The Benefits of a Raw Diet
- Posted on
- By Julia
- Posted in cat, cat food, dog, dog food, healthy, kittens, mixology, natural, puppies, raw cat food, raw diet, raw dog food
Learn about all of the benefits a raw diet can have on your pet's life.
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Feeding your pet a nutritious, fulfilling diet, should be as important as fueling our own bodies. With the growing population of pet food brands popping up all around us, it can be hard to navigate all of your options. In this blog, we will go over what makes up a raw diet and the benefits a raw diet can have on your pets life.
If you are new to raw feeding, you may be asking yourself what makes up a raw food for pets. A raw diet is typically made up primarily with organ and muscle meat, bones, and fruits and vegetables. However, this can really vary depending on the brand of raw food you are looking into. The important aspect that you can take away from a raw diet is the absence of common fillers that are in most commercially made pet foods and kibble. Without these fillers, your pets are getting the nutrients they need without all the added unnecessary fillers and added carbs.
The common ideology of a raw diet is bringing our pets back to their roots by feeding them what they were designed to eat. Raw diets have been used for decades among racing and sled dogs, giving them the energy to fuel their athletic bodies. So, the question became; why not apply these ideas to your household pets? Now, more and more people are implementing raw diets, and seeing the massive benefits it can have on their animals.
Some of the most prevalent benefits include:
- Shiny, healthy coats
- Healthier skin
- Improved dental health
- Improved digestion
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Increased energy and stamina
- Smaller, less frequent stools
These are just some of the benefits that owners who feed a raw diet have noticed in their pets. One benefit that I personally find extremely important, is the dramatic change a raw diet can have on animals with allergies. It has become almost commonplace for our household pets to have sensitivities to certain proteins, fillers like wheat and soy, and some grains. On top of that, a lot of commercial foods will list a protein on the front of their bag, while sneaking in other proteins in the ingredient list, making it harder for pet owners to avoid their pet’s problem proteins. However, with raw foods, you have less of a risk of finding those potentially inflammatory ingredients and can avoid the proteins that may cause issues for your pet. Feeding a fresher, more whole diet can also be applied to helping puppies and kittens to avoid allergies down the line. Starting your animals on this kind of diet when they are young can help start them on the right foot (or paw!).
While a raw diet may be intimidating at first, when you look at the potential changes it can have on your pet’s life, it should be worth looking into. Here at Bentleys, we also believe in the idea of Mixology. This is the idea of mixing up your pets diet to keep things fresh and balanced. This can be applied by mixing up the protein you feed, or even the type of food you are feeding. Maybe you aren't ready to make the full dive into raw feeding, so instead you can mix it into your pets current diet. Start with a base like kibble, canned, or freeze-dried, and add your raw food right on top or mixed in. That way, you are still adding in fresher, more whole ingredients, while still feeding something you are familiar with at the same time. A little bit of fresher foods will go a long way in helping maintain your pets health.
The switch to raw may seem overwhelming, and there is a lot of information to comb through. However, once you start seeing the benefits of this type of diet, it is easy to understand why so many pet parents have made the switch.
Stop into our store today to talk with us about adding some fresher foods into your pets bowl!