1. How much should I feed my dog?
When it comes to feeding your dog or Cat raw pet food, the general guideline is to feed 2-3% of your dog's ideal body weight per day. For example, a 20kg dog would typically need between 400g and 600g of raw food daily. However, this can vary based on factors like age, activity level, and metabolism. Puppies, pregnant, and lactating dogs will have different nutritional requirements and may need more frequent meals. Puppies can have up to 10% of their body weight in food per day. Always monitor your four-legged family member's weight and adjust the portions accordingly.
It is really important to understand that this is a guide. Just like with our own diets the most common way we monitor our weight is either with scales, our cloths, (Do they still fit???) or even the way we look. It's the same for our pet's. Invest your time in them. The comercial pet food world has done a fantastic job in creating a culture that is strictly guided by what a Vet will say or what is printed on the side of a packet. At Nurturing by Nature we have always taken a more real life approach, with a strong understanding that every pet is different, every family lifestyle is different. Invest time in understanding your pet's needs and work towards finding a ballance that suits the whole family. In the wild our four legged family members would never be so fortunate to have the luxaries they have with us in our family homes and they have naturally survived through many thousands of years just fine.
2. How should I store and defrost the product?
Raw dog food should be stored in the freezer to maintain its freshness and nutritional value. When you're ready to use it, defrost the portions in the fridge for 24 hours. It's important to keep the defrosted food in a sealed container to avoid any cross-contamination. Once defrosted, raw pet food should be consumed within 2-3 days.
Top Tip:
- Remove the food from the packaging whilst frozen.
- Place the food into a seald container to deforst in the fridge.
- We use a click lid lunch box. Yes it's not a fancy bowl with a bone on it but it's so practical. Always have 2 on rotation.
- Feed out of the bowl, if the food is not eaten after 15 minutes we replace the lid and place back into the fridge, to feed at the next meal.
- After we follow simple food hygine principles. Place in the dishwasher or wash in hot soapy water.
3. What else is in the food, besides meat?
Raw pet food from Nurturing by Nature is designed to mimic a natural diet for dogs, a diet that they would naturally eat in the wild. We advocate building up a complete diet over time and not a complete meal every time. This is done by feeding as much variety as you can facilitate. This includes not only muscle meat but also organ meats, bones, and sometimes vegetables and fruits. This balanced approach over time ensures that your dog receives a wide range of essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
Nurturing by Nature's raw dog food only includes the ingredients stated on the packets. We have a very honest approach to our diet in line with the founding values of the business.
100% Chicken is only Chicken. This may differ from other brands and this is a point you should be carful about when buying other brands. What actually is in their food?
Having been in the industry since the early 2000's we understand better than most the industry. The way you can save money is by adding lower cost ingredients to your pet food. This is not something that Nurturing by Nature does. Only this week infact we have seen evidence that other pet food brands are using out of date products!!!
At Nurturing by Nature we only ever use high quality human grade ingreadients and process them to human grade quality standards. We do not add any grains, fillers or even low quality ingreadients. We know that these meals are prepared in your own family kitchens, just like we do with our pets. So we will never compromise, go "Behind the sceens with Nurturing by Nature". a variety of meats like chicken, beef, and lamb, along with nutritious organ meats and ground bones, which provide calcium and phosphorus.
4. Tripe smells!
Yes, tripe does have a strong odour, but it's incredibly beneficial for your dog's health. Tripe is rich in digestive enzymes, probiotics, and essential nutrients that promote gut health and improve digestion. The smell might be off-putting to us, but dogs absolutely love it and reap numerous health benefits from it. Although if your pet's are like ours it's gone in seconds. Tripe products that we sell.
"A little smell is a small price to pay for the happiness and health of your four-legged family member."
