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You're bound to make mistakes when new to raw feeding. Here are five mistakes I made when I began feeding raw dog food. When you know better, you do better.

When it comes to raw feeding, I follow the KISS system – keep it simple, sweetheart (I don't like to use “stupid,” it's rude). I don't believe raw feeding needs to be complicated, stressful, or overwhelming. I've been feeding raw for years and earned certifications in raw feeding and canine nutrition, but that doesn't mean I'm perfect. I've made several mistakes as a raw feeder. It's not the end of the world; the dogs survived my mistakes, and I learned how to do better.

5 Raw Feeding Mistakes I've Made

I made the following mistakes with my dogs and held a few inaccurate beliefs about canine nutrition.

1 – Believing 80/10/10 was Balanced

When I was new to raw feeding, everyone believed 80/10/10 was balanced. When people began discussing balancing the diet, the common responses were, “I don't balance my diet,” and “Wolves don't have spreadsheets in the wild.” While these responses are accurate, it's also true that an 80/10/10 raw diet lacks several nutrients.

An 80/10/10 raw diet for dogs refers to a diet that consists of 80% muscle meat, 10% edible bone, and 10% organ meat, with no additional carbohydrates or vegetation. While this diet can provide many essential nutrients, a few may be lacking if not appropriately supplemented.

  • Fiber: An 80/10/10 raw diet primarily consists of meat, and it may lack sufficient fiber, which is essential in maintaining a healthy digestive system. In my dogs ‘ raw diet, I add vegetables and fur (rabbit feet and ears) as fiber sources.
  • Calcium: While edible bone is part of the 80/10/10 diet, the fear of feeding bone may lead someone to add less than what's appropriate or choose the wrong bones (which has more cartilage than bone). It's vital to ensure that dogs receive enough calcium to support bone health, muscle function, and other vital physiological processes.
  • Essential Fatty Acids: While some cuts of meat contain fats, an 80/10/10 raw diet may not provide an optimal balance of essential fatty acids, vital for maintaining healthy skin and coat, promoting brain function, and reducing inflammation.
  • Vitamins and Minerals: Due to the cost of meat, it's tempting only to feed one or two proteins, which may also lead to a nutrient deficiency due to the lack of variety in the diet.

I began adding a base mix to my 80/10/10 blends to address potential nutrient deficiencies. Because I'm starting with more than muscle meat, I can use less of the base mix and still meet the nutritional needs of my dogs.

2 – Not Watching My Budget

When I joined our local raw food co-op, I went bonkers. Suddenly, I had access to more than just chicken; it was all affordable. Several times, I blew my monthly budget by ordering too much food without considering available storage space, what my dogs could/couldn't eat, and what I felt comfortable feeding. Too often, I was selling or giving away food that my dogs wouldn't or couldn't eat.

Today, I alternate five proteins in my dogs' diet (chicken, beef, duck, pork, and rabbit), keep my budget to $5/pound or less, and limit the amount of commercial raw I feed to my dogs.

3 – Believing All Raw Bones are Safe

As a new raw feeder, I quickly learned that not every bone was a good fit for my dogs. I've always supervised my dogs when I fed them edible and recreational bones, which allowed me to remove the bones that weren't a good fit. Today, I feed bones based on a dog's size and chewing style. The following are bones I feed regularly, and I also give my dogs air-dried chews from Real Dog Box.

  • quail
  • cornish game hens
  • cubed whole chickens
  • duck feet and necks
  • lamb necks and shanks

4 – Adding too Many Supplements

When I was new to raw, I purchased every supplement someone recommended, making raw feeding more expensive than it needed to be. Today, I supplement to support my dogs' health. I primarily give my dogs digestive supplements to support gut health and the immune system. Mushrooms for disease prevention and longevity. Instead of buying every promising supplement, I focus on supporting a healthy gut microbiome by alternating a handful of respected brands.

5 – Depending on Spreadsheets and Software

Years ago, I created a spreadsheet to help me better understand what nutrients my homemade raw grinds covered. Years later, I began using Animal Diet Formulator software to understand how different foods changed the nutritional composition of a homemade grind. These are amazing tools, and I still use the software today. My mistake was thinking I couldn't formulate a DIY diet without spreadsheets and software.

Some people are trying to convince dog owners that we can't meet our dogs' nutritional needs without the guidance of a meal formulator or canine nutritionist. In some cases, this is true. A nutritionist is ideal if you don't have the time, knowledge, or desire to formulate meals for your dog. But if you want to do it yourself, it's not impossible.

Raw Feeding Can Be Complicated

Raw feeding can be complicated if you're working with a tight budget, limited resources, and a picky dog (or dog with food sensitivities or health issues). I've learned to be patient with my dogs and myself. I continue educating myself about canine nutrition, while also looking for sources.

Today, I get the ingredients to feed my dogs from:

  • a local raw food co-op
  • local farms/homesteaders
  • restaurant supply stores
  • grocery store outlets
  • monthly sale at Julz Animal Houz

I took two courses through the Feed Real Institute that helped me better understand canine nutrition:

Read More About Raw Feeding

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