Welcome to our Raw Feeding – Frequently Asked Questions page.
Here you can learn from the actual, real-life experience of the hundreds of pet owners that we see every week at Wild Tails – Raw Food Specialists
Why should I feed my pet a raw diet?
First and foremost, it would simply have to be the huge number of lasting health benefits. The benefits are often visible in just a few days! These include, silkier fur, eased allergies and improved mood. Longer term, expect to see improved dental health and greater mobility in older pets.
Secondly, find the right flavours and your pet will absolutely love meal time!
Lastly, pet owners can enjoy benefits too such as fewer trips to the vets, often lower food costs, less poo to pick up and… more pleasant smells!
Can cats eat a raw diet as well as dogs?
Absolutely! Cats enjoy similar health benefits to those of dogs from a quality raw diet.
What does a quality raw diet look like?
Any raw meals bought from a raw food specialist will be frozen and regulated by DEFRA (the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Simply defrost the food overnight in the fridge and serve.
What if my pet is a fussy eater?
No problem. With quality raw meals, what is written on the pack is what you get, whether that’s Venison, Lamb, Duck, Goose, Salmon, Beef etc. There is no grain, sugars, salts or nasty additives to worry about. Therefore, it’s easy to try different meats, brands, textures and see what your pet prefers. Top tip – The majority of dogs don’t just like Tripe… they absolutely love it!
Is a raw diet safe?
Absolutely – just look at the sheer weight of evidence. Thousands and thousands of pets are enjoying a healthy, quality balanced raw diet every day, just like their ancestors did for millions of years. It is advised that owners work with a raw food specialist who will advise you how to introduce a raw diet carefully and also help you address any existing health issues associated with their existing diet. We are here to help.
Is a raw diet only for certain breeds of dog?
No. We have customers with dogs of all breeds, weighing less than 5 kg all the way to 40 kg plus. All are welcome to join the natural feeding pack!
Will a raw diet make my dog more aggressive?
No. In fact, expect the opposite! Dry and tinned food with grain and additives can lead to irritability and hyperactivity in some dogs. A natural, quality raw food diet will give them a more balanced mood.
Is a raw diet expensive?
No. How much it will cost will depend on what you buy and from whom. To give you an idea, prices for an adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with Wild Tails – Raw Food Specialists, start from as little as 34p a day (average of around 40p a day). An adult male Staffordshire Bull Terrier can be fed for as little as 79p a day (average of around 85p a day).
Does my pet need grain in their food?
No. Despite grain being used as a filler in the majority of tinned and dry food since the 1950s, they do not need it to have lots of energy. They get energy from the raw meat and extra vitamins and minerals from the vegetables, oils, herbs and superfoods which you will find making up 20% of the majority of Complete Raw Meals. Many health problems such as poor skin, dry fur, sore ears, biting paws etc often go away within a week of changing to a quality raw food diet because there is no grain.
Will a raw diet help my pet’s allergies?
Very often – yes. Let’s get into this a little as many of our customers first arrived very confused and frustrated before we helped them. Firstly, there’s no grain in raw meals so many dogs will see the benefit within just a few days of starting on raw for this reason alone. Grain breaks down into sugars easily. This feeds and allows the yeast in the gut to become unbalanced resulting in yeast infections in some dogs. These yeast infections are seen as sore patches on the skin, fur loss, sore and gunky ears, itchy paws and sometimes dark tear stains.
Some owners reading this will recognise these symptoms and may be thinking, there is little or no grain in the food I’m buying, so why are the problems persisting? We know how you feel. We were once in this situation (but no longer!).
Sadly, even expensive ‘hypoallergenic’ dry food recommended by some vets can have less grain but still contain animal derivatives which are causing the allergy. By this, we mean mostly chicken gravy or beef meal, even if it says Fish Flavour on the bag. With raw meals, you only get what is on the pack… so Duck is duck. Lamb is lamb. Venison is venison.
At Wild Tails – Raw Food Specialists we have helped many hundreds of owners identify and fix their dogs’ allergies through a process of elimination. More come to us every week. No expensive blood tests or allergy tests are required.
So, which meat causes the most allergies? The answer – Chicken. Yes chicken!
Hundreds of our customers have started on a healthy raw diet (often avoiding chicken to begin with) and within a week or so have put away the expensive steroids and antihistamine tablets for good.
Some pet allergies are caused by something in their environment. This is much rarer than food allergies. Even these can be calmed by introducing natural ingredients into your pet’s diet or by identifying and removing the cause. Please get in touch to discuss.
Will too much protein make my dog’s hair fall out?
We have come across this misconception a few times. It is not too much protein which can cause this, it’s whIch protein. Again, with so many dogs being allergic to chicken, try cutting this out of your dog’s diet first. If it persists, try moving away from the farm yard completely and try the wilder meats, like duck, venison, rabbit and even wild boar. Remember, foods with lots of grain (even supposedly hypoallergenic foods which have less grain or swap white grain for brown grain) can also cause this symptom if your dog is particularly sensitive.
Do I need to feed my dog biscuits as well as raw?
No. The vast majority of owners who feed their pet a quality raw diet do not add biscuits. Raw fed pets have a naturally high pH level in their tummies and so can easily absorb nutrients from their food. A varied quality raw diet gives them everything they need. That is why they poo so little (and smell better) compared with pets that are not fed in this way. So in other words, if you add biscuits you will likely not see any health benefits and instead, you will find that you will be picking up more every time you reach for a poo bag.
