FAQ
Is a raw food diet just a craze?
Since the start of time animals & yes, our domestic types too…. have been hunting carnivores – feeding on live prey.
Unfortunately, with our loved domestic animals, this is socially unacceptable, morally questionable & not urbanely practical.
So to understand why we have been feeding Kibble instead of a RAW Diet, you need to understand where Kibble came about & why.
Ps….Sorry, know it looks like a long read but it’s actually really interesting & informative.
Whether you are just curious about RAW, have no plans on changing over or are contemplating the move – it’s your responsibility to know what it is that you feeding your pet(s) and not just taking your Vets, what you have been told/think is good but actually be accountable for why you feed them what you do.
Kibble vs Raw
Kibble (tried biscuits, pallets, even processed rolls)
Would you believe that there is an actual story of how dry kibbles became the ‘standard’ dog food all over the world?
It all started in the 1850s when James Spratt, a young electrician from Cincinnati went to London for his lighting rod business.
He saw the crew members from the ship he boarded ‘threw’ some leftover ship biscuits to the waiting dogs at the dock.
This gave Spratt the idea to create the convenient dog kibbles which became the usual stuff people feed their dogs these days.
Spratt knew that the hardtack (the other name for the ship biscuits) was easy to make (bake, allow to harden & dried) they’re cheap, convenient biscuits (salt, water & flour), can be kept for months -because there was no refrigeration back in those days.
Spratt knew that he could easily sell the cheap and convenient biscuits to urban dog owners and he was right! The public loved his dog food!
Spratt went on to making the first dog biscuits, which were made with vegetables, beetroot & wheat which was mixed together with beef blood & then baked.
The domestic animals loved it & so did the pet parents back then, making Spratt’s Dog Cakes a big hit in England once it was introduced to the market in 1860.
Spratt was doing so well that he soon took his new product to New York in 1870 – thus giving rise to the American Pet Food Industry.
You have to understand that all of this happened during the industrial revolution.
The concept of convenience is something everyone was exploiting & science is not as advanced as what we have now.
People back then still fed their domestic animals human food & sometimes raw meat.
However, as cities grew & people thought that going for the ‘convenient’ route is what progress is, they veered away from feeding their domestic animals raw meat & went more & more into feeding them the biscuits which eventually became kibbles.
The 1880S
A.C. Daniel’s Medicated Dog Bread was introduced.
1908
The F.H. Bennet Biscuit Company began making bone-shaped biscuits & also began manufacturing the first puppy food. The concept of making dog food in different sized kibbles for different dog breeds & ages caught on.
1922
Ken-L-Ration, which was introduced by the Chappel Brothers from Rockford Illinois, became the first canned dog food in the market. It was made with horse meat & the dogs did love them, especially once the Chappel Brothers began sponsoring events to market their products & advertised on popular radio shows such as The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin.
The canned dog food became so popular that the company had to begin breeding horses just so they can meet the consumers’ growing appetite for it, resulting in the slaughter of about 50,000 horses a year by the 1930s – & yes, that’s just for their brand of canned dog food.
1931
Nabisco (The National Biscuit Company) bought Bennet’s company and renamed the dog biscuits to Milkbones.
They also started a campaign to really start making Milkbones as the ‘standard’ dog food of the day.
In fact, they even hired 3,000 salesmen whose job is centred on getting Milkbones into the national consciousness by making sure that every food store has it.
The campaign worked so well that dog biscuits became a regular part of grocery shopping for everyone who has a dog. You see, the concept of having dry kibbles, biscuits, whatever you call them is less than a 100 years old, whereas eating real RAW Food has been around for millennia after millennia.
As for canned dog food, it outshined the kibble form in popularity at this time. Why? Pet owners saw that their dogs preferred the commercial wet dog food as compared to the dry dog biscuits & kibbles & bought it more.
That was how things were for a few years until something big caused a huge change.
1941
90% of the dog food market was all about canned dog food.
Things did change because WW2 happened.
Dry dog food became popular again because manufacturing canned dog food took a downturn (because of scarcity of metals since they were used for the war) & the government had to start rationing food items such as meat.
1950
The Ralston Purina Company began making their Chex cereal with a cooking extruder. Using the extruder, a mixture of cereals & other ingredients were pushed through a tube wherein they were cooked under high pressure & then puffed up with air.
