There are many benefits of a raw pet food diet, which allows them to develop and maintain a healthy digestive system. Processed foods are easy to feed but cause pets to experience more health problems, which means more trips to the veterinarian. Consumers are researching and educating themselves on the benefits of health care through nutrition. One of the first steps is to try a raw diet. By adding even a little raw food to your dog’s diet, you will notice immediate benefits.

• Fresher breath, cleaner teeth, improved coat condition and smaller stools.
• Heat processing destroys natural vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids.
• Raw meats, properly prepared minimally processed, quick frozen or freeze dried are high in Essential Fatty Acids, amino acids and enzymes.
• Along with the Essential Fatty Acids, live enzymes, antioxidants and friendly a are found in a bio-available form in raw meats, fruits and vegetables.  The long-term health and strength of any given companion animal is reliant on these nutrients.
• Remember what our doctor says, “Eating 20% fresh fruits and vegetables will make us healthier.” Why would we not do the same for our pets?
• Minerals are found in abundance and in nature’s own ratio in the uncooked bones of animals.  Not only does giving your dog a bone make them happy; it may well be the best thing you can do to provide for their nutritional well-being.

All of these lead to healthy, happy dogs!

Health Benefits of a Raw Diet:

• Brighter Teeth – Cleaner Teeth – Less chance of plaque buildup especially if combined with Raw Meaty Bones.
• Better Breath – Almost odorless indicating a healthy start to the digestive process and cleaner teeth.
• Healthy Skin – Indication the immune system is healthy. Healthy immune systems are not bothered by parasites.
• Shiny Coat – Helps decrease shedding. Raw Feeding is very popular among kennels, show dog owners and judges. Currently many of our top working, performance and show dogs are fed raw diets.
• Less Stool – Dogs utilize more, eliminate less.
• Optimal Body Weight – A healthy weight is easily obtained and maintained. Better muscle mass.
• Healthier Joints – Ranging from puppies to seniors. This is greatly attributed to the natural Essential Fatty Acids as well as the overall PH balance becoming normalized, reducing inflammation. Glucosamine, chondroitin and collagen are a natural component in raw meat.
• Quicker Recovery – from surgery, infections or infestations as well as over-all healing occurs.  The strength of the immune system is revitalized.

A series of positive changes will occur in your pet in response to being fed Northwest Naturals™ pet food. These changes may occur almost immediately while others appear as prolonged quality of life.

In the first several days your pet may experience:

• Decreased anxiety level between meals
• Decreased hyperactivity
• Increased energy level
• Increased food drive
• Normalization of stools

In the first several weeks your pet may have:

• A more attentive disposition
• An improvement in or disappearance of skin allergies, disorders and irritation
• An improvement in colon health
• Brighter and clearer eyes

In the first several months you may notice:

• Your dog has a healthier, shinier, softer coat
• Your dog completely digests dog food
• Your dog has more stamina

Longevity on a Raw Diet:

Bluey, (Jun 7, 1910 – Nov 14, 1939) was the name of an Australian Cattle Dog owned by Les Hall of Rochester, Victoria, Australia which holds the Guinness World Record as being the longest recorded living dog in history at an age of twenty-nine years, five months, and seven days. Another dog, an Australian Cattle Dog / Labrador mix, died in 1984 reportedly at the age of 32 years and 3 days, but this case was not fully documented, and so it is not official. (As of 2007)

CANBERRA, Australia — A 26-year-old mongrel living with an Aboriginal family in Australia’s Outback has the potential to become the world’s oldest living dog, a newspaper reported Sunday. Jerry, an Australian cattle dog-bull terrier cross, will next month turn 27 – the equivalent of 189 years for a human – said Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals veterinarian Honey Nelson in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.”He will be 27 years old in August – I have no doubt at all,” Nelson reportedly said after examining Jerry. “He could push on to 28, going by his good body condition.”