The idea behind raw feeding is very simple.

Instead of feeding kibble or wet food – essentially junk food for dogs – you switch them back to their 'natural' diet.

A diet that boosts their health and longevity.

What is the natural (aka species-appropriate) diet for a dog? Uncooked (raw) meat, bone and vegetables.

This is what they (like their wolf cousins) eat in the wild.

Incidentally, a dog's digestive system is very different to ours.

They have super strong stomach acids (as strong as hydrochloric acid) and can safely digest raw meat and bone.

The core elements of a raw food diet are meat, bone and vegetables.

You can feed any meat you choose – although some meats may be more suitable for your dog than others.

You can feed any bone you choose – the crucial thing is that the bone is raw and again some bones may be more suitable for your dog than others.

Almost all vegetables are suitable – onions, garlic, leeks, chives, shallots, rhubarb (leaves), raw potatoes and avocado should all be avoided.

Variety is important.

This is because each ingredient you feed offers a different range of nutritional benefits.

Lamb, for example, provides higher calories and is very rich in B12, good B6, niacin, and riboflavin.

Whereas venison is packed full of protein and better for Omega 3, zinc, potassium and iron.

Bear in mind, too, that the higher the quality of the ingredients the higher the nutritional value.

Factory farmed meat, for example, offers very little nutritional value and has to be heavily supplemented. Heavy supplementation can harm your dog's health.

Yes! Chicken wings are a fantastic source of nutrition for your dog and will also help keep their teeth clean and their gums healthy. The important thing is that the wings must be raw. Cooked bone is brittle and can splinter.

There are lots of different raw feeding models. One of the most popular is called the 'prey' or 80:10:10 model, which requires the following proportions: muscle meat (80%), edible bone (10%) and organ meat (10%).

However, many experts feel that this is too limited and that the 'BARF' (which stands for biologically appropriate raw food) or 33:33:33 model is much better. For this model you feed one third raw meat (including offal), one third raw meaty bone and one third raw vegetables. It's an easier model to follow and it ensures a much greater variety of nutrition.

Every species on earth should be eating a species-appropriate diet. That is why cows eat grass and pandas eat bamboo. It is their natural food, the food they thrive on. Feeding them anything else is likely to cause health issues.

What is the species-appropriate diet for dogs? It is the same sort of diet that a wolf would eat.

Why? Dogs are so closely related to wolves that they can interbreed. Even though dogs have been domesticated they share an identical digestive system.

A wolf's diet consists of prey (such as sheep, hares and birds), carrion (dead birds and animals) and plant matter (mostly vegetables).

Wolves are, of course, dreadful cooks and so they eat all their food raw.

This is much better for them because cooking alters food's molecular structure and destroys much of its nutritional value.

In short, the best food you can feed your dog is a domesticated version of his or her wild diet: raw meat, bones and vegetables.

The short answer is 'yes' – there is plenty of scientific research to prove raw feeding is better for your dog.

Dr Conor Brady, a leading zoologist, has made gathering all the research together something of a life work. His most recent book – 'Feeding Dogs: The Science Behind the Dry Versus Raw Debate' – includes over 1200 different references. This gives you a feel for the sheer volume of relevant research.

One of those references, incidentally, was a two-year study called 'Raw Proof' funded by Honey's.

New research papers are published regularly.

To offer just one example, a 2025 study – 'A critical review of research concerning the gut microbiome in dogs and its relationship with behaviour' – noted that raw fed dogs have richer, more diverse microbiomes and are, therefore, likely to be healthier, when compared to dogs fed kibble or wet food.

To offer another example, every year 'Dog Risk' – an ongoing study being led by Professor Anna Hielm-Björkman at the University of Helsinki – produces new pro-raw findings.

If you are interested in the scientific evidence behind raw feeding, please drop us a line and we can provide you with a reading list and other sources of information.

Happily, more and more vets support and encourage raw feeding.

This is a big change from the 1990s when the raw feeding movement started.

Back then the majority of vets had received very little training in canine nutrition.

Moreover, the training they received was often sponsored by the big, ultra-processed dog food companies!

However, in recent years that has all changed.

The growing volume of scientific research and, of course, the fact that they can see the benefits for themselves, has provided the evidence and reassurance vets need.

There is even a special group of vets – The Raw Feeding Veterinary Society – promoting natural feeding.

Dogs eating a raw food diet can be expected to live longer and to suffer less illness and disease.

The benefits include:

• a glossy coat
• healthy skin
• lean muscle tone
• robust immune system
• boosted microbiome
• sweet-smelling breath
• healthy teeth and gums
• increased energy
• better digestion
• a strong heart
• better behaviour
• less poo
• a longer life
• and better health

A specially formulated raw food diet is especially beneficial for working dogs as it helps performance and healing.

Its advantages cannot be overstated.

Indeed, if your dog has any health issues now (even minor problems such as allergies, dry skin, bad breath and what the Americans refer to, euphemistically, as 'gas') it is quite likely that a switch to a raw food diet will clear them up.

If you want the best for your puppy wean them straight on to a raw food diet.

It is vital to a puppy's long-term health that he or she eat the best possible food when being weaned.

It is especially damaging to puppies to allow them to eat processed foods containing harmful ingredients, additives and chemicals.

In other words, kibble and wet food.

This is because a puppy's stomach lining is more permeable than an adult dog's, so the risk of causing lasting health issues is much greater.

If you would like specific advice about how and what to feed your puppy please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team.

In the meantime, you will find a more detailed article here.

