With raw food diets growing in popularity, we decided to chat with some of our customers to learn more about the realities of choosing raw pet food.
Our raw food articles are designed to help owners make the best decisions about nutrition and reflect the experience of owners. There are benefits and risks to raw, and it's not right for every pet. If you're considering switching pet food it's worth speaking to a vet who will listen and help you navigate the choices. You can also check out our guide to everything owners need to know about raw pet food.
Alex and her Labrador Ollie
My family and I first heard about raw feeding through a friend four years ago when my Labrador was two years old. Until that point, I was unaware of the benefits of raw diets.
The change in his toilet habits happened almost immediately after switching to raw. We eased him into raw meals, but once he was 100% raw fed his poos were so much more consistent. They're now smaller, less pungent, and always the right consistency.
He now almost never has the runs or vomits, which is brilliant as he was forever bringing his kibble back up.
Over time we also started noticing more changes, like his coat is now so much glossier. He is in beautiful condition, a lot more muscular than he was when on a kibble diet. We are always getting complimented on what a lovely condition he is in.
It's good to see a lot more information surrounding raw diets today compared to how little there was six years ago.
Truthfully, it's more effort that just scooping kibble into a bowl, but it quickly becomes part of the daily routine and the effects are worth the extra minutes in the kitchen.
You definitely need to research it fully before feeding raw - it’s not just popping meat in the bowl. Ollie eats the correct bone to meat ratio, with a mix of natural oils and vegetable supplements. We try to eat as healthy as we can as a family, so our dog should be included in that to.
I wish we knew about raw feeding earlier. It has now been 4 years and he is thriving, I would never go back to feeding him anything different.
Check out our guide to everything owners need to know about raw food.
And if you're interested in how feeding our pets has changed over time, check out our guide to the history of pet food.
Claire and Bailey
I first heard about raw pet food diets when I started following some dog accounts on Instagram. This was before setting up Bailey's one prior to bringing him home.
There was one couple in particular where I was seeing amazing and exciting bowls filled with different foods, supplements, and raw bones.
I was really intrigued so I messaged a few of the accounts who I followed to asked about their experience.
Then I looked on Facebook and found some amazing groups who provided me with the information, feeding guides, how much a puppy should eat and which bones are suitable and which aren't.
What effects did you notice when you started feeding raw?
After switching Bailey's coat is super glossy, his teeth are amazing (our vet actually commented on how great they are) and his poops are a lot smaller and firm!
What advice would you give to other dog owners?
It's a little scary when you give them a raw bone for the first time but Bailey loved it.
There's a lot of information out there, so the main thing I would focus on is getting the mince part right first of all.
Once we found a brand that Bailey liked we stuck to it. My top tip would be if you have a local supplier, you could try a different couple of brands to see what they like.
Once you've got to grips with the amount of food, you can then add the extras. It can feel a bit overwhelming to begin with as there is so much information out there but stick with it. Find a good guide and your dog will be super happy with all the delicious bowls you'll be giving them.
Jenna and her dogs Jenson and George
Why did you choose to feed raw food?
My vet sells raw, and I work in a pet shop that sells it. Both my boys were happy on dry food and did very well on it but a few years ago one of them developed a very sensitive stomach.
We couldn’t get him settled on anything for a long period of time. So I gave raw a go and haven't looked back since.
I’d heard so many health benefits from feeding raw. It’s much less processed.
Dry dog food quality has improved massively since my parents owned their dogs but a lot of them still lack important qualities such as high meat content so raw felt the right thing to do for us.
What effects did you notice when you started feeding raw?
My older dog's stomach cleared up more or less overnight. Their teeth are amazing too - they’re seven and 10 and their teeth are pearly white and have no plaque.
Their coats are silky and soft and have the best shine too. And the best one, their poo is so much smaller.
What advice would you give to dog owners thinking of feeding raw food?
If you can afford to feed raw, and have the lifestyle then go for it.
