Raw dog food does not mean "straight from the can or bag." It's a little more complicated than that. Dog food in cans, bags and pouches have been processed in factories. The meat started from animals that went to the abattoir, then the meat goes to the processing plant's machines, gets mixed with a whole bunch of other stuff and then goes into the bag or can for your store's shelves.

Raw dog food is raw food, whether meat or vegetables as well as butchers' bones, given to the dog in complete substitution for commercially prepared dog food. This way of feeding is usually known as the BARF diet (Bones And Raw Foods) and its proponents say it is a more natural diet for a dog.

Would I Give It To My Dog?

This writer strongly does not recommend the BARF diet for any pet dog. It is better than not getting fed at all, but commercially prepared foods do have the balanced nutrition that raw dog food often lacks. Dogs are seen as basically carnivores on the raw dog food diet. They are not. They are omnivores – just like us. Dogs can not only survive but thrive on a vegetarian diet, unlike cats that quickly die on vegetarian diets.

Raw dog food takes an incredible amount of time to prepare and costs a fortune. You don't need to actually slaughter a cow yourself, but you do have to feed your dog from the butcher's selection. You then take it out of the package and give it to the dog – although small dogs, older dogs or dogs with bad teeth need their raw dog food pureed or minced.

One of the arguments for raw dog food is that you don't have to worry about any pet food recalls. However, human grade food is not without its problems. And raw meat is susceptible to parasites and illnesses like salmonella that can get your dog very sick. Raw bones tend to splinter, which can choke your dog. They also are subject to containments unless they are cooked before giving to the dog.

It's Not Nice To Second-Guess Mother Nature

Is processed commercial dog food the diet ancient dogs from millennia ago ate? Obviously not. But times have changed – and so has the nature and nutritional needs of the domestic dog. Dogs are now more dependent on human care than ever. A Pekingese would not last two minutes in the wild. Since we created the dogs, we have to feed them what they need, as opposed to what we think their ancestors needed.