Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
The type of dog food you feed to your dog will determine whether the dog remains healthy throughout its life or begins to exhibit health problems. The Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (JAAHA) published an article about this subject in November 2003 discussing the myth associated with the raw meat diet and how it harms your dog.
Many people think feeding a dog table scraps is a reward for the dog. While the dog may enjoy the scraps, not all human food is safe for canine consumption. Some foods, such as smoked meats, have undesirable health risk for pets and should be limited or even eliminated from a pet's diet.
There is some controversy as to whether you should feed your dog a raw meat diet; however, advocates of the idea propose that there are many benefits to be gained by your dog if put on such a diet.
A low-sodium diet for dogs prevents the potential for heart disease and kidney problems. Older dogs are more prone to these problems, more than puppies or young canines. Obese dogs are at risk for heart disease. Dogs on low-sodium diets need regular exercise, such as swimming.
Raw feeding for dogs refers to a diet that excludes conventional types of dog food in favor of raw meat, bones and in some cases vegetables and grains. Some people believe raw feeding is closer to what dogs' ancestors ate in the wild and thus is better for them. Others worry about recent recalls of commercial pet food and want to give their dogs food without any additives.
You've done your research, and you think that raw feeding (B.A.R.F. or bones and raw food) sounds like a very healthy way to feed your dog. It's much better than kibble but can you afford it? Sure, you can feed your dog raw on a budget. You just need to look out for those sales. Of course this is easier if you have little dogs, but for those with large dogs, it takes some planning.
