For years, dogs survived by hunting in the wild.  They did not have commercial kibble to see to all their nutritional needs, nor did they have loving humans to provide for their every meal.  Still, the species has managed to propagate and even become one of the most populated animal species in the world.

That species growth did not happen in the wild, however.  Dogs did not become so common until after they attached themselves to humans.  Without the easy food and protection offered by humans, dogs may not have been able to grow in population so much.  However, even 50 years ago, we did not have all these pelleted commercial feeds for our dogs and they still managed to survive.While raw feeding may seem like a new feeding method, commercial foods really are the newcomers to the ways we feed dogs.  It has only been in the last half of the century that we have fed our dogs commercial foods.  They survived on table scraps, raw meat and their own hunting abilities in the past.

I began supplementing my dogs' commercial feed with raw foods earlier this year.  My German Shepherd puppy, Sasha, always had a dull, rough coat and looked underfed.  Once I began supplementing her regular food with fresh chicken, rabbit and other meats, she really transformed.  Her coat has become silky, sleek and shiny and she looks like a well-fed, healthy dog now.  All this took place within just a few weeks of regular feeding of raw foods.

I think the main concern for many is the cost of raw feeding.  If you cannot grow your own meat, this method is rather cost prohibitive, but the resulting health can be worth the extra expense for a beloved pet.  In the end, I believe raw feeding is definitely not worse or riskier than feeding commercial foods, but dogs will be able to survive just fine on either choice.