Mums and expectant mums require more food than other adult dogs. Apart from this, there is no difference in the way they should be fed. However, there are certain extra ingredients and supplements you may like to consider.

If you would like specific advice about how and what to feed mums and mums-to-be please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team.

In the meantime, you will find a more detailed article here.

Good news! Raw feeding boosts fertility for both male and female dogs.

If you would like specific advice about how and what to feed any dog hoping to become a parent, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team.

In the meantime, here is some general information.

Most manufactured dog food offers a narrow spectrum of nutrients, damaged fats and proteins, high chemical and grain levels, high levels of artificial calcium, salt and sugar mixed with low levels of natural antioxidants, enzymes, available micronutrients and phytochemicals and…you get the idea. None of these help. Indeed, one of the effects of feeding processed food to several generations of dogs, according to Dr Ian Billinghurst in his book 'Grow Your Pups with Bones', is substantially reduced fertility. He points out that: 'The best way to be certain of low to non-existent fertility … is to feed dogs a dry food starting from when they are puppies.'

Billinghurst then goes on to explain why the different elements (essential fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants and so forth) in a raw food diet boost fertility. For males, he lays great stress on the need for zinc, which occurs naturally in lamb, beef, chicken, liver, eggs and carrots, as well as methionine (found in eggs), magnesium (found in green vegetables), manganese (again, found in green vegetables) and selenium (found in eggs). Billinghurst feels that it is always better for dogs to obtain all these nutrients from their food and warns against overdoing it with supplements. Where supplements may be required, it is vital to get professional advice, as it is possible to overdose a dog on ingredients such as zinc.

A raw, natural diet benefits senior dogs because it is easier to digest, less time and energy is spent on converting the nutrition and there is less strain put on the digestive tract and the organs.

If you would like specific advice about how and what to feed an older dog, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team.

In the meantime, here is some general information.

Feeding older dogs a raw diet can help prevent and improve all sorts of common disorders, including dental disease, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, kidney disease, hormonal disease, skin disease, obesity arthritis and cancer. Moreover, it is never too late to make the switch.

Those who have already done so report all sorts of immediate benefits including more energy and vitality, improved coat, reduced scratching and itching, better dental hygiene and oral health, and improved digestion.

Note that as dogs get older and less active, they generally need fewer calories.

However, just like humans, they still require the same nutrients regardless of their age.

In other words, their diet should include the identical protein, fats (polyunsaturated), vitamins and minerals. Indeed, as they move through the canine equivalent to 'retirement', they require more bioavailable (aka digestible) nutrients to continue to support their immune system against the natural process of aging.

All of which is available from a properly formulated raw food diet.

As an aside, when it comes to feeding senior dogs the pet food industry has not behaved responsibly. Huge multinational pet food companies have spent the last few years (and tens of millions of pounds) persuading dog lovers that their four-legged family members ought to be eating specially formulated foods.

There is an extremely close connection between diet and health. Eating the wrong foods can cause all sorts of medical issues, whereas eating the right foods can do much to alleviate (and even cure) a wide range of conditions. As Hippocrates said: 'Let food be your medicine.'

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with a health issues, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

In the meantime, here is some general information.

With one or two exceptions (primarily where the dog's immune system has been compromised), a raw food diet is always recommended. This is because raw food is the easiest thing for your dog to digest and supports his or her immune system.

Processed food is an underlying cause for as many as 9 out of 10 visits to the vet (and this includes expensive, so-called 'scientifically developed' brands).

Here is a list of just some of the many conditions that can be improved (and in some cases even cured) by a switch to raw feeding.

Sensitive digestion
Constipation
Diarrhoea
Bloat or gastric torsion
Colitis
Flatulence
Inflammatory bowel disease
Irritable bowel syndrome
Vomiting
Allergies
Addison's disease
Cushing's syndrome
Diabetes mellitus
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
Hepatitis (liver disease)
Impacted anal glands
Kidney disease (renal failure)
Liver shunt
Pancreatitis
Kidney stones and other purine problems
Gingivitis
Halitosis (bad breath)
Alopecia (fur loss)
Itchy skin
Paw chewing
Itchy ears and skin problems caused by allergies
Arthritis
Cancers and tumours
Elbow dysplasia

The number one health issue that our in-house vets and vet nurses deal with every day is: dogs with sensitive digestions.

The symptoms are very unpleasant for all concerned: soft, smelly stools, stools containing mucus, flatulence, bad breath and/or a rumbling stomach.

In nine out of ten cases we have found that the most effective treatment is simple: introduce a raw food diet using high quality ingredients.

The quality of ingredients is key.

Assuming there is no other underlying health issue, the main reason for a sensitive digestion is the quality of the food i.e. low-quality ingredients, excessive protein or fat in the diet, and/or overfeeding.

By using free range, organic and wild meat and chemical free vegetables it is possible to quickly remedy the issue.

Indeed, it rarely takes more than a few days for the new diet to work.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with a sensitive digestion or any other health issues, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

As long as your dog is healthy, the quickest and easiest way to make the switch is simplicity itself. Leave a reasonable period of time between meals (24 hours is ideal, but you could try less) and then introduce the new raw diet.

Incidentally, in the wild, dogs may go for up to a week without eating, so although they may give you reproachful looks, a day without food will certainly do them no harm and may do them some good, since it will give their digestive system time to rest.

The only reason to try another approach is if you encounter resistance. In which case, there are several options you can try. We'll be delighted to offer advice. You will also find more information if you look at the answer to the FAQ: 'My dog doesn't like raw food – what can I do?'

