About raw food
There are lots of nutrients that dogs need but also plenty of foods they need to avoid
A good dog diet has a high proportion of meat, some offal and certain fruits and vegetables; it should not include added sugars or highly processed ingredients that can cause digestive issues. Owners will also consider whether to choose food in dry or wet form, cooked or raw.
The 'BARF' Diet
Raw dog food also known as the “BARF” diet, which stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (or Bones And Raw Food). It usually includes foods like raw meat, bones, offal and sometimes fruits and vegetables. Raw dog food diets aim to mimic the diet that wolves and canines would eat, if they were living in the wild.
Top quality, full of goodness
Pawkies is top quality raw dog food, frozen immediately after production to ensure it retains all of its goodness. As the name suggests, the raw dog food diet is one which is mainly made up of uncooked and minimally processed ingredients.
Raw dog food is a type of pet food that is made primarily from uncooked animal ingredients. It typically includes raw meat, bones, organs, fruits, and vegetables.
Benefits of raw food
Many dog owners have asked if a raw diet is good for their dog. When it comes to how healthy a raw dog food diet is, there’s a lot of debate between veterinarians, pet nutritionists and dog owners.
Many are in favour of raw dog food diet and claim that it offers a number of healthy benefits for dogs, including:
A shinier coat and healthier skin:
Thanks to the diet’s high-quality protein sources, as well as essential fatty acids.
Healthier teeth:
Chewing on raw bones is good for cleaning a dog’s teeth and gums, as it helps prevent the build up of tartar, which causes gum disease.
Better digestion:
A raw dog food diet can give relief to some dogs with sensitive stomachs.
More energy:
Fans of the raw dog food diet claim that their pets are more energetic and vital overall
Potential issues
However, we recognise that not everyone is in favour of the raw dog food diet, with some veterinarians and nutritionists raise some important potential risks that come with dogs eating raw food. Feeding a raw diet is becoming a popular choice, but if you don’t know much about a raw diet, asking your vet’s opinion on raw feeding is a sensible place to start.
We encourage all of our customers to consider some of the potential issues with providing their dog with a raw diet, including:
Bacterial contamination:
Harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli can be found in raw meat and bones. This can pose quite serious health risks not only to dogs, but also to their owners, who are handling the food. So, always wash your hands thoroughly after handling our products and store them away from human grade food.
Nutritional imbalances:
Dogs have very specific nutritional needs based on their age, size and activity level and it can be difficult to meet those needs effectively when preparing a dog’s diet at home. It requires a lot of thought and careful planning to ensure dogs don’t find themselves getting too much, or too little, of the nutrients they need.
Choking hazards or broken teeth:
Chewing on bones can be good for dogs’ dental health, but it’s important that they chew on the right types of bones, and that they’re properly supervised. When things go wrong, it can lead to damaged teeth, choking or gastrointestinal blockages.
Puppies and dogs with weakened immune systems:
Puppies grow rapidly and are energetic, so it’s important that they’re receiving the right nutrition to meet their needs. For dogs that are immunocompromised, they may be more susceptible to the risks that come with a raw dog food diet.
Ensuring high standards
We ensure that we meet the highest standards in our buying of ingredients, carefully vetting our suppliers and visiting them regularly, providing robust packaging and ensuring we use the best possible storage facilities.
We encourage our customers to ensure their dog’s raw food diet will give them complete and balanced nutrition. This may involve careful planning, research and the addition of supplements to be sure that your dog is getting all the nutrition they need. We are always available to offer any help and guidance so please do feel free to get in touch with us.
Pawkies pet food is made in a multi award winning, fully licensed, modern facility, using the latest machinery and techniques in food manufacturing.
All of our recipes are developed by our hugely experienced in house team, with input from nutritionists, vets and owners and all of our products are regularly tested and screened under DEFRA’s strictly controlled and managed legislation.
We do all of this to ensure that all of our customers can have peace of mind when serving their much loved pets food that is not just nutritionally superior or to other types of pet food but that it is also safe to handle and store at home.
If you want to know more drop us an email at woof@pawkies.co.uk
