Our favourite way of spreading the news about raw feeding is to espouse our Top 6 benefits of a raw diet. It is fairly self-explanatory to see why those top benefits are so appealing for pets and owners alike: no more doggy odour, less poop to scoop, shiny and soft coat, less shedding, reduced allergies and naturally clean canine and feline teeth.
When people hear about the positive changes to the overall wellbeing of their pet, it becomes easier to convince them to transition to raw.
But sometimes we are talking about those benefits so often, we forget to look at some of “other” benefits of transitioning to a raw diet. Below we look at three of these “other” effects of a raw diet for dogs that you may not have known about.
DOG WEIGHT CONTROL
Keeping your pet lean at an appropriate weight is not only important for their enjoyment of life, but also their lifespan. Obesity or being overweight is associated with many short-term and long-term health problems, such as diabetes, arthritis (more on that below), respiratory problems, organ failure, poor temperament and more.
Did you know that as many as 50% of all pet dogs are overweight? A raw diet is a great way to naturally control the weight of your pet and improve their quality and length of life. Unlike processed kibble, raw food does not contain an excess of carbohydrates that are harder for your dog to burn off. Because your dog is being nourished with a diet that is natural to them, their ideal body weight is naturally achieved. There is no need to store excess calories within their body as fat.
ARTHRITIS MANAGEMENT FOR PETS
Like humans, pets’ joints can deteriorate over time and result in painful arthritis. This is most common in the hips, spine and knees. Above we mentioned that dogs that are not overweight are less likely to suffer from arthritis, but even otherwise healthy dogs can develop this debilitating condition. A healthy raw diet can help ease the pressure on your pet’s joints and the natural hydration of a raw diet can improve the function of your pet’s joints.
Also, ask us about natural supplements that may ease joint inflammation or muscle pain in your pet.
INCREASED ENERGY
Because raw is the natural diet of a dog, it doesn’t contain excess ingredients, or filler. This not only helps with weight management, but also prevents your pet from feeling sluggish as their body is only processing nutrients that are natural to them. This means less energy is spent on the digestive process and more is spent playing. You’ll notice the pep in their step quickly, especially with older dogs.
There are SO many benefits to switching to a raw dog food diet that it would take many blog posts to cover them all. But that’s what we’re committed to doing, so keep following along as we spread the raw revolution! And don’t forget to tell other furry friends you know about the benefits of raw feeding and Iron Will Raw by sharing this post.