you choose, if the result of that decision is your best friend getting food as healthy and delicious as he or she deserves, you’ve done it right.
About Grocery Pup
Grocery Pup is your pup’s dream come true. For dog lovers by dog lovers, they specialize in home delivery of delicious, nutritious sous-videcooked meals for your fuzzy friends. It’s perfect for fussy eaters or pooches who need sensitive stomach dog food. Grocery Pup is proud to provide your pup pals with a healthy, well-rounded diet created with a veterinarian nutritionist. Grocery Pup meals are crafted from human-grade whole food ingredients and cooked in a USDA-certified human grade kitchen. This means you’ll find no rendered meats, fillers, chemicals, or by-products in any Grocery Pup product. Instead, you’ll find real, high-quality ingredients your pup will love.
Find the healthy dog food your pup will beg for at Grocerypup.com
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