A Dog is a Carnivore

Your dog is a carnivore. The Oxford English Dictionary definition for a dog is – “a domesticated carnivorous mammal…carnivore”) and a carnivore is a “mammal with pointed teeth specialized for eating flesh…and feeding on animals”. This is a simple statement and a biological fact.

The nearest relative to the domestic dog in the wild is a wolf. And they are hugely similar. Not in the way they run around killing things to eat. They have no need to do that, because we look after their needs on the food front. Years of domestication have taught the dog to rely on humans for food. However, those years of domestication have not changed the metabolism and digestive system from their wild forefathers. They are still built to eat and process meat and bones. Their jaws and teeth are designed to rip and tear meat, which is why they are short and pointy. They do not have flat teeth for grinding vegetation and cereals. Their metabolism and digestive system is designed to process meat and bone. In short – a dog is designed to eat a species appropriate diet.

Did you know that a healthy dog can eat, digest and poo a meal of raw meaty bone faster than a meal of kibble. During this time the amino acids etc. will have taken the goodness from the meal and then processed as waste (poo) what is not required by the body. 70% of that meal will have been retained by the body to use the vitamins and nutrients in positive ways. In contrast, a dog eating commercial dried foods, with their high content of cereals and other “fillers”, will take much longer to process this “alien” meal. Kibble can sit undigested in the stomach for long periods, increasing the risk of bloat and wind. Very little goodness will be absorbed by the body, to the extent that 70% will be excreted as poo. Yes 70% waste – as a pose to 70% goodness for the raw natural diet. So proof, if you were in any doubt, of what you should be feeding your dog.

Contact us at Paws Naturally for more information, advice and guidance, Together – we can make a difference to your dog’s life.