Good news! Even the fussiest of eaters almost always ends up loving their raw food diet. Here are some different options:

The Warm System. This means taking the raw food and cooking or warming it lightly in a pan (not a microwave and don't heat any bones). Every day, cook it slightly less until it's raw. This gives the dog's stomach time to adjust to the change from sterile, processed food.

The Veg Free Tactic. Some dogs love vegetables, others don't, and the ones who don't may refuse to eat raw food for this reason. The solution: give in to them! Remove vegetables from their diet completely and wait for a week or two before gradually reintroducing.

The Gravy Method. This involves adding a little homemade gravy before serving the food. Mixing in a raw egg or some pilchards can also work.

The Load of Tripe Approach. Fast your dog for a day before making the switch to raw, but only feed him or her green tripe to begin with. Dogs find this incredibly easy to digest and it contains all the nutrients they need. Do be careful how you handle the tripe, however, as the bacteria it contains can be harmful to humans.

The Slow Change Tactic. From time to time feed raw food instead of kibble/wet food – increasing the raw meals over time.

The Gradual Approach. This involves slowly adding raw food to whatever it is you normally feed, increasing the amount every day until it's 100% raw after one or two weeks (or longer, if you prefer). This gives the dog's stomach time to adjust to the change.

If you would like advice on switching your dog to a raw diet, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

There are some dogs, almost always very intelligent and sensitive dogs from loving homes, who take a firm line on any change of diet. 'I don't care how good for me it is' they bark, 'but I hate change and I would rather eat nothing than eat raw food or anything else.'

This is really a behaviour rather than a dietary issue. It's usually because the dog's hunger for attention is greater than their hunger for food. Moreover, being smart, they realise that if they don't eat, you'll make a fuss over them, which, of course, they love.

The solution? Behaviourists say that you should give your dog a single chance to eat every 24 hours. If he or she doesn't pounce on the food with enthusiasm the moment you put the bowl down, lift it straight back up and wait another day. Never leave food down for your dog to eat whenever he or she feels like it. In short, adopt a tough love approach. Remember, no animal will starve him or herself if there is food available. Also, dogs will experience no ill effects even if they don't eat for a week.

Be strong, remember you're doing it for their sake, and don't look into their eyes for too long as this may have the effect of weakening your resolve.

If your dog has been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, here's some good news. A change of diet could improve and even cure their condition.

Type 2 Diabetes in dogs is usually treated, especially if it's late-stage diabetes, with insulin and possibly with oral Glucophage. Although this can slow down the disease, it won't reverse it. On the other hand, a carefully planned raw food diet and increased exercise will also slow down the disease and may actually reverse it.

Why? Such a diet offers high quality proteins which regulate blood sugar, healthy saturated fats which stabilise blood sugar, and unprocessed fibre with a high mineral content, which is a great blood regulator. The diet is also rich in probiotics, valuable because we know the gut flora can play a part in the development and management of diabetes.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with Type 2 Diabetes, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help. You should also consult with your own vet before instigating a change of diet.

If you’re a vegetarian, you may have wondered about switching your dog to a non-meat diet. There are plenty of vegetarian and even vegan dog foods on the market, but we would not recommend any of them.

To begin with, almost all of them are ultra-processed and there's no such thing as a healthy ultra-processed food.

Then there's the fact that they require a lot of supplementation to make them anything like nutritious enough. The problem with most supplementation is that it's not bio-available. It's vitally important that dogs get their nutrition from real food.

The main issue, however, is this: dogs are carnivores and to be healthy they require certain nutrients delivered in a certain way, and no vegetarian or vegan diet can provide what they require.

For example, dogs that don't eat any meat struggle to digest the high fibre of plant-based diets and are at risk of vitamin D and B deficiencies.

Proteins derived from animal products, like collagen, elastin and keratin, all of which are vital for healthy skin, muscles and joints, are difficult, if not impossible, to derive from a non-meat diet.

Moreover, plant-based protein does not contain the right balance of amino acids.

The bottom line is that however appealing a vegetarian diet might be from a human perspective, what matters most is doing what's right for your dog's health.

Does your dog suffer from skin irritation? Is he or she constantly scratching themselves, often until their skin is red and raw?

If the cause is allergic dermatitis, then a change of diet may make a massive difference. This is because allergic dermatitis is often the result of an allergic reaction to food. This is particularly true for dogs on ultra processed kibble but can also be caused by one or more particular proteins, chicken or beef for example.

The answer? Switch your dog to a natural raw diet.

If this doesn't completely solve the issue then test what vets call a 'single novel protein exclusion diet'.

In plain English feed just one protein – say venison – with nothing else at all (other than fresh water to drink) for a trial period – usually between four to eight weeks.

If the skin issue begins to clear up you will know that venison isn't the issue and you can move on to other proteins.

If something added to the diet causes a flare up then you will know what the problem ingredient is.

Allergic dermatitis in general may have a variety of causes, not just food. It could be triggered by a grooming product, for example, or pollen. But whatever the cause, a natural, species-appropriate diet is likely to help because it improves the microbiome and boosts immunity.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with itchy skin, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

If your dog scoots, licks their rear end or suffers from painful defecation, they could be suffering from an anal sac issue.

This is a problem which, if it isn't treated, can lead to impaction, infection and abscesses.

Dogs have two small scent glands just inside the anus. Usually, these are emptied when they defecate. It's when the glands don't empty properly that problems arise. The reason why they don't always empty? Soft stools.