5. Isn't the bacteria in raw meat dangerous to dogs?
Dogs have evolved to handle bacteria in raw meat much better than humans. Their digestive systems are shorter and more acidic, which helps to kill off harmful bacteria. While it's true that raw meat can contain bacteria, healthy dogs typically don't get sick from it. However, it's still important to handle raw dog food safely by practicing good hygiene, such as washing your hands and cleaning surfaces after preparing the food. In this article "Raw Dog Food - A Balanced Perspective from Nurturing by Nature." We take a closer more scientific look into this area.
6. What is the most common problem related to feeding raw food to pets?
The most common issue is ensuring a balanced diet. Some pet owners might not provide a properly balanced raw diet, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Our Ethos at Nurturing by Nature is founded upon our origional research, studies of nature and now over 20 years experiance feeding our raw fed community. Like in any situation in life if you do not find a ballance then you'll have issues. Too much exercise leades to fatigue, too much food leads to obeasity and so on through many different examoles. It is no different to raw pet food.
Nurturing by Nature advocates feeding a base meal that is afordable and then adding in as much variety over time. A variety of proteins, meals and ways of feeding. By doing this not only do you ensure that your pet has a ballanced diet but you also mimic your pet's natural behaviour and this is another important element that is rearly considered, espesially by the larger comercial pet food manufactures. Dog's only eat from a bowl in our homes, this is not a natural behaviour for them.
7. Why is raw pet food controversial?
Raw pet food is controversial most likely due to the lack of actual scientific research if truth be told. In recent years more and more research has been conducted but often such studies are commisioned to justify marketing cliams placed upon the packets of commercial pet food. Animals have naturally evolved for thousands of years naturally and it is only in very modern times have they become domesticated to eat from bowls, ware hat's or be carried around in designer bags. All of which are total acceptable but it's a point at Nurturing by Nature we seek to understand that our whilst our pet's lifestyles have changed, their anatomy is still closley related to their natural ansestory.
The most common concerns with Raw dog food are about bacterial contamination, nutritional balance, and the safety of bones. All of which hold merit to some extent. Critics argue that improperly prepared raw diets can pose health risks to pets and their owners. A nutritional imballance is not optimal for your pet and yes there are risks to feeding bones.
However, raw feeding advocates believe that the benefits far outweigh the risks when raw diets are prepared and handled correctly, providing a more natural diet for pets. Nurturing by Nature would agree and our own experiances of the positives are exactly what created Nurturing by Nature to exsist along with our customers positive experiances too, you can read "Our Story,"
Raw Pet Food if dones sensibly is safe, just like anything in life.
Never feed cooked bones, follow simple but good food hygine rules and invest in your pet's.
8. Why are vets against raw diets in the UK?
Some vets in the UK are against raw diets due to the potential health risks associated with bacterial contamination and nutritional imbalances. There is also concern about the dangers of bones causing injuries. However, many vets now, through popularity recognise that raw diets can be beneficial when properly prepared and managed. It's always a good idea to consult with a team member here at Nurturing by Nature should you have any concerns, our team members are knowledgeable about raw feeding and have many years of experiance with many different circumstances.
9. How big is the raw dog food market?
The raw dog food market has been growing steadily as more pet owners become aware of the benefits of a natural diet. In the UK, the market for raw pet food has seen significant growth over the past decade, with many new brands and products entering the market. This trend reflects a broader shift towards more natural and holistic pet care culture.
What to be awre of:
- Low cost products. They will be low cost for a reason and whilst Nurturing by Nature is not detering you away from ballancing the spend, it is a important point to recognise. Over the past 20 years Nurturing by Nature has been consistently improving our facilities to deliver it's highest quaility Raw Pet food and this is not something that can be done without a cost. So low cost is low cost for a reason be that ingredients, processes or service.
- APHA licensed - This is a big one. Make sure that you are purchasing from a APHA liscensed supplier.
- Manufacture or Re-sell - Nurturing by Nature is somewhat unique in that we do what we do because we belive in everything we do. Yes we are a business but we don't look to wholesale to just be one of many products on a shelf. We are a brand of pet food with a strong founding mission that is close to our hearts.
