Benefits of Raw Dog Food: Why It's Best for Your Pet

Are you curious about the benefits of raw dog food? There are numerous reasons a raw diet for dogs is the best choice, including improved digestion, a stronger immune system, smaller poop, cleaner teeth, fewer allergy symptoms, and so much more.

Keep reading to learn about the various amazing benefits of a raw food diet for dogs.

Introduction to the Benefits of Raw Dog Food

Studies are only just now being done that show the many benefits of raw dog food, especially when it comes to a raw food diet for puppies. Raw-fed puppies have been shown to be less likely than kibble-fed puppies to develop chronic ear infections, skin allergies, and gastrointestinal problems as adults.

Other benefits of a raw food diet for dogs include firmer poop, cleaner teeth, shinier fur, a reduction in allergies, more mealtime excitement, better weight control, improved digestion, and a stronger immune system.

The University of Helsinki is currently doing more research on the benefits of raw dog food. You can check here for their latest studies.

Why Choose a Raw Food Diet for Dogs?

While toy dog breeds look very little like their wolf ancestors, all dogs have nearly the same digestive system as wolves. 

They have pointy teeth and jaws that only move up and down, which are ideal for ripping and tearing meat rather than grinding down plant matter. They have highly acidic stomachs ideal for neutralizing any problematic bacteria that may be found on raw meat. And they have short intestines well-suited for extracting nutrients from raw muscle meat, organ meat, and bones rather than the longer intestines that omnivores, like people, require for digesting plant matter.

It’s evident by looking at a dog’s anatomy that they are designed to thrive on a raw diet rather than highly processed kibble, and most people who have switched their pups to a raw diet will tell you about the impressive changes they’ve seen in their dogs since the switch.

Examining the Raw Dog Food Benefits

Let’s look at a few of the top benefits of feeding raw food to dogs, particularly the nutritional advantages of raw dog food and how it helps optimize a dog’s health.

Nutritional Advantages of Raw Dog Food

Did you know that dogs have no nutritional requirements for carbohydrates? Yet kibble requires high levels of carbohydrates in order to form the familiar brown pellets. A nutritionally complete and balanced raw dog food like We Feed Raw contains high levels of protein and moisture without the unnecessary carbs that may contribute to obesity.

Additionally, kibble companies can get away with using lower-quality meats since they cook everything at such high temperatures. In fact, the rendered meat used by many kibble companies can legally contain animals that were diseased, dead, or dying before they reached the slaughterhouse.

At We Feed Raw, we use USDA-certified meat from animals raised for human consumption in the United States or New Zealand. We also package our food in a USDA-certified facility with strict compliance requirements of BRC-safe quality food manufacturing.

Finally, our food includes the muscle meat, organ meat, bones, vitamins, and minerals your pup needs, and nothing else. No artificial colors or flavors. No artificial preservatives. No unnecessary grains, legumes, or potatoes. And no filler ingredients.

Optimizing Health With a Raw Food Diet

Since raw dog food uses higher-quality ingredients and lacks fillers and artificial colors or flavors, it helps dogs be healthier. A raw diet is easier to digest than any other type of dog food, which then improves gut health. And since up to 90% of your dog’s immune system lives in their gut, a healthier gut means a stronger immune system. A stronger immune system means fewer allergies and less susceptibility to illness.

Carbohydrates seem to be one of the leading contributors to obesity, so a naturally low-carb raw diet can also help prevent obesity-related health problems like arthritis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, cancer, and more.

Implementing a Raw Dog Food Diet

OK, so now that you’ve seen some of the benefits of a raw dog food diet, how do you get started?

Gradual Introduction to Raw Food

As with any diet change, you should introduce raw food to your dog’s diet slowly to minimize the risk of stomach upset. If you choose a We Feed Raw meal plan, we’ll tell you exactly how to transition your dog from their current diet to our food.

However, as a general guideline, you should start by feeding your dog 75% of their current food and 25% of their new raw diet for 3 days, then feed a 50/50 blend for 3 days, then feed 75% of the new food with 25% of their old food for another 3 days. On day 10, you can start feeding a fully raw diet.

