A dog that eats raw food is generally healthier than one that doesn't because a raw diet has the greatest bioavailability of nutrients. This means that your dog's meal is much easier to digest than any other dog food, allowing all the nutrients to be absorbed!

Feeding a raw dog food diet is the best and most natural diet that provides the nutrition and health benefits your dog needs for enhanced optimal health!

Free eBook: 15 Benefits of Raw Food for Dogs

What's Wrong With Kibble?

Kibble was the most popular dog food to feed our dogs, but that was before we knew how harmful they were. Like processed food, dogs can digest kibble, but they won't receive the nutrients an authentic meal provides.

Dry dog food, like kibble, lacks the essential nutrients and vitamins necessary for the dog's biology. To thrive, dogs need the amino acids, vitamins, probiotics, prebiotics, and nutrients that a natural raw meat diet can provide. Commercial dog food companies claim that they provide your dog with these nutrients, but that is a myth!

Kibble is processed in extreme temperatures that destroy half of any nutritional value it has. They are packed with artificial flavors, colors, fillers, and preservatives, none of which are benefiting your dog's health. 

Another thing to take note of is; Dogs do not need carbohydrates! Processed dog food contains at least 50% of something dogs have no dietary requirement for. Not to mention, carbohydrates are metabolized by the digestive system to sugar which is known to feed diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, etc.

Instead of processed dry dog food, feed your dog raw meat formulas that will give your dog the nutrients nature intended them to consume! A raw dog food diet will mimic meat, bone, organs, and some vegetation consumed in the wild.

What About Freeze-Dried Food?

Freeze-dried food is better than kibble but still not as good as raw. 

Freeze-dried dog food doesn't have the unnecessary ingredients dry dog food has. However, during the freeze-drying process, some nutrients are lost that are always in a raw food diet. 

Why Doesn't Everyone Feed A Raw Dog Food Diet?

Many dog owners who have not started their raw dog food journey are usually hesitant because of misinformation. But no worries, that's what we are here for! To educate and help anyone interested grasp a better understanding of a raw food diet for dogs.

Many don't feed raw because of the concern about the bacteria in raw food. However, dogs have a shorter digestive tract and higher levels of acidity in their digestive system. Therefore, they can tolerate a higher level of bacteria than us humans. 

When a dog is fed a species-appropriate diet, its immune system is optimally robust, and its digestive system functions correctly. The acidity level in their stomachs is also very high on a raw diet, making it an undesirable environment for bacteria to survive. Remember, raw meat is what nature intended dogs to eat. Quality raw meats are not just perfectly safe for dogs; they are the best dog food for your dog! 

What Are The Health Benefits Of A Raw Dog Food Diet?

As we've discussed, a raw diet is biologically appropriate and will give your dog the essential nutrients needed to provide them with optimal health and longevity. With this being said, many specific benefits are leading to a healthy life. 

Think about if we ate all-natural whole foods...we would enhance our health. The same goes for dogs. A natural fresh raw diet can give your dog many health benefits, improve their current conditions, prevent future disease, and help them thrive. 

Benefits Include:

• Stronger Immunity
• Healthy Weight
• Reduced Allergies⁠
• Better Digestion
• Less Gas
• Smaller Stool
• Reduced Allergies
• Increased Energy
• Improved Dental Health
• Less Vet Visits
• A Healthier Happier Dog

 We Recommend: Benefits When We Feed Raw Dog Food | Cali Raw Blog

All our formulas are made from human-grade ingredients passed for human consumption. Dog's need nutrition, not ingredients! 

The Importance Of Life Stage Nutrition For Dogs

Here at Cali Raw, we practice Life Stage Nutrition, which adapts the food's nutrient profile to the specific requirements of the animal. We optimize the nutritional plan, foods, and feeding methods for the individual physiologic stages of an animal's life (growth, reproduction, adulthood, old age). 

Most pet foods are formulated based on puppies to meet all life stages because they have higher nutritional demands. However, if we want our pets to thrive throughout their whole life, we believe we need to tailor the nutrition to the specific needs of each animal's life stage. This way is more convenient to offer the same formula regardless of age or activity level than adapting to the different nutritional needs of different life stages. 

We take the extra step and formulate accordingly between puppy and adult dogs. Our menu offers 2 Puppy Formulas for dogs up to 12 months (14 months for large breeds) with the right amounts of nutrients for growth and reproduction. Our 4 Adult Formulas meet the nutritional needs that change as the dog ages.

How To Feed A Raw Dog Food Diet

Starting a raw diet is the best switch you can make for your dog. To make the switch, slowly transitioning will be the best way to begin your dog's journey to an easy raw diet.

Remember to note that if your dog has been eating processed foods, switching to raw will come as a slight shock to their digestive system. To help with this, we recommend sticking to one type of protein in your dog's meals for at least the first week and possibly longer if they have diarrhea after seven days. Remember, this is new to them, so they take some time to acclimate to their new diet.  

Our formulas come in 1 lb packages 
for your easy raw dog food feeding! 

