Health Benefits of Raw Food and Added Hydration for Dogs

Raw food offers many unique nutritional benefits that can not be met by other types of dog food. While some people decide that raw food won’t work for their household, there are other people who are willing to switch when they hear about the health benefits of raw food.

To find out more about the health benefits of raw food, we talked to Lacey Store Staff Member Max Hanckel. Max has been a Muddy for two years, but he’s spent a lot of that time helping people find the right food for their dog. With three dogs in his own family, he’s seen firsthand the impact that feeding raw can have on a dog’s health and overall happiness.

MB: What are the health advantages of raw food for dog?

MH: There are so many! It improves digestion because it’s much less processed. A healthy gut contributes to a stronger immune system. There are fewer indigestible carbohydrates, so there are smaller stools. Dogs typically have visibly healthier skin and coats after switching to raw food. There’s also a visible improvement in overall dental health; many people report that they see less tartar on their dogs’ teeth. The high moisture content of raw food prevents chronic dehydration and the health issues associated with dehydration.

I would also say increased energy levels is something that people notice when their dogs switch to raw food. By choosing raw food, you avoid a lot of unnecessary carbohydrates.

I’ve seen all these improvements and more in my own dog. I never thought that my dog had any joint issues, but when I put him on raw, I noticed him bouncing off the walls. He’s had fewer ear and skin infections and no daily (horrible) digestive upset. There was a definite improvement in his health.

MB: We talk a lot about the nutritional differences between raw food and kibble. But what are the biggest differences between raw food and wet food?

MH: Frozen raw and wet foods have similar moisture content, so they’re both good options if you want to keep your dog hydrated. There’s also a significant increase in high-quality protein in wet food when compared to kibble. You do want to check the label of any wet food you buy if you want to limit the carbohydrates because that varies.

But ultimately, wet food is a cooked product, and therefore more processed than raw. Cooking destroys some vital nutrients, which is why many wet foods need added vitamins to meet your dog’s nutritional requirements. With raw food, you’re getting what you need directly from the food. And with a raw product, you preserve the natural living enzymes in the food that are killed through the heating process. It’s those enzymes that increase digestive efficiency.

MB: Raw food may be too expensive for some households, especially if someone owns a large or extra-large dog. So, what are your recommendations for people who know that a 100-percent raw diet won’t work but they still want the health benefits?

MH: I like to tell people that 25-percent raw food is a great amount to feed your dog. It’s a large enough percentage of raw food that your dog gets a lot of the benefits without a significant cost increase. Some people find that buying a bag of small bite freeze-dried raw food works well because they can just add some raw food on top of the kibble when they feed their dogs. For small dogs, or any pet eating primarily wet food, it can be comparable in price to feed frozen raw, and you get all the added benefits of raw.

But for people who are willing to feed frozen raw, you get the intercellular moisture that’s not in dried raw food options. I find that people who use freeze-dried food don’t always mix it with water. They just top it off with freeze-dried food. Hydration is a major component of what makes frozen raw such a healthy option. Frozen raw is also the most cost-effective option.

If someone can’t feed their dog 25-percent raw food consistently, I recommend using freeze-dried dog treats as rewards, giving your dog raw bones to chew on and thinking about other ways to boost the amount of raw food they eat. There are also brands that make foods that are a mix of raw bits and kibble, which is a great way to add some raw into your dog’s diet.