Contrary to what some sources say, it is totally safe to mix raw and kibble in the same meal. However, you may also choose to feed one raw meal and one kibble meal per day during the transition, and that’s acceptable, as well.

Customizing the Diet to Maximize Benefits

Not every dog will enjoy or be able to tolerate the same meats, which is why we offer 6 different proteins: chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, and duck. For dogs with allergies, 3 of our recipes come from single protein sources: turkey, chicken, and beef.

When you sign up for a meal plan, we also ask lots of questions about your dog, like about their age, activity level, body condition, and more so we can tell you the perfect portions of We Feed Raw to help your dog reach or maintain their ideal weight.

The Benefits of Raw Dog Food: A Closer Look

Now that we’ve provided you with an overview of the benefits of feeding dogs raw food, let’s take a closer look at each specific benefit.

Digestive Health and Raw Food Diets

Studies have shown that frozen raw dog food is more digestible than freeze-dried raw, fresh “gently cooked” dog food, and kibble. But we don’t need studies, because the proof is in the poop. In a survey, 96% of our customers said their dogs had smaller, firmer, less smelly stools after switching to our food.

Smaller poop is evidence that the dogs are getting more out of their food and are able to digest more of it. Fewer filler ingredients going in equates to less stuff coming out.

Skin and Coat Health Enhancements

With higher-quality meat-based ingredients and no high-heat cooking process, raw dog food contains much higher levels of beneficial fatty acids than kibble, and it really shows in a dog’s skin and coat. 88% of our customers reported that their dogs’ skin and coat got healthier after changing to We Feed Raw.

Weight Management and Control

Rich in muscle-building protein and low in obesity-causing carbohydrates, raw dog food is ideal for helping dogs reach and maintain a healthy weight. In fact, 90% of our customers say their dogs have either lost necessary extra weight or held steady at an appropriate weight on our food.

Increased Energy and Behavioral Changes

If you’ve ever experienced digestive issues, you’ve probably had low energy or been a bit crabby, right? So you can imagine the increased energy and positive behavioral changes dogs often experience after switching from a hard-to-digest kibble to the raw food that their bodies were designed to thrive on.

Dental Hygiene and Oral Health

Kibble companies like to say that crunching on kibble helps keep dogs’ teeth clean, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, the carbohydrates in kibble actually contribute to dental disease in dogs. On the other hand, raw dog food not only lacks cavity-causing carbohydrates, but it also contains enzymes that actively help improve your dog’s oral health.

Allergy Relief and Immune Support

With the lengthy ingredient lists on bags of kibble, is it any wonder so many dogs suffer from allergies? Even dogs with environmental allergies are hampered by the low levels of fatty acids in kibble. Raw dog food not only makes it easier to avoid ingredients that your dog is allergic or sensitive to, but it also contains plenty of fatty acids that support healthy skin and may help reduce itching.

How Soon Do the Benefits of a Raw Diet Appear?

Some benefits of raw dog food will appear within a few days, like firmer poop and improved digestion. Other benefits, like shinier fur and a stronger immune system, may take a few months to appear.

Monitoring and Adjusting the Diet for Optimal Benefits

We Feed Raw is nutritionally complete and balanced, and you don’t need to add anything to it to ensure your dog is getting all the nutrients they need. However, some dogs do best with additions like canned pumpkin, kefir, probiotics, prebiotics, or other whole-food ingredients or supplements. You may want to play around with toppers to see what helps your dog live their best life.

The Transition Process to a Raw Dog Food Diet

While some dogs can make a sudden transition from eating kibble one day to raw the next without experiencing any digestive upset, most dogs do best transitioning to a raw diet over at least a week or two. Some dogs with particularly sensitive stomachs may need as long as a month to fully transition to a raw diet.

The key is to keep an eye on your dog’s poop. If they experience loose stool, you may want to slow down the transition or add canned pumpkin or probiotics to your pup’s diet to help them make the switch.

For more tips on how to transition your pup to a raw diet, check out The Complete Guide to Switching Your Dog to a Raw Diet.

Conclusion: The Sustained Benefits of Raw Dog Food

As you can see, raw dog food has numerous benefits that may help give you more quality years with your pup. From picking up less poop to smelling less doggie breath to watching your pup finally experience allergy relief, a raw diet could be just the change your dog needs to live their best life.

