Dogs are carnivores. They need meat and raw meaty bones. They get energy from fat, not from carbohydrates like humans do. A raw food diet is by far the best choice for carnivores, and once you learn how to feed your dog this way, it’s easy and affordable. You can start adding raw meaty bones to your dog’s diet right now, no matter what kind of food she eats. Your dog will have clean, white teeth. You’ll notice a big improvement in her poo -- it’s smaller and smells a whole lot better than what is produced from a commercial diet.

Think of it this way: your dog’s digestive system is the same as a wolf’s. Even though dogs have been bred to look and behave differently from wolves, they still digest food the same way as their cousins. So how does a wolf get their food? Do they scour corn fields? Graze on wheat? Of course not! They rip and tear meat from fresh kill -- their teeth were created to work that way. It’s commonly believed that wolves get small amounts of fruits, vegetables, and grain from the stomachs of their prey. This doesn’t seem true after all. According to wolf expert L. David Mech, wolves eat the stomach contents of their prey only if the animal is small, like a rabbit. (Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation, 2003). Otherwise, “the wolf’s diet consists mostly of muscle meat and fatty tissue from various animals. Heart, lung, liver, and other internal organs are eaten. Bones are crushed to get at the marrow, and bone fragments are eaten as well. Even hair and skin are sometimes consumed.” (Kerwood Wildlife Education Center.)

The act of eating a carcass involves a wolf’s whole body. They use their neck & shoulder muscles as well as their teeth and jaws when they eat raw meaty bones. It’s a great workout, keeps them strong, and adds to their overall health.

The short digestive tract of wolves & dogs allows them to eat things with bacteria that would make us sick. Also, they have very strong digestive enzymes that break the food down quickly. This means everything goes through their system in 4-6 hours. That’s why your dog can eat gross things out of the garbage with little effect -- maybe some burping, gas, or a little diarrhea, but nothing serious.

It’s a myth that they’ll get salmonella from fresh raw meat or raw eggs. We might get salmonella from handling raw meat, so keep your hands and kitchen clean, and keep the raw meat wrapped up and separate from other food in the fridge, and you’ll be fine. And don’t worry about raw eggs. In fact, raw eggs are great for dogs! Include the shell for calcium. Eggs provide great nutrients, including Omega 3 & 6.

Rawhide and Greenies are much more dangerous -- not only can dogs choke on the pieces, they can get quite sick because the stuff is indigestible. Bones, on the other hand, get softened up fairly quickly in a dog’s stomach because they have strong digestive enzymes made for the purpose. There is always a possibility that a dog will choke on a piece of bone, especially if it’s small and they try to swallow it whole. But they can choke on anything -- rubber toys, tennis balls, shoes, socks, etc. We just need to keep an eye on our dogs to make sure they’re safe. Canines have teeth made for ripping raw meat and jaws made for crunching raw bones -- it’s natural for them.

Any bones that have been cooked are extremely dangerous for dogs. When bones are cooked, they become sharp and splintery. Raw chicken bones are totally OK.

You can learn more about the raw food diet from the list of books below. If you’re starting with bones, these are the basic principles to keep in mind:

1. Feed meaty bones raw.

2. Feed meaty bones in large pieces to ensure maximum cleaning of teeth and gums.

3. Feed meaty bones from a variety of animals -- for instance, chicken, venison, and rabbit -- thus ensuring a good nutritional balance.

(adapted from Work Wonders: Feed Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones by Tom Lonsdale, p. 19)

Your dog will be so happy when you start giving her raw meaty bones! And you will love her fresh breath and white teeth. Plus, it will be so much more pleasant cleaning up your yard from now on!