This resulted in the Chex we’ve come to know which stays crispy after milk has been added. But what does this have to do with dog food?
You see, around this time, a lot of Pet Parents had been complaining about the digestibility, texture & appearance of their dog’s dry food. This prompted Purina’s Pet Division to try experimenting using an extruder from their cereal division to make better dog food & they’ve done it well.
After 3 years, they came up with their Dog Chow, a brand & formulation which is still popular to this day.
The 1950S
Ken-L-Ration began advertising their canned dog food via television, hooking viewers with phrases such as: “This dog food uses only USDA government-inspected horse meat!” Their commercials were aired during popular shows of prompting viewers to ‘love’ their product.
1964 TO PRESENT TIME HISTORY OF DOG FOOD
The Pet Food Institute began a campaign to get Pet Parents to only feed their dogs packaged dog food.
We’re talking about them funding reports & getting those reports published in magazines & local papers.
Some sponsored reports’ even talked about the dangers of table scraps & feeding the dogs raw meat. Can you believe that?
That’s what aggressive marketing & advertising is guys!
We’re sure plenty of you are familiar with that, especially with the current world we live in where we are bombarded with ads everywhere.
Do you know that as far back as 5 decades ago, the dog food industry (worldwide) was spending an incredible $50 million a year on advertising alone?
That’s more than 50 years ago so you can just imagine how much they are spending now.
Where do they get the money & how can they afford it?
One theory is that they make huge profits by skimping on ingredients. Ouch! But we better not talk about that -though if you want to read an interesting blog on that topic 10 Real Truths About Manufactured Food for Cats and Dogs.
The thing is, most of the competing Pet Food Companies are claiming that their Pet Food is made with pure beef, all in the name of advertising. Claims like that has been proven as nothing but claims & are far from the truth.
Ask yourself, won’t you rather give your pet REAL beef, organs, chicken, lamb, veal? ….. because that’s what 100% Natural RAW Pet Food Express provides and delivers to YOUR door.
Just think….
Today, manufactured dog food in NZ alone is a half a billion dollar Pet Food Industry. That industry is still growing but to what trend? Are we going to continue feeding our Pet’s GMO corn, wheat & soy or are we going to change the course of history by going back to the basics = RAW Diet?
The answer to all that is up to you & so is the future history of pet food.
What are you going to do?
A must read!
What’s potentially in Kibble & why is Kibble so bad?
Looking into Kibbles/Processed Foods – we were honestly horrified by what we read through our research and findings …..
The Pet Food Industry is an extension of the human food and agricultural industries.
It is the waste from slaughterhouse carcasses, leftover grains from human food manufacturing considered “unfit” & any other waste product.
It can contain diseased and cancerous animal parts.
Most everyone is familiar with AAFCO’s main ingredient definitions, but also included are definitions of other ingredients.
These are just a few that are allowed in our Pet’s food:
- Spray-dried animal blood – is produced from clean, fresh animal blood exclusive of all extraneous material such as hair, stomach belching, and urine, except in such traces as might occur unavoidably in good factory practices. This ingredient can be used in pet food or mixed in during the rendering process or found in meat chunks in some canned food.
- Dehydrated garbage – comes from butcher shops or plants that manufacture fruits and vegetables and is artificially dried and collected before decomposition has started. It should be separated from crockery, glass, metal, string, and similar materials.
- Dried swine waste – composed of excreta that has been artificially dehydrated to moisture content, not in excess of 15%. It shall contain not less than 20% crude protein, not more than 35% crude fibre, including other material such as straw, wood shavings, or acceptable bedding materials, and not more than 20% ash.
AAFCO labelling is very specific on chicken vs. poultry products, but some in the pet food industry interchange the words freely. If a product is labelled chicken it has to contain that species.
Poultry, on the other hand, can be chicken, turkey, geese, buzzards, seagulls, unidentifiable birds, or euthanized pet birds.
About 50% of an animal is used in the human food industry with the remaining parts( heads, bones, intestines, organs, even unborn fetuses) entering the pet food industry.
