The majority of animal lovers are unaware of the advantages a natural diet can have for their four-legged companion. Therefore most of them struggle deciding on the particular ingredients important in a healthy raw pet food recipe. A tasty and well-balanced raw pet food should provide the pet with all its nutritional needs for enjoying a healthy life.
So what should actually be included in a recipe containing raw pet food? Well, let’s first start with some precautions. When handling raw, fresh or frozen food, it is always advisable to do this with proper care. After touching raw meat or poultry, wash your hands and clean everything used, as well as the kitchen surface, thoroughly with an antibacterial cleanser.
Now let us think about the animals’ actual natural environment. Out in the wilderness, Animals hunt in the wild and actually eat their prey which usually is raw meat. Consequently, it is only natural to include uncooked meat, like beef, lamb or poultry in recipes containing raw pet food. Apart from raw meat, other essential ingredients are whole grains, vegetables and oil.
A basic raw pet food recipe for dogs could be:
- 1/2 cup ground raw meat, like lamb, chicken, beef, or offal
- 1/2 cup mashed raw vegetables, please use a variety of vegetables
- 1/4 cup whole grains, cooked
- 1/4 tsp of kelp powder
- One tsp of of bone meal powder
- 1/4 tsp of ascorbic acid powder, plus bioflavonoids (vitamin C)
- 1/4 tsp of minced garlic, optional
- One tsp of oil mixture (Oil mixture: 2 oz. each of wheat germ and flax oil as well as 11 oz. cold pressed canola oil)
The grains are optional and can be left out or replaced by increasing the raw meat and vegetable part.
For cats a basic raw pet food recipe could be:
- 1300 g raw meat, such as lamb, poultry, beef, etc.
- 200 g kidneys or liver
- 100 g gizzard
- 400 g heart
- 600 g well grated or mashed vegetables
- mineral water, add as much as is needed for the right texture
- Four egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons of of bone meal
- 1000 mg vitamin C, depending on each cat’s requirements
- around 60 drops of Liquid Trace Minerals
- 100-200 IU vitamin E
Anyway, be creative and don’t be afraid to try out different variations, and see how your pet reacts: Is he or she enjoying it or just treating your concoction with disregard? The variations are endless, like for example, by increasing the quantities or changing the type of raw meat as well as vegies in a particular pet food recipe and, if used, minimizing or leaving out the whole grain content.
However, always try to use good quality raw meat in your raw pet food recipe, preferably a natural and organic one to ensure no hormones, chemicals or artificial preservatives have been used. Dogs in particular need raw bones to chew on; and please never ever use cooked bones, they have a tendency to splinter. Vegetables need to be pureed, otherwise they will pass through the animals system undigested.