One of the many benefits of a raw diet is that it supports anal sac health. Raw fed dogs produce smaller, firmer and drier stools. Stools that put more pressure on the anal sacs during defecation and ensure that they are emptied properly.

One in ten dogs suffer from anal sac issues, issues which can be prevented and potentially cured by a simple change of diet. Switching your dog to a natural, species-appropriate raw diet could make all the difference.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with an anal sac issue, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

One of the best things you can feed your dog is a raw bone.

Here are four good reasons why:

1. Raw bones are packed full of minerals and vitamins. In the wild, dogs receive a third of their nutrition from bones.

2. Bones are nature's toothbrush. Gnawing scrapes off plaque and tartar, helping prevent gum disease. There's a close connection, by the way, between good oral health and good general health.

3. Chewing bones also provides exercise, strengthening jaw and other body muscles.

4. Gnawing on bones offers mental stimulation. Chewing is instinctive and soothing for dogs, helping reduce stress and destructive behaviour.

Dogs love bones from pretty much any animal or bird you care to mention including beef marrow bones, chicken wings, lamb ribs and turkey necks. The main thing to remember is to only feed raw bones. Cooked bones may splinter and should never be given to dogs. See the 'What type of bones should I give my dog' FAQ for more information or contact us, the Honey's Healthcare Team.

There is nothing healthier, safer or more nutritious for a dog than a raw, meaty bone. They provide your dog with nutrition (in the wild, dogs get a third of their nutrition from raw meaty bones), healthy teeth and gums (bones are nature's toothbrush), exercise (chewing a bone is an excellent way to stay fit if you're a dog), and entertainment (bones make dogs happy).

In the wild, providing they have a choice, all animals eat what is best for them. For dogs, this means small prey or, if hunting in a pack, a share of larger prey. They're thrifty, too. Nothing is wasted, and that includes the bones. Initially, bones are ripped, torn, chewed and sucked to remove all the meat and marrow. Then they're gnawed, crunched and (if small enough) eaten whole.

There's plenty of scientific evidence to prove this. In Australia, for example, S. J. O. Whitehouse studied the diet of hundreds of wild dogs and found that they regularly ate bones. A. E. Newsome did similar research and discovered the same thing.

It's easy to understand why the dog wants the meat and marrow, but what makes the bone itself so desirable? The answer is that bones contain a huge number of nutrients that are vital to your dog's health. These include minerals (including calcium, magnesium and phosphorous), protein-containing essential amino acids (including lysine), essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E), and blood-forming nutrients in the marrow (including copper and iron).

Meaty bones are nature's toothbrushes. They keep your dog's teeth clean and gums healthy. They stop the build-up of plaque and prevent decay. As a result, your dog shouldn't develop any of the nasty oral diseases to which many of those on processed food are prone. It will also mean he or she has sweeter breath. A growing number of vets believe that there's a close connection between oral health and general health.

Two further benefits of giving your dog bones should be mentioned. They provide your dog with exercise, strengthening their jaws and upper body. They keep your dog occupied (dogs that have a bone to chew are happier and calmer).

Raw feeders divide bones into two main types: licking/chewing bones and eating/swallowing bones.

Licking/chewing (and gnawing) bones help to keep teeth clean and gums healthy. Into this group fall marrow bones (although they also contain a good deal of nutrition) and knuckle end bones.

Eating/swallowing bones are part of the dog's daily nutrition if on a raw food diet and provide about a third of the nutrition. Into this group fall chicken or duck wings, backs (carcasses) and necks, as well as lamb ribs, lamb necks, pork ribs, pork tails and pork trotters.

The type of bone that is suitable for your dog will depend on your dog's breed, size and personality.

Some dogs are 'hard' chewers. Once they get their paws on a bone their main objective is to finish the whole bone as quickly as possible. These dogs are better served softer eating/swallowing bones. A knuckle end can be tried but it's important to remove the bone completely once they've chewed it down to a size that they could swallow.

Other dogs are 'soft' chewers and can (happily for them) be given any sort of bone.

As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the bone, the better. It should be at least the size of the dog's head.

Marrow bones can be a complete meal in themselves because they're bursting with nutrition. However, do remember they also contain a higher percentage of (good, healthy) fat and so should only be given in moderation to dogs who need to lose a little weight. Marrow bones aren't generally recommended for dogs that are really focused chewers, as they can sometimes hurt their teeth in their enthusiasm. If your dog has chronic pancreatitis, the marrow can be scooped out of a marrow bone and replaced with mashed squash, pumpkin, carrot or cottage cheese and frozen as a low-fat option.

Bones must always be raw. Heat changes the chemical compounds in bone, making it brittle and indigestible, and therefore more liable to splinter and cause gut issues. Cooked bone should never, ever be given to a dog. Bones that have been air-dried, smoked or cooked are to be avoided completely as they may perforate the GI tract or cause blockages. It's also suggested to exercise caution when it comes to hooves. They can be sharp and may cut the mouth, tongue or gums. Give antlers a wide berth.

Dogs love bones from pretty much any animal or bird you care to mention. A good bone to start with is a beef marrow bone. Ask the butcher to cut it to the right size for your dog: too large to be swallowed in a single gulp, small enough to handle.

In terms of size, the general rule is that a chewing bone should be longer than the width of the dog's mouth. Carcasses (yes, carcasses) from chickens, turkeys and ducks are excellent, too.

Only feed raw bones. When a bone is cooked, it hardens and may splinter.

