Raw Dog Food Myths Busted: Know the Facts for Your Pet's Health

Whether you saw them on the internet or were told them by your veterinarian, you may have encountered many raw dog food myths on your quest to find the best dog food. Unfortunately, myths about raw pet food are pervasive.

It’s time to address and debunk raw food myths so more people can finally learn about the many benefits of raw dog food.

Overview: Quick Takeaways

In short, a complete and balanced raw dog food like We Feed Raw is safe, delicious, easy to feed, and will help your dog have more quality years. Most raw food diet myths are perpetuated by Big Pet Food or well-meaning but ill-informed veterinarians who want you to believe that carb-rich kibble is the best thing you can feed your dog.

The reality is that highly processed kibble is no better for your dog than highly processed junk food is for you.

Understanding Raw Dog Food

What is raw dog food? A raw food diet for dogs includes uncooked muscle meat, organ meat, and bone from high-quality animal sources. While you can DIY a raw diet, raw dog food from a company like We Feed Raw is already nutritionally complete and balanced with no weighing or measuring and has been subjected to a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens.

Why is a raw diet for dogs the best thing you can feed them?

Dogs Are Carnivores

While a Shih Tzu may not resemble a wolf on the outside, their digestive tracts are nearly identical, from their hinged jaws and pointy teeth to their highly acidic stomachs and short intestinal tract.

Raw Food Uses Higher-quality Ingredients

Since kibble and canned food are cooked at such high temperatures, they can include diseased animals, roadkill, and other ingredients that would never be acceptable under other circumstances.

Carbs Cause Obesity and its Related Diseases

Studies show that dogs fed a high-protein diet lose more fat and less muscle than dogs fed a high-carb diet with the exact same number of calories.

Puppies Fed Raw Grow Up to Be Healthier

Studies show that puppies who grow up eating a raw diet are less likely to struggle with ear infections, skin allergies, and digestive problems than those who grow up eating kibble.

Kibble Causes Dental Problems

While pet food makers want you to believe that crunching on kibble is good for dogs’ teeth, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The carbohydrates in kibble actually feed the mouth bacteria that cause cavities and dental disease. As a result, raw-fed dogs have better oral health, even if they don’t gnaw on recreational raw bones.

Comprehensive Look at Raw Dog Food Myths

In general, raw dog food diet myths fall under a few broad categories: that it’s somehow dangerous, that dogs don’t like it, that it’s too expensive, and that cooked food is better.

The reality is that dogs are built to get their nutritional needs met with raw (rather than cooked) meat; an increase in spending on dog food can save countless money on vet bills down the road; dogs generally love the taste of raw food; and raw food can actually be safer than kibble.

Raw Dog Food Myths Debunked

Let’s look at some of the most common raw dog food myths and debunk each one.

Myth 1: Presence of Harmful Bacteria

This myth encompasses two different fears: that raw food could make your dog sick, and that raw food could make you or your family sick. Here’s why you needn’t worry.

The gut of a healthy dog is perfectly able to handle low levels of bacteria since their stomach is highly acidic and their digestive tract is so short. Any bacteria that escape the acidic stomach are typically expelled in your dog’s waste before they can replicate enough to make your pup sick.

To keep your family safe, you should use the same precautions when handling your dog’s raw food that you would when preparing meat for your human family: wash your hands before and after touching it and immediately sanitize any surfaces or utensils the raw meat touches.

Kibble isn’t safe from bacterial contamination, either. In fact, as recently as January 10, 2024, one lot of Victor brand Hi-Pro Plus dry dog food was recalled after it was found to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Finally, We Feed Raw uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, making it even safer for your dog and your human family.

Myth 2: Age Restrictions

While puppies and senior dogs do have specific nutritional requirements, that doesn’t mean they can’t get those needs met through a raw diet. In fact, We Feed Raw meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies.

And, since we use high-pressure processing to inactivate potential pathogens, our food is safe for even the youngest puppy tummies. Our finely ground patties are also easy for all dogs, including toothless seniors, to eat and enjoy without any problems.

Myth 3: Complicated Diet

Trying to create a complete and balanced raw diet yourself CAN be complicated. That’s why We Feed Raw does the hard work for you. Our pre-portioned patties already contain the perfect amount of raw muscle meat, organ meat, and finely ground bone, along with a small amount of a vitamin and mineral pre-mix to make our food complete and balanced.

We have 6 recipes to choose from: chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, venison, and duck. Choose one, some, or every recipe, and we’ll tell you exactly how much to feed your dog each day based on numerous factors, including their breed, age, weight, activity level, body condition, and more.

