Can you mix raw and dry dog food?

Can you mix raw and dry dog food?

In short, you can mix the two together in your dog’s diet but we recommend feeding them separately. This being said, it is not something that we typically recommend to pet owners. Main reason we will say no when asked “can you mix raw and dry dog food?” is to simplify each feeding. Sometimes your fluffier half will develop sensitivities in their life and when mixing the two diets together, it may make it difficult to determine an allergy or a possible digestive concern. As mentioned, a raw diet does produce a healthier gut, so to ensure that you can track any instance your dog might have digestive upset, feeding raw and kibble at separate times is best.

We believe that some raw is better than no raw at all and sometimes an all raw diet does not work in a pet owner’s life. From time constraints to personal budgets, feeding a raw diet may not work for you 100% of the time. We want to empower pet owners knowing they can still give their pets meals full of Bold flavour and health benefits, even if that means once a day.

Is mixing raw and dry food safe?

Can you mix raw and dry dog food? Recommended not in the same bowl. Is mixing raw and dry dog food safe? Short answer: yes. Long answer: we believe that if you are feeding a diet of raw food and kibble, feeding them at separate meals is best. Although mixing raw food and kibble is considered safe, we have had reports of dogs who have experienced digestive upset with combining both kinds of diets in one meal. In the end it comes down to paying attention to your own fluffier half’s body and health. If you notice your dog is getting sick when mixing their kibble and raw, stop combining and talk to your holistic vet. If you need the best safety steps to thaw your dog’s raw meals, read our blog.

Is mixing raw and dry food safe?

The digestion process of raw starts in a dog’s mouth. Your dog’s chewing kickstarts the mechanical breakdown of the food into digestible pieces. Digestive enzymes throughout the mouth and gut help to bring forth nutrients, so that the body can digest and absorb them. Your dog’s gastric juices then further assist the breakdown of food.

Outside of a raw pet food being highly palatable (hello, Bold flavour), feeding a protein based diet is highly digestible, which offers a greater nutrient value based on the amount of food.

Frozen raw dog food is a more natural approach to our fluffier half’s diet. Raw recipes modelled after the natural prey diet include everything dogs would have ate in the wild; meat, organ meats, bones and sometimes even veggies. This approach is unproblematic to their digestive systems. Plus, because our raw recipes are formulated with wholesome ingredients and no additional processing it adds to the ease on your dog’s digestive system making less poop to scoop for you. The only thing you need to worry about is finding your pet’s favourite recipes (we have a product selector for that too).

Are raw and dry dog food digested differently?

There was a strong belief years ago that raw food digested quicker than kibble. There have been some studies done that have shown that raw food actually takes longer to digest, especially the bone content. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as the longer the food takes to digest, the more nutrients are being absorbed.

According to Veterinarian Dr. Michelle Chan, your dog’s pH level in their stomach does not change when feeding kibble or raw. Although their pH levels are very low which is why dogs have a perfectly easy time digesting raw meat, their digestive system will adjust to break down different foods accordingly.

Overall, a raw diet will help your pet thrive with all the health benefits associated with this type of food. As mentioned in the study in the BMC Veterinary Research, raw food is digested the same but can yield healthier results in dogs. Benefits of raw pet food include; shinier coat, healthier skin, and cleaner teeth.

Can you mix raw and dry dog food? Yes. But should you? Make feeding times easy for you and your pet and if kibble is required to substitute for raw on some days, just feed at separate feeding times.