Choose bones from young animals. Most bones you obtain from a butcher are bound to be from a younger animal, but it's worth checking. Older animals (and birds) may have harder bones, which are, again, more likely to splinter.

Dogs should be supervised when they have a bone, particularly for the first few times. The first time you give your dog a raw bone, stay around to watch. Inexperienced dogs can become overexcited and there's a slim possibility of choking. For this reason, a large, meaty knucklebone is perfect.

Lamb bones and especially ribs, although excellent (if fattening), can get caught in the mouth and should only be fed to more experienced dogs. If your dog always chews all the meat off first, then lamb necks need to be treated with caution.

You may like to limit your dog to just 20 to 30 minutes with the bone. You can always re-offer it to them on another occasion. This policy stops the dog taking in too much bone at once. If your dog is new to the raw food diet, it's recommended to limit the amount of bone chewing time to begin with. You could start with half an hour a day and build from that.

Incidentally, some dogs like bones so much that they can become a little possessive, especially if guarding behaviour is something that has already proved an issue. In this situation, you may wish to stick to chicken wings and other soft bones that they will chew and swallow in a single sitting. Another approach is to keep bone sessions short.

One of the benefits of bones is that they help to firm up poo. However, if feeding bones during hot weather, make sure that your dog is also drinking plenty of water as otherwise he or she may become constipated.

There are a few instances where bones should be fed with caution or not at all. If a dog has just had stomach or anal gland surgery, you should give bones a miss. Some dogs just can't get on with bones, and this needs to be taken into account.

If you would like advice on feeding bones to your dog, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in dogs is a progressive condition where the kidneys gradually lose their ability to function properly. Sadly, it can't be reversed, but with proper management it can be slowed and controlled.

Dogs with kidney disease should eat a low quantity of high-quality protein. Raw meat contains relatively more (and higher quality) protein than prescription renal diets and most kibbles. Unlike ultra-processed, cereal-based foods, the protein in raw meat is easily broken down into amino acids that are useful.

A lower phosphate diet is often recommended. Raw meat cannot compete with prescription diets on phosphate content, but vets can prescribe phosphate binders which stop phosphate absorption and reduce the workload on the kidneys.

A carefully formulated raw diet can be suitable for dogs with stage one and stage two chronic kidney disease, and as the disease progresses, specially tailored recipes can be beneficial.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with CKD, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

You'll find an article on kidney disease by Dr Lise Hansen here.

Raw feeding doesn't have to cost more than feeding kibble or wet (tinned) food. Indeed, it could cost considerably less. The average cost of feeding a 20kg dog using the more expensive brands of wet food (Forthglade, for example, or Lily's Kitchen) is around £200 to £250 a month. This is around double what it would cost to feed Honey's. Remember, too, that raw fed dogs are healthier, and this should mean fewer visits to the vet. Feeding ultra-processed food can have a high hidden cost.

It is surprisingly easy to make raw feeding more affordable.

The best way is to make your own food.

There are lots of low-cost ingredients such as chicken backs and marrow bones that are perfect for a raw diet.

If you'd like help creating a personalised feeding plan for your dog, advice on how to make your own food, or guidance on where to obtain the necessary ingredients at the lowest possible price, the Honey's Healthcare Team will be happy to assist free of charge.

Finally, it's worth remembering that ultra-processed food can have a hidden cost: high vet bills. The fact is raw fed dogs are healthier and healthier dogs cost less to care for.

Scientific studies show that raw fed dogs produce smaller, firmer stools that (and this will be of interest if you are a keen gardener) break down much faster.

Smaller because a raw or natural diet contains much higher levels of nutrition and is therefore more digestible when compared to kibble or wet food. Frankly, when it comes to ultra processed dog food, we are talking rubbish in, rubbish out.

Firmer, because a natural, wholefood diet contains fat, fibre and bone. Another benefit of this is that it helps to clear your dog's anal sacs.

Faster to break down, because a raw food diet produces drier, chalky stools free of chemicals and preservatives.

There are scientific studies to prove that raw fed dogs live longer.

The most frequently cited evidence is a Belgian study by Dr. Gerard Lippert and Bruno Sapy that followed 522 dogs over five years. This study found that dogs fed homemade food with fresh, quality ingredients lived an average of 13.1 years compared to 10.4 years for dogs fed industrially processed food—a difference of 32 months (almost 3 years).

The researchers concluded that diet was one of the most influential factors affecting lifespan that owners could actually control, along with sterilization. Breed and size were major factors but not controllable, while housing and family environment showed no significant impact.

Studies have also shown, by the way, that kibble diets stimulate pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, while meat-based diets inhibited certain pro-inflammatory markers. Inflammation is, of course, a silent killer.

Giardia is a common internal parasite in dogs that can cause diarrhoea, weight loss and other digestive issues. It's spread through the faecal-oral route, meaning dogs can become infected by ingesting Giardia cysts in contaminated water, food or soil. These microscopic parasites attach themselves to the intestinal wall, and the damage causes an acute, sudden onset of foul-smelling diarrhoea, stomach cramps, very soft stools, and may lead to weight loss.

The damage caused to a dog's digestive system by Giardia can sometimes lead to inflammatory bowel disease. Dogs affected may be underweight with foul-smelling loose stools and frequent episodes of watery diarrhoea.

When it comes to diet, dogs with Giardia and digestive issues recover faster if high fat levels are avoided, especially in the transition period. A low-fat, lean raw diet is ideal to begin with. This approach typically produces rapid improvement. Within days, stools often become much firmer, dogs become calmer, and they begin to regain lost weight.

