by A Brief History Lesson on Dog Food
As a dog owner in the past, I never really thought about the importance of feeding my dog a nutritious diet. As a kid, I always fed my dog a few cups of dry dog food, moistened by a cup of warm water (gross). On occasion we would give canned dog food as a treat. This was, and still is today, how millions of dogs are fed by their owners here in America. Are you one of these dog owners? If you are, it is only because you lack the knowledge of what a dogs nutritional needs consist of. You may be asking yourself, “What is the Best Dog Food for Rottweilers?”
I was one of these people as well until my first Rottweiler died at the age of nine from a ruptured spleen. I fed my Rotti a commercial dog food (both dry food and can food) that contained ingredients that were harmful to his well-being. After his death I sought answers that would explain why his spleen had ruptured. After roughly three days surfing the internet, I would have my answers as to why.
I was saddened by what I had found, but not totally surprised to learn that a poor canine diet can contribute to a ruptured spleen. I thought to myself, “How foolish of me to believe that my dog could receive all the benefits of nutrition from a bag of kibble , or canned dog food. ” Wow,” I thought to myself, ” I am the guy who is responsible for basically feeding my dog poison.” Many of the top dog food manufactures in the last five to ten years have attempted to turn over a new leaf by offering dog foods that contain wholesome ingredients such as chicken, lamb, beef, and sweet potatoes. This is just another power grab for the money of unsuspecting dog owners.
Dog food manufacturers have upped their game by creating beautiful ads via their websites containing pictures depicting cuts of lamb, chicken, beef and various vegetables. This is only a plow to profit from unsuspecting consumers who want the best for their dogs. Most of the dog food brands sold in a can or bag contain mostly carbohydrates, fillers, and low end proteins that have been stripped of its nutritional value. The reason most pet food manufactures provide dog food that is void of any real nutrition is; they make lots of money by providing You the consumer a product that they pay very little for.
According to the American Pet Products Association, pet food makes up the majority of money spent on pet products. In 2017, sales were 29.07 Billion dollars. Yes, I said a billion! In 2018 30.32 billion was spent by consumers on dog food. The percentage of pet food growth from 2017-2018 was 4.3%. These totals represent a combined total for all pet food manufacturers. The most frequent food purchased is premium dog food, followed by generic and natural food.
This increase in profit is due to rising prices, and sales of food made with premium ingredients. In 2019 pet food is estimated to increase by 4.5%. A 4.5% increase equals 31.68 billion dollars. The business of selling processed dog food emerged after World War II. It was during this time that dog food was manufactured from animal by products and grain in slaughter houses and mills across America.
In February 1990, the San Francisco Chronicle published a two-part story by Keith Woods (The Dark Side of Recycling) on a meat rendering plant in Soutern California. A short definition for a rendering plant: is a plant that converts livestock carcasses, grease and other waste into other usable forms. The one rendering plant in question was processing dead dogs, cats, rats, and other dead animals that found their way to the facility.
Once the meat rendering process is complete, the product is used for animal feed. Yes, I said Animal feed, and if you are wondering if this animal feed is dog food, you are most certainly correct. Dog food that contains toxic ingredients unfit for your Rottweiler, or any any animal in general.
Before the dog food industry came into existence, dogs were fed table scraps from their owners, and most likely scavenged for the rest. Dogs who had wealthy owners were fed prepared balanced, nutritious meals. Not until the inception of packaged dog food as an easier alternative to feeding dogs, would Americans buy into the convenience of feeding their dogs commercial dog food from either a bag or can. I was one of these Americans at one time, and you may be one of these Americans now. But it is never too late to change your ways for the benefit of your Rotti, or any other breed of dog that resides in your household.
A Raw Rottweiler Diet
The best possible diet that you can feed your Rottweiler is a balanced raw natural diet. There have been many debates regarding what to feed dogs in general for many years. Dog experts have in the past, and currently continue to debate if dogs are carnivores or omnivores. I have also come to this conclusion that Dogs are carnivores like their distant cousins the wolf, and fundamentally have the same digestive systems. I am not a expert in this field, but it just makes sense if you compare other studies on the subject of what constitutes a dogs diet in the wild. Wolves eat meat, vegetables, and scavenge for food.