Most dogs I know seem to massively prefer having fresh meat put in front of them than dry nuggets. However, you can get some amazing dry foods so people shouldn’t feel bad if they can’t feed raw.
The only thing surrounding raw is that a lot of vets aren’t pro feeding it. I think finding a vet which supports what you feed helps.
Faye and her Staffie Bear
How did you discover raw food diets?
I've known about raw feeding for a few years, however, it’s not something that’s openly advertised in the same way as kibble.
I decided to feed Bear raw due to the nature of his breed. Staffie are prone to skin conditions and becoming overweight easily. Raw food helps control weight and reduces a lot of allergies.
I've found the cost and ease of feeding and storing Bear's food is fabulous. I feed ‘complete’ meaning his food comes minced in 1kg tubs that are frozen and can be defrosted and kept for a few days.
The treats Bear gets are all 100% natural; no grains, cereals, unwanted additives, and no special ingredients that promise to keep gums healthy.
Sprats, bunny ears, chicken feet to name a few are all things that aid worming, digestion, healthy heart, sight, healthier skin, clean teeth and fresh breath including a lovely shiny velvety coat.
What effects did you notice when you started feeding raw?
The first and most important were the more friendly poos!
They’re smaller with almost no odour and firmer. There's also the frequency. They arrive like clockwork, which makes garden maintenance and walking Bear so simple and manageable.
The ease of feeding Bear, feeding raw may sound daunting but it’s just as easy as kibble. And then there's Bear's digestion. With him being a Staffie, they're expected to be a little smelly but Bear doesn't have any smelly pumps, although there might be occasional “it was the dog” moments between myself and my partner!
Nacho and Ernie
Nacho is a Product Manger at Bought By Many and has been part of the team for over two and half years.
He and his partner own a French Bulldog called Ernie. They fed Ernie raw food for two years before switching back to kibble.
How did you discover raw food diets?
We were told about raw food during puppy training. There was another Frenchie and the owners suggested raw food was best to stop runny poo.
We did some research and Frenchie owners were recommending raw online.
After we switched to raw, we found that Ernie had more energy and better health in general. But we do think that the downside of raw diets is that you need to allocate a big part of your freezer to your dog's food. You had to remember to defrost overnight and it's more expensive.
How long did you feed a raw diet until you stopped?
We got snowed in one year and ran out of pet food, so we tried canned food, Chappie. He reacted really well to it, so we decided to change. So far so good.
If you're thinking of changing to raw food, your decision may depend on the type of breed and if your dog is not doing well with dry food.
Jade and her dogs Ernie and Olive
We first heard about raw feeding about three years ago from a fellow dog walker who told us the benefits they had noticed with their dogs.
We wanted the most natural diet for them but it needed to be nutritious as well, so we spent hours, days and weeks researching the ins and outs to ensure we would be doing it the right way.
We decided to switch to raw for many reasons, firstly Ernie and Olive weren’t very keen on the biscuits we were feeding at the time, we’d tried various brands of kibble and nothing was working. Ernie also had dry flaky skin and digestion issues.
One of the first things we noticed was just how excited and driven they were at mealtimes, raw was higher value for them and we could see they were enjoying it.
What effects did you notice when you started feeding raw?
We noticed drastic improvements in their stools, they were much smaller and firmer - no more bouts of diarrhoea. This made our life easier and way more manageable when it came to cleaning up the garden.
Ernie was no longer getting into the ‘prayer’ position at home because of the terrible wind he would get, he was now living a much more comfortable life.
Then after just a couple of weeks we noticed how shiny their fur was. Ernie is prone to dandruff and that was now non-existent even after such a short space of time.
We also noticed their energy levels improved, they were more active and physically capable, but at the same time they were calmer, not hyperactive.
They love the variety of proteins, spending time chewing on meaty chunks and bones.
I would say to make sure you feed a properly complete food that meets FEDIAF nutrition standards, or if you want to make DIY meals for your dog, speak to a canine nutritionist.