Ready to RAW!
Whether you’re new to or experienced in feeding raw, the following information may be of help along your raw feeding journey.
What is raw feeding?
Modelled on a dog’s ancestral diet, raw feeding gives dogs what they are biologically designed to eat – a variety of different raw proteins with ground bone and organ meat, boosted with other natural ingredients, such as vegetables, fruit, oils, nuts and seeds, as well as herbal supplements.
Is raw dog food safe?
Raw dog food manufacturers follow industry regulations, nutritional standards and undergo vigorous mandatory testing protocols, covering the manufacturer, frozen store and delivery of raw dog food.
The safety of the cold supply chain is overseen by DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency). Raw dog food manufacturers have a unique DEFRA number, and each production batch has a specific reference code ensuring provenance of the raw goods.
Raw Dog Food Company’s commitment to canine health and well being extends to raw dog food safety standards.
As a stockist of trusted raw brands, Raw Dog Food Company is unique as we employ a food safety consultant with over 40 years experience, ensuring that comprehensive safety protocols and regulatory standards are implemented.
Raw dog food safety is a priority and responsibility. From trusted supplier to our premises, and on to your home and dog’s bowl, we’re trained to manage the cold food supply chain to protect you and your dog.
What are the benefits of feeding raw?
A bowl licked clean and a wagging tail tells you that your dog loves the taste of their raw food, and you’ll see the benefits of feeding raw both inside and out:
• Even temperament
• Greater vitality
• Supple joints, stronger bones and muscles
• Enhanced digestion
• Improved appetite
• Weight management
• Smaller stools
• Improved breath and oral hygiene
• Healthier skin and coat condition
• Boosted immunity
• Reduction in allergies and intolerances
• Even temperament
• Greater vitality
• Supple joints, stronger bones and muscles
• Enhanced digestion
• Improved appetite
• Weight management
• Smaller stools
• Improved breath and oral hygiene
• Healthier skin and coat condition
• Boosted immunity
• Reduction in allergies and intolerances
How do I start raw feeding my dog?
Deciding to raw feed your dog is a really positive decision towards your dog’s health. When new or transitioning to raw, there’s an abundance of information out there and it can be overwhelming. Each dog has their own unique requirements and nutritional needs, and no blanket approach applies.
Raw Dog Food Company is here to guide you on your dog’s raw feeding journey, and that’s why we offer complimentary consultations. By talking to us about your dog, we can tailor a raw feeding program unique to your dog’s needs with consideration to their breed, age, weight and specific health and dietary requirements.
Consultations ensure that you start raw feeding safely, and offer great peace of mind, as we’ll guide you on not only what to feed, but how much and when. And once you’re established, we’ll still be there to continue to support you, ensuring your dog is thriving on the goodness of raw.
What are 80:10:10 minces?
80:10:10 Minces
An 80:10:10 minces contains 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal, three natural ingredients essential to your dog’s nutrition and well-being.
80% meat: Human grade quality muscle meat, muscular organ meat and quality meat cuts. Protein (meat) is rich in amino acids, essential for growth, maintenance and repair, and also contains fat essential for energy.
10% bone: Contains ground meaty bones that are highly nutritious and rich in calcium, phosphorus, nutrients, minerals and vitamins, and support dental hygiene and mental stimulation, as well as aiding the healthy formation and release of stools.
10% offal: Nutrient dense, offal is a collective term for organ meat, specifically secreting organs such as liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen or brain, to name but a few.
80:10:10 minces come is a large variety of both single and mixed protein varieties, including game proteins suitable for dogs with intolerances to farmed protein sources.
An 80:10:10 minces contains 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal, three natural ingredients essential to your dog’s nutrition and well-being.
80% meat: Human grade quality muscle meat, muscular organ meat and quality meat cuts. Protein (meat) is rich in amino acids, essential for growth, maintenance and repair, and also contains fat essential for energy.
10% bone: Contains ground meaty bones that are highly nutritious and rich in calcium, phosphorus, nutrients, minerals and vitamins, and support dental hygiene and mental stimulation, as well as aiding the healthy formation and release of stools.
10% offal: Nutrient dense, offal is a collective term for organ meat, specifically secreting organs such as liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen or brain, to name but a few.
80:10:10 minces come is a large variety of both single and mixed protein varieties, including game proteins suitable for dogs with intolerances to farmed protein sources.
What are 80:20 minces?
80:20 Minces
80:20 minces are blended with 80% human grade quality meat cuts, muscle meat, muscle organ meat, ground meaty bones of which is approximately 10%, and organ meat (offal), and 20% human grade quality fresh vegetables and fruit, natural herbal supplements and, depending on the mince, may include eggs.