We ship the food right to you, so all you have to do is thaw, portion, and feed. Raw doesn’t have to be complicated at all.

Myth 4: High Cost

Since raw food doesn’t contain the cheap filler ingredients used by kibble companies, it does cost more. However, raw dog food helps keep your dog healthier for longer, putting off expensive vet bills caused by things like allergies, recurring ear infections, tummy trouble, diabetes, and more.

Raw dog food is an investment in your dog’s health. If you can’t afford a fully raw diet for your pup, adding even some raw to their diet can significantly improve their health and overall well-being.

Myth 5: Fussy Dogs Rejecting Raw Food

Most picky pups LOVE raw food because they instinctively know it’s what they’re meant to eat. Here are a few reviews on Trustpilot from real owners of picky dogs who made the switch to We Feed Raw:

“Wowza! After 5 months of trying every brand out there—freeze-dried, kibble, other raw, cooked—my Ollie is finally eating! He actually stands by the kitchen now waiting for his meal. So glad he loves it.” -Terri

“My Mini Goldendoodle, Sunny, is a finicky eater. I have been bouncing around on the fresh food train for a while and he’s not excited about any of them. I saw the ad for We Feed Raw and thought I would give it a try. WOW… during the transition he was EXCITED to eat his food. Now he ‘reminds’ me when it’s time for him to eat!” -TH

“After discovering my dog had allergies, I was having a terrible time finding food he would eat..he's a very picky eater! Beef was one protein he could have so I decided to try raw. I'm so glad I did; he immediately loved it, and I no longer have issues with getting him to eat.” -Mary

On the off chance your dog doesn’t immediately love raw food, we have a whole blog post full of tips and tricks to help them make the transition to raw.

Myth 6: Messy Feeding

While raw dog food may seem inherently messier than kibble, it doesn’t need to be messy to the point where it’s disgusting. We Feed Raw’s patties are easy to cut into the perfect portions and serve with no need to touch the food with your bare hands.

Myth 7: Excessive Freezer Space Required

While raw dog food does take up some freezer space, you don’t necessarily need an entire freezer dedicated to your dog’s food. With a We Feed Raw subscription, you have some flexibility in how often you receive deliveries, so you can get more frequent, smaller deliveries rather than needing to stuff your entire freezer less frequently.

If you’re concerned about how much room in your freezer our food would take up, you can email hello@wefeedraw.com with your questions, and our helpful Customer Service team will walk you through your options.

Myth 8: Danger of Bones Splintering

Although cooked bones do pose a risk of shattering, potentially leading to internal damage for your dog, raw bones are much softer and easier to chew. That said, if you still worry about giving your dog whole bones, you can rest easy knowing your pup can get their required amount of bone in our finely ground patties, with no risk of choking, splinters, or internal injuries.

Myth 9: Health Risk to Children

Regardless of what type of food you give your dog, you should teach your children to stay away from your pup’s food dish. In addition to the fact that kibble poses as much of a bacterial risk as raw food (if not more so), some dogs can become aggressive when protecting their food.

Resource guarding can be a problematic behavior regardless of what you feed your dog.

Myth 10: Superiority of Cooked Meat

Cooked meat is better for people, so it must be good for dogs, too, right? Incorrect. Studies have shown that raw dog food is actually easier for dogs to digest than freeze-dried, “lightly cooked,” or highly processed (kibble) foods.

Myth 11: Increased Aggression

Some people claim that eating raw meat makes dogs bloodthirsty, but there is no evidence to support this claim. In fact, many people see their dog’s behavior improve after switching them to a raw diet. Since raw dog food is easier to digest, raw-fed dogs probably feel better and therefore act better.

Understanding Nutritional Balance

Now that we’ve talked briefly about some of the most common raw dog food myths, let’s go into a bit more detail on some of the more pervasive myths.

Myth: Raw Diets Lack Required Nutrients

One of the main arguments that many vets have against a raw diet is that they say it doesn’t offer balanced nutrition. And while vets may very well see pets in their practice that are suffering malnutrition as a result of being fed an unbalanced DIY raw diet, We Feed Raw is nutritionally complete and balanced. Our recipes meet or exceed AAFCO nutrition requirements for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies.

When you choose We Feed Raw, you can rest assured that your pup will get all the nutrients they need.

Safety and Health Concerns

Vets’ other primary concern regarding a raw diet for dogs tends to revolve around health and safety. While you probably shouldn’t let your pup eat random roadkill they may come across, We Feed Raw is perfectly safe for your dog and your family.

