It’s often said that “you are what you eat,” so why shouldn’t the same principle apply to our furry friends? More and more pet parents are switching to raw diets for their dogs, and if you’re looking to understand the benefits and make the switch - this blog is for you!

What is a Raw Food Diet for Dogs?

When you feed your dog raw, you give them a diet that is similar to what their ancestors ate in the wild. You cut out the mystery ingredients and synthetic additives they get with commercial pet food, and replace them with highly digestible nutrients from fresh, natural ingredients like meat, veggies & fruits. This lets you take back control of your dog's nutrition and avoid high-risk illnesses like cancer, diabetes, obesity.  

Raw nutrition is entirely based on the 99.9% genetic similarity between dogs and wolves. Although most dog breeds differ from wolves, they belong to the same family: Canis lupus - wolf, Canis lupus familiaris - dogs.

Most pet foods are processed using the extrusion method. This extrusion forms lumps of dry food and, depending on the food, it contains between 25 and 45 percent starch. This starch is dextrinized when high temperature is used in dry food production. Dextrinized starch makes cookies crumbly and pet food hard and crunchy.

Although this starch is digestive, it is worthless. In fact, even one bowl of dry food a day equates to permanent damage to the endocrine system.

After eating dry food, the blood sugar level increases, then insulin is released and the blood sugar level starts to fall. This process is a common cause of diabetes in dogs.
“Eliminating kibbles and the starch it contains restores gut bacteria, stabilizes blood sugar and dramatically improves the endocrine system - and that's just the beginning.” - Richard S Patton PhD

THE TOP 5 BENEFITS OF FEEDING YOUR DOG A RAW DIET

1.Significantly higher absorption of food.
Our pets' bodies recognize the natural products, vitamins and minerals used in RAW nutrition, which makes it much easier for their bodies to absorb them. (As a result, pets fed a RAW diet have regular bowel movements and less stool);

2. Cleaner teeth and reduced plaque.
The main cause of plaque is the high starch content in dry food, which encourages the production of bacteria. The process of chewing, biting and tearing raw meats and raw bones, referred to as food with more hassle factor by researchers, has been found to keep dental disease at bay.

3. Improved skin and softer, shinier coat.
Raw diets contain many ingredients that support skin and coat health. This is probably why it’s the most noticeable benefit among raw feeders. Dry pet food is often deficient in zinc and fat, but the most important nutrient for a dog's skin and coat is protein, since a dog's skin and fur are almost exclusively built from it, and up to 30% of the protein consumed in the diet is used by the body to maintain skin and coat condition.

4. Better digestion.
You can learn a lot about a dog's digestive health from its stools. The digestive system of dogs is designed to extract as many nutrients as possible from their food. Since raw diets are low in carbohydrates and contain no fillers, it's common for stool volume and odor to be less than with commercial pet foods.

5. Healthier weight.
You will probably agree that for very few animals being overweight is an advantage. Excess weight promotes inflammation and makes you weaker over time. Dogs are no exception. Fit dogs live longer and have fewer cases of inflammation, arthritis, and diabetes.

We hope that this article was useful for you. If you care about your four-legged friends, don’t forget to share this message. Also, all of our team invites you to try ZENOO food and begin your dog’s RAW diet journey in the easiest way possible.