Getting Down And Dirty With The Raw
Feed Raw! Don't Feed Raw! The Ongoing Dog Food Dilemma.
What on earth do you feed your dog these days?
There are so many dog food options on the market today, it’s no wonder dog owners are confused about which product is most cost effective, healthiest and a manageable meal for their dog.
Talk about being overwhelmed, I never anticipated there being so many dog feeds being launched by global and independent brands in 2021. Each day there seemed to be a new feed promising to give your puppy the best start in life. Most brands guaranteeing a healthy gut and smooth shiny coat - baring in mind, most brands spend millions of pounds on their marketing so to tempt you into buying their latest super yummy dog food! Be warned it’s wild and confusing out there! Since the pandemic puppy phenomenon, understandably dog food sales have spiked enormously.
The current landscape in the pet food market is ever changing. Having continuously gained growth momentum between 2017 and 2021, the pet food market’s volume sales are expected to decline in 2022. This decline stems from switching from wet to dry dog food amidst the cost-of-living crisis, the latter weighing less per portion, and the fallback in sales of pet treats and snacks.
Source: Mintel
27% of UK pet owners make their own pet food from scratch/leftovers.
67% of UK pet owners who buy pet food stock up on pet food during promotional periods if they needed to save money.
Pet food market size: Value sales are anticipated to rise by 22.9% over the next five years.
Pet food market share: Pedigree is one of the leading brands in the pet food market, with an estimated retail value of £88 million in 2021/22.
In my opinion some of the dog food advice on offer can often be quite confusing. I’ve had endless conversations and my dogs have tried both raw and kibble. I much prefer kibble for a variety of reasons, dogs enjoy it, ease of storage and use plus it’s less expensive than raw. Raw comes in frozen packs, you defrost what you need and feed when required. Most mornings I’d end up with bits of lamb tripe, blood and guts splattered over me. The smell of defrosted raw dog food first thing in the morning is enough to put you off.
Dogs haven’t survived all these decades due to being fed expensive raw, hypo allergenic feeds complimented by designer dog treats. Years ago dogs ate quite a simple diet with hardly any treats, more likely to grab scraps they’d find lying in the yard. In my humble opinion, I do believe we have over domesticated and over bred our dogs which has resulted in dogs being super sensitive and allergic to all sorts of food.
What about you? Do you feel overwhelmed by the ongoing debate with dog breeders, dog food store owners, vets and nutritionists about which diet is best for your dog? Please leave a comment. I’d love to know what you feed your dog, which brand you prefer or whether you’re already confused by the choice as a soon to be new dog owner
Here’s my story…
I grew up with a Labrador called Sammy, she was a happy, fit and healthy dog who lived to a ripe old age of 12 - apparently a good age for that breed of dog. My Dad - who I call the dog whisperer - fed Sammy on a mixture of tinned pedigree chum and dried kibble. He has had dogs all his life and tinned dog food was the way forward. I might add, that all his dogs were extremely fit and healthy, hardly ever at the vets and all lived quite a hardy life (more stories about Dad & His Dogs to come later this month)
So when the time came for me to choose dog food for my previous dogs, I was happy with dried kibble - life before Ridgebacks, when I actually had a life - there wasn’t a big range of dog foods to choose from anyway. It was tinned or dried kibble - pretty simple and relatively affordable. I never had an issue with my previous dogs health and it didn’t consume my every waking moment, because I fed the dogs, they ate their food, we got on with our lives. No health issues. No spiralling costs!
Today, it’s a whole different ball game. Not only are you recommended raw food as the best food for your dog, but you’re presented with over a 100 different types of raw food. Same with dried kibble. Some feeds are hypo allergenic, some come in a hip and cool eco friendly container, some promising to be the best EVER nutritious food for the working dog breed, some are affordable and some are sold with a ridiculous price tag. At one time, I think I was spending more money on dog food than I was on my average grocery shop. What a fool!
My dogs are now on a sensible amount of dried kibble from a reputable family run business called Millies Wolfheart who I highly recommend. They are super friendly. Really knowledgable and they actually care what you feed your dog.
If you’re still as confused as I was, here is a little summary of what some dog breeders believe are the benefits of feeding either a raw or dried food diet:
Raw (baring in mind nothing has yet been proven about the benefits of raw dog food) - however, the reputable raw dog food brands I have used in the past, promote that your dog would benefit from a shiner coat, increased energy levels, improved digestion, good dental health and that raw food may even help with behavioural issues. But no matter what anyone advises it is expensive!
Dried Kibble - cheaper and less mess than raw, easier to store, the texture of dry kibble encourages your dog to chew before they swallow, which improves their digestion and also helps to clean their teeth.
I believe you have to select the dog food you think is best for your dog, that it’s easy to prepare and store, and that it’s affordable for you and your budget.
If you’ve been following my journey either over on Instagram @theridgebackdiaries or a new follower on my Substack you’ll know I’m trying to be as authentic and honest about my experience as a dog owner. I am to highlight what actually goes on behind the scenes. Sharing the good, the bad and the ugly tales of dog ownership. I’d love for you to subscribe and keep following my journey. My biggest mission is to try and put people off buying a dog, those who really wouldn’t cope so well with the unexpected expenses, trauma and hassle that comes with owning a dog. Because then I have hopefully helped reduce the amount of dogs having to be rescued and re-homed. It a huge problem not only here in the UK but globally - 10,000 dogs were rescued by The Dogs Trust in 2021
PAWS FOR THOUGHT:
As we face the worst financial crisis in decades, The Dogs Trust is urgently seeking to help the dogs who will feel the impact. They have opened some temporary dog food banks for anyone struggling to feed their dog(s) in these difficult times.
They currently have food banks in Newbury, Glasgow, West London, Salisbury, Merseyside and Penrith.
They are hoping to open up more food banks in our other rehoming centres to expand our reach to help as many dogs as possible. By working together, we can weather this storm and be there for the nation’s dogs when they need us most.
Until the next time, take care and stay safe