There is a lot of advice available on the internet, but not all advice is good advice. It all depends on who is giving it and why. This means there is a lot of misinformation floating around as facts when it is mostly anecdotal. We would like to debunk a few of the common myths around what dogs can and cannot eat.
When researching what is best to feed your dog, be mindful of the source of the information and what their reasons might be for providing this information. This includes the fact that you are currently reading a blog written by someone who owns a raw dog food shop 😊 (that someone is also a qualified vet nurse and knows a few things about dog food).
There will always be some bias so do your own thorough research when making decisions on what’s right for you and your dog and remember that at the end of the day it is your choice, so choose what feels right for you.
DOG FOOD MYTHS:
Garlic is toxic to dogs.
DOG FOOD MYTHS:
Garlic is toxic to dogs.
Nah. A lil is alright. Its even GOOD for your doggo. Don't go bananas with it but a small amount of garlic in their food can help as a cheeky immune boost and even act as natural parasite prevention.
Garlic often gets a big red cross through it on the doggy menu because it belongs to the same family as onions which are toxic to dogs, but it would take SO much garlic to cause the problem that a significantly smaller amount of onion would cause.
Its kinda like water is good for us (necessary for sustaining life obvs) but if you drank too much it could kill you- when speaking about toxicity its all relative to amounts. Something being “toxic” in huge amounts does not mean that small amounts of the same thing will always only have negative effects- you feel me?
Its kinda like water is good for us (necessary for sustaining life obvs) but if you drank too much it could kill you- when speaking about toxicity its all relative to amounts. Something being “toxic” in huge amounts does not mean that small amounts of the same thing will always only have negative effects- you feel me?
You can't mix kibble with raw food.
Yes you can, of course you can. Lots of humans are feeding their dogs kibble with meat etc every single day and nothing bad is happening. If you feed your dog kibble; any fresh food you add to it will benefit them, so go ahead and add a little meaty freshness with dem bikkies.
Remember: dogs’ stomach juices are SO much tougher than ours. Their stomach acids can kill bacteria that ours definitely can’t. They could eat rotting flesh and digest it like PRO, so mixing kibble and meat is nothing*
*DISCLAIMER: some dogs have very sensitive tummies or conditions that mean they are not able to digest certain things as easily. If your dog is one of these dogs then nothing, I say will change that so use common sense when choosing what and how to feed them.
Freeze Dried/ Air Dried/ Dehydrated is just as good as fresh
Nope, untrue. Anything that changes food from its most natural state is processing. Any further processing done to a food takes it a little further away from being the best it can be, and that is fresh.
Fresh meat, offal and bones are the best for your dog in the state that is closest to nature. Heck even freezing and defrosting can have some negative impacts, but of course we must also take the convenience and the availability factor into consideration. Without the use of nasty preservatives, freezing is necessary, and the least of any processing evils.
If you are able to include fresh food that has not been frozen (but also doesn’t have preservatives) in your dogs diet, then you absolutely should as often as possible.
In short, do the best that you can manage within what suits you and your dog lifestyle and circumstances.
Avocado is bad for dogs
I’m gunna keep this short and simple: its not. The pip of the avocado could definitely cause a blockage and be a choking hazard but the actual soft, yummy avocado flesh itself is perfectly safe (and actually quite good) for dogs to consume! Don’t go crazy on the quantity though, a little goes a long way.
Fun fact: the edible part of the avocado is called the "mesocarp". If that wins you trivia at the pub you owe me a beer.