French Bulldog raw diet

First, let us make one thing clear. Dogs are carnivores. Although they were domesticated thousands of years ago and they look very different from their wild ancestors- wolves and wild dogs, their genetic material is almost exactly the same, which also means their digestive system has not changed much. They have carnivore digestive organs and their teeth, stomach, bowels and enzymes are made for raw animal meat. They need nutrition that is rich with animal proteins and very little carbohydrates. In order to stay healthy, they need the same food their wild relatives are eating and that is raw pray.

If you need more proof of what I am saying, no problem! Just ask yourself, for how long kibble has been around and what did pets eat before that? You see where I am going with this? And another analogy might be helpful… Baby food! Is there anyone in the world who believes that industrial baby food that is full of artificial chemicals and all kinds of flavor and color additives and preservatives and who knows what else is better for your child than the natural homemade food that you have prepared yourself, using fresh ingredients? It is exactly the same with dog food! They need species appropriate diet and that is certainly not cooked food or kibble.
In case you are wandering what the big fuss is about and why is species appropriate diet so important, here is the answer… Just like industrial human food, dog food you can buy in supermarkets is full of unhealthy substances and may cause your dog numerous health problems. As a reputable breeder, I feed my dogs food that I have prepared for them at home and that is why we only go to a vet for regular vaccinations and health checks. They have no allergies or health issues, have beautiful coat and are happy and vibrant pets!

The best way to feed your French Bulldog is out of a stainless steal bowl, because it is sterile. Now, since raw food is more digestible than kibble and canned-food, you dog will need smaller amount of food on a daily basis. When it comes to feeding, you should take into consideration your dog’s energy level. You should feed puppies four to six times a day in the amount up to 10 % of their body weight and grown dog up to 3 % to maintain current weight or more, to gain some. Meet should make 75 % of diet, bones up to 15 % and since organs are very rich, they should not make more than 10 %. They don’t need much vegetables since they can’t digest them very well and they should be given mushed or cut into tiny pieces.

My advice is to feed your French Bulldogs both, ground meat and whole pray. Bones are also important because chewing them strengthens the gums, teeth and facial muscles. It also keeps your dog busy for hours and satisfies their chewing needs, so they will not chew things like furniture and shoes. To keep it less messy, always feed them in the same part of the house, such as kitchen. It is also recommendable to use a variety of meet in your dog’s nutrition such as rabbit meat, pheasant, quail, venison, elk, duck, chicken, beef, pork, fish, lamb… If you want to, you can add some vitamins and minerals in form of supplements. Don’t forget to freeze all the meat before you use it to feed your dog!

Benefits of feeding your dog raw food are endless. Your dog will live longer and you will reduce visits to the veterinarian to the minimum. As I have mentioned before, you will prevent allergies, your dog’s immune system will be stronger and bones will develop at appropriate rate. We all know it is not good when puppies grow too fast. Also, if you have a soon to be dog-mom and you feed her raw animal protein, she will be stronger, have more milk and babies will be healthier. Raw bones will give your dog clean teeth and stronger gums. Dogs that feed this way also drink less water, because the meat is not dry as it is when it is cooked or baked. Your dog’s stool will be smaller, more firm and non-odorous, because he digested more than he could have by eating kibble. Chewing and ripping raw meat bones develops shoulder, neck and jaw muscles. Natural food is very often even cheaper than the one you can buy in pet shops and supermarkets and unlike commercial food, natural food will give your dog more energy and make him more alive, active and vibrant!

Are you still not convinced? You must have heard of the raw food movement? Raw food is also good for humans and that is because cooking ruins most of the vitamins and proteins that are important for our health. There are thousands if not millions of people who are eating raw and they all claim they are healthier and more energized since they started eating this way. Commercial dog food is full of flavor and color additives and salt. It tastes better, so your dog is more likely to overeat. It also contains a lot of carbohydrates and as we said, dogs as carnivores need very small amount of carbs. The meat that dog food companies use does not always have reputable origin and that is something to think about, if you want your Frenchie to live long and be healthy and happy!