The debate surrounding whether kibble or raw dog food is best for your dog is a complicated one. There are many different versions of ‘kibble’ and ‘raw’ so it’s not as simple as one is bad for your dog and the other good, but there are benefits to both. We thought we would outline the positives and negatives of both raw and kibble dog food to explain the discourse and help make choosing a healthy dog food a bit easier.
Raw Dog Food
With the name ‘raw’, it’s easy to presume that this is the healthiest option. For humans, raw diets are on the rise because it is claimed to be the most natural, but, is this the same for dogs? The main benefits raw food typically provides, are:
- Shiny coats
- Healthy skin
- Higher energy levels.
- Cleaner teeth & better breath
- Smaller and firmer Stools
How healthy is raw dog food
When looking for the right dog food, there are a few things that you ought to consider. Firstly, raw is typically the most optimal option when it comes to protein being bioavailable. On average, raw has around 13-14% crude protein. Crude protein is the measure of all proteins within dog food. This may seem reasonably low in comparison to other options, but raw is the most bioavailable, thus meaning it can be absorbed more effectively and 13-14% is typically what dogs would be use to in the wild.
If you are choosing to feed your dog pre-mixed raw mince, you will struggle to find a product that is made from only one meat source. Feeding your dog healthy food that contains only one meat is far better for their digestion. If your dog has intolerances, feeding them mixed-meat dog food increases their chances of a flare up. The most common meat allergy occurs in chicken and the second most being beef. But commonly Chicken and salmon are the ones found in most dog foods, as these are two of the cheapest to produce raw dog food ingredients
When it comes to the ratio of meat to bone, raw food varies. Some are 90% meat, 10% bone; 70% meat, 30% bone; or some recommend 100% meat and no bone at all. Each dog has a different level of tolerance to bone, so it’s a personal choice as to what suits your dog best. However, in most cases, eating too much bone can cause constipation, so it’s best to choose a food with lower bone content to start with.
Kibble Dog Food
Just like raw food, the difference between types of kibble out there vary considerably, so it’s important that we don’t shine all kibble foods in the same light - for both good and bad.
However, some typical generic advantages to kibble include: kibble or raw dog food
- It’s long-lasting
- It’s more hygienic
- Easier Feed
- More Convenient
- Can use it as treats
- A complete dog food
But we should really dive into the details, to discover additional advantages which certain brands are currently offering.
