Better Bites: How I Ditched Kibble and Became a Raw Feeder

Good diets sustain happy, healthy dogs. photo: Erika Slovikoski

When I was in my twenties, I was broke, working in a restaurant kitchen, and feeding my dog the cheapest kibble I could find. I bought big 40-pound bags that sat open in the pantry for weeks as I scooped it out day after day, probably along with all kinds of dust mites and grain mites. My then dog lived a long life but in his later years his teeth and gums were diseased and painful. He also had unhealthy organs, limited mobility, and was generally pretty compromised. His terrible itchy allergies may have meant he was allergic to mites. 

With my next few dogs, I wanted to do better so I started making healthy human-grade food for them using a book called Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. The book had some cool recipes and I would make a big casserole for my pups once a week. This was affordable, but most of the recipes contained a lot of fillers like squash and beans. 

As I got more into homemade dog food, I started getting ingredients from our local co-op, San Francisco Raw Feeders (SFRAW), a member-supported community of people who feed raw or cooked fresh food diets to their pets. I found SFRAW offered a wide variety of high quality meats, bones, offal, prepared foods, seafood, and other products. Plus, its staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

In 2019, I took an online course and became a certified Raw Dog Food Nutrition Specialist. But around this time I noticed I was starting to have conflicts with my vet over dietary issues. Veterinarians often advise against raw feeding because they are concerned about Salmonella or other pathogens. Yet oddly, they don’t seem to have the same concerns about mass-produced kibble, despite many recalls due to Salmonella, Listeria, or E. coli. In fact, I don’t purchase food with pathogens and I am careful to handle food safely so it’s not hazardous. And I’m sure to get my ingredients from sources that maintain very high standards and don’t hide anything about their products. 

My vet at that time also warned that each meal might not be nutritionally complete and balanced, especially if I was introducing a lot of novelty and variety in my dog’s diet. But as long as the nutritional value in the recipe has been calculated, it’s possible to create a balanced diet over time even if not every individual meal is nutritionally complete (for those who worry about this, nutritionally complete grinds and formulas are available, though they may be a bit pricier). While I was grateful I could rely on my vet for routine care and treatment of medical issues, I began to realize that prevention of these same issues through diet was sometimes outside their expertise. 

Feeding my dogs extremely high quality, nutritionally complete food ultimately became a passion for me that went beyond medical wellness. When introducing my dog Orion to new foods, I’d create a tasting flight on multiple plates and watch with anticipation as he selected what he liked best. I would often take him shopping with me and let him sniff different items and if he showed interest, I would buy it. Creating novelty and variety for him and watching him enjoy his meals was such a pleasure. 

Then along came my two current dogs, Crimes and Justice, who have never eaten anything but fresh food. Their everyday diet includes venison, seafood, beef, turkey, lamb, and green tripe in a regular rotation with delightful additions like goat milk, goat cheese, salmon roe, whole frozen anchovies and sardines, and occasional hunks of hide and fur. My general rule of thumb for their meals is 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organs with additional snacks and chews. Instead of an omega 3 supplement, I give them anchovies.  

If you’re curious about raw feeding, but don’t know where to start, take an exploratory trip to SFRAW. You don’t have to be a member to shop there and even if you have no idea what you want, you can just walk in and look around. The staff are knowledgeable and kind and you might just get into a conversation and end up with your arms full of yummy things for your dog to try. There are budget friendly ways to do this, too (okay, half our fridge and freezer space is devoted to dog food, but it’s become pretty normal in my household). 

The dog I had in my broke twenties had a long happy life, and I’m sure most kibble-fed dogs are doing just fine these days. I do understand that, realistically, many people aren’t able or willing to give their dogs anything else - and that’s okay. But there is something so satisfying about feeding fresh wholesome foods and watching my dogs lick their plates clean.

Raw feeding is not a guarantee that my dogs will live long lives without any medical crises. But I’m going to do all I can to work toward that goal - starting with the healthiest foods I can find.