When wolves eat other animals, they usually eat the bulk of the animal. This bulk includes the bones, muscle, and organs. The organs of the animals eaten contain various types of vegetation found in the wild. In addition, wolves forest for fruits and vegetables in the wild. Domesticated dogs of the day require the same type of diet as their distant relatives, the wolf.
A raw diet is a much superior nutritional source of food for your Rottweiler. If you can prepare meals for yourself, you can prepare a meal for your dog. When I first learned of the raw diet for dogs, I thought it required too much work. Because I refuse to feed my dog commercial dog food, I gave it a try. All it requires is planning, patience, and developing your own feeding system.
A raw diet consist of feeding your Rottweiler various raw meats (Raw meaty bones) and vegetables. I feed my Rotti raw chicken, raw beef, raw eggs, raw chicken gizzards, raw ground turkey meat, sardines, bananas, puréed spinach, lettuce and raw pumpkin, to name a few of the items on his menu. To account for any other nutrients that my dog may be deficient in, I give him brewers yeast, Norwegian Sea kelp, and omega 3 vitamins. This is not an exhaustive least since there are many other types of food that can safely be added to your dogs diet.
Attempting to feed your Rotti the perfect diet that contains every known nutrient at every feeding is ridiculous, and at best impossible. Even if you were a trained dog nutritionist, I would be skeptical that it would benefit your dog in the long run. Do we feed ourselves a perfect balanced meal at each eating? I don’t, and most likely most other people don’t either. We eat different meals over the course of a day, week month and years, obtaining a balanced diet over time. It is no different for your Rottweiler.
The Raw Diet Menu
Since Rottweilers are carnivores, and carnivores thrive on high levels of protein, it is safe to say that their diet should consist of mostly protein. Protein is a major element responsible for your dogs immune system. High quality proteins contain all the essential amino acids, and are called”complete” proteins. Complete proteins should make up most of your Rottweilers diet. These proteins are:
Muscle Meat
- Chicken
- Beef
- Lamb
- Pork
- Rabbit
Dairy Products
- Cottage Cheese
- Plain Yogurt
- Milk
- Butter
Organ Meats
- Liver
- Heart
- Kidney
- Tripe
Any ” incomplete” proteins that you feed your dog are considered plant based proteins. These proteins are:
Plants
- Spinach
- Lettuce (outer leaves)
- Broccoli
- Brussel Sprouts
- Carrots
- Corn
- Sweet Potatoes
- Mushrooms
- Whole grains
- Brown Rice
- Oat Flakes
- Wheat Germ
- Wholemeal bread
- Dried/Fresh Fruit
- Peas
- Beans/Baked Beans
Other miscellaneous additives that can be added to the diet are:
- Norwegian Sea Kelp
- Brewers Yeast
- Molases
- Wheat Germ Oil
- Cottonseed Oil
- Safflower Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Peanut Oil
Eggs
- Egg white/yolk (the egg is the perfect protein and contains all the essential amino acids)
Fish
- Sardines ( fish should be served together with other meats. Fish lacks Vitamin E, and should be served sparingly).
Other food Additives
- Brewers Yeast
Brewers yeast contains the richest and most concentrated supply of nutrients. It contains B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Nicotinic acid), B5 (Calcium Pantothenate), B6 ( Pyridoxine), Pangamic acid, Folic acid, Biotin, and Para, aminobenzoic acid.
- Kelp
Contains valuable source of sodium, potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, molybdenum, cobalt, copper, zinc, and most importantly Iodine.
- Garlic
Feeding your Rottweiler garlic is beneficial in keeping fleas away, keeps blood pressure down, kills fungus, kills bacteria, supports the immune system, and keeps fats at a normal level within the system. A clove or two a day is enough for a Rottweiler. kyolic garlic is a better choice when compared to over processed brands on the store shelf ( Kyolic garlic is a fermented aged garlic).
