Raw Pet Food FAQs
What is different about our RAW pet food?
Most RAW Pet Food companies are simply distributors for the large industrial, CAFO (Confined Area Feed Operations) Beef companies. They take by-products from animals raised in confinement on processed foods full of GMO's and make pet food out of it. The only difference is they do not cook it first. Sure, it's raw, but do you really want that in your pet?
Here is another consideration. Animals in CAFOs are sick. Period. Maybe not all of them at once, but certainly most of them. So, think with me here, what do most conventional Farmers do for sick animals? That's correct - they give them antibiotics. Ok, now here is a little known fact - when the USDA finds an animal in the butcher system (at the kill plant) that tests positive for recent (within 90 days) antibiotics use, they condemn it - that's good right? I mean, we don't want that in the food system for humans.
So, then, what do the processors do with that animal's carcass after it has been condemned?
They move it to the Dog Food Line and it becomes "not safe for human consumption"
This meat is usually, but not always, used for cooked dog food. Cooked dog food has all the benefit of cardboard for Dogs. Sure its a meal, but so is a McDonalds Hamburger. Its a meal in name only! It is totally steril, and has no beneficial bacteria, active enzymes and most of the nutrients are cooked out. Poor little "fluffy" is a mess, because he or she is not getting an ounce of nutrition.
Some of the condemned meat mentioned above is used in Raw Dog food mixtures. Raw Feeds require an adjustment period - you can't just take your Dog off kibble and start feeding an entirely Raw diet in the next meal. If you do, He or she will get the runs and possibly worse. The Dog doesn't have the helpful bacteria in it's digestive system to digest the raw meats - from all those years on cooked kibble.
Where do they get those helpful bacteria? From the raw food, of course, introduced slowly, over a month or so.
Now for the punchline... if you have followed this discussion carefully, you will notice that most raw foods (if not all) from the conventional system will be doused with antibiotics - so fluffy, will never, ever adjust - because all bacteria (good and bad) are killed by antibiotics. In other words, the very food you are feeding him or her will kill their ability to digest it. Its an endless circle - Feed Raw for health, no bacteria, poor health, repeat. After a bit of this most folks just give up, having spend a small fortune, with no results, and go back to cheap, cooked kibble.
That is what make our Raw Foods different - we don't raise our beef in feedlots but on pasture, we don't use antibiotics because we don't need to, we don't support CAFOs in anyway. All our animals, and thus our Raw Pet Foods are replete with the helpful bacteria your pet needs to begin the digestion and healing process - and that makes all the difference.
Most RAW Pet Food companies are simply distributors for the large industrial, CAFO (Confined Area Feed Operations) Beef companies. They take by-products from animals raised in confinement on processed foods full of GMO's and make pet food out of it. The only difference is they do not cook it first. Sure, it's raw, but do you really want that in your pet?
Here is another consideration. Animals in CAFOs are sick. Period. Maybe not all of them at once, but certainly most of them. So, think with me here, what do most conventional Farmers do for sick animals? That's correct - they give them antibiotics. Ok, now here is a little known fact - when the USDA finds an animal in the butcher system (at the kill plant) that tests positive for recent (within 90 days) antibiotics use, they condemn it - that's good right? I mean, we don't want that in the food system for humans.
So, then, what do the processors do with that animal's carcass after it has been condemned?
They move it to the Dog Food Line and it becomes "not safe for human consumption"
This meat is usually, but not always, used for cooked dog food. Cooked dog food has all the benefit of cardboard for Dogs. Sure its a meal, but so is a McDonalds Hamburger. Its a meal in name only! It is totally steril, and has no beneficial bacteria, active enzymes and most of the nutrients are cooked out. Poor little "fluffy" is a mess, because he or she is not getting an ounce of nutrition.
Some of the condemned meat mentioned above is used in Raw Dog food mixtures. Raw Feeds require an adjustment period - you can't just take your Dog off kibble and start feeding an entirely Raw diet in the next meal. If you do, He or she will get the runs and possibly worse. The Dog doesn't have the helpful bacteria in it's digestive system to digest the raw meats - from all those years on cooked kibble.
Where do they get those helpful bacteria? From the raw food, of course, introduced slowly, over a month or so.
Now for the punchline... if you have followed this discussion carefully, you will notice that most raw foods (if not all) from the conventional system will be doused with antibiotics - so fluffy, will never, ever adjust - because all bacteria (good and bad) are killed by antibiotics. In other words, the very food you are feeding him or her will kill their ability to digest it. Its an endless circle - Feed Raw for health, no bacteria, poor health, repeat. After a bit of this most folks just give up, having spend a small fortune, with no results, and go back to cheap, cooked kibble.
