Should Dogs Eat Like Their Ancestors Used To?

Many people have pets that they love and care about. Some people have cats or dogs, while others have rabbits or even snakes. Each one of these animals have a very specific diet. We’re taught that the best thing for dogs specifically is name brand kibble. These different brands of dog food have been said to have all the nutrients a dog needs. However, some argue that this isn’t the case. Many people have transitioned their dogs to raw diets, including raw meat, eggs, and veggies. Are these assumptions correct, or is this just another trend for social media?

Raw feeding is also known as BARF (Bones and Raw Feeding or Biologically Appropriate Raw Feeding). This method of feeding is said to be used because of the link between dogs and their ancestors, wolves. Many raw feeders also claim this diet is a lot healthier than giving your dog commercial dog food. According to wolftucker.co.uk, “Before the introduction of commercial pet food, invented by an American gentleman by the name of James Spratt in 1860, dogs ate table scraps salvaged from their human companions or anything they could scavenge or kill. There was no such thing as tinned processed dog food or kibble.” This is said to be the origin of the saying “as fit as a butchers dog,” referencing how dogs would receive scraps of meat from butchers before modern day pet food was invented.

Pet food such as kibble is processed with things such as rice and corn. However, dogs are not built to digest grains. This has caused several health issues in dogs throughout the years. The biggest (pun not intended) issue is obesity in dogs. Many dogs are overweight because of certain ingredients in dog food as well as scraps their owners give them that they cannot digest properly. Though kibble is a lot cheaper than raw feeding your pet, the risk may be too great for the price. Other issues that have arised in dogs have been dental issues and an increased risk of cancer. This is why many owners are switching to raw diets, they give the proper nutrients a dog needs, strengthen their teeth, and provide them with more energy.

Though there are risks with raw feeding, such as cross contamination, there are reliable sources to get the meats, veggies, and bones owners need to feed their dogs. Owners who are very serious about this diet will get their dogs’ food from specific suppliers rather than simply buying raw meat from the supermarket. This meat will often have bacteria that needs to be cooked out. Suppliers will provide meat that is perfectly safe for dogs to eat raw. They will also provide diet plans that include different types of meat, greens, and bones. With this not-so-new diet becoming popular and proving beneficial, will raw feeding overtake brand name kibble? Only time will tell.