80:20 minces are blended with 80% human grade quality meat cuts, muscle meat, muscle organ meat, ground meaty bones of which is approximately 10%, and organ meat (offal), and 20% human grade quality fresh vegetables and fruit, natural herbal supplements and, depending on the mince, may include eggs.
What are 85:15 minces?
85:15 Minces
80:15 minces are blended with 85% human grade quality meat cuts, muscle meat, muscle organ meat, ground meaty bones of which is approximately 10%, and organ meat (offal), and 15% human grade quality fresh vegetables and fruit, natural herbal supplements and, depending on the mince, may include eggs.
85:15 and 80:20 minces are convenient as they already contain supplemental ingredients, and come in a range of single and mixed protein varieties.
The vegetables and herbs in these formulations are human grade quality and not in pulp form.
80:15 minces are blended with 85% human grade quality meat cuts, muscle meat, muscle organ meat, ground meaty bones of which is approximately 10%, and organ meat (offal), and 15% human grade quality fresh vegetables and fruit, natural herbal supplements and, depending on the mince, may include eggs.
85:15 and 80:20 minces are convenient as they already contain supplemental ingredients, and come in a range of single and mixed protein varieties.
The vegetables and herbs in these formulations are human grade quality and not in pulp form.
What are 90:10 minces?
90:10 Minces
90:10 minces are blended with 90% human grade quality meat, with approximately 10% bone content and nutritious organ meat (offal), and 10% human grade vegetables and herbs. 90:10 minces are also formulated with additional superfoods such as ginger, spirulina and black pepper – natural ingredients that will further enhance your dog’s raw bowl.
90:10 minces are blended with 90% human grade quality meat, with approximately 10% bone content and nutritious organ meat (offal), and 10% human grade vegetables and herbs. 90:10 minces are also formulated with additional superfoods such as ginger, spirulina and black pepper – natural ingredients that will further enhance your dog’s raw bowl.
Are there other kinds of minces?
There are minces that have different meat, bone and offal formulations, and may be with or without offal, and may be boneless or have a bone content higher than 10%. These minces and are used as an ingredient, added to other raw ingredients to make a raw meal, and are ideal for do-it-yourself raw feeders.
Once your dog has transitioned and is digestively showing you that they are ready and can tolerate new additions, then you can slowly introduce a DIY raw meal, remembering to achieve a balance of 80% protein, 10% bone and 10% offal over time for optimal nutrition.
Always observe how your dog is responding digestively by monitoring stools, and always introduce changes slowly and in small portions.
Once your dog has transitioned and is digestively showing you that they are ready and can tolerate new additions, then you can slowly introduce a DIY raw meal, remembering to achieve a balance of 80% protein, 10% bone and 10% offal over time for optimal nutrition.
Always observe how your dog is responding digestively by monitoring stools, and always introduce changes slowly and in small portions.
What are farmed and wild caught meats?
Farmed sources of protein are ethically and sustainably sourced. These minces include traditional land farmed meats, such as beef, chicken, turkey, lamb or pork, and may include water farmed fish, such as salmon. There are also novel farmed proteins (meaning new sources of protein), such as goat, ostrich or goose.
Game meats, such as duck, pheasant, quail, rabbit, venison or boar, can either be farmed or wild caught. If wild caught, the supplier labels accordingly, and conducts thorough screening processes to detect and remove shot fragments; however, suppliers do state that these meats are wild caught and some shot may remain.
Whether sourced as farmed or wild caught, raw feeding promotes sustainable nutrition, as a nose to tail approach to feeding ensures maximal nutritional intake with minimal waste.
Game meats, such as duck, pheasant, quail, rabbit, venison or boar, can either be farmed or wild caught. If wild caught, the supplier labels accordingly, and conducts thorough screening processes to detect and remove shot fragments; however, suppliers do state that these meats are wild caught and some shot may remain.
Whether sourced as farmed or wild caught, raw feeding promotes sustainable nutrition, as a nose to tail approach to feeding ensures maximal nutritional intake with minimal waste.
What’s tripe?
Tripe is the untreated contents and lining of a ruminating animal’s stomach, and is naturally strong smelling. The aroma, texture and colour of tripe varies seasonally as it is determined by diet. Green tripe means that it is tripe in its natural state, and has not been processed, washed or bleached. Lamb and goat tripe are generally lower in fat compared to ox or beef tripe. Tripe is a nutritious organ meat and is known as a superfood for dogs as it contains natural probiotics and gastric juices that aid digestion and food absorption. Tripe also boosts a dog’s immune system, assists in building healthy muscle and supports skin and coat condition.