Proteins
Protein is the primary food source of carnivores, and one of the most important elements of your dogs diet. Proteins promotes a healthy core, skin, and organ health to name a few. The type of proteins I will be referring to are all animal based proteins, shown in the list above: chicken, beef, lamb, eggs, etc. Proteins contain the amino acids that are an essential part of a dogs diet.
There are two types of amino acids. Essential amino acids, and non-essential amino acids. Feeding your Rotti a quality protein, should reflect that of a complete protein. A quality protein will consist of a higher number of amino acids. The higher the number of amino acids in the quality meat source, the better the digestibility of the protein.
Believe it or not, the “egg”, is the king of protein quality, and it contains all the essential amino acids. The next best protein source is animal meat and organs. Nonessential amino acid can be obtained through other food sources, or synthesized through your dogs body.
Although plant sources contain protein, they should not be used as the main source of your Rotti’s diet. Other protein sources That should not be used as a main protein source is starches and grains. And whatever you do, stay away from processed commercial dog food sources. Commercial dog food sources usually contain low quality protein sources. Your Rotti needs all the advantages of quality protein, such as healthy skin, a shiny coat, and a strong immune system.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates contain proteins for your Rottweiler that are beneficial for overall health, others are not. Matter of fact these proteins are derived from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are not easily digested by dogs and usually result in intestinal irritation and spasms due to a long digestion rate.
The carbohydrates found in processed dog foods contain large amounts of simple sugars, starch, and insoluble fiber which is usually grains. These carbohydrates usually cause smelly stools, irritable bowel syndrome, problems in the colon/rectum, and gas. Some carbohydrates have been found to also cause seizures, allergies, and arthritis. All carbohydrates are of course not created equally. Selecting the right carbohydrates for your dog such as green leafy vegetables, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, green lettuce leaves, carrots, and celery are the best choices.
In order to provide your dog with all the beneficial nutrients of these vegetables, they must be prepared a certain way. Because vegetables contain cellulose, and dogs cannot digest cellulose, all vegetables must be crushed. There are several methods you can employ to accomplish this task, such as using a blender or juicer. Feeding your dog solid vegetables will pass through your dogs digestive tract unchanged.
However, some precautions should be taken when feeding your dog vegetables from the cabbage family. It is not advisable to feed large amounts of cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and broccoli over a long period. These vegetables can effect the functioning of the thyroid gland. Beans and peas should also be fed in limited amounts.
Fats
With so much talk regarding fats in our diet, you may be wondering if fat in a dogs diet is applicable. Fats are beneficial for the health and well-being of your Rottweiler. Since dogs have different anatomies from humans, they also have different nutritional Requirements as well. Dogs can actually handle more fat in their diets than humans. Fats from animal sources such as, meat, fish, fish oil, and whole milk yogurt are best.
Fats also provide omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids to your dogs diet. Omega-6 fatty acids are more abundant than omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in meat protein sources like pork, chicken, and beef. Other sources can be acquired through plant sources such as safflower oil, olive oil, and corn oil. Since omega-6 fatty acids are more abundant, there is really no need for supplementation.
Omega-3 fatty acids are another story. Omega-3s are much harder to come by in a raw diet consisting of mostly high quality protein. There are proteins sources that do contain omega-3 Fatty acids such as rabbit and lamb’s liver. Lean beef also contains small amounts as well. A better source is fish oil salmon oil, sardine oil, mackerel oil, spirulina and blue-green algae. I give my Rotti EPA/DHA fish oil via capsules.
Fish liver oil (cod liver oil) is also a well-known source of omega-3 fatty acids, but should not be part of your dogs diet. Fish liver oils contain high levels of vitamins A and D, which are abundantly found in a raw diet. Adding more A and D vitamins could be detrimental to your dogs health. Do not give your dog fish liver oil (cod liver oil).
