Toppers or supplementing the raw diet

We often get questions about supplementing the raw diet.  The internet has pet parents concerned about whether their pets get everything they need from a raw, species-appropriate, as nature-intended diet, so they’re looking for things to add.

There is no GNC or CVS in nature

I won’t pretend to understand or believe that real food cannot contain everything a species needs to sustain life and, therefore, must be supplemented with synthetic or processed ingredients.  Pet parents mindlessly feed a bag of ultra-processed cardboard and never ask questions. Yet, we get asked almost daily whether raw food has the recommended vitamins and minerals.  

The simple fact is that no species on the planet concerns itself with meeting daily requirements of singular nutrients.  No human thinks twice when their dinner turns out to be popcorn or a bowl of cereal, but if their dog does not get .00353mg of magnesium every day, they believe he will die.

Here is the bottom line.  Your dog is a carnivore.  Carnivores can get everything they need from meat, bones, and organs.  Therefore, a complete diet for a carnivore includes meat, bones, and organs, and the vitamins and minerals they need are in those foods.  It is that simple.

Pawsitive Immunity – Colostrum Alternative

Things we like to add to the raw diet

We like adding a few things to our dogs’ bowls to boost their nutrition.  Not because their diet is lacking but because sometimes a dog can use a little more of something, or some foods are nutritional powerhouses, and it benefits the dog to add them to the diet.

• Eggs
• Tripe
• Fish such as sardines or salmon
• Omega 3’s such as Potent Sea or Safe Sea
• Canned Oysters
• Raw Meaty Bones
• Pet-friendly fruits and veggies
• Mushrooms (must be cooked or use a supplement)
• PhytoSynergy

Start by picking one of these and then rotate through others.  Do not try to add them all at once.  You don’t have to add something every day; taking a day off from adding supplements or additions is often recommended.

Final Thoughts

Don’t overcomplicate feeding your dog.  Be confident in your actions, and look at your dog for validation.  The internet loves to create problems so they can sell you a solution.  Here at Raw Dog Food and Company, we like to look to nature for how to feed our pets because nature has been feeding her creatures for a long time and with much better results than the commercial pet food industry.