If you haven’t raised your puppy on a raw food diet, it can be tricky at first, but you shouldn’t be intimidated. There are many benefits of giving your dog raw food. You will save on vet bills because your dog will remain healthy longer, and it’s generally safe to give your puppy raw food relatively early. If you decide to switch your puppy to a raw food diet it should be done straight away with no gradual change over. This is because dry food and raw is digested differently, and feeing both can cause an upset digestive system in some pets. But you should introduce your puppy to a raw food diet in a strategic way to prevent other problems i.e. constipation. The first week of switching your puppy to a raw food diet should contain only low bone mince, and a meat protein such as chicken or turkey mince as it is easier on the digestive system. Your curious pup may try to chew anything, including leftover bones, so you can let him experiment with his choices. We even stock things like olive branches which make a great replacement to chewing on your furniture.
Beginning a regular raw food diet
At the twelfth week, your puppy can start consuming larger cuts of food. His milk teeth will be replaced with larger, permanent teeth between the sixteenth and twenty-sixth week. At this stage, your pet is able to eat regular raw food. He needs the protein for muscle growth. Some breeds grow very quickly, and your puppy could need even more raw food. You can choose a variety of meats, like beef, poultry, and fish to provide a complete variety of amino acids. Red meat and poultry meat are rich in protein and fat for quicker growth. Fatty fish is beneficial, because it contains DHA, EPA and AA for cognitive development. A moderate amount of organs contains plenty of minerals for growth.
Minerals and bone growth
Your puppy requires calcium for proper skeletal development. He shouldn’t get supplemental calcium as it is better for him to get it directly from his food. By combining cartilage and raw meat, your pet should get enough phosphorus and calcium. Small bits of meat and cartilage attached on fresh bone contain more minerals, like manganese, zinc, magnesium, iron, iodine, and copper. Avoid giving your puppy fresh bone directly, due to the risk of choking and bone splinters may cause internal injuries. You may allow a twelve-week puppy to chew on a fresh bone, but make sure that it’s cut properly, and there’s no small chips of bone that may injure your dog.
Your pup can have plants too!
For a balanced diet, your dog should also get enough plant matter. You can mix green vegetables with minced, raw meat to ease consumption. Good vegetables to give to your dog include kale, spinach, carrots, and green beans, because they contain key vitamins and minerals for energy metabolism, strong immune functions, proper vision, and healthy bones.