Vitamins
Although dogs are physiologically different from humans, they still require similar dietary basics such as vitamins. Vitamins help support normal cell function, and growth. In order to keep your dog healthy and free from disease, it is of utmost importance to supplement your dog with the required vitamins.
These Vitamins are beneficial for stamina, disease resistance, growth, and the reproductive process. Other benefits include a properly functioning immune system, removal of toxins from the body, pregnancy, and lactation. Vitamins come in two categories: water-soluble and fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins are non-toxic, while some fat soluble vitamins can build toxicity in your Rotti’s body if given in large amounts. Care should be taken when giving your dog fat soluble vitamins.
Water Soluble Vitamins:
Vitamin B (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6,B-12) Giving your dog a B complex vitamin is your best bet to cover all the B vitamins.
Vitamin B food sources:
- Eggs (with yolk)
- Fish
- Meat
- Organ meats (heart, liver, brain, and kidney)
- Poultry
- Yogurt
- Fresh fruit (ripe)
- Vegetables (green leafy)
- Brewers yeast
Providing your dog with a combination of all the B vitamins will ensure healthy skin, good vision, good kidney function, nerve development, internal organ health, and blood production. Because vitamin B vitamins are water-soluble, they do not pose a health risk to your dog if given in excess. B vitamins given in excess, will be eliminated through the urination process.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C food sources:
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Pineapple
- Collard greens
- Strawberries
- Parsley
- Brussel sprouts
- Turnip greens
Fat Soluble Vitamins:
Vitamin A
Vitamin A Food Sources:
- Beef
- Eggs
- Chicken liver
- Dairy
- Spinach
- Kale
- Fruits
- Carrots
- Cantaloupes
- Vegetables
The benefits of vitamin A for your Rottweiler are a strong respiratory system, skin health, reproduction, anti-aging, eye health, normal growth, adrenal health, and bone growth. Feeding your dog foods rich in vitamin A should suffice without additional supplementation. A diet of liver one, or two times a week should supply enough vitamin A on a regular basis.
Vitamins A falls in the fat soluble category, and can be toxic when supplemented with foods that are naturally rich in vitamin A. Take care when giving your Rotti vitamin A in high amounts. Some dogs can not tolerate high levels of Vitamin A, and dogs with liver and kidney issues may be negatively affected by additional supplementation.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Food Sources:
- Fish liver oils
- Dairy products (with additional vitamins)
- Fatty saltwater fish
- Natural sunlight
Vitamin D is the easiest vitamin to acquire. All you need is sunshine. If your dog spends most of the time outside, this vitamin is not needed to supplement your dogs diet. However, providing more than is needed to the diet, can cause toxicity. High levels of vitamin D will trigger more calcium, and phosphorus absorption.
Giving your Rotti adequate levels of Vitamin D are key to heart health, nerve development, bone development, muscle tone, and the metabolism of calcium/phosphorus. A vitamin D deficiency for a puppy will cause growth issues, and will eventually result in bone related issues as your dog ages.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K food sources
- Green vegetables
- Liver
- Fish
Vitamin K helps to clot blood caused by cuts and scratches. Another benefit of vitamin K is reproduction and bone growth.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E food sources:
- Eggs
- Green leafy vegetables
- Organ meats
- Wheat germ oil, cotton seed oil, safflower oil, etc.
Vitamin E is beneficial for fighting against, aging, arthritis, circulation, and protecting vitamin c from oxidizing, cancer, and nervous system regulation. The danger of giving too much vitamin E can lead to toxicity In addition, a sudden increase in the amount of vitamin E given to a dog with high blood pressure can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure.
Minerals
If you decide to feed your Rotti a diet consisting of RMB’s, minerals can be acquired through the bones of chicken, beef, pork, etc. If you are feeding your dog a RMB diet there is no need for additional supplementation. The vital minerals for your Rotti are, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iodine, iron potassium, copper, chromium, manganese, selenium, and magnesium.
