In this piece we are taking a brief look at things to consider with feeding a raw dog food diet and the higher temperatures.
Ultimately, not too much should change from the norm’ when looking at feeding during the summer months. However, like humans, some dog’s appetites may reduce as the temperatures soar. This is not something to be alarmed about. Unless of course they stop feeding altogether then you will need to seek help from a professional.
Feed After Exercise
Ideally, feeding should take place after exercise. In the wild dogs would naturally chase their food meaning that they would be running on an empty stomach. The last thing the body needs is to be carrying a full stomach whilst trying to run and jump about. If you choose to feed your dog before a walk, the dog’s body may try and rectify the situation by vomiting up any food in the stomach to help it cope with the added stress.
Some people we have spoken to have asked about feeding their dog raw dog food whilst it still frozen to help cool them down whilst feeding them at the same time. We do not advise this because the dog’s system will naturally try and warm the food up to the right temperature in order to start the digestive process. So, in order to help the dogs digestive system, feeding them their raw dog food once it’s defrosted is advised.
You can add ice to your dog’s water bowl in order to help reduce the temperature of the water unless you have one of those dogs that will remove the lumps of ice and swallow them whole.
Handling and Storage of Raw Dog Food During Hotter Temperatures
You may need to pay a little more attention when handling and storing of raw dog food during the higher temperature seasons due to the prevalence of insects and their ability to lay their eggs in the food. If you leave the food laying around for any length of time whilst preparing it for storage during the summer, the chances of insects landing on the food and contaminating it are greatly increased compared to that of the cooler seasons.
Wasps with their aggressive nature can also be a concern during the summer months. They can detect the food and land on it whilst you may not have noticed, increasing the chances of your dog getting stung when they go to eat their dinner.
