How to Boost Your Dog’s Diet by Pairing Raw Food with Stay Loyal!

Here at Stay Loyal, we are all about making sure your dog has the best nutrition possible, so she lives a longer, healthier life. Feeding good food saves you money, not just on the food itself, but in vet bills. Just like humans, dogs need a balanced diet. And, just like human food, no dog food can be completely balanced. On the other hand, raw diets are often lacking vitamins and minerals that are essential to your dog’s health as well (thiamine and vitamin B1 deficiency being the two most often seen in raw fed dogs). For these reasons, we recommend adding raw foods to your Stay Loyal food for a balanced diet and healthier dog. There are two types of raw foods you can add to our food – meat and vegetables/fruits. Since dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats, vegetables and fruits do have nutritional benefits for your dog and should be part of their diet.

Raw Meat

We recommend raw meaty bones be added to your dog’s meal two to three times a week. Raw meaty bones like chicken neck (thyroid removed) and chicken wings for small dogs and lamb necks, shanks, brisket and flaps for larger dogs. Beef brisket is also great if your dog doesn’t have a beef allergy.

Raw Meaty Bones are possibly the best teeth cleaning product on the market. Your dog’s teeth are made for tearing and chewing meat and bone. This activity is what cleans them, helping prevent your dog from developing periodontal disease – which will lead to vet bills and even death!

DO NOT COOK MEATY BONES!

Cooked bones become hard and can crack teeth. They are also known to splinter and can cause obstruction. If you have a senior dog and you are worried that even raw bones may break their teeth, you can watch them and remove the bone after they have gotten the meat off. I find lamb brisket and flaps to be quite soft so maybe give them a go.

It’s safest to buy human-grade meat. Studies have shown that raw meats marked for “pets” are not handled as safely as those marked for humans, with over half of them testing positive for E. Coli. While dog’s stomachs can handle some bacteria, feeding it every day can lead to problems.

To help avoid obstruction or choking, be sure you are feeding a raw meaty bone that’s the right size for your dog. For example, a chicken bone could easily be swallowed whole by a Dane and get stuck in his throat. You can also watch your dog to make sure he is chewing and not swallowing whole.

When introducing the bones to your dog make sure you watch them carefully for the first week or two, to make sure they are cautious while chewing on their bone. Some dogs are better about this than others. Some dogs are just gutses and maybe need a special type of bone that suits their enthusiasm. Or maybe its safest for them to never have bones. Be aware that raw meaty bones do occasionally cause issues in a small number of dogs that don’t chew properly. I myself have never had a problem but have heard of bones getting stuck on the way down, so again, some common sense and supervision while feeding meaty bones.

Raw Meaty Bones Help the Anal Glands Excrete Naturally!

What to do if your dog seems constipated after eating bones. As long as the stool comes out, it is fine. I believe these hard stools are a good thing. Here’s why, the hard stool on the way out puts pressure on

the anal glands and makes them excrete. The way nature intended. If your dog actual can’t poo from eating the raw meaty bones, switch to something with less bone and more meat. Or add a bit of Stay Loyal to the meal to add fiber, which will help the stool come out easier.

Finally – there have been a couple recalls recently from big name pet food companies whose wet food were contaminated with elevated levels of naturally occurring thyroid from animal gullets contained in the food. The United States Food & Drug Administration is warning that dogs have already gotten sick from food where the thyroid gland was not completely removed. It can cause weight loss, restlessness, elevated thirsty and urination, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing problems, and even hypothyroidism. So this is another reason to buy human-grade raw meaty bones, rather than pre-packaged raw dog foods.

Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits & vegetables can also add nutrients to your dog’s diet. Some, such as carrots and strawberries, can be fed raw. Others, like pumpkin should be cooked first. Green beans can be canned, frozen, or fresh. If buying canned, be sure you buy the “no salt added” cans. Fruits and vegetables should be added in strict moderation. Some, like pumpkin and green been, add fiber to your dog’s diet and so can help if your dog is having constipation. Green beans are also great if you are working on your dog losing weight – they help your dog feel full without adding too many extra calories. Most fruits and veggies are safe for dogs, but if you are not sure, ask your vet first. Remember to avoid apple cores and seeds, for example.

All Good Things In Moderation!

Just like everything in life, too much of a good thing can do harm. For vegetables, keep them below 10 percent of your dog’s diet.

Too many meaty bones can lead to pancreatitis or gastroenteritis due to the fat content (not to mention weight gain!), so be sure to stick to just two to three times a week as mentioned above and moderate sized servings.

Mixing these raw foods in with your Stay Loyal dog food will keep them happy and healthy, from head to tail, for years to come.