Give Your Dog the Best: We Feed Raw

When you’re ready to start your dog on the benefits of a raw diet, don’t take your chances on trying to do it yourself. Instead, choose the pre-portioned nutritionally complete and balanced patties from We Feed Raw. Our 6 recipes all meet AAFCO nutrition guidelines for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies.

When you choose, We Feed Raw, you don’t have to worry about the food making your dog or anybody in your home sick, because we use a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, making our food safe for your dog to eat and for your family to be around (although we still recommend you take the same precautions when handling your dog’s food as you do when you handle raw meat for your family).

Still have questions? Feel free to email hello@wefeedraw.com, or check out our FAQ page or blog. Ready to start your pup’s meal plan? Take our quiz now to discover your dog’s perfect portions.

Appendix: Success Stories and Testimonials

You don’t need to take our word for it about the amazing benefits of raw food in general and We Feed Raw in particular. Our Trustpilot page is packed with testimonials from real customers, like these:

“We have a picky GSD. Plus she has issues with chronic loose stools. We’ve tried almost every GI diet available including prescription diets and homemade-type dog food deliveries. We’ve been able to transition our dog to We Feed Raw in 4 days. She loves the food and she’s never had better-formed stools. Yay!!! Thank you!” -HT

“I have had a wonderful experience with We Feed Raw since I started the first of March. I have a 10-month-old Irish Setter and a 6-lb Yorkie. We transitioned in 5 days. The company sent me an early shipment since we were not going to make it to the next regular shipment date.

Their poop isn’t mushy and is a lot easier to pick up. The dogs love the raw food. I was originally going to go 50/50 with kibble, but now I’m going 100% We Feed Raw.” -Lori

“We are new dog owners, but we knew we wanted to give our new family member the best food we could. We first tried other fresh companies, but our fur baby was never excited for mealtime and would just poke at it. We decided to try a completely raw option with We Feed Raw and… Oh. My. Goodness. What a difference at mealtime. Our little guy devours his meal. We are so thankful that we finally found a good balanced option. Thank you!!” -Kristina

“My dog had no issues with the transition from kibble to the We Feed Raw food. He absolutely loves it. By day 3 there was a marked difference in his behavior as he appears more energetic and is noticeably less bloated. We will continue with this We Feed Raw diet.” -Beth

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the benefits of a raw food diet for dogs?

The benefits of a raw food diet for dogs include more mealtime excitement, a stronger immune system, improved digestion, better weight control, cleaner teeth, softer fur, healthier skin, reduced allergies, and smaller stools.

What are the benefits of feeding raw food to dogs?

The benefits of feeding raw food to dogs include a reduction in allergies, shinier fur, firmer poop, cleaner teeth, mealtime excitement, better weight control, a stronger immune system, and improved digestion.

What are the raw food diet dogs benefits?

The raw food diet dogs benefits include better digestion, weight control, smaller stools, healthier skin and coat, reduced allergies, mealtime excitement, cleaner teeth, and a stronger immune system.

What are the raw dog food benefits?

Raw dog food benefits include fewer allergy symptoms, firmer poop, shinier fur, cleaner teeth, more mealtime excitement, better weight control, a stronger immune system, and improved digestion.

What are the benefits of feeding dogs raw food?

The benefits of feeding dogs raw food include a stronger immune system, smaller poop, healthier skin and coat, better weight control, improved digestion, mealtime excitement, reduction in allergies, and cleaner teeth.

What are the benefits of feeding raw dog food?

The benefits of feeding raw dog food include cleaner teeth, reduced allergies, mealtime excitement, improved digestion, better weight control, softer fur, smaller stools, and a stronger immune system.

What are the benefits of raw food for dogs?

The benefits of raw food for dogs include mealtime excitement, cleaner teeth, a stronger immune system, better weight control, improved digestion, a reduction in allergies, healthier skin and coat, and firmer poop.

What are the benefits of a raw dog food diet?

The benefits of a raw dog food diet include smaller stools, reduced allergies, shinier fur, cleaner teeth, better weight control, improved digestion, a stronger immune system, and more mealtime excitement.