Why Choose Raw Dog Food

Written by Adam Baldwin for Pineshine Farms, September 20th, 2021

After all, the domesticated dog evolved from wolves. They are natural pack animals which made them perfect for work with human beings, and they’re carnivores.
Their bodies crave meat. More specifically, the canine physique requires a high protein diet to run at peak performance.

The ‘Raw Dog Diet’ is a controversial topic amongst some dog owners. In fact, the FDA has its own choice things to say about it. With that said, the benefits of a raw diet for dogs are apparent. After all, the domesticated dog evolved from wolves. They are natural pack animals which made them perfect for work with human beings, and they’re carnivores.
Their bodies crave meat. More specifically, the canine physique requires a high protein diet to run at peak performance. For this reason, here at Pineshine Farms, we’ve developed our own high-protein formula for our pups.

It started as a way to cut down on waste from our organic beef farm. We’re passionate about our animals want to preserve our relationship with them by using all parts of the cow, letting nothing go to waste. We also figured, what the heck, why pay for dog food?

From this experiment, we learned a few things. First and foremost it’s been such a positive experience that we decided that we could no longer keep this all to ourselves. Our community deserved to be a part of our ‘happy accident.’ Most of all, the dogs deserved it.

1. Shinier Coat and Healthier Skin

The first thing we noticed, after about a week of feeding our farm dogs our special formula of raw ground beef, beef/chicken offal, eggs, and ground eggshell mix, was how lustrous their coats looked. I don’t know what to tell you, they just looked healthier. As the weeks went by, we also began to notice they began to itch less. The increased fatty acids and collagen in their food helped them the same vitamin shops sell those same things in supplement form to people.

2. Decrease Body Fat and Increase Muscle

Dogs that eat dry kibble dog food tend to put on weight more quickly. Like everyone else, we want to feed our dogs the best, but we also have to maintain a budget. So, we were feeding our two Anatolian Shepherds a higher-level kibble, but nothing too extravagant. It seemed, within days of the switch in their diet, we noticed that they were looking leaner. This can be worrisome when changing a dog’s diet, the fear is that they’re not eating or something, but this was not the case. These dogs ate with enthusiasm and had more sustained energy. They were leaner, yes, but also growing more muscular-looking by the day.

3. Better Teeth and Breath

One common problem in dogs is that their breath is rough. Many dogs also developed bad teeth as they age. Their oral hygiene is certainly not on the top of most dog owners’ concerns; however, just like in humans, it is incredibly important for full-body health.
Many popular dry kibble brands include high amounts of carbohydrates and sugars in their mixture. This helps make dogs feel full and improves the overall flavor of an otherwise flavorless, processed product. The issue with this is twofold, but we discussed the noticeable one in the last point. The less immediately noticeable issue is that dog’s saliva does not contain an enzyme called amylase. Amylase is what helps humans break down carbs and sugar in their mouths to keep bad breath bacteria, tartar, gingivitis, and periodontal disease from developing. The process of chewing raw meat can also help keep dog’s teeth cleaner by forcing them to chew more slowly than kibbles.

4. Better Temperament

Just like when you feed your kids too much sugar, they’re bouncing off the walls, feeding dogs food that is high in carbohydrates and sugar will lead to their behavior growing erratic at times. In essence, your dog gets a sugar high and starts running around and possibly getting more aggressive in their desire to play or go outside. However, again, like us, they crash. A high-carb, high-sugar diet does not provide for a sustained energy level throughout the day.
When we made the switch to a raw dog food diet for our pets, we quickly noticed a change in their daily sleep cycles. They seemed to stay awake and alert for longer periods, making them better guard dogs on the farm and their moods were more stable. The mood stability is good for us because big dogs can be a handful, but if you have small children around, sporadic bursts of energy in a large animal can be problematic.

5. #2

Finally, number 5 is all about number 2’s. But first, a quick note on urination. Dry dog food often contains a high concentration of salt as a flavor enhancer. High salt content has the effect of making one thirstier, the same is true for dogs, so they drink more water and have to go number 1 more often.
Now, when it comes to the smellier stuff, we noticed – come on all dog owners notice – that their poop was firmer on average. Moreover, there was simply less of it. Now, we do live on a farm, so perhaps it’s more spread out, but I can only imagine what a small yard would like with two Anatolian Shepherds before we made the switch to raw dog food.

To reiterate, at Pineshine Farms we believe that a healthy, raw, organic food diet is best for everyone, pets included. Our beef cattle, pigs, and chickens all eat a natural diet, so why not our furry family members? Since making the switch, we’ve noticed that our farm dogs have a shinier, healthier coat, healthier skin, leaner more muscular physiques, better teeth and breath, more consistent temperament, and better quality digestion.