Calcium
We all know how important calcium is for healthy bones and teeth. If you choose not to feed your dog a raw diet with bones, you will need to supplement your dogs diet accordingly. The best forms of calcium for supplementation are calcium, and calcium citrate. Foods that contain calcium are cottage cheese, yogurt, sardines, cheese, mackerel, salmon, and of course raw meaty bones. Not providing sufficient amounts of calcium can cause problems with your Rottweilers bones teeth, and heart.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a runner-up to calcium and very abundant in a cooked raw diet as well a raw meaty bone diet. Foods containing phosphorus are, fish meat, dairy goods, and grains. Supplementation of phosphorus is not needed since it is found in most foods. Because phosphorus is never lacking in food, it is unlikely that your dog will need more. A diet which contains high levels of phosphorus can cause bone disease.
Zinc
Zinc is another mineral abundantly found in quality protein sources such as Fish, eggs, meats, and poultry. Some signs of a dog deficient in zinc are, hair loss, skin problems, an inability to heal, and lack of appetite.
Iodine
Iodine is beneficial for your dogs thyroid gland and assist with its function. A short list of Foods containing iodine are fish, shellfish, and kelp. Although iodine helps with the function of the thyroid gland, it can become a double-edged sword. Iodine is toxic if given liberally. It has the opposite effect on the thyroid gland by causing it to shut down, or become enlarged.
Iron
Unlike humans, dogs do not have a difficult time acquiring sufficient levels of iron. Iron is readily abundant in meat, liver, poultry, and eggs. Supplementation is not needed if your dog’s diet is complete. The advantages of iron are cell production, and fighting anemia. Signs of low iron are, irritability, heart issues, pale gums, and listlessness.
Potassium
Potassium is a mineral that can be found in raw foods such as, meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products. The benefits of potassium are glucose conversion, muscle contractions, and hormone secretions. There is no need to provide supplementation for potassium, unless your dog has a deficiency. Signs of potassium deficiency are spasms, rapid heartbeat, and listlessness.
Copper
Copper is another mineral which can be obtained through a variety of foods found in a raw diet. Copper aids in the absorption of iron, oxidation of fatty acids, and the development of bone. These foods are meat, and fish. Any deficiencies of copper present themselves as anemia, and bone abnormalities.
Chromium
Chromium is easily obtained through muscle meat, cheese, and liver. Chromium is responsible for the creation of insulin, and the metabolism of blood glucose. Problems associated with low chromium are, fat build up in the bloodstream.
Manganese
Manganese is a mineral found in Kelp, seaweeds, and blue-green algae. The benefits of manganese is the lowering of blood sugar, nerve function, enzyme production/metabolism, bone growth, and bone reproduction. Some problems associated with low levels of manganese are poor growth, reproductive problems, and bone abnormalities.
Selenium
Selenium works in association with vitamin E. Adding vitamin E will aid in uptake of selenium. Selenium is good for protecting vital organs such as the heart/liver, managing neurological problems associated with the muscles, and preventing cancer. Selenium is found in Meat, organ meat, and fish. Any deficiencies of selenium can cause heart problems, reproductive issues, and muscle weakness.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral found in meat, fish, and dairy products. The benefits of magnesium are healthy nerve function, healthy bones, and muscle relaxation. Extra supplementation is not a concern if feeding your dog a balanced raw, or natural diet. If your dog has low levels of magnesium, he/she will show signs of sleeplessness, depression, and nervous system conditions.
What Type of Natural Diet is Right For Your Rottweiler?
The right natural diet for your Rottweiler is what ever diet works for you and your pet. What ever diet you select will certainly be far superior to any commercial pet food diet you purchase. The foods that I purchase for my own consumption such as meats, vegetables, and fruits, are the same foods that I feed my dog.
I feed my Rottweiler a Raw Diet. The meats and vegetables are always raw. Feeding your dog raw meat includes the bones as well. I feed my Rott mostly chicken breast without the bones, along with chicken wings with the bones of course. When I feed beef, it is usually without the bone.