After around six weeks, recipes with slightly more fat content can be introduced, and after eight weeks, most dogs are able to move to a standard raw diet. With the right nutritional support, significant transformation can occur in just two months.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with Giardia, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

Not all raw food diets are equal.

Unfortunately, many commercially available raw pet minces are woefully lacking in nutrition.

A diet that consists of a single, factory farmed meat, say chicken breast, would also be lacking.

When choosing a raw diet for your dog, it's essential to ensure it meets all these criteria to provide complete and balanced nutrition.

For a raw diet to be nutritionally adequate it must have five key features.

1. It must offer a range of protein sources. In plain English, meat from different animals.

2. It must offer variety. That is to say, different parts of the animal: organ meat, for example, or offal.

3. It must include an element of bone.

4. It must include an element of vegetable.

5. It must contain as much high welfare meat and chemical-free vegetables as possible.

Diet has a huge role to play in treating dogs with urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Whether you opt for the conventional approach (antibiotics, for instance, in the case of a bacterial infection) or a more holistic approach (herbal medicine, homeopathy, and lifestyle changes, for example) a raw, species appropriate or natural diet can speed up the recovery time and help to prevent further infections.

Why? Well, a raw food diet generally promotes more acidic urine, which makes it harder for bacteria to grow. Also, it has a high moisture content, which helps to flush out the urinary tract. Indeed, hydration in general is important because dehydration can make urine more concentrated, which creates a better environment for harmful bacteria, too.

Another advantage of a raw food diet is that it will improve overall gut health and this, of course, will boost the immune system.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with a UTI, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

Your dog won't like this but one of the best ways to ensure optimum canine health is to starve them once or twice a week.

Why?

Well, digesting food requires energy – which is why many animals who overeat feel sleepy (and even fall asleep) after a large meal. You may have noticed it in yourself! The body could use that energy for other, better purposes.

Then there is quite a bit of evidence that intermittent fasting results in a longer, healthier life. Some researchers took two groups of mice and fed one group every day and the other group every other day. The mice in group two – the fasting mice, as it were – lived much, much longer and suffered from far fewer diseases.

Fasting also offers the body a chance to rid itself of toxins. How? Well, many toxins are stored in fat cells and, of course, it is these fat cells that get consumed during a period of fasting.

What else? You may have read that doctors have found that fasting aids human health and helps to kill some cancers and there is no reason to believe it will be different for dogs.

Other occasional fasting benefits include weight management, potentially reducing the chance of diabetes and something called autophagy (whereby the body clears out damaged or dysfunctional cells).

It must also be pointed out that in the wild dogs can go for as long as a week without suffering any harmful effects.

If you explain all this to your dog and I am sure they will understand. Or do contact the Honey's Healthcare Team and we'll explain it to them for you.

Freeze-dried raw dog food should come with a health warning.

It's produced by taking raw ingredients and submitting them to a complex manufacturing process called sublimation which removes all, and that means all, the liquid.

There are six significant problems with this type of food.

First, nutrition loss. For example, vitamin C, B-complex vitamins and polyunsaturated fats can degrade and anti-oxidant levels are likely to fall when processed this way.

Second, degradation. The process can cause oxygen-sensitive nutrients (like fats and certain vitamins) to oxidize over time, and this is especially true for omega-3s and Vitamin E.

Third, freeze-dried food is less digestible, and digestibility, of course, impacts nutrient absorption and overall health.

Fourth, it's not environmentally friendly. Freeze drying takes up to 48 hours and is energy intensive. It requires special un-environmental packaging, too.

Fifth, without proper rehydration, freeze-dried food can be hard to digest. Moreover, dry food has the effect of pulling water into the digestive tract, which is not good. It also poses a choking hazard.

Finally, there isn't a single freeze-dried raw dog food range available that doesn't require heavy supplementation and, of course, none of them contain raw bone which provides a third of a dog's nutritional requirements.

Freeze-dried raw dog food should come with a health warning or, better still, should never be sold at all.

The single best thing you can do to help your dog deal with anxiety is to switch them to a species appropriate or raw diet. There are three main reasons why a raw diet reduces anxiety.

First, it is more bio-available. In plain English, the essential nutrients are more efficiently absorbed, which supports overall health and reduces anxiety-related behaviours.

Second, because the diet is free of high-glycemic carbohydrates – which are found in kibble and other ultra processed dog food – blood sugar levels remain stable. Vacillating blood sugar levels lead to anxiety and stress.

Third, and perhaps most important, a raw diet promotes a healthy gut microbiome, which has been scientifically proven to improve mood and reduce anxiety.

As an aside, anxious dogs often suffer from zinc deficiency and low levels of B vitamins – both of which are obtained naturally from a raw diet.

The exact composition of your dog's anti-anxiety diet will depend on the dog's general health and lifestyle. Honey's Healthcare Team will be delighted to create a personalised feeding plan free of charge and to explain how you can make the food yourself.

We can also advise on supplements and other ways to reduce your dog's anxiety and stress.

A raw food diet may help dogs with epilepsy, and there are three reasons why.

First, fresh, unadulterated raw foods, free from preservatives and additives, may be better for a dog's overall health and potentially reduce seizure triggers.

Second, the grains in ultra-processed dog food can contribute to digestive issues or inflammation and this also may trigger seizures. Raw diets are, of course, grain free.

