Short answer: Raw food is great but not for everyone.

If your dog is healthy, raw might be a great option for you.

If your dog struggles with immune deficiencies, chronic illness or chronic digestive problems, gently cooked is the best food for your dog.

Long answer: Raw food is often the most nutrient dense form of food, which from a nutritional standpoint is great! However, it is also harder to digest because instead of heat breaking down cell structures now the body needs to break it down. This is not a problem for most healthy dogs who have strong digestive systems but if your dog struggles with immune deficiencies, chronic illness or chronic digestive problems then raw food can be very disruptive to their digestive health and well-being. Gently cooked is the best option for weaker digestive and immune systems because it breaks down some of the tougher cell structures but does not greatly deplete the nutritional quality of the food.

Gently cooked means cooking at the lowest heat setting and covering to prevent moisture loss.

If you are cooking for your dog you will want to retain all juices and serve with the meal. These juices provide good hydration and healthy fats, so do not throw them away! 😊

Gently cooking options: (with both options cook food until veggies are soft and meat has no more pink)

Stove top:

• low heat (medium to low on the burner)
• cook with or without added liquid
• covered

Slow cooker:

• low heat
• retain all cooking liquids and serve with food

The ingredients chosen for these recipes were selected for their incredible nutritive properties and their relative accessibility. However, there are some ingredients that can be harder to find depending on what region you live in.

Below is a list of ingredients that are a little harder to source:

Beef Heart and Beef Liver:

• Raw Feeding Miami
• BJ's Raw Pet Food

Oysters:

• Located (canned oysters) near the canned tuna, (raw oysters) freezer section OR at your grocery store's seafood counter

Always measure ingredients using weight. Be cognizant of whether that weight should be measured as cooked or raw! Since cooking can decrease the moisture of a food and greatly influence the ingredient's weight. In each recipe it is specified whether you will be taking the ingredient's cooked weight or raw weight so that there is no confusion.

This method of measuring is far more straightforward and precise as different ingredients may take up more or less volume depending on their temp and structure. There are a few exceptions to this. With fish oil, for instance, you will be instructed to measure by volume since measuring a liquid by weight can sometimes be tricky. 

The #1 most important tool you will need is a gram scale. As covered in the “Why measure in weight rather than volume?” question you will be weighing your ingredients so you will need a gram scale to measure out the ingredients in all of Dr. Evelyn’s recipes. There are a few exceptions to this which brings us to our next tool, measuring spoons. With ingredients like fish oil, you will be instructed to measure by volume since measuring a liquid by weight can sometimes be tricky. 

You may also want to have a food processor on hand if your dog is picky about texture. The food processor will allow you to make the food more similar to canned food in texture which may be more palatable for some dogs. It will also prevent those really picky dogs from eating around certain ingredients. 

We also highly recommend using glass, ceramic or stainless steal bowls and utensils as their plastic counter parts can leach chemicals into the food if it is heated and it is more likely for bacteria to grow in the small scratches made in the plastic when cutting and stirring.

It is no secret that organic is more expensive than conventional foods. So to start, if you are able to feed a home cooked diet but maybe not organic don’t feel discouraged.

Feeding whole food is well worth your while even if it is not organic!

However, if you are financially able, feeding organic is a huge step that will increase the benefits your dog will receive from a whole food diet. In short, organic means that food with the USDA Organic seal has not been treated with harmful pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, or synthetic fertilizers in the last three years or during the animal's lifetime. Therefore, if you feed organic you will not be exposing your dog to these environmental toxins.

That being said, if you are unable to feed organic don’t fret, you have options!

• One option is to manage your dog’s environmental toxins by detoxing their body with different herbal tinctures.

- Detox Blend

- Petandim

• You can also choose to buy select foods organic, those that are known to be higher in concentrations of these toxins i.e. oats, spinach, blueberries etc. (EWG's Dirty Dozen™ List is a good place to start)
• In general, buying organic produce is cheaper than buying organic meat so another option would be to buy all organic produce and all conventional meat. 

The nutritional value of beef can vary based on various factors, including the animal's diet, lifestyle, and farming practices. Let's break down the differences:

1. Grass-Fed Beef: Grass-fed beef comes from cattle that primarily graze on pasture or grass rather than being fed grain-based diets in feedlots. (There is a difference between "Grass Fed" and "100% Grass Fed" learn about the difference here) Grass-fed beef tends to have higher levels of certain nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and antioxidants such as vitamin E, compared to conventionally raised beef. It also tends to have a healthier fat profile with less saturated fat.

2. Pasture-Raised Beef: Pasture-raised beef refers to cattle that have access to pasture for grazing but may also receive supplemental feed, which likely includes grains. The nutritional profile of pasture-raised beef can vary depending on the specifics of their diet and lifestyle. It falls somewhere between grass-fed and conventionally raised beef in terms of nutrient content. However, there is no debate that pasture-raised beef is a far more humane farming practice compared to conventional feed lots.

3. Organic Beef: Organic beef is raised according to certain standards set by the USDA, which prohibits farmers from using, antibiotics, hormones, synthetic chemicals or feeding food that is not certified organic. Organic beef may be grass-fed, pasture-raised, or grain-fed depending on the specific farm and practices. While organic certification prohibits the use of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other synthetic chemicals, it doesn't necessarily guarantee a specific nutritional profile compared to grass-fed or pasture-raised beef. It does, however, guarantee that the meat will be free of synthetic chemicals and toxins.

In summary, grass-fed beef often boasts the highest nutritional value among the three options due to its higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, CLA, and antioxidants. However, both pasture-raised and organic beef can also offer nutritional benefits depending on their specific farming practices. It is important to consider what region the cattle are being raised and whether or not they spend large portions of their year indoors due to severe weather conditions. If you are looking to buy the best of the best then find a local cattle farm that feeds "100% Grass Fed" and is certified "USDA Organic" (bonus if they also use regenerative farming practices). Ultimately, the best choice depends on your priorities regarding animal welfare, environmental impact, personal health preferences and cost.

After preparing raw food it is important to wash your hands and prep surface with warm soapy water. 

Always wash your pet’s food bowl between each meal with warm soapy water. 

1. Cleanliness is Key: Wash your hands, utensils, and all surfaces thoroughly before and after handling raw meat. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.
2. Proper Storage: Store raw meat and other perishable ingredients in the refrigerator or freezer at appropriate temperatures to prevent bacterial growth. Thaw frozen ingredients in the refrigerator or microwave, never at room temperature.
3. Safe Handling Practices: Avoid leaving raw food out for extended periods. Discard any uneaten portions within a reasonable timeframe to prevent spoilage. Wash food bowls and utensils thoroughly after each use.