Quickstart Guide To Raw Feeding Dogs
If you are new to raw feeding, it can seem like quite complicated. Most people have LOTS of questions, and we are here to help! This article covers everything you need to know to feed your dog an amazing raw diet, so they can live a long and happy life.
If you have more questions please contact us, we’re happy to help!
Our recipes!
We have three amazing recipes designed especially for adult dogs. Kangaroo & Chicken and Beef & Chicken are made for healthy dogs, and both contain organic chicken for calcium and phosphorous and sustainably sourced fish for EPA & DHA. We also have a Buffalo & Fish recipe designed especially for dogs with food allergies and sensitivities.
We recommend feeding all three recipes on rotation if possible. But if your dog has a strong preference then that’s the best recipe for them! We also make food especially for puppies - more info here.
Why good nutrition is important
A great diet is the foundation for a healthy and happy dog. We generally see this as less trips to the vet and a better quality of life - and hopefully more years with your pup too!
Great nutrition means that your dog has all it needs for their body to run optimally. This means healthy skin and coat, great muscle tone, improved cognitive abilities, faster recovery and a healthy immune system to prevent illness. As nutritionists we see time and again how getting the diet right has an enormous impact on the wellbeing of your dog. Food really is medicine!
Our Whoa Nelly! raw dog food is formulated to meet both AAFCO “complete and balanced” and NRC “optimal” nutrient guidelines. We formulate our food using whole foods only, which we believe is superior to synthetic nutrition.
Why raw?
Just like humans, dogs need fresh food in their diet. Vitamins and minerals from whole foods are more readily absorbed than synthetic nutrition, and have additional synergistic properties. Raw food closely mimics your dogs ancestral diet, the food they have evolved to eat over tens of thousands of years.
There is also the issue of processing. Huge amounts of heat and pressure are used to create kibble pellets that are shelf stable. This processing has negative effects on the quality of food, including removing much of the nutrition and denaturing the protein. We believe this is the likely culprit for many food allergies.
A properly formulated raw diet is vastly superior to processed kibble. Our aim is to make the best diet possible for your dog and that is 100% raw!
It all starts with a healthy gut
With more than 70% of your dog’s immunity linked to their gut, ensuring that your pup has a healthy digestive system is the number one goal. This means feeding a diet that is alive with beneficial probiotics and enzymes to nurture your dog’s belly.
Probiotics have been show to reduce inflammation, improve growth rates and vaccine response, as well as being linked to improved breath, a reduction in allergies and a healthier skin and coat. It’s quite incredible!
Every adult pack of Whoa Nelly! contains our signature “Nelly Belly” fermented food. This probiotic powerhouse is made by soaking and sprouting buckwheat (which is a seed, not a grain!) in a live starter culture that contains over 200 strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.
We add organic turmeric and black pepper to to give a boost of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer compounds. Most of the Nelly Belly is minced with the fruit & veg, but we leave a small amount whole so you can see the goodness!
Feeding Guide
There are many factors which determine how much you need to feed your dog, including age, weight, breed and activity level. It can seem a little complicated so we’ve built a calculator to make it easy!
Transitioning to raw
Raw food is digested differently to dry food, so it’s important to take some time to transition gently. We generally recommend taking 10-14 days to fully shift to raw. This gives your dog’s belly plenty of time to adjust to the new amazing diet.
Start by offering small amounts of Whoa Nelly! with your current food. Slowly increase the amount until you are feeding a completely raw diet. You may notice some digestive upset initially - this is completely normal while changing diet. Go slowly and your dog will adjust naturally. And if you have any questions please call us!
And as always, contact us if you’d like our help.
What bones to feed
Offering your dog raw meaty bones is an important part of their diet. Regular bones are natures way for your dog to keep their teeth clean - and it’s significantly better than paying your vet to do it. Having a healthy mouth is very important to your dog's overall health.
Let’s start with what NOT to feed. Smaller bones can pose a choking hazard, so don’t feed recreational bones that are smaller than your dogs head. Avoid hard bones (typically the weight bearing bones, ie. “dinosaur bones”) as aggressive chewers can crack their teeth. Never feed cooked bones as they can be brittle and may shatter. And always supervise you dog with their bone, removing it when they are finished.
For small dogs, we find lamb ribs and chicken wings are generally a good option. For medium dogs, lamb necks and roo tails are normally great. And for larger dogs larger lamb bones (“soup bones”), shanks and whole chickens can be good options.
Obviously there is no one size fits all answer here. If you are new we recommend proceeding with caution until you are confident you have the right size and type of bone for your dog.
If you have any questions, you can contact us here.
Which treats to offer
Most people want to have treats for their dog in addition to their food and bones. Not only are treats super enjoyable, but you can use them to help train your pup. In our opinion this is the best way to use treats - only give them when your dog is behaving well and you can save yourself some behavioural headaches down the road.
When selecting a treat, always look at the ingredients. Ideally you only want to offer treat which have a single ingredients, like dehydrated kangaroo or beef liver. If there are any ingredients that you don’t recognise or can’t buy at a supermarket or butcher, don’t feed it.
Water
Just like humans, dogs need access to clean drinking water. The local water that comes out of our taps can contain fluoride, minerals and contaminants which are not ideal. We strongly recommend giving your dog filtered water - the same filtered water that you drink is perfect.
A quick word about food safety
It is important to keep food safety in mind when working with any raw meat products. Good hygiene standards and storage practices are essential to prevent serious illness.
Follow these simple food safety rules to stay safe:
Wash hands in hot soapy water after touching raw food.
Store raw food at the bottom of the fridge.
Keep all raw food below 5°C
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I add other foods to the diet? (eggs, fish etc)
A: You sure can! Just be sure not to include too much food over Whoa Nelly! as it can negatively change the balance of the diet. Typically less than 10% of the total diet can be extras like eggs, fish, or whatever else you would like to offer.
Q: Can I feed kibble with raw?
A: We support people to make the best decision for their dog. Larger breeds can require a lot of food so some people choose to add kibble to make it more economical. Feed the foods at different times and change the feeding amount in proportion to the feeding guidelines of the food.
For example:
1 /2 pack Whoa Nelly or 1 cup dry food (total daily amount)
= 1/4 pack Whoa Nelly + 1/2 cup dry food