Is Raw Feeding Really that Complicated?

Hello, you lovely Pet Parent, you 😊

Is Raw Feeding Really That Complicated?

Our next big release is raw food.

It’s a biggie for us as it’s the ultimate no nasties product. 

We’ve found a small award-winning raw meat producer in the UK that has over 100 years of expertise in the dog food industry to create the product for us.

It’s an extremely simple meal with no additives or preservatives and consisting of 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal.

If anything, we’ve been a bit slow getting to this point but finding the right manufacturer has been tricky, and as it arrives with you frozen, so has working out the delivery process.

We also and absolutely appreciate that raw feeding is not for everyone. 

There is a price difference, and it is less convenient (Gill and I immediately discovered a freezer space issue).

However, the main issue is that, unfortunately, raw feeding advocates have split into two rival camps – with both proclaiming they are the one true holder of the sacred raw knowledge that must be obeyed. But is raw feeding really that complicated?

Prey vs BARF

The Prey and BARF models have been hammering away at each other for the last few years. So much so that if you try and find out about raw feeding online, it’s highly likely your brain will pop at the excruciating complexity of it all.

However, I’m going to attempt to put it more simply:

Prey = 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal.

BARF = 70% meat, 10% bone, 10% offal, 10% fruit, veg, dairy.

The Prey model is stricter and is based on what our dog’s predecessors ate in the wild.

BARF is more lenient and is based on what dogs went on to eat while hanging around with us.

via GIPHY

Meat-based Diets

As you can see, the similarities are much more profound than the differences.

Meat is the most important part of a dog’s diet, with bone and offal providing the few nutrients unavailable for dogs from the actual meat.

If just feeding 80:10:10 worries you, simply add in some of your fruit or veg, add some sprats, pop a raw egg into the food a couple of times a week.

We don’t measure and weigh out the food for our non-doggy kids – we try to stick to whole, unprocessed foods and distract them as we go past the sweetie section at the tills.

We try and get the basics correct first and foremost because that’s the most important thing.

What about You?

Let us know by replying to this email if you’ve struggled through the debate and found a way that works for you. We’d love to hear about it and share the knowledge and tips you’ve gathered with the rest of the community.

Have yourself a lovely weekend,
Darren

PS
For more information about why experts are increasingly trying to ignore the whole Prey vs BARF argument: https://primalpooch.com/prey-model-vs-barf/

Or for a whole lot more information, try Conor Brady’s excellent book ‘Feeding Dogs: The Science Behind The Dry Versus Raw Debate’ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1916234003/

The kindle version comes in 4 sections, with section 4, ‘Feeding Species Appropriately,’ being particularly useful in this debate https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B093DPD3W6/

PPS
Want to check out our raw dog food now it’s been released? Check it out here: https://shop.bounceandbella.co.uk/collections/raw-dog-food-80-10-10