7 Myths About Raw

As Dog Owners, we all want to do what’s best for our furry little balls of love. Give them the best toys, the best cuddle spots at home and of course the best nutrition possible. Feeding a balanced raw meat diet to your dog is the best way to provide a healthy, happy pup.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there about feeding a raw food diet to dogs which can be confusing and discouraging for dog owners looking to do the right thing for their babies.

As advocates for raw feeding (duh!), we often hear these myths from clients that are new to raw so we want to tackle these misconceptions head-on and give you the full story about feeding your dog a Pure Love Dog Food diet.

Myth #1: A Raw Meat Diet Isn’t A Balanced Diet

A BIG myth that large pet food companies spread when it comes to discouraging dog owners from feeding a raw diet is that it isn’t balanced and doesn’t cater for all of your pup’s nutritional requirements.

It’s not false that simply throwing your dog a steak won’t provide all of the nutrients he needs to thrive. But… this isn’t what a Pure Love Dog Food diet is about!

Feeding a raw diet to your dog is about much more than just meat. We make it our business to put the right amount of the right stuff. Dogs fed a raw diet require variety in their meals to provide all of the vitamins and minerals they need for optimal canine health. We add bones, offal, essential fatty acids and crucial supporting vitamins and minerals to make a balanced diet that will keep your dog fit for life.

Myth #2: Feeding a raw meat diet puts your dog at risk of salmonella

Many over-publicized health scares during the last couple of decades have made consumers very nervous over the threat of salmonella and other bacterial nasties. While these situations can happen, they are quite uncommon. What’s ironic with these reports is that there are so many cases of recalled kibble that test positive for bacterial contamination and yet we’d never think to question the possibility or probability of our dogs ingesting contaminated kibble.

to be perfectly honest, in most cases, your dog’s digestive system can handle bacteria in the gut without a problem. Unlike us humans, dogs’ bodies are built to prevent harmful bacteria like salmonella from invading the body and upsetting the healthy balance of gut flora. Dogs have highly acidic stomachs as well as natural digestive enzymes and bile that help them break down and process most harmful bacteria without a problem. If your dog doesn’t have a compromised digestive system, a compromised immune system or any severe underlying health issues the chances of your pet getting ill from bacteria is slim.  Furthermore, when dogs are fed kibble over a lifespan, they are not receiving live enzymes regularly and their digestive systems can become overrun. At Pure Love Dog Food, we’re careful and we’re proud.  We source all of our ingredients from reputable suppliers and take all necessary hygiene protocols to avoid any contamination at all.

Myth #3: Feeding A Raw Meat Diet Is Time Consuming And Complicated

If you’re planning to go out with a bow and arrow and hunt down prey before dragging it home and preparing it for your dog from scratch then sure, that’s probably going to take up most of your time. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.

Myth #4: Most Dog Owners Can’t Afford To Feed Raw

If you’re transitioning your dog from a low grade, generic store-bought dog food brand to a Pure Love Dog Food diet, chances are it’s going to cost you more. I mean, if you were to eat McDonald’s three times a day and then switch to the best raw organic diet, the price shock would probably be the same. We’re very serious about keeping things very transparent about our brand, our values, our mission and how we build our meals. Ultimately, there is no price on health and small shorter-term investments means for a long-term healthy pup with less costly visits to the vet.

Myth #5: A Raw Diet Will Make Your Dog Aggressive

This is one of the biggest myths surrounding feeding a raw meat diet to dogs, and perhaps the one that has done the most damage. The thought that feeding your dog a healthy, complete raw diet will turn him into a bloodsucking aggressive monster is a fear-based myth. feeding a raw meat diet won’t make your dog aggressive. Teaching your pup good manners and proper behaviour around food is essential, regardless of the type of diet he eats. A raw meat diet won’t cause or worsen any behavioural problems in your dog, nor turn him into a warewolf, ahoooou!

Myth #6: It’s Dangerous To Give Bones To Your Dog

This is a half fact, in the sense that yes, giving a dog a bone can be dangerous. We always suggest supervising your pup with any bone (or toy for that matter) as to avoid any choking hazards. Very small, fine bones that splinter easily or cooked poultry bones that are brittle can pose a hazard to your dog’s health. Wild dogs, hyenas and wolves alike all  gnaw on raw bones to get essential calcium and to help to keep their teeth clean and strong. These bones make up an essential, healthy, highly palatable addition to your dog’s diet.

Myth #7: A Raw Meat Diet Isn’t Suitable For Small And Toy Dog Breeds or puppies

Many people think of a raw diet as something that is suitable exclusively for large, muscular working dog breeds, and that you shouldn’t feed raw to small dogs and puppies. This myth arose from a fear of choking on bones, which we’ve discussed in myth number 6. There is no reason at all why your little pooch can’t enjoy a raw meat diet alongside their larger fur buds. We’ve conceived our meals for puppies and mature dogs alike and there is a flavour to cater to everyone in our Pure Love family.

We really hope this helps ease some of your concerns regarding raw feeding, if not to inspire you to switch your dog’s diet completely but at least to be open to the idea enough to do your own research and draw your own conclusions about feeding raw food to your dog.

Raw is good, but ours is best!