Once your dog has adjusted to the first source of protein, you can introduce the next — again, giving them at least a week to adjust. When you've established a raw diet after a couple of months, you can mix things up with different meats each day. In addition to introducing your dog to different proteins in a raw diet, you can also provide them with recreational raw bones such as our beef marrow bones.

Recreational bones provide your dog with mental and physical stimulation and dental benefits! Limit these to once a week as a treat, as the marrow is rich and fatty and requires time for the digestive system to adjust.

Follow These Guidelines When Transitioning Your Dog From Kibble To A Raw Dog Food Diet: 

• First, select a protein familiar to your dog & thaw it in your fridge for 24-48 hours before feeding.
• Phase 1: Begin the transition by first feeding 20% of raw dog food & 80% of the old food for 3-5 days.
• Phase 2: Next, move on to 50% raw dog food & 50% old dog food for another 3-5 days.
• Phase 3: Then you can advance to 80% raw dog food & 20% old dog food for another 3-5 days. 
• Phase 4: Finally, feeding 100% raw dog food!  

Detox Symptoms In Dogs

Got diarrhea? 

Itchy, dry skin? 

Abnormal stool? 

Don't panic! 

It's not uncommon during the transition to experience some detox symptoms. Your dog's body goes through a bit of detox when switching from processed foods to fresh food.

All of these symptoms are entirely normal when transitioning to a raw diet. While this may worry some pet owners, this is a positive thing. Many people call this getting "unsick." Your dog will be purging toxins that have built up from a processed diet. These symptoms should resolve themselves once new cells replace the old unhealthy ones! 

How Much Raw Dog Food To Feed 

There are many ways to calculate how much to feed your dog daily! Some people choose to base it on kCals (Calories for Dogs). Some decide to calculate based on Body Weight! We suggest feeding 2-3% of your dog's body weight daily to make it simple for you.

Remember, just like humans, every dog is different and has a unique metabolism. This also differs depending on age, size, breed, health, and activity level. With this in mind, it is important to monitor your dog and adjust the amount you are feeding them as needed. Below, we also have included feeding guidelines based on kCals and based on Body Weight. 

Weight Management In Dogs

With nearly 60% of adult dogs classified as being overweight or obese, weight management is crucial. A raw diet can aid in weight loss and weight management. Obesity can lead to many other health issues and affect their activity level, quality of life, and longevity. 

We recommend making adjustments to your dog's diet as needed to control weight loss or weight gain. Some other tools we suggest for weight management are our body score chart and our. 

Additional Tips For Weight Loss:

• Weigh everything! Accuracy will aid in weight management.
• Decrease portion to 2% of body weight, then once your dog starts losing weight, increase to 2.5%
• Stick to leaner meat sources such as our Turkey Formula. Stay away from fattier meats. 
• Add coconut oil or fish oil to improve your dog's metabolic rate, increase energy levels, and regulate thyroid function
• Cut out the extras! Include treats in your daily calculations along with the food they will receive in meals.
• Read the labels! Make sure you are feeding your dog the appropriate amount.
• When giving treats, stick to healthy options such as fruits and vegetables suitable for dogs.
• Give raw bones to entertain your dog while satisfying their desire for treats without gaining many extra calories.

Safe Handling Tips For Raw Dog Food

To ensure your safety when feeding raw, use the same safe handling practices you would use when preparing your pup's raw meats: exercise basic hygiene, wash your hands, and sanitize surfaces after use. 

• Wash all surfaces that the meat touches, including countertops, food bowls, utensils, scissors, and hands with hot soapy water immediately after handling.
• Keep raw food in the freezer, and thaw in the refrigerator as needed.
• Store separate from food for human consumption.

Raw Dog Food Freeze & Thaw Tips

• Measure your dog's meal portions based on our raw feeding calculator. Thaw a Cali Raw bag in your refrigerator 12-24 hours before raw feeding. 
• Transfer excess food to a food storage container for easy access.

What If I'm Not Ready To Feed Raw Dog Food

If you still find raw feeding intimidating, no worries. Even making small changes can have a great impact on your dog's health. 

Ways you can do this is by adding raw as a topper. We have an excellent Topper Guide that you can use until you are ready to transition fully to raw! This allows you to boost your dog's meal to be more nutritious than their current wet or dry dog food.

Another way to add more nutrition to your dog's diet is by feeding natural & healthy treats. Instead of rewarding snacks that have nasty fillers, choose biologically appropriate treats like meat and organ meat treats. You can easily find this kind of treats at our sister store and Crafted Treats, where we sell single ingredient treats that are all-natural for your dog's best health.

Why choosing Cali Raw: Trusted dog food brand | High quality product

Conclusion:

In addition to our educational blogs and resources on our website, we hope this raw dog food for beginners guide helps you in the transition to healthier food for your dog.

Our furry friends can't do the research and use their voice, so we must do it for them. Providing your dog with a fresh raw diet is the best thing you can do for them. They will thrive and benefit from enhanced optimal health and longevity. Nutrition is key!

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