That is what make our Raw Foods different - we don't raise our beef in feedlots but on pasture, we don't use antibiotics because we don't need to, we don't support CAFOs in anyway. All our animals, and thus our Raw Pet Foods are replete with the helpful bacteria your pet needs to begin the digestion and healing process - and that makes all the difference.
Do your RAW pet food diets help prevent Tartar on teeth?
The enzymes present in our RAW Pet Food diets help to prevent tartar and periodontal disease in your Dog. When a Dog eats, small particles of food get lodged between their teeth and gums. With Raw Food, these particles can digest and decay naturally, if left unremoved. This is not harmful to the dog and does not contribute to gum disease. If your Dog eats, sterilized, industrial kibble, or cooked feed, the opposite is true. Every wonder why most dogs have bad breath? The reason - they are fed cooked Dog foods that have no natural enzymes present for healthy digestion - and thus constantly have tiny particles of rotting food in their mouths.
The enzymes present in our RAW Pet Food diets help to prevent tartar and periodontal disease in your Dog. When a Dog eats, small particles of food get lodged between their teeth and gums. With Raw Food, these particles can digest and decay naturally, if left unremoved. This is not harmful to the dog and does not contribute to gum disease. If your Dog eats, sterilized, industrial kibble, or cooked feed, the opposite is true. Every wonder why most dogs have bad breath? The reason - they are fed cooked Dog foods that have no natural enzymes present for healthy digestion - and thus constantly have tiny particles of rotting food in their mouths.
My Veterinarian tells me that I should not feed RAW, what should I do?
Sadly, most Vets are not trained on the proper diet for domestic animals. Do most Doctors you see make nutritional plans for you? Or, do they treat symptoms with prescription medicines? Nutritional Plans are drawn up by a Nutritionist or Naturopathic Doctor. For our pets, these trades do not exist (have you ever heard of a Dog Nutritionist?) For the most part, this is left to pet owners. The RAW food feeders we know, have invested hours, researching and refining their feeding plans accumulating nutritional information.
When looked at from this perspective, it seems perfectly acceptable that a Veterinarian would not provide the best dietary advice for your pet. They are great at surgery, acute care treatments and prescriptions to be sure (we love our Vet), but, I do not ask them for nutritional advice any more than I should ask a surgeon (who eats Big Macs for Lunch every day) for nutritional advice.
Sadly, most Vets are not trained on the proper diet for domestic animals. Do most Doctors you see make nutritional plans for you? Or, do they treat symptoms with prescription medicines? Nutritional Plans are drawn up by a Nutritionist or Naturopathic Doctor. For our pets, these trades do not exist (have you ever heard of a Dog Nutritionist?) For the most part, this is left to pet owners. The RAW food feeders we know, have invested hours, researching and refining their feeding plans accumulating nutritional information.
When looked at from this perspective, it seems perfectly acceptable that a Veterinarian would not provide the best dietary advice for your pet. They are great at surgery, acute care treatments and prescriptions to be sure (we love our Vet), but, I do not ask them for nutritional advice any more than I should ask a surgeon (who eats Big Macs for Lunch every day) for nutritional advice.
Why do my Pet's stool look so different on a RAW diet?
The majority of manufactured pet foods are chocked full of Soy, Wheat and Corn (all cheap, poorly-digestible commodity crops laden with herbicides and pesticides). This means that a good portion of your Dog's food is going to "pass through". This high portion of indigestible feed causes the animal to eliminate more frequently. RAW food is biologically digestible. It has enzymes and bacterial that help the animal absorb the nutrients needed. The digestibility increases and less waste is excreted. It also has a much more natural smell, and if placed into a bucket of water will sink (this is a tell-tale sign of digestibility)
The majority of manufactured pet foods are chocked full of Soy, Wheat and Corn (all cheap, poorly-digestible commodity crops laden with herbicides and pesticides). This means that a good portion of your Dog's food is going to "pass through". This high portion of indigestible feed causes the animal to eliminate more frequently. RAW food is biologically digestible. It has enzymes and bacterial that help the animal absorb the nutrients needed. The digestibility increases and less waste is excreted. It also has a much more natural smell, and if placed into a bucket of water will sink (this is a tell-tale sign of digestibility)