This is one of the top 3 questions we are regularly asked. Unless you are feeding a wide range of whole prey (that’s head to tail, fur and feathers included) your dog will likely benefit from you adding some little extras to the bowl. Here is a list of the most common additions owners may add to their dog’s raw food: veggies, eggs, sprats, blueberries, raspberries, sardines, mussels, bone broth, kefir, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds are all good additions.
If you are feeding a ‘complete’ raw dog food, the food will likely contain some vegetables or herbs and seeds or a synthetic premix of vitamins and minerals. If this is the case then the occasional addition from the list above will ensure all nutritional bases are covered. It is still important to feed a variety of proteins even when choosing complete meals for your dog because each protein contains a different set of nutrients. It’s also much more interesting for your dog!
If you are feeding a ‘complementary’ raw dog food it is likely to be balanced to what’s called 80/10/10. That is a balance of meat, bone, and offal within the meal. Whilst a well-varied 80/10/10 diet may contain enough nutrients for your dog they will benefit from the inclusion of some green vegetables. These provide some of the harder-to-find minerals such as manganese and magnesium. Alternatively, you can add some of the additions from the list above, especially mussels, eggs, and sardines.
Any of the following green vegetables either lightly steamed or whizzed up:
Broccoli
Spring Greens
Green Beans
Spinach
Kale
Cabbage