Rendering, by law, can contain grocery store expired meat with the styrofoam and plastic intact, 4-D animals; diseased, disabled, dying, and dead, roadkill. - Toxins – grains can also contain mycotoxins that are the waste produced from moulds. A few of the major classes of mycotoxins are aflatoxin, trichothecenes; also known as vomitoxin, and fumonisins. These toxins survive the cooking and extruding processes. They are found in wheat, corn, rice, barley, oats, peanuts, soybeans, and nuts. The effects of consuming mycotoxins are cumulative and can cause suppressed immune system damage to body organs, reproduction issues, and death.
What effect does Cooked Foods & Kibbles have on our Fur-Baby’s?
The cooking process destroys many of the life-enhancing factors found only in RAW Food.
These include enzymes, many natural antioxidants, and other anti-degeneration factors.
The vast majority of the food eaten is cooked grain as the most fundamental component of the diet… Another dramatic and biologically unacceptable change. Our Pet’s have never in their evolutionary history eaten cooked grain. The results on health are devastating.
The cooked grain is teamed up with meat meal (with its damaged protein) and rendered fat. It is not uncommon to use rendered fat from domestic deceased pets in all its entirety into the pet food – and there are reports that this is happening.
Aside from the dangerous chemicals, it contains, that rendered fat contrasts strongly with the healthy fat which is so full of essential fatty acids that our Pet’s needs.
These heat destroyed components are biologically unacceptable.
Add loads of refined sugar, loads of salt, chemical colourings, dyes, to make the product look like something it is not. Add artificial chemical flavourings to make it taste like something it is not. Add flavour enhancers to make sure the animal eats something it ought not to. Add chemical antioxidants (known carcinogens) to ensure the product does not become obviously rancid.
The legal constraints on commercial pet foods do not require them to include the vitally important biologically essential antioxidants and anti-degeneration factors present only in whole raw food. As a result, these products do not contain many of the essential components of the diet like enzymes.
All of this does not support healthy growth.
They do not support a healthy life or contribute to a healthy old age instead it gives your Pet(s)….
- excessive protein
- excessive calories
- abnormal fast growth
- bone disease
- arthritis
- breeding ground for cancer and other illnesses
- issues with major organs
- dehydration
- possible lethargic and depression
- decrease their life span
- Benefits of a RAW Food Diet:
RAW Food Diet = Life Energy
Cats & Dogs regardless of the fact we have domesticated them, are still biologically carnivores.
Originally they survived in the wild, hunting & scavenging for meat, berries, greens.
Food that is fresh & uncooked helps their bodies:
- fend off ageing
- improve cell oxygenation
- metabolism & renewal
- helps fight off diseases
- improves immune system
- easily digested
- shiny, soft coat
- better breath and tooth health
You will notice:
- Poo’s don’t stink as much, are smaller & will turn white and powdery (when eating bones).
- Bones help keep their teeth cleaner, healthier & whiter.
- Obesity is non-existent with weight being easily controlled.
- They gain their beautiful natural shape, especially in Dogs their muscular physique really develops on the right Natural RAW Diet.
- Energy levels are higher, NOT a sugar high like what other foods have – a natural energized energy level like they should have.
- Coats are silky, healthy, and shiny.
- Raw food contains 75-80% water, which is vital for proper digestion.
This could possibly decrease the risk of bloating and calcium oxalate bladder stones.
Kidney infections for Cats are common because they don’t drink a lot of water at the best of times, so being more hydrated from their new Natural RAW Food Diet will help.
Going onto Raw = Prevention
Is raw food safe for animals to eat? How do they digest all the raw meat and bones?
RAW is safe.
YES, their bodies are designed to digest RAW meat & bones.
No, they are NOT designed to digest Starch/Grains or Fillers (this is in Kibbles + processed foods like rolls etc).
To fully understand why it is they can eat RAW, we need to understand how their bodies function.
Their stomach doesn’t just digest food … it also protects them from bacteria or other harmful organisms that might be eaten along with their food.
And it does both of these jobs by secreting hydrochloric acid (so strong that’ll it will literally burn our fingers) from their stomach walls … this keeps the pH level low (around 1-2 – about the same pH as vinegar), which is very acidic, providing a barrier to pathogens.
Inside your Pet’s digestive tract are little proteins called enzymes – these enzymes are responsible for digesting the food your Fur-Baby eats, so it can be converted to energy.
