Is Raw Meat Safe for Golden Retrievers?

Does your dog come into the kitchen when making food? Do they start salivating when you cook chicken or turkey? Mine do. When the holidays are here during Thanksgiving and Christmas we always cook one or two Turkeys. Our golden retrievers can’t wait to get their part of the holiday feasts. Now I know it’s not even close to the holidays, but it is always an important time to talk about raw food diets.

Part of my food regimen is a raw food diet. The majority of my dog food is given in kibble that I rotate monthly if not bi-weekly. However, we also feel it is important to give them raw meats as well. Feeding raw meat is a very controversial topic. Most veterinarians do not recommend offering raw meat to their dogs. Understandably that makes sense for many reasons. However, if done properly a raw food diet can be much healthier if you are willing to invest the time.

What’s in your dogs kibble?

For example, take a look at your dog’s food ingredients. Many cheaper brands the first listed ingredient is a meat by-product. How many people know what a by-product is? If you did would you still feed it to them? How many people know what chemicals are put in their foods? Why is there so many grains in the food? In general a dog would never eat grains in the wild. I could go on and on about kibble. The main reason people don’t go the way of a raw food diet is because of convenience and cost. Kibble is not only cheaper, it’s also easier to give.

Now I’m not talking about a diet where we feed cooked meat that includes bones that will splinter when chewed. The diets we advocate are meats that have been frozen to eliminate parasites, or foods that have been cooked without bones in them. Recently I saw a post about raw meats stating that they are not good for dogs. Seriously? That’s a bit ironic, because in the wild meat is nearly their entire diet. They need meat for protein, for sustenance, and it’s readily available. To say that raw meat is not good for dogs, is saying that the evolution of dogs to be carnivores is unnecessary because humans exist. That’s hogwash.

In the future I will have many posts that discuss a raw meat diet. Specifically we will cover the BARF model of raw feeding. I think it’s important that it be done properly to reduce any risks. If it is done properly then your dog will be a healthier, and a dog that loves you more. There are also other methods to follow as well and we will try and cover them too.

Why go to a Raw Food Diet?

1. You will know what’s in your dogs food.
2. Dogs have allergies too. A raw food diet can help by eliminating unnecessary ingredients.
3. Some dogs will enjoy food time even more, especially when they realize the alpha human is putting more time in their meals. Trust me, this one is true and is not a joke. Your dogs will smell you in their food. That is a good thing for your relationship with your best friend.
4. Shinier coats and healthier skin
5. Your dogs will have smaller stools. Most dogs foods are filled with unnecessary fillers. A raw food diet gives your dogs what they need without fillers.
6. Optimum immune system
7. Leaner body weight

Reason not go to go to a Raw Food Diet?

1. It costs a lot more than kibble.
2. It can be difficult to invest more time in feeding your dog.
3. Parasites are a higher risk
4. Diets can be unbalanced if not done properly

Is a Raw Food Diet right for your home?

Only you can answer this question and discover if it fits in your routine. Feeding raw meat is an investment of time and money. Many people can buy raw meat meals that are prepackaged online such as Raw Beef Pet Food. You could try other meats like Raw Lamb for Pets. You might start there to see if your dogs will like it. Pre-packaged raw foods for dogs is a great way to begin a raw food diet and doesn’t take much more your time. Natural Balance does have cheaper meats, although they are not considered a 5 star product. Darwin’s Natural Pet Products and Bravo Pet Food are 5 star foods that are on the lower budget. If you have more time, and you want to cut costs, you could also opt to join a local co-op. Co-op raw meat clubs make bulk amounts of raw meat meals at a fraction of the cost. If you really have time you can buy all the products yourself and piece it together. In the future we will discuss all these options further in depth. Anyway, feel free to follow us on our journey and our pack.