Feeding a dog raw diet food instead of processed and how it makes a difference to their health is making big news. I was all set to do a completely different blog, since I just wrote about “The Raw Truth About Eating Healthy” in April. Then the New York Times blogged about the raw food diet for pets and interest in feeding a dog raw food has gone through the roof! I thought this would be the perfect time to talk more about this, and bring up a few points.
Science versus Anecdotal Evidence: This is such a big argument that has people tied up in knots. Look, for me it is very simple. If your dog is not healthy, you want to help them. The one thing that I keep hearing about over and over again is that the dog raw diet was a last resort, and it worked for a lot of people and their pets. The science minded people are never going to accept a dog owner’s own evidence; they must have a study done. Fair enough, but, I applaud dog parents who learn, read, and try for themselves. You know your companion better than anyone else, and I think we’re all smart enough to trust the evidence of our own eyes. If feeding a dog raw food made them sick, I’d stop, and I certainly wouldn’t try that experiment again! Instead, what we have is a lot of people sharing their raw food diet for pets and how successful it’s been for them.
What About the Veterinarians? There are a large number of vets against feeding a dog raw food, but there are also those who do support a dog raw diet. I’m going to resist blaming the pet food industry, and seeing conspiracy theories between them and the vets (there’s been enough of that done already). I think the main fear is the safety of having raw food in the home, and what might happen to the humans, especially children. This is absolutely something to be careful about! Wash carefully, don’t cross contaminate, and use good hygiene. This should go for any and all food prep, not just the raw food diet for pets.
Buy Safe! It doesn’t matter if you’re feeding a dog raw diet, or any other kind of food, if you don’t know where it comes from. Trusting the source of the food has to come first. We take that very seriously at Bark & Fitz, and only carry brands from companies we trust, whether it’s a dog raw food, a biscuit, a treat, or kibble.
Final Thoughts: I don’t think there is anything more important than what we eat and what we feed to our families, including our pets. I urge everyone to learn more about where their food comes from, including learning about dog raw diet.
Click here to read the New York Times article, I found the comments to be even more interesting than the article itself.
Michael Orrbrooke is the President and CEO of Bark & Fitz and has been since 2007. Husband, father, and pet parent, he prides himself on his love of animals. He brings that commitment and respect to all Bark & Fitz guests, be they human, canine, or feline. Much of his time is devoted to researching the advancements in healthy pet foods, seeing it as a natural progression of what is happening with human nutrition. Uncompromising in his approach to guests and their parents, the highest value is placed on uniqueness and quality for all products; from food to gear, toys to treats, grooming to healthcare. Pet parent to Poppy, a 3 ½ year old Blue Picardy Spaniel, a breed that is well known for their field ability, gentle nature, intelligence, and willingness to please, she’s sure to feature regularly on the blog. Michael is passionate about all aspects of pet healthcare and encourages all pet parents to give their companions the very best.