Protein will also be used to build structures in the body.
Fat will be used to build the walls of your Pet’s cells.
Some digestive enzymes are found in the stomach, where food is predigested & the rest of the enzymes are released from your Pet’s pancreas.
Small amounts of food are then released by the pyloric sphincter into the duodenum, where the pancreas secretes peptides, called defensins, that inhibit & kill any pathogens.
The pancreatic enzymes are released into the small intestine, where they complete the digestion process.
Remember our Pet’s if they could they would eat in the wild, they bury bones at home now & eat them later…so just imagine the germs they pick up from that.
Because of this, nature has designed their body with the right internal equipment to help them combat illness.
Our Pet’s Digestive System is much shorter than ours, so they need to be able to absorb as many nutrients as possible in a shorter space of time.
NOTE:
~The way in which you handle the food comes with common sense & basic care as we do with our own meat we eat.
~There’s only a small percentage that may have an illness or a predisposition to an illness that the Natural RAW Food Diet may need tweaking or your Pet(s) cannot be on, in this case, please let us know & also speak to your trusted Family Vet too.
Read more on How to safely handle 100% Natural RAW Pet Food Express Food at the bottom of this page.
Does raw food contain bacteria like Salmonella or E.coli? Will feeding my animals raw food make me or my fur-baby sick?
Yes, RAW food can contain pathogens.
All-natural, healthy foods can, such as …. fruits, veggies, meats, dairy etc.
That is why our own commonsense practices need to be applied in our own food handling as well as with our Pet’s food too.
The way to make sure either of you doesn’t get sick is to follow our guidelines on
How to safely handle 100% Natural RAW Pet Food Express Food at the bottom of this page.
Some interesting thoughts on pathogens….
We as humans, certainly don’t solve this problem by just not eating fresh foods…..so why should we deprive our Pet’s of natural, real food for the same reason?
There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and your Pet’s from Salmonella and E. coli but most of the prevention is taken care of by mother nature…..
Yes, there’s a good chance your Cat/Dog is carrying Salmonella at this very moment!
But wait, don’t rush your dog to the Vet just yet!
Salmonella can be found in up to 36% of healthy Dogs & 18% of
healthy Cats….. it’s very normal for our Pet’s to be carrying this bacteria as part of their GI flora.
Because they are carnivores, Cats & Dogs have a very short
Acidic Digestive Tract designed for processing RAW meat.
A Dog’s stomach has a pH value as low as 1!
This makes it nearly impossible for Salmonella or E. coli bacteria to colonize and multiply.
Any bacteria left in your Pet’s system is naturally shed through their poos, regardless of the type of food consumed.
This is a good thing!
Because by getting rid of Salmonella or E. coli, your Pet is healthy enough to pass it through his/her system without being infected.
The highly acidic stomach that your Pet has, kills so many different types of pathogens, that could potentially be harmful to humans.
Dog’s saliva also has bactericide properties that prevent certain bacterias such as salmonella and E. coli from existing in the mouth – so getting kisses from your RAW fed Pet won’t harm you!
The only way that Pet’s shed Salmonella bacteria is through their poos.
So the only way you’d catch Salmonella is if you had a Compromised Immune System & ingested your Pet’s poo’s (yuck) or ate their RAW meat raw, which is obviously something you don’t need to be told not to do…right!
So, while anything is possible, it is highly unlikely that you will get Salmonella or E. coli from your Pet’s or their food.
I'm worried my pet is going to be hungry/get fat/lose too much weight/may get health issues by eating raw food...
These are all valid concerns… we had them too…
1/ If you feel totally comfortable in ordering then by all means go ahead and email us your order.
OR
2/ If you feel a bit unsure, we are here to help you.
We would get you to fill out our PET PROFILE (doesn’t take long) – this gives us some vital answers to best equip us in helping your pet(s) dietary needs.
Whether they’re a Cat/Dog.
Exercise level and Age – types of foods and amounts will differ.
Pre-existing health issues.
3/ We always need to order for the weight your dog should be – not what it currently is if you’re wanting him/her to lose or put weight on….. you always go for the target weight – this creates a premium level to aim for individually – no yo-yo effect.
From there we can recommend what foods to stay away from or to add depending on your Pet’s individual needs.
