Choosing the best diet for your dog is likely to be the most significant decision you will make about his future health. Many people use two types of food: raw and kibble. Both methods have their merits and their downfalls, and each has its own unique considerations.
Many pet owners like to feed their dogs a raw diet simply because it seems more natural. Other pet owners prefer to give their pets kibble for the same reason that kibble is so convenient, cost-effective, and abundant in comparison. To make an educated decision regarding the type of diet to give your dog, you need to understand the basics of both options in relation to your dog’s needs, lifestyle, and any current health conditions your dog may have.
What Is a Raw Diet?
Raw diets consist of a variety of uncooked items such as meat, bone, organ, and even fruits and vegetables. The primary purpose of feeding a raw diet is to replicate what we believe our ancestors ate. People who choose to feed their dogs a raw diet believe that it can help improve coat condition, increase energy, and improve overall digestive health. However, a raw diet must be carefully formulated and monitored to ensure the nutritional completeness of the diet, as well as to prevent food-borne illness. If the diet is not properly managed, then there is an increased risk of bacterial contamination due to the fact that the food was not cooked prior to consumption. Therefore, proper handling and storage of raw diets are extremely critical.
What Is Kibble?
Kibble is pre-packaged dried dog food that is manufactured using a cooking process and other various processes that combine raw ingredients such as meat, grain, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals into a nutritionally complete product. One advantage of kibble is the ease of access and convenience that it provides. Allowing for quick, simple, and easy storage, measuring, and feeding, most commercial kibbles are formulated according to complete nutrient profiles for dogs at every stage of development. High-quality kibble manufacturers design their products to be consistent in providing every nutrient your dog needs regularly, simplifying the daily feeding process for pet owners.
Benefits of a Raw Diet
Pet owners who choose a raw diet tend to favor a more natural way of caring for their pets. Many individuals feel that feeding their pet a raw diet results in healthier-looking coats, cleaner teeth, and fewer digestive issues. In addition, raw diets offer tremendous flexibility in terms of customizing the exact composition of what your dog consumes. This can be particularly beneficial for pet owners whose pets experience specific food sensitivities or allergies. Additionally, some dogs find the taste and texture of raw food far superior to that of processed kibble. For example, picky-eating dogs may be more apt to consume meals if provided with a raw diet rather than kibble.
Risks of a Raw Diet
Although there are several potential benefits associated with feeding your dog a raw diet, there are also numerous potential drawbacks. Perhaps one of the largest concerns with consuming a raw diet is bacterial contamination (e.g., Salmonella or E. coli) that poses serious threats to the health of both the canine consumer and the human handler if improper handling techniques are employed during the preparation and service of meals. Another concern is assuring that your raw diet contains sufficient amounts of all required vitamins and minerals. Without careful planning and implementation of a nutrient-balanced raw diet, severe vitamin/mineral deficiencies can occur over extended periods of time. Finally, maintaining a raw diet can be both costly and time-consuming as you continually seek out new supplies of high-quality, fresh ingredients to add to your dog’s menu.
Benefits of Kibble
One of the reasons why kibble is so popular among pet owners is that it provides a convenient and nutritionally complete source of calories for your pet. Virtually all commercially produced kibbles meet established dietary guidelines, thereby rendering them reliable choices for day-to-day feeding activities. Kibble is also relatively inexpensive compared to purchasing raw ingredients. Kibble does not require any special preparation before serving (other than adding water). As such, it provides a convenient alternative for busy pet owners who do not have time to prepare multiple meals per week.
Additionally, many high-quality kibbles include additional ingredients that promote healthy joints, good digestion, healthy skin, and strong coats.
Risks of Kibble
Unfortunately, not all kibbles are created equally. Some lower-cost brands may contain filler materials, artificial preservatives/additives, or inferior protein sources that fail to deliver optimal nutrition for your pet. While many pets adapt well to eating commercial kibbles containing grains or other animal-based proteins contained within kibbles, some pets develop allergies/sensitivities to those ingredients. Furthermore, pets can become overweight/obese by overfeeding kibble-rich meals. Since kibble is dense in calories, mis-measuring portions or providing too much kibble can result in rapid weight gain in less-active pets.
Digestion and Health Differences
While some proponents claim that raw diets are inherently easier for pets to digest than traditional commercial kibbles, this is largely dependent upon both the individual characteristics of the particular pet being fed and the quality of the raw diet being consumed. On the other hand, kibble is specifically formulated to be nutritionally complete and easily measurable as part of a long-term feeding plan. Ultimately, whether a pet thrives on kibble or responds better to raw or a mix of both cannot be determined universally.
Safety Considerations
Regardless of whether you choose to feed your pet a raw diet or dry food (kibble), there are inherent risks related to food safety when feeding your pet. Specifically, pet owners who elect to feed their dogs a raw diet must adhere strictly to proper handling procedures related to cleanliness and storage. Similarly, although kibble is processed at high temperatures, which eliminates bacteria such as Salmonella/E.coli, etc., improper storage could lead to spoilage or contamination of kibble products. Regardless of whether you choose a raw diet or kibble, ensure that your pet always has access to fresh drinking water and that you regularly clean and disinfect all areas where your pet eats.
Cost and Convenience
Generally speaking, raw diets are significantly more expensive and time-consuming than preparing kibble. Pet owners who opt for a raw diet must continuously search for new sources of fresh ingredients and spend considerable time preparing these ingredients in order to create meals for their pets. Conversely, kibble products are generally priced affordably and are incredibly easy to manage on a daily basis. Moreover, kibble products allow for immediate feeding without requiring extensive meal preparation. Consequently, convenience alone may play an important role in determining whether an owner chooses kibble versus a raw diet for their pet.
Which Diet Is Better?
Clearly, there isn’t a single correct answer that will fit every dog. Rather than selecting an optimal feeding regimen for your dog based solely on your personal preference, it would be wise to consider factors such as your dog’s age, health status, and activity level. In addition to considering these factors, you should also consult with your veterinarian, who can assist you in assessing what type(s) of foods will work best for your pet. Irrespective of whether you select a high-quality kibble or thoughtfully formulate a customized raw diet under veterinary guidance, ultimately, the key component to selecting an appropriate feeding regimen for your pet is finding a balance that meets your pet’s nutritional needs.
Conclusion
As discussed above, both raw diets and commercial dry foods/kibbles have both positive aspects as well as negative attributes. While raw diets appear more natural in terms of how animals are naturally supposed to consume their food; however, they require diligent management and planning in terms of preventing bacterial contamination and ensuring nutritional adequacy. Commercial dry foods/kibbles have been developed to provide convenience combined with nutritional balance; however, quality varies depending on the manufacturer.
The final decision regarding the type of feeding regimen you wish to implement for your pet is contingent upon your ability to successfully manage whatever regimen you select in terms of establishing a safe and consistent feeding program for your pet, regardless of whether you decide to select a commercial dry food/kibble or a customized raw diet.
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