Third, raw diets are naturally lower in carbohydrates, which can lead to a lower glycaemic index, something that may help reduce seizures in dogs.

Many dogs with epilepsy are on phenobarbitone. This can help manage the seizures but at a cost: an increased risk of liver disease. This can be countered by a raw diet with lower fat levels.

What about glutamate? As it can play a role in epilepsy, meats that have lower glutamic acid levels are recommended, such as chicken, duck, beef and, potentially, lamb.

There have been cases of dogs who, thanks to a change of diet, have been able to come off all their medication.

However, it's vitally important to understand that for any epileptic dog the switch from ultra-processed food to a natural diet must be done slowly and carefully. For example, if a dog on potassium bromide is switched abruptly from kibble to raw, this can cause bromide levels to increase which, in turn, can cause bromide intoxication. Also, if medication is stopped suddenly it can trigger status epilepticus, which can be very serious indeed.

Could a change of diet help a dog with epilepsy? Yes. But it's essential to work closely with your vet when making any dietary changes for a dog with this condition.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with epilepsy, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

Here, in a nutshell, is why kibble is likely to damage your dog's health and even shorten their life:

1. It is ultra processed. You may have read about how bad ultra processed food is for humans. It's every bit as bad for dogs.

2. It is cooked. Cooking destroys 70% of the nutritional value.

3. Dog food is packed full of artificial preservatives. Not good.

4. It contains inappropriate and harmful chemicals.

5. Grain! Most dog foods contain lots of grain, which is unsuitable for the canine digestive system. The grain also causes allergies.

6. It's made from rotten waste food that isn't suitable for human consumption and very, very little real meat.

7. It sticks to teeth and gums. This leads to periodontal disease and worse.

If you would like to know more about the damage kibble does, please contact us here at Honey's.

From a raw feeding perspective, ultra-processed canned and wet dog foods present several concerns.

The high-heat processing (called 'rendering') required for commercial canning destroys heat-sensitive nutrients, enzymes and beneficial bacteria. Dogs evolved to digest raw foods with their natural enzyme content intact, which aids digestion and nutrient absorption.

To compensate for nutrient loss during processing, manufacturers add synthetic vitamins and minerals. These synthetic forms are less bioavailable than nutrients from whole food sources, potentially leading to deficiencies despite 'complete and balanced' labels.

The rendering process often uses 'meat by-products' or 'animal derivatives', ambiguous terms that can include low-quality protein sources like beaks, feet and diseased tissues that wouldn't be suitable for human consumption.

Many processed foods contain high levels of grains, potatoes or other starches as cheap fillers. Dogs, as facultative carnivores, don't require these carbohydrates and excessive amounts can contribute to obesity, dental disease and inflammatory conditions.

Chemical preservatives such as BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin are common in processed foods and raise concerns due to potential long-term health effects.

While wet food does provide hydration, fresh raw meat with its natural moisture content better mimics a dog's ancestral diet and provides superior hydration alongside living enzymes.

The core philosophy is simple: species-appropriate, minimally processed foods lead to better digestion, healthier coats, cleaner teeth and overall vitality compared to heavily manufactured alternatives.

While a raw food diet can be extremely beneficial for most dogs, there are some situations where it's not appropriate or where special care needs to be taken.

If your dog has undergone stomach surgery recently, has a weakened immune system, is undergoing chemotherapy or taking immunosuppressive medications then you should take veterinary advice before switching to a raw diet.

Please note that if you have family members who are immunocompromised, undergoing chemotherapy, very young infants, or elderly with weakened immune systems, you may like to consult with both your doctor and veterinarian about whether raw feeding is the right choice for your situation.

If you would like advice on feeding a dog with a health issue, please contact the Honey's Healthcare Team. Our vets and vet nurses will be only too happy to help.

The ideal raw food diet for a healthy adult dog should include plenty of fresh, seasonal vegetables.

There are nine excellent, scientifically proven reasons why.

1. For dogs who need to come down a collar size or two, vegetables help make them feel full. Indeed, for any dog vegetables mean there's more food to eat, something that most of them appreciate.

2. Vegetables help to balance the stomach's alkalinity and acidity. If there's too much acidity, it can lead to inflammation. And inflammation, of course, causes many chronic diseases.

3. Vegetables contain a wide array of nutrients, especially phytonutrients, that your dog needs. Phytonutrients, by the way, kill cancer cells, reduce inflammation, promote gut health and support a healthy liver.

4. Vegetables help hydrate your dog.

5. Vegetables provide your dog with a host of vitamins.

6. Vegetables contain important minerals including calcium, potassium and magnesium.

7. Some vegetables are rich in enzymes, which can help with anti-ageing.

8. Vegetables are packed full of antioxidants. These help to protect your dog against unstable molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are a major cause of ageing and disease.

9. Vegetables are high in fibre. Fibre reduces cancer risk, has antioxidative properties, clears toxins and helps with gut health.

In short, vegetables are an essential component of a complete and balanced raw food diet.

Raw feeding is perfectly safe providing a few very basic precautions are observed.

Unfortunately, the ultra-processed dog food manufacturers are responsible for spreading lies about its safety.

One such lie is that dogs are likely to choke on bones or that bones will cause intestinal obstructions. Another is that raw meat may carry harmful pathogens. A third that raw fed dogs are at risk from salmonella or other bacteria.

What they never point out is that dogs are carnivores with digestive systems specifically designed to handle raw meat and bone. Their stomach acid is highly concentrated (pH 1-2), much stronger than human stomach acid, which allows them to break down raw meat and bone and neutralize many bacteria that would make us sick. Additionally, their digestive tract is shorter than that of omnivores, meaning food passes through quickly, giving bacteria less time to colonize.