Then it’s easy to place your order for your 100% Natural RAW Pet Food Express delivery.
4/ They will not go hungry. The food will fill them and not bloat them so it won’t be an artificial fullness.
5/ In research has already shown that the nutrients our Pet’s get out of Natural RAW Food helps with numerous skin, joint & health issues.
Dr Ackerman, a canine dermatologist; wrote that animals that are given the same food repeatedly can develop allergies…imagine eating the same dry food or stinky wet-processed food every day!
Personally, we’ve found Willow to have a much better breath – we don’t pull away from her when she kisses us so much….poor wee girl.
Her fur used to smell for no reason even after a bath a day later…now she’s so much better for longer & massively for us her paws are not irritated, no more steroids or monthly injections.
Cooper has lost weight, he’s got his handsome figure back, it’s unbelievable how freely he moves now – once diagnosed with arthritis- his joints are now moving like a healthy pup again when he walks or runs & he has more energy to play longer and harder.
6/ Animal Behaviourists recommend Raw Diets.
Dry Pet Foods are high in easily digested carbs, fuelling high blood sugar & insulin levels = poor diet = imbalance in health and nutrition lack of attention and in some cases depression.
Are there any issues starting out on a natural raw food diet?
If there are any present health issues – mild or serious – we need to know, also a good idea to have a chat with your trusted family Vet too if you are concerned.
The changeover is straightforward, we guild you through it.
The choice is yours if you want to order from your own experience.
If your pet has been on a RAW Diet before and is currently one at your first order – all is well to go straight ahead.
If your Pet is on Processed Food then there should be a process of changing over …. their natural digestive systems will kick in working through the detox phase.
we are here to help and advise you through this process.
This aids them in starting to produce the right gastric acid in their guts essential for RAW digestion.
Each Fur-Baby can be different in how fast they take to it.
Cats by nature are cautious & may not take to a new diet as fast as Dogs….this is perfectly normal please don’t be discouraged….it is vital we keep the end result in mind.
RAW = Prevention + Health & Happiness.
At what age to start a kitten/puppy on a natural raw food diet?
Once the Baby has been weaned off their Mothers milk.
Is there enough Calcium in a natural raw food diet?
YES!
Vs Kibble:
Calcium that comes in a synthetic powder is nearly impossible for a Kitten/Puppy to excrete.
This means an excess of calcium is more of a concern with synthetic products than with the naturally occurring calcium found in bones & muscle meat.
Vs Raw:
Ground bones in our Chicken Mince – this is a great source of Calcium for starting out, puppies/kittens and elderly Pet’s.
I'm concerned about the fat content in a natural raw food diet...
Remember there needs to be a certain amount of GOOD fat too for them to absorb certain Vitamins & Omega’s.
Does your raw meat contain medicines, antibiotics or nutritional supplements?
No way!
Do you need to feed anything extra with a natural raw food diet?
No…. Please don’t!
It is REALLY IMPORTANT that you stick to the RAW Diet.
NO…scraps, tip bits, kibbles, cooked/processed foods.
Do fur-babies need glucose?
Yes.
Protein that’s found in RAW Meat provides a Pet with essential Amino Acids which they then obtain Glucose from through gluconeogenesis.
Sensitive Tummies
Does your pet(s) have a sensitive tummy prior to going on RAW?
If yes…..
First be sure that there isn’t any underlining health issue with your Pet, go to your trusted Vet & get them checked out.
If you have & there’s nothing serious, then honestly it’s the food that they are being fed.
Kibble, tinned foods have so much added processed muck in them, especially Starches/Carbs, feeding this day in day out, their bodies can start to build a sensitivity to what they’re eating.
Their digestive systems have had to work a little harder in order to get the enzymes to absorb any nutrients at all.
That’s why it’s important that you don’t feed them off your plate OR give them any leftovers.
Their bodies are not made to eat our types of cooked, processed foods.
Changing them over to a Natural RAW Diet may show signs of what you think looks like sensitivity…be rest assured its most likely NOT it’s a matter of detoxing from what they’ve been on & getting their tummy’s working how they should be & absorbing the minerals & vitamins they’re now getting.
NOTE: This can be tweaked along the way to suit each individual palette.