Is raw feeding popular?
Every day more pets are enjoying the health benefits (and lower vets bills) associated with a quality raw food diet. Most of our new customers have been recommended by friends and relatives of existing customers. A report commissioned by PDSA in 2022 put the number of raw fed dogs at almost 0.8 million dogs in the UK. This figure continues to grow. The USA, Australia, South Africa and other countries are seeing increases too.
What if I don’t have much freezer space?
From the point of view of an independent raw food specialist who supports their local community, this is not a problem. Our customers pop into the shop or have deliveries from us on a weekly basis if they wish. Quality raw meals will last 2 to 4 days in the fridge once defrosted, depending on the brand. So not everything needs to go in the freezer.
How do I feed my dog raw when I take them on holiday?
There are more and more local raw retailers popping up across the country. So check where you are going. Alternatively, we can recommend quality, grain free alternatives which compliment a raw diet. Contact us at Wild Tails – Raw Food Specialists to discuss options that we have successfully tested on our own dogs (one who has allergies and one who has intolerances).
How long can I keep raw pet food in the fridge?
This will depend on the brand. Typically two days but some like Naked Dog and Natural Dog can be kept defrosted in the fridge for four days.
My dog seems to be constipated. Is this normal?
There are a few points to discuss on this subject. Let’s get into it…
Firstly, pets enjoying a quality raw diet absorb so many nutrients from their food that they poo much less. It is perfectly normal for them to therefore take longer to pass their smaller and firmer poos. A dog’s anal glands will also be worked more by a firmer poo which is much healthier for your dog.
You will often see raw meals containing these proportions: 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% offal. This amount of bone does not normally cause constipation. However, our tip would be to keep some pure minces (100% meat) in the mix – tripe arguably being the best for their digestion. Adding natural sources of fibre (without reverting to grain) can also help. Please contact us to discuss.
If their poos are very light in colour this may be because there is a higher level of bone in the diet (bone is good) but it may also be because the meat is light in colour. Duck, for example, is much lighter in colour than Beef.
Can I start feeding raw food straight away or do I need to transition?
The short answer is this… Many dogs will benefit from introducing the offal and bone in most quality raw meals slowly, over about a week. So you certainly can start on raw straight away but our advice is to start with a 100% meat mince. For more information, please visit our Transition to Raw page
My dog’s poo is sometimes white and dry. Is this normal?
If their poos are very light in colour this may be because there is a higher level of bone in the diet (bone is good) which can easily be adjusted. However, it may simply be because the meat is light in colour. Duck, for example, is much lighter in colour than Beef which is still true when it comes out the other end.
What precautions should I take when handling raw pet food?
Please take the same precautions as when you are handling any raw meat. Please keep hands, surfaces, utensils and bowls clean.
Can I feed my pet vegetables if on a raw diet?
Certain vegetables (most nutritionists believe) such as Broccoli, Spinach, Butternut Squash, Kale, Green Vegetables, Blue Berries and Carrots (small amounts) are good for cats and dogs. Please bear in mind that they are not as good at breaking down plant matter as we humans are. Therefore, most quality complete raw meals will contain no more than 20% vegetables, herbs and superfoods.
Which brand of raw food is best for my dog or cat?
One of the main benefits of contacting or visiting a raw food specialist like Wild Tails, is that you can try out several different meats and brands. We have over 80 quality raw meals to choose from… and we’re always very well stocked.
What age can I start my puppy on raw?
Most dogs are fully weaned off their mother’s milk by 7 to 10 weeks.
Is my pet too old to start a raw diet
Again, the evidence presented by our customers suggests that senior pets can also benefit from the health benefits of a raw food diet. These include: improved dental health, increased mobility, silkier fur etc. Obviously, the younger you can start them on a quality raw food diet the better.
How much raw food should I feed my pet a day?
This will depend on your pet’s age, ideal weight and activity levels. At Wild Tails – Raw Food Specialists we can tailor a plan specifically for your pet. For more information, please see our Transition to Raw page.
How often should I feed my pet each day?
This depends on what works for you. Most of our customers feed two meals a day.
Do vets recommend feeding raw?
More and more are. We started feeding our dogs raw on the recommendation of a vet. Here’s a link to a YouTube video where 7 experienced vets talk about the benefits of a quality raw food diet (quick note – there are actually many, many more benefits than mentioned in the video).
Can I prepare my own raw meals from scratch?
Yes, and some owners have been doing this for a long time. At Wild Tails – Raw Food Specialists we’ve focused on keeping our prices very low and ensuring that there is a great deal of variety on offer. Therefore, the vast majority of our customers choose the convenience of prepared meals with few or no added ingredients required. Easy!
Can I cook raw pet food?
Please avoid doing this. Most raw meals will contain 10% bone (which helps give your pet better dental health, less joint inflammation etc). The bone could become brittle if cooked and could be harmful. Also, if your dog has transitioned onto a raw diet and can therefore naturally absorb so much goodness from their food, why reduce this by cooking it and therefore making the nutrients harder to absorb?
How can I find out more?
Please contact our friendly, experienced team at Wild Tails – Raw Food Specialists. Call or text us on 07729 266457 or check out our Transition to Raw page. You can also message us via Facebook, Instagram or Tiktok. Please remember to hit the Follow button. Our email address is wildtailssouthwales@gmail.com