"To make our very best raw pet food and deliver this to our community through exceptional customer service."
- Not human grade ingredints - Ensure you buy from a brand like Nurturing by Nature who only use human grade ingedients from suppliers they trust. It would be easy to make lower cost products by using lower grade ingredients!!! Be careful some companies do this.
10. Why do vets say not to feed raw?
It's important to understand that their opinion is unique to them and another vet may have a different view point about raw dog food. Our experiance has seen a changing landscape on the opinions of Vet's as the popularity of the raw dog food diet has gaind popularity. Vets who advise against raw feeding often cite concerns about bacterial contamination, the risk of bones causing injuries, and the potential for an unbalanced diet leading to nutritional deficiencies. These points of course are true but it's important to address these concerns should your view be different and by sourcing raw pet food from reputable suppliers, ensuring it is prepared and handled correctly and by investing in your understanding of your pet's nutritional needs all concerns can be mitigated agianst.
11. What is the disadvantage of raw dog food?
One potential disadvantage of raw dog food is the cost, as it can be more expensive than commercial kibble but that is because at Nurturing by Nature we use fresh human grade ingredients instead of just poor quality by-products, mixed and cooked to become safe.
Raw Pet Food feeding also requires slightly more effort in terms of meal preparation and storage. There is too also the need for careful handling to prevent bacterial contamination but this is the same for our own human food. "You don't prepare your families meals on the floor or without washing knives, forkes or plates."
Despite these challenges, many pet owners find that the benefits of a raw, natural diet far outweigh the disadvantages.
12. What is the advice on raw feeding dogs?
When raw feeding your dog, it's important to feed a balanced, complete diet. Nurturing by Nature does not advocate feeding a complete meal, instead feeding a ballanced variety of Raw Dog Food over time to build and sustain a complete diet. Transition gradually to avoid digestive upset and monitor your dog's health closely. Start with one simple protein to build a base and then gradually add variety to your pet's diet over time. Read Nurturing by Nature's "Getting started guide." for more information.
Practice good hygiene to prevent bacterial contamination and consult with one of our team, especially if your dog has any pre-existing health conditions. Feeding you cat or dog a Raw Pet food diet can be a highly rewarding approach to your dog's nutrition.
13. What are the dangers of raw food?
Like with any new area there are often scarmongering tacticts talked about that grab headlines and demand the centre of attention. There are many dangers with our own human diets but they are rarley spoken about as dangers in such aggressive tones.
A Raw Food Diet is the natural diet for our pet's, whilst domesticated in recent years we are all aware of their ansestors and close cousins that still live in the wild today. Big cat's live in the wild and so too do wild dogs who naturally evolve problem solving as they face the daily challanges. That said Nurturing by Nature does realise the risks and advocates implimenting good food hygine practices around the home environment. Investing time to get to know how your pet eats, behaves and digests the food and be sure to reach out for support should you want support. Nurturing by Nature is here for you and it's community happy to support you with over 20 years of experiance deliving our diet to our community.
The main dangers of raw food include bacterial contamination, the risk of choking or internal injuries from cooed bones !!NEVER FEED COOKED BONES!! There is also the potential for an unbalanced diet if not properly managed. These risks can be mitigated by using high-quality, commercially prepared raw pet food, practicing good hygiene, and ensuring the diet is nutritionally balanced by feeding a variety of proteins and meals over time .
14. What is the most healthy raw food for dogs?
The healthiest raw food for dogs is one that is balanced and complete over time, containing a mix of muscle meat, organ meat, bones, and some fruits and vegetables. Nurturing by Nature offers a variety of raw dog food options that are designed to provide all the essential nutrients your dog needs. For optimal health, variety is key, so rotating different proteins and ingredients, along with meals can help ensure your dog gets a broad spectrum of nutrients. The differnt meal types such as bones also allow for their natural instincts to release natural endophines and health benifits as they work out how to eat their meal.