We are an email away from having a Chat & discussing any concerns or helpful hints, we’re here to support YOU both.
No to a Sensitive Tummy…..
Then go ahead with the changeover process we recommend, this will allow their digestive systems to re-boot, detox from what they’ve been feed & get their bodies working how they should.
By doing it this way we are minimising upset tums. But be warned it is completely normal for them to go through an adjustment period.
Feeding them a Balance Raw Food Diet is so important, it normalises and strengthens your Pet’s digestive system by providing them with a good balance of active enzymes, which are naturally present in RAW Food.
These enzymes help your Pet’s body break down the food & absorb the maximum amount of nutrients necessary for good health, you will also reduce unnecessary stress on their organs promoting optimum digestion.
Enzymes regulate most biological processes that are chemical; reactions in the body.
They catalyse all cell metabolisms including digestion.
Refund policy
Refunds:
If there is a problem with the product you receive, we kindly request that you provide us with photographic evidence of the product’s condition and a detailed explanation of the issues encountered. You can submit this information via email at RAW@NRPFE.CO.NZ.
Upon receiving and inspecting your return, we will notify you of the refund’s approval or denial. If approved, the refund will be automatically processed through your original payment method. Please note that the refund may take some time to be processed and posted by your bank or credit card company.
Feeding Amounts...
Based on your Pet…..
- Cat/Dog
- nutritional needs during his/her various life stages
- exercise level
- their weight
- special health needs…can add & take away certain nutrients for optimum benefit.
Kittens/Puppies require more food than adults as they need the extra energy for proper body development.
As your pet gets older & his/her activity level decreases the feeding amount will also decrease. At about the 12-month stage, we advise that you adjust the serving portions to avoid long-term weight issues.
Feeding frequency:
- Kitten/Puppy=Ideally three times a day, if unable then twice a day
- Adult=Ideally twice a day
- Senior= Ideally twice a day
Senior fur-babies
First, we need to understand that their bodies change, like us weight creeps up too so we need to be aware of this & support their joints, hearts & inflammation that may occur …. although foods won’t necessarily cure them, it can aid them to be more comfortable & let them have the best life possible.
Natural Raw Diet is great there are so many natural foods that can support their joints & they got it in its true form not synthetically.
Most Kibble Premium Ranges – have several types you can buy depending on their needs.
Senior Dogs for example….
- Drop protein & fat.
- Increase fibre & cut the calorie intake = less efficient, adding fibre & robbing them of essential nutrients like protein.
The first biggest thing the body of a Senior Pet’s will experience, going from Kibble to Raw is…. ZERO starch & NO added salt = less inflammatory fillers, kidneys are not having to work as hard – moisture content in their new RAW Diet is higher – great for Cats! Which can potentially mean a second life for your Pet.
Chicken, beef, lamb – highly digestive protein, moderate fat, high fibre & essential fatty acids.
Still ok with bones; Beef Brisket is great – calcium, essential fatty acids & minerals.
Softer food if they have teeth or gum issues, so we’d feed them more of the Meat Minced – Beef and Mutton Mix, Veal Mince, Goat Mince, Green Trip and Mince, Meow Mix – for cats.
How do I know if my pet is at a goof weight?
Feel their torso to gauge if you are feeding them enough or too much.
Ideally, you want to feel their ribs -not have them protrude or be able to put a finger in between the ribs.
No rolls see muscle on legs.
The body doesn’t look like a sausage you can see a clear definition of armpits, neck area and shape of the face.
How to handle 100% Natural Raw Pet Food Express food
Please follow these guild lines….
Your food comes in plastic bags inside a box.
Please rinse each plastic bag thoroughly and also let it dry, Once all bags are clean and dry place inside one of the boxes.
Any excess boxes please break down.
At the next delivery and we will collect all bags and boxes and get them recycled responsibly.
We are here to help...
We are passionate about animals & what we’re doing.
We would NOT be offering anything we don’t already feed our two on or haven’t already trailed.
We both believe that something as important as this needs a personal touch…you’re not just another number…we appreciate the trust you have in us.
We are just an email away and would love to help get you on your 100% Natural RAW Pet Food Express journey.
Plus see the progress on your Pets along the way.
Best wishes
Lukas, Becks, Cooper & Willow xxxx