Wild wolves, coyotes, and other canids have thrived for millennia on raw prey, and our domestic dogs retain this same robust digestive capability. This is why many dogs on raw diets show improved vitality, healthier coats, cleaner teeth, and better overall condition.

However, it must be stressed that you should store and handle the raw meat for your dog in the same way that you would store and handle raw meat for yourself.

Please note that if you have family members who are immunocompromised, undergoing chemotherapy, very young infants, or elderly with weakened immune systems, you may wish to consult with both your doctor and veterinarian about whether raw feeding is the right choice for your situation.

If you would like specific advice on feeding raw food safely please contact us here at Honey's.

Some people worry that feeding a raw diet poses a risk to human health because it harbours potentially harmful bacteria.

As all raw meat can harbour potentially harmful bacteria, this argument can appear to have some validity.

However, providing you observe proper hygiene procedures, the risks from feeding a species-appropriate diet are negligible.

Perhaps the first thing to be aware of is that dried and canned pet food frequently harbours Salmonella, E. coli and other harmful bacteria. Since 1999, there have been over 117 recalls of pet foods due to Salmonella contamination in the United States, with 11 of these recalls linked to human outbreaks. Between 2003 and 2022, 859 Salmonella-linked recalls were associated with pet food and constituted 24% of total pet food recalls. Recent cases include a major 2023 outbreak where at least seven people—six of them babies—were sickened by Salmonella in dry dog food.

The Association for The Truth in Pet Food carried out extensive research into dried and canned dog food in 2015 and found that every single one of the 11 popular brands tested contained bacteria that was linked to human illness or death and/or that was resistant to antibiotics.

It's clear that dry and canned pet food is not free from risk and it's wrong to present it as a safe alternative.

It's also important to understand that bacteria, per se, is far from being harmful to human health. In the right places and the right amounts, bacteria are very valuable to our health and wellness. We need it to stay healthy. The bacteria on our skin, in our airways and in our digestive system are the first line of defence against foreign invaders that can cause infection. Bacteria also act as tuning forks for our body's immune system. Some scientists now believe that the obsession with killing bacteria in the home and on our bodies is damaging human health.

Those who are against species-appropriate feeding highlight three different risks: coming into contact with harmful bacteria when food is being prepared and served, the risk to the dog from consuming harmful bacteria, and the risk that the dog will transfer harmful bacteria to humans through licking, stroking or contact with excrement.

How valid are these concerns?

To begin with, there's a potential risk from harmful bacteria when any food is being prepared and served. There can be harmful bacteria on raw meat, raw vegetables, raw salad and raw fruit. However, if the correct hygiene procedures are followed, then the risk of becoming ill as a result of coming into contact with species-appropriate raw food is negligible.

What about the effect of potentially harmful bacteria on a dog? Dogs are omnivores but they have the same physiology as carnivores. Their digestive system is capable of eating raw food and the potentially harmful bacteria it harbours without ill effect. Dogs have several defence mechanisms against harmful bacteria including their saliva, which contains lysozyme (extremely hostile to micro-organisms), their acidic guts (gastric juices of pH 1, the same pH as battery acid) and their short digestive tracts (anything potentially damaging is excreted with great speed).

Finally, what about the risk of harmful bacteria being transferred from a raw fed dog to a human? To the best of our knowledge there has been only one reported case anywhere in the world of a toddler who is believed to have become ill after coming into contact with Salmonella from a raw fed dog. The risk to humans from harmful bacteria is much exaggerated. To put this into perspective, grocery store shopping trolley handles have more germs than public toilets, according to researchers at the University of Arizona.

Whether raw meat harbours harmful bacteria is largely determined by how the animal is slaughtered and the way in which the meat is then prepared. Small, ethical producers (like Honey's) tend to have much, much higher standards in this regard. Choosing certified organic, wild and free range meat further reduces any potential risk.

Cats should always be raw fed.

Why? Because they are obligate carnivores. What this means in plain-English is that they cannot survive on a non-meat diet.

Cats, like dogs, have an acidic stomach, but they are considerably more carnivorous. The recommended diet for a cat is between 85% and 95% raw meat, fat, bone and offal and between 5% and 15% vegetables, herbs and roughage. As an aside, cats have much smaller stomachs than dogs (for their size) which is one of the reasons they need to eat more often.

A piece of research by Dr Francis Pottenger in the 1930s shows what happens if cats aren't fed a healthy, raw food diet. In a ten-year controlled crossover trial involving about 900 cats, half were fed their food cooked and half the same ingredients raw. What happened? The cats fed the cooked food suffered much more from allergies, skin problems, parasites, skeletal disease, behaviour issues and diseases involving the thyroid, heart, kidney, liver, testes, ovaries and bladder. Most worrying of all, after three generations the cooked food cats' reproductive health had deteriorated to the point where they were infertile.

The good news is that when the last generation of cooked food cats were fed raw food, they gradually regained their health and fertility, though it took four generations to return to the excellent health of the raw food fed group.

Raw feeding a high percentage of meat in a cat's diet may help avoid long-term degenerative diseases such as idiopathic hepatic lipidosis, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease and inflammatory bowel disease. For cats, a species-appropriate raw diet isn't just beneficial, it's essential.

Honey's doesn't make a special cat food but lots of cats enjoy our vegetable free recipes!