Beef bone in most cases is harder than chicken bone due to the age of the animal. A chickens’ life cycle is much shorter. More recently I have included chicken backs to my dogs diet. Variety is the best alternative to feeding dogs. In the future I plan to add other quality protein sources such as pork, and lamb (with the bone).
I know some of you are probably thinking “YOU FEED YOUR DOG BONES”. The short answer is yes,” I feed my Rottweiler bones”. The most important thing to remember if you choose to add RMB’s to your dogs diet, is to Never serve Cooked Bones. You might also be wondering if there is a chance of salmonella poisoning.
Salmonella poisoning does not pose a risk to healthy dogs. It is common for dogs to carry salmonella bacteria in their digestive system according to the American Vetrinarian Medical Association (AVMA). Salmonella is definitely unsafe for humans, so take caution if you decide to feed your dog raw meat. Most of us handle meat when preparing our own meals, and have a sanitizing routine after doing so.
A raw diet meat prep tip is to place your chicken breast, chicken wings, or chicken gizzards in a 32 oz. glass Pyrex measuring cup, and pour boiling water over the chicken ( I use a electric tea kettle to boil water). Stir the chicken for 30 seconds and repeat the process once more. When preparing beef, pork, or lamb, place the beef in a Pyrex cup, and defrost it in the microwave until warm to the touch. This meat prep process will kill any salmonella bacteria that exist.
There are drawbacks to feeding dogs bones. Usually Cooked bones cause the most undesirable results for dogs. Cooked bones become brittle when cooked, and splinter when chewed or broken. The probability of your dog having an issue eating cooked bones is piercing the intestine, injuring the mouth, or getting stuck in the rectum.
Raw bones also can have some associated safety risk as well. A raw bone can become a problem if your dog can not handle large bones, or fails to chew the bone adequately. Rottweiler’s in my experience are aggressive chewers and can handle fairly large bones as adults, but should be supervised as puppies.
If you are still feeling apprehensive feeding bones to your Rotti, there are other options available. The bones can be placed in a meat grinder, or purchased as prepackaged protein sources with the grounded bone. Bone is an important part of the raw diet, they are loaded with minerals, calcium, and vitamins.
Another advantage of feeding raw bones is the teeth whitening properties. Dogs fed raw meaty bones have cleaner teeth. A trip to my local veterinarian for teeth cleaning for my Rotti would cost around $300-$400 dollars. The last time I asked my vet about teeth cleaning, he said my dogs teeth were fine. I can credit my dogs teeth cleanliness to the raw bones that he is fed.
My Rotti is three years old now, and only gets his teeth periodically brushed by me when necessary. I can guarantee you that if your dog is being fed a commercial dog food diet on a regular basis for an extended amount of time, your dog will build tooth tartar. The effects of tooth tartar can expose your dog to gum inflammation, infections, loose teeth, and can even effect your Rotti’s internal organs. Excessive tooth tartar can be detrimental to your dogs health.
The best raw meaty bones to feed your Rotti is chicken. The chicken bone is loaded with nutrients, they are softer, and readily available at the supermarket for less than you would pay for beef, lamb, or pork. A regular staple of raw meaty bones that I feed my Rotti are a combo of chicken wings, and chicken breast. I add variety to my dogs diet by feeding the chicken wings with chicken gizzards. Every once in a while I serve a beef only meal with no bones.
The most important aspect of feeding a raw diet to your dog is variety over a long period time. Basically you want to feed many food (safe foods) types in their raw form. If you decide not to feed your dog a RMB diet simply because you feel it is unsafe to feed any type of bones to your Rotti, that’s understandable.
There is still yet another option for feeding your dog a diet that will surpass any commercial dog food diet. That is a cooked diet for your dog. If you decide to go the cooked diet route exclusively, there are additional guidelines to follow. A cooked food diet without the addition of bones will lack calcium. Calcium supplementation will be required at this point. The preparation of vegetables will require one additional step. The vegetables must be cooked (boiled, steamed), and then mashed or puréed for consumption.
