Food Not Feed

Considering making the switch from processed dry food to raw?

Your pet (and your wallet) will thank you.

The raw food trend isn’t just for health-conscious humans anymore. An increasing number of pet parents are making the switch to raw food diets for their pets…and seeing the benefits firsthand. The basic concept behind a raw food diet is simple: to be at their healthiest and feel their best, dogs should be eating foods that are indigenous to their species and mimic their breed’s natural ancestral menu.

Pet owners who continue to give their dogs highly processed dry foods commonly quote cost and convenience as the reason they select cheap food available in mass amounts over healthy, high quality alternatives. However, that reasoning no longer makes sense. Stores like Paw Naturals are changing the game by making natural, nutrient dense products easy to find, easy to try and easy to buy. An alarming number of pet food recalls from brands like IAMS and Purina One in recent years have highlighted even further the dangers of mass produced artificial dog foods and give pet parents one more reason to try raw alternatives for their four legged family members.

Over time, giving your dog food made with all-natural ingredients instead of fillers and preservatives will not only help them live longer lives but will also decrease your veterinarian bills throughout the animal’s lifetime. A diet rich in antioxidants, whole proteins and vitamins promotes joint and digestive health, helps rid your dog of fleas, ticks, ringworm and fungus and even assists with cancer prevention. Investing a little more in your pet today will save you a lot in the long run.

Here are some specific ingredients we recommend looking for when purchasing raw pet food products:

1. Whole meat or a named meat meal as its top ingredient. Avoid meat by-products, especially ones where the meat is not named, and meat-and-bone meals.
2. No fillers or low-quality grains. Grains (if used) should be whole grains, as opposed to glutens or other processed products. Rice and barley are better than corn or wheat.
3. Natural preservatives (or none at all). The best foods use natural preservatives like tocopherols (vitamin E) or ascorbate (vitamin C). Avoid foods with BHT, BHA and ethoxyquin (a chemical used to preserve fish meal).

Try putting some RAW into your dog's/cat’s diet! Freeze-dried or frozen safe raw meat from companies like Primal and Stella & Chewy’s give your pet a great boost of raw nutrients from whole meats, fruits and vegetables. It’s what they crave and are meant to be eating. This makes it the easiest food for your pet to digest. Dehydrated foods like The Honest Kitchen and Grandma Lucy’s are also a great way to get minimally processed, high-moisture, whole food ingredients into your pet’s diet.