Mixing raw food and kibble?
During the nutrition classes I teach, I’m often asked the following question:
Is it safe to feed my dog raw, dry food (kibble)?
As is often the case with food, the answer isn’t a simple yes or a simple no.
First, we must ask ourselves the question: why do we want to do it?
It's worth noting that each type of diet has its advantages and disadvantages. I sincerely believe that to have healthy animals, we must listen to what Mother Nature tells us, and she tells us (not her, of course, but the dog's digestive system, LOL) that for most dogs, a high-quality, fresh, raw, meat-based diet is what will give them the best vitality and health. Raw food has the advantage of being unprocessed and uncooked, which makes nutrients such as proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins more readily available and digestible to meet the dog's needs. A good raw diet also contains a maximum of 15% vegetables. For optimal canine nutrition, we don't want more vegetables than that, as they are difficult for dogs with carnivorous digestive systems to digest.
Ultimately, Mother Nature can't be too far off the mark if we listen to what people who switch their dogs from dry food (kibble) to raw food say:
- Less poop
- More beautiful, shinier fur, less shedding
- More muscles
- More vitality
- Cleaner teeth, better breath
- Healthier skin, less itching and dandruff.
Who wouldn't want to see these improvements in their dog?
So yes, the nutritional advantage of raw food is tangible and, in my opinion, undeniable. Its growing popularity among dog and cat owners is also explained by this phenomenon… The results speak for themselves!
Furthermore, feeding your dog a raw diet also has its downsides compared to dry food. It often requires an additional freezer, isn’t easy to travel with, is sometimes more expensive, requires extra precautions regarding handling and hygiene, isn’t well understood, and is frowned upon by most veterinarians.
Yes, nothing in life is perfect!!! That's why some are tempted to get the best of both worlds by alternating between dry food (kibble) and raw food.
First, I'm going to burst your bubble right now: it doesn't work like that in life, you never get the best of both worlds. :)
Finally, the main question to ask is this: Knowing that it isn’t optimal, is it correct and safe to give both types of food to your dog?
As an agronomist specializing in animal nutrition, am I for or against mixing dry and raw feed?
This is why I'm against it:
- You don't get 100% of the nutritional benefits of a raw diet, but only the percentage of benefits associated with the percentage of raw food you include in the diet if you mix kibble and raw. Put simply, if you eat healthy food in the evening and fast food at lunchtime, you won't get 100% of the results of a healthy diet, but probably around 50%. This makes sense.
- A raw food diet requires the digestive system to be efficient in terms of digestion and bacterial management. When alternating between 2 very different diets, the digestive system (especially the gut bacteria) sometimes adapts but isn’t optimized for digesting either one. This can lead to digestive issues such as vomiting and diarrhea in some dogs.
- For dogs with intolerances to vegetables and carbohydrates, they’ll experience symptoms as soon as their food contains these, and the best kibble contains a minimum of 40%, so this isn’t an interesting option for them.
Motivated by the reasons mentioned above and by my youthful enthusiasm at the beginning of my career in canine nutrition, I was initially 100% against mixing the 2 types of food. However, as only fools never change their minds, and as I get older, here are a few points to consider that have tempered my current position.
That's why I'm not totally against mixing kibble and raw food anymore:
- A recent Finnish study demonstrated that when dogs consumed 20% or more raw food in their diets, a decrease in certain blood markers linked to the development of cancer and other diseases was observed. Therefore, even in very small quantities, a raw diet can help with certain health issues. In short, a little is better than nothing.
- Some dogs tolerate mixing the 2 foods well.
The more years of experience I accumulate in canine nutrition, the more I realize that each animal is different and that you can’t apply the same feeding rules to all of them…
Therefore, when choosing the best food for your dog, it's clear that if you can afford a high-quality, balanced, 100% raw diet, this should be the preferred option. However, this doesn't mean that a dog won't benefit from having some or even 50% raw food in their diet.
Finally, here are a few pitfalls to avoid when making your decision:
- Giving kibble because you're afraid a raw diet isn't complete and balanced is completely false. The truth is, a well-balanced raw diet (bones, meat, offal, vegetables [optional], sea oil) is perfectly complete and balanced.
- Feeding your dog 50% kibble in their diet so they can be given some while travelling for 15 days a year because it's more convenient… Keep in mind that it doesn't take 350 days to transition from raw to kibble. Generally, if you plan the transition to kibble 15 days before going on vacation, everything goes very smoothly for your pet. Furthermore, several companies now offer freeze-dried (cold-dehydrated) products which, although very expensive, can be convenient for feeding your dog during this period. Be careful with these, as some companies claim to have dehydrated raw food, but it's actually just kibble because it's cooked (even if at a low temperature) and contains 40% vegetables, just like kibble. The history and my opinion on this type of product will be discussed in another chapter.
Of course, this only reflects my opinion and experience; it's up to you to find what works best for your dog! To learn more about this topic, sign up for our nutrition training in the training section of our website.
Karine Simard, agronomist, M.Sc.
Expert consultant in canine nutrition
Pattedeaubio.com