Myth: Increased Veterinary Visits Due to Raw Food

We Feed Raw uses high-pressure processing (HPP) to inactivate potential pathogens, and in our 15-year history, we’ve never been involved in a recall. Not only is our food unlikely to result in INCREASED veterinary visits, but because it’s so much healthier than kibble, your dog is likely to need FEWER vet visits as they age.

The high carb content in kibble is likely one of the biggest contributing factors to the dog obesity epidemic, and obesity in dogs can cause or contribute to:

• •Arthritis

• •Cancer

• •Kidney problems

• •Pancreatitis

• •Heart problems

• •Breathing problems

• •Diabetes

• •Increased risks of anesthesia

• •Decreased quality of life

Conclusion

As you can see, all the most common raw dog food myths are easily debunked with scientific studies, explanations about We Feed Raw’s food, and customer reviews.

We Feed Raw won’t make your dog or your family sick, cause malnutrition, or make your dog bloodthirsty. Picky pups love the taste of our food, and it’s as easy to feed as: thaw, portion, and serve. A raw diet doesn’t need to be messy or take over your entire freezer, and cooked meat has actually been proven to be HARDER for dogs to digest than a raw diet.

To get your pup started on the life-changing nutrition of We Feed Raw, take our quiz and tell us about your dog. Can’t afford a fully raw diet? We offer subscriptions for partial raw feeders, too, for people who want to add some raw to their dog’s current diet for many of the same benefits but less of the cost compared to a fully raw diet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is a raw food diet for dogs surrounded by unfounded beliefs?

Yes. Some of the unfounded beliefs about raw dog food include that it is unbalanced, makes pets or people sick, is extremely expensive, and causes dogs to become bloodthirsty.

The truth is that We Feed Raw is nutritionally complete and balanced, uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, can be mixed with other foods for a cost-effective option, and helps dogs feel healthy and happy (rather than “bloodthirsty”).

What are common misconceptions regarding raw food for dogs?

Some misconceptions regarding raw food for dogs include that it’s not complete and balanced; that it could make your dog or your child sick; that it’s complicated and messy; and that it causes dogs to become bloodthirsty.

The truth is that We Feed Raw meets AAFCO nutrition standards for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies; uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, making the food safe for pets and people alike; is easy to feed without being messy; and improves digestion, making dogs happier and healthier.

Are there misconceptions about the raw dog food diet?

Yes, there are many misconceptions about the raw dog food diet, including that it’s unbalanced, makes dogs sick, and turns dogs into bloodthirsty killers.

The truth is that We Feed Raw makes raw dog food that is nutritionally complete and balanced, free of harmful pathogens, delicious, and easy to digest. It may also even improve some dogs’ moods since their system doesn’t have to work as hard to digest it.

Are there myths about raw food for dogs that need debunking?

Yes, there are several myths about raw food for dogs that need debunking:

Myth: Raw dog food is not balanced

Truth: We Feed Raw is nutritionally complete and balanced

Myth: Raw food makes dogs sick

Truth: We Feed Raw uses HPP to inactivate potential pathogens

Myth: Raw food makes dogs bloodthirsty

Truth: Dog behavior often improves after switching to raw

What myths exist about raw food diets for pets?

Several myths exist about raw food diets for pets, including that they’re not balanced, they could make your pet sick, and they make dogs bloodthirsty.

The truth is that We Feed Raw is nutritionally complete and balanced, uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, and customers report their dogs acting happier on a raw diet.

Is there a single myth that encapsulates the raw food diet debate?

The raw food diet myth mostly boils down to the idea that highly processed kibble is somehow healthier for dogs than the species-appropriate raw diet dogs are still perfectly designed to thrive on, despite how different they may look on the outside from their wolf ancestors.

What are some myths about a raw food diet for dogs?

Some myths about a raw food diet for dogs include that it makes dogs sick, isn’t balanced, and makes dogs bloodthirsty.

There is no evidence to support the idea that raw dog food makes pets bloodthirsty, and We Feed Raw is nutritionally complete and balanced and uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate pathogens, making it safe.

Debunk the Myths and Join We Feed Raw

Ready to debunk the myths and redefine your dog's nutrition with real, wholesome ingredients, just as nature intended? Join the We Feed Raw pack today and feed your furry friend the way their ancestors thrived. Experience the We Feed Raw difference, where we make raw feeding simple, safe, and satisfying for your canine companion.

Take our quiz to tailor the perfect meal plan for your dog, or explore our subscription options for partial raw feeders. With We Feed Raw, you're not just choosing a meal; you're choosing a healthier, happier life for your beloved pet, bite after wholesome bite.

Visit wefeedraw.com now and start your journey toward optimal canine health and happiness. Your dog's vibrant future awaits!