WINNER Best High Quality Pet Food Brand - Canada by LUXlife
Home / News / Gently Cooked Vs. Raw Dog Food-What Is The Difference?
Find the best raw dog food delivery toronto

Gently Cooked Vs. Raw Dog Food-What Is The Difference?

There is a lot of debate about gently cooked food vs raw, and we get asked this question alot! We thought we would give you the low down on what gently cooked dog food means and why we opt to gently cook our food over serving the raw diet. 

It is important to firstly say that through this blog it is not our intent to provide a negative perspective on raw food as in our opinion, the raw vs gently cooked debate is far less important than the real issue at stake which is the need to feed your dog REAL nutrients as opposed to processed foods. We want to give you the information about both these diets so you can make an informed choice that makes sense for your pup and determine what is the best gently cooked dog food or best raw food option for your pup!

What is gently cooked dog food?

At Puppy Gang Fresh Foods we gently cook our food to the requirement recommended to kill pathogens such as salmonella, listeria and e-coli - this kills the bacteria but still preserves the nutritional integrity of our ingredients.

We utilize a blend of hormone and antibiotic free muscle meat, organ meat and bone meal as a natural calcium source (to learn more about why we use bone meal in your recipes click here), fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure a mix of micronutrients in each of our recipes and natural supplements such as kelp powder.

Some of the benefits of a gently cooked dog food diet are:

  • Increased energy
  • Lowered risk of disease and illness
  • Shiner coat
  • Cleaner teeth
  • Better digestion
  • Less body odor
  • Weight management (read our blog post to learn about the Canine Obesity Epidemic)
  • Increased health and reduction in vet costs longer term
  • Firmer Stool

What is raw dog food?

  • A raw food diet emphasizes raw meat, eggs, whole or crushed bones, fruits, vegetables and sometimes dairy
  • Proponents of the raw food diet argue that this is how dogs ate historically
  • Raw food diet can lead to a shinier coat, increased energy level, cleaner teeth, healthier skin and smaller stool

However, when considering whether or not to feed your dog a raw food diet it is important to understand how to treat the raw food as there are some significant risks involved if not dealt with properly. Some of these risks include:

  • Raw diets can lead to nutritional imbalances by being too high in fat or too high in protein (ie. not enough micronutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables) if not formulated carefully
  • Raw meat can contain deadly bacteria if not treated in the right way, that can cause harm to your pet and be transmitted to humans (according to a veterinary study, 86 percent of products contained potentially dangerous bacteria)
  • Risk of cross-contamination can be high when dealing with raw meat and requires careful handling and preparation
  • Vulnerable populations such as children and elderly are particularly at risk for the transmission of diseases such as e-coli virus which can be transmitted by a dog simply by licking one’s face

If you do choose to go down the raw food diet, we encourage you to do your research to find the best raw dog food that contains a combination of proteins, fruits and vegetables, and ensure you treat the food in the right way to reduce the above risks for you and your pup.

Whatever food you choose to feed your dog, remember that selecting real whole ingredients is always best. Even supplementing dried dog food with whole ingredients can increase your dog’s lifespan and decrease their risk of disease and illness. Check out our delicious and nutritious Puppy Gang Fresh Foods meals!

0 comments

Leave a comment