Tripe also contains:Calcium essential for bone structure and controls muscle and nerve function
Phosphorous aids in the formation of bones and teeth, supports muscles and aids kidney and heart function
Amino acids including leucine which promotes muscle recovery and repair; proline which support the production of cartilage and heals wounds;
Aspartic acid which boosts antibody production
Tripe also contains:
Tripe is an essential part of your dog’s raw feeding. Dogs naturally love the smell and texture. Tripe can be fed as a meal by itself, or can be mixed with other proteins. It is also a helpful enticer when introducing new protein flavours to your dog.
How can I feed meaty bones and chunks?
Raw meaty bones contain muscle meat and connective tissues and chunks with bone in or boneless are great nutritionally, as well as for the dental and mental well-being of your dog.
Feed a variety of raw meaty bones such as chicken wings and feet, turkey necks, poultry carcasses, veal frames, riblets and ribcages. Always choose bones suitable to the age, size, dietary requirements and chewing style (gentle or intense chewer) of your dog.
Chunks satisfy your dog’s natural instinct to chew. Chunks come in a range of proteins such as pork, salmon or venison, as well as tripe and offal, with or without bone, and may be are served as a treat or snack and as an ingredient to add to Do-It-Yourself raw recipes.
Feed a variety of raw meaty bones such as chicken wings and feet, turkey necks, poultry carcasses, veal frames, riblets and ribcages. Always choose bones suitable to the age, size, dietary requirements and chewing style (gentle or intense chewer) of your dog.
Chunks satisfy your dog’s natural instinct to chew. Chunks come in a range of proteins such as pork, salmon or venison, as well as tripe and offal, with or without bone, and may be are served as a treat or snack and as an ingredient to add to Do-It-Yourself raw recipes.
Why is my dog’s poop important?
As raw dog food is completely natural, free from unnecessary fillers and additives, your dog’s stool will be noticeably smaller and far, far less smelly.
The perfect poop should be easily passed, and be firm but not hard, will maintain its shape when picked up, and the colour will vary depending on the type of protein eaten and the amount of calcium from the bone content left.
Stool consistency and colour is an indicator of how your dog is digestively responding to their raw diet, and reflects what ingredients have been fed:
Yellow Stool: feeding a diet high in poultry such as chicken and turkey.
Dark Brown Stool: feeding red meat, such as beef or lamb.
Dark Black Stool: a raw meal containing a lot of blood will result in a black stool. The excess blood from the diet oxidizes in the colon, resulting in very dark stool. Organs such as liver and spleen have high amounts of blood present and can make a dog’s stool darker.
Tar-Like Stool: an unformed or loose tar-like stool is caused when there’s too much organ meat in the diet. Organ meat should consist no more than 10% of a dog’s diet and be made up of 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ (such as kidney, spleen or pancreas).
White/Grey Chalky Stool: hard and chalky stools mean that there is too much bone content present in the diet. To remedy, feed one boneless meal, and return to meals with a lower bone content.
The perfect poop should be easily passed, and be firm but not hard, will maintain its shape when picked up, and the colour will vary depending on the type of protein eaten and the amount of calcium from the bone content left.
Stool consistency and colour is an indicator of how your dog is digestively responding to their raw diet, and reflects what ingredients have been fed:
Yellow Stool: feeding a diet high in poultry such as chicken and turkey.
Dark Brown Stool: feeding red meat, such as beef or lamb.
Dark Black Stool: a raw meal containing a lot of blood will result in a black stool. The excess blood from the diet oxidizes in the colon, resulting in very dark stool. Organs such as liver and spleen have high amounts of blood present and can make a dog’s stool darker.
Tar-Like Stool: an unformed or loose tar-like stool is caused when there’s too much organ meat in the diet. Organ meat should consist no more than 10% of a dog’s diet and be made up of 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ (such as kidney, spleen or pancreas).
White/Grey Chalky Stool: hard and chalky stools mean that there is too much bone content present in the diet. To remedy, feed one boneless meal, and return to meals with a lower bone content.
Is variety important when feeding raw?
Feeding a variety of proteins, textures and mixes, is an important component when feeding raw. Like humans, dogs enjoy and thrive on variety in their diet, and can become bored or develop intolerances when fed the same meal. Furthermore, different proteins deliver different nutritional benefits, and always introduce new ingredients in small quantities over time.
What else can I add to my dog’s raw bowl?
Ready mixed supplements made with human grade quality vegetables and fruit, seeds and nuts, herbs and natural oils pack a nutritional boost. From your own pantry, you may like to feed organic eggs with the shell (or washed supermarket eggs), parboiled or pureed vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato, broccoli or spinach, and even fruit such as blueberries, cranberries and apple.