Animal protein sources in this type of diet should be 50-75 percent, with the remaining 25 percent vegetables. Grains such as oatmeal, rice, etc., should stay below one percent of the diet. Remember to always keep your dogs diet varied with different foods in order to take advantage of the vitamins and minerals that they contain.
For example fish is a good source of calcium. No calcium supplementation would be required for this fish meal, it contains an adequate amount. Beef on the other hand is a good source of iron. Exposing your dog to all the suitable varieties of food, will ensure that your Rotti benefits from all the needed nutrients for optimal health.
Are you still not sold on providing a raw meaty bone diet, or even a natural cooked food diet for your Rottweiler. Are you a skeptic when it comes to something new and strange? Or maybe your just a little doubtful that a raw or natural diet is the best choice for your dog.
There is yet another variation of a natural diet that you might consider trying if your not completely sold on an all raw meaty bone diet, or a natural cooked diet. A partial kibble and partial raw, or partial kibble and partial cooked diet might be a better alternative to all raw or natural. However, keep in mind that commercial dog kibble is loaded with carbohydrates. If you decide to go the route of the combination diet, it might become necessary to supplement your dogs diet with the missing nutrients.
Final Thoughts
In closing, I would like to add some final thoughts on feeding a raw, natural, or also known as”Barf” diet to your dog. I realize this diet is not for everyone for many reasons or concerns. However, I believe it is the healthiest way to provide the necessary nutrition for our K9 friends. The commercial dog food industry has probably made some changes that may seem to benefit our dogs nutritional needs on some levels, but ultimately they are still falling short.
The health of dogs today is declining at an alarming rate (a post for another day). Dogs are prone to similar diseases as humans now. Diseases like diabetes, and obesity were not common until the introduction of commercial dog food in 1860 by James Spratt.
The nutritional benefits of feeding your dog a raw, or natural cooked diet, outweighs feeding a commercial dog food, by leaps and bounds. There are some cons to feeding raw/natural diets as described in this post. One is the prep-time needed to prepare and store the food. Number two is bones can be dangerous for your dog if fed cooked, and sometimes dangerous raw. If you decide to try the “RMB” diet just remember, ” Never to Feed Your Dog Cooked Bones“.
Number three, if your not providing your a dog a diet with a variety of meats, vegetables, and fruits, you will have missed the mark. The Natural and RMB diet will have similar effects as the commercial dog food if the diet is lacking variety.
I still believe the Natural and RMB diet is far superior to any mass produced commercial food diet. Here are a few of the benefits of feeding your dog a raw or natural diet: high energy levels, healthy bones and teeth, fresher breath, vigor, a beautiful coat, longer life span, fewer trips to a Veterinarian, etc.etc.etc.
Disclaimer: Living with a Rottweiler does not assume responsibility for any harm that may occur to your Rottweiler resulting from feeding a diet which contains bones. As stated in this post; there are inherent complications that can, and could occur while feeding “Raw Meaty Bones”. It is also the dog owners responsibility to check with a competent veterinarian for guidance regarding your dogs diet plan.
Bibliography
Olson, Lew. Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs: the Definitive Guide to Homemade Meals. North Atlantic, 2015.
Billinghurst, Ian. “Give Your Dog a Bone-Kindle Edition by Billinghurst, Dr…“Give Your Dog A Bone: Warrigal, 1 Jan. 93AD, www.amazon.com/Give-Your-Dog-Bone-Billinghurst-ebook/dp/B008BUSOHM.
“American Pet Products Association (APPA),” American Pet Products Association, americanpetproducts.org/.
“The Shocking Truth About Commercial Dog Food.” Dog Food Advisor, 10 Jan. 2015, www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-industry-exposed/shocking-truth-about-dog-food/.
“American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA),” American Veterinary Medical Association, avma.org/.
