{"id":9969,"date":"2022-07-05T15:28:07","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T15:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/blog\/uncategorized\/raw-diet-for-puppies\/"},"modified":"2023-03-30T11:04:36","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T11:04:36","slug":"raw-diet-for-puppies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/en-us\/blog\/puppy-health\/feeding\/raw-diet-for-puppies\/","title":{"rendered":"Raw Diet For Puppies: What is it?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A raw diet for dogs, well you\u2019ve probably heard it mentioned quite a bit but\u2026 yeah we know it also sounds a bit scary and gross. It is becoming more popular though and many people have started feeding their pups on a raw diet, so what exactly is it? And should your pup be on a raw diet too?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is definitely a camp of people that only feed raw and can preach quite a bit to those that feed a home-cooked diet, kibble and wet food and vice versa. Everyone is passionate about the way they feed and why, so it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming knowing who or what to believe and deciding the right diet for your puppy. We\u2019re here to help you unravel some of the myths and facts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We\u2019ll be straight with you. Here at Zigzag we don\u2019t believe that there is one diet that suits every puppy or every dog, because well…they\u2019re as individual as you and I, aren\u2019t they? There also isn\u2019t one diet that suits everyone\u2019s lifestyle and budget.  While some people might be delighted to create nutritionally balanced homemade recipes<\/a> for their puppy, many others don\u2019t have the time, or the inclination, and that\u2019s just fine. You do the best for your puppy, as long as the diet is nutritionally balanced and you\u2019re feeding the right amount for them. Please don\u2019t beat yourself up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re choosing to feed a commercial diet that can be bought and aren\u2019t sure how much to feed we have a handy food calculator within the Zigzag app<\/a>. You can input your puppy\u2019s expected adult weight, their age, what food you\u2019re feeding them, and hey presto, it will tell you how much they should be eating. We also have a team of fully qualified dog trainers and behaviorists<\/a> to help you out with any queries you might have about training your puppy or general care and advice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is a raw diet for puppies?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So back to raw food\u2026 What exactly is it? There are quite a few different names that people use for a raw diet, you might have heard of the BARF diet, I know\u2026the fact that it’s called BARF doesn\u2019t make it sound great does it? But it actually stands for bone and raw food<\/a>, or there\u2019s RMBD, that’s the raw meaty bones diet, sounds much more appetising than BARF!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raw diets can be homemade, where you put it all together and work out the ratios of protein, fats, carbs, vitamins and minerals yourself or following one of the recipes created by a qualified vet or dog nutritionist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A commercially produced raw diet usually, but not always, comes as a mince with all of the components combined, or you may buy a meat mix and a vegetable mix and combine the two yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also get a dehydrated or freeze dried raw diet which can be more convenient for some people – no mess!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients of a raw diet typically include organ and muscle meat, bone, either whole or ground, raw eggs and fresh fruit and veg. There is also often a dairy product such as yoghurt or kefir too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who feed their puppies and dogs a raw diet, say there are many health benefits such as better dental health, healthier skin and a shinier coat, a stronger immune system, smaller poos which are less smelly, and dogs that overall have more energy. This may be explained by a lower fibre and higher fat amount in the raw diet for puppies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Commercial raw diet companies should have had their food approved by the Animal and Plant Health Agency to ensure their raw diet for puppies contains approved ingredients.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics of feeding puppies a raw diet, say that there is no scientific evidence to say that a raw diet is better for dogs than a commercial home-cooked or dry\/wet complete diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are raw diets safe for puppies?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While puppies can eat raw diets just like adult dogs can, there are also some safety concerns in feeding a raw diet for puppies that will pop up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n