Kirsten Dillon is a highly qualified and experienced animal behaviourist specialising in canine behaviour and dog training, based in Surrey.
Myth 1 – “Raw dog food is too expensive”
The top 5 highest rated kibble brands (according to www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk) average a daily cost of around £1.68 per day to feed a 25-45kg dog. Natural Instinct Working Dog Chicken costs around £1.10. Their Special Diet, formulated for dogs who are overweight or have health issues such as pancreatitis, IBS and colitis, costs around £1.60 per day, compare that to a well-known, veterinary prescribed dry food diet (that incidentally scores extremely poorly on the nutritional value ratings) at between £1.71 and £2.42.
This is before we even touch on the increased health benefits and fewer vet visits a raw diet brings. So, it really is more of a case of can you NOT afford to feed a raw food diet.
Myth 2 – “My dog or cat needs biscuits or dental chews for tooth care”
The starch in kibble is basically a sugar and we all know what sugar does for our teeth. The way our pets keep their teeth clean is through the actual mechanical action of rubbing off the offending plaque.
So, what should we encourage?
Chewing different bones, beef trachea, frozen carrots and other similar items will clean the teeth naturally.
Myth 3 – “It requires too much preparation”
Simply remove Natural Instinct from your freezer and defrost in the bottom of your fridge. Remember to wash your hands with soap and hot water immediately after handling and preparing raw pet food or treats.
Feed your dog as you do with any other dog food, wipe down the preparation area as you would after handling any other dog food. You may find that you are already following most of these practices in your own kitchen at home!
Myth 4 – “My high-quality kibble is as good as raw food”
Kibble is a highly processed food. This means that it has been rendered, overly cooked at extremely high temperatures and has had artificial preservatives, colourings, flavourings, vitamins and other supplements added to it. Despite the higher standard of food that began the process, this still means that the end product will be of a poorer quality than that of fresh, whole raw foods.
Myth 5 – “A raw meat diet is not balanced”
Yes, a diet of only raw meat is not sufficient for long term good health. This is exactly why Natural Instinct cleverly balances every single nutrient your dog needs into one, additive free food, meaning you don’t have to add a single thing.
Myth 6 – “I have to feed more food if I switch to raw”
Raw dog food and kibble simply cannot be compared weight for weight. The energy and nutrition density of raw food is completely different, plus raw food does not contain fillers and additives which kibble does. Because of this lack of fillers, you will actually find yourself feeding much less than you were before, this is evidenced in the difference in your dog’s poop. Nobody minds a raw food poop (trust me), as there are no nasties, excess to nutritional needs, to expel. What many pet dog owners do find, after they have switched to a raw food, is that their dog finds it so palatable that they want to eat a lot more of it than their previous food.
Myth 7 – “Raw food is harder to get hold of”
Nope, simply order online at www.naturalinstinct.com or call 01276 608500 and they’ll send some nutritious food directly to your door!
By Kirsten Dillon
Animal Behaviourist and Canine Specialist
