Improve Your Dog's Health with Fresh Food
Welcome to Keep the Tail Wagging
Does your dog have allergies, digestive issues, or anxiety? Yeah, I can relate. After years of vet appointments, I finally looked into natural solutions to my dog's allergies and digestive issues. And they worked. My dog's vet said he wouldn't live long past his third birthday. My dog lived 10-1/2 years beyond his third birthday and taught me how to raise happy, healthy dogs naturally.
I write about DIY raw feeding, choosing natural options for our dogs, and dog mom life.
Welcome to my world!
Why Transition to Raw Feeding?
Raw feeding is a method of feeding dogs a diet composed of raw meats, bones, organs, and vegetables to mimic a dog's natural ancestral diet that offer numerous health benefits.
Enhanced Immune System
A balanced raw diet can support a dog's immune system, reducing the risk of illness and disease by providing essential nutrients, antioxidants, and natural enzymes.
Reduced Allergies
An unprocessed, raw food diet free of additives, preservatives, and fillers can help alleviate symptoms like itching, ear infections, and skin rashes.
Improved Digestion
Raw feeding with natural, whole foods can improve nutrient absorption and reduce digestive issues in dogs, including leaky gut syndrome.
Additional benefits include healthy skin and coat, improved dental health, weight management, reduced doggy odor, smaller stool, and increased energy and vitality. Some raw feeders report lower costs on dog food and fewer veterinarian visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Addressing common concerns about feeding a raw food diet to dogs.
If not properly formulated, raw feeding may cause nutritional imbalances. However, the average dog owner can easily provide a complete diet by using a base mix, formulation software, or working with a professional.
Dogs' saliva contains lysozyme, which destroys harmful bacteria. Additionally, their short digestive tract prevents the colonization of bacteria. Some brands sterilize their foods, providing an option for dog owners concerned about bacteria.
Feeding raw bones can be risky as it may cause choking or dental injuries if not given properly. It is crucial to select the appropriate raw bones that match the dog's size, age, and chewing habits. Moreover, dogs should not be left unsupervised while chewing bones or chews.
It is highly unlikely that parasites will be found in high-quality, human-grade, ethically sourced meat. However, cautious dog owners can freeze raw meat for about 24 hours to 7 days. This will kill almost all parasites that could be present in raw meat. While a few types of parasites can withstand freezing temperatures, this is an uncommon occurrence.
Dog owners can save money on raw feeding by joining a raw food co-op, buying in bulk, and making food instead of buying commercial raw. Additionally, fewer vet visits and prescription medications can help to reduce costs.
Recent Blog Posts
Sharing over ten years of raw feeding experience.
My Dogs Dined On a Dead Rabbit for Four Days
This post was originally published in August 2015. It has been updated with new information and republished. With all of the mixed information about raw feeding, many pet parents are understandably worried about transitioning their dogs to a raw diet. Years ago, in a...
12 Ways to Make Raw Feeding Affordable in 2024
Prices are rising, and it's a good time to revisit how to make raw feeding affordable. When I usually write blog posts, I try to maintain a professional/casual tone, but today, I have to be me because.... y'all.... have you seen the prices of eggs, cereal, and gas...
Why I Switched to Raw
DIY raw feeding saved my dog's life. Rodrigo had itchy skin, rashes, chronic ear infections, joint issues, digestive issues and more. Traditional medicine didn't help, but adding fresh food to my dog's diet cleared up most of his health issues in less than two weeks.
Raw feeding was the answer and DIY raw feeding is more affordable for multi-dog homes, but it's not easy to learn. I share my start as a raw feeder in my book, Raw Feeding from A to Z, to help others on their journey to a healthier dog.
