The key with bones is getting the size right. Bones should be small enough to be chewed and crunched but not so small that they could be swallowed whole. It\u2019s best to supervise your dog when they\u2019ve got a bone to make sure they\u2019re not gulping it down too quickly.\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s also important that they are on a fully raw fed diet, to ensure the acidity of their stomach can properly break down the bone. Kibble and other processed foods lower acidity in your dog\u2019s gut, making it harder to digest raw meat and bones.<\/p>\n

Is raw feeding suitable for every dog?<\/h3>\n

Definitely, it\u2019s what they were designed to do! Some breeds (like Frenchies, Pugs and Dalmatians) or dogs with different health conditions will need a different approach – but we work with you to put together a plan that suits. Our nutrition advice and diet planning is all part of our service – there aren\u2019t any additional costs.<\/p>\n

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We\u2019re all about keeping it raw. Kibble is highly processed and is heavy in carbohydrates, starches and grains. As mentioned before, your dog\u2019s gut needs to have a high level of acidity to digest raw food well. Carbohydrates lower acidity, so when you mix a raw diet with a kibble diet, you\u2019re not optimising your dog\u2019s stomach for digestion.<\/p>\n

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How can I feed raw on a budget?<\/h3>\n

Bones and Bulk! Feeding a variety of bones is a great way to keep costs down. We also offer a wide selection of our mixes and bones in bulk, which gives you a decent discount. You may need to invest in a chest freezer for the garage, but it\u2019s definitely worth it! On average, it costs around $2 a day to feed a 10kg dog, but that lowers when you add more bones or purchase in bulk.<\/p>\n

Do you defrost raw food in the fridge or can you leave it out to thaw?<\/h3>\n

Either\/or. If you leave it out to thaw, it\u2019s best to feed it straight away otherwise pop it into the fridge once it\u2019s defrosted. You can keep defrosted food in your fridge for up to 3 days.<\/p>\n

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Should we be adding veges to a raw diet?<\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t need to. In NZ, we\u2019re really lucky to have great access to green tripe, which provides a lot of the good stuff that vegetables do in our human diet. If you do feed vegetables, avoid starchy ones (and fruit) as they can upset digestion. Eggs are a great addition, by the way.<\/p>\n

How can I get a bit creative with raw feeding?<\/h3>\n

Get creative by harnessing our product variety – we use a lot of wild prey so our range changes based on season, so use that to your advantage. Add in some of our freeze-dried products (like chicken feet) or our bone broth, too.<\/p>\n

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There is a fantastic community of raw feeders on Instagram and I\u2019ve seen some really cool, colourful and creative bowls. Check out #rawfeedingcommunity or #rawessentials for some inspiration!<\/p>\n

Raw bones are malleable but cooked ones are not and can splinter easy and cause damage. So the biggest \u2018do-not\u2019 is cooking bones. This also extends to heating or cooking our meaty mixes – some contain small amounts of bone, which definitely shouldn\u2019t be cooked.<\/p>\n

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