Trying to decide what the best food for your Pitbull maybe can be a common concern and understanding if a Pitbull can eat raw meat is also essential towards making your decision.
Dog food comes in many shapes, sizes, and globally, $91.1 billion dollars are pumped into the pet food market.
You have wet foods, dry foods, supplements, and countless other things you can consider when trying to decide which direction you want to take when offering your Pitbull the correct food and deciding if raw meat is the best course of action.
I am an avid dog enthusiast, Terrier owner myself, and here is what I can tell you on this topic.
Should Pit Bulls Eat Raw Meat?
Yes, Pit Bulls can eat raw meat. Raw meat is considered one of the healthiest food sources you can provide your Pitbull and can provide needed nutrients and vitamins for your Pitbull. While raw meat may carry bacteria, it is still a widely used and acceptable food source for your Pitbull Terrier.
Wow, we have a lot more to cover on this topic than what was just provided as an answer to your question.
I have some ranting to do, some facts to drop for you and some other answers to frequently asked questions to go over with you about feeding your Pitbull raw meat.
Here is how I intend to layout this information for you today:
- Understanding Raw Diets for Pitbull Terriers
- Should Pit Bulls Eat Raw Meat?
- Understanding the Risk Involved with Offering Raw Meat to A Pitbull
- How to Begin Feeding Your Pitbull Raw Meat
- What Age Can Pit Bulls Begin Eating A Raw Diet and Raw Meat?
- Choosing to Feed Your Pitbull Raw Meat or A Raw Diet Is Completely Up to You
- Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Raw Diets for Pitbull Terriers
The number of options you can choose from when you are debating on the best diet for your Pitbull and if raw meat should play a part or not is likely overwhelming.
Especially with all the sources publishing the information online for no other reason except to generate clicks, commissions and have no real experience even owning a dog.
It is important to understand this and stick to information from sources that at a bare minimum, raise and own dogs and walk the walk when they are recommending a diet and what to feed your new companion.
Some veterinarians may even suggest raw meat diets for a Pitbull if your dog currently has allergies to other foods or ingredients present in processed foods.
Overall, Pit Bulls are completely capable of digesting and eating raw meat, and it is considered one of the healthiest options you can offer.
You do have some things you need to keep in mind if you decide to take this approach as an FYI.
Now comes the question of if you should switch to raw meat for your Pit Bull’s primary diet.
Should Pit Bulls Eat Raw Meat?
This question has gained popularity in recent years, and it is understandable.
Dog owners, including Pitbull owners, would prefer to re-create the diet your dog would likely eat in the wild, which certainly does not include processed foods that you would purchase from a local pet store.
Always Be Careful Where You Get Your Information About Raw Meat Diets for Your Pitbull
In fact, I find it somewhat laughable that one of the primary sources for this information is on Purina websites claiming that you should never feed your dog raw meat.
Pay attention people.
Purina has a great motivation for stating this fact, even if it requires them to hire their own expertise with a Ph.D. to certify the information.
How much exactly would Purina lose if they do not state this information?
Well, in 2018 alone, according to the Pet Food Industry, Purina has a revenue of $13.2 billion dollars per year.
I also want to point out that Purina is considered a publicly-traded company meaning that Purina has a stock you can purchase on the New York Stock Exchange (Nestle ADR).
This means that they also have investors to please, the board of directors to keep happy and would not be very well served by stating that you can switch to a food that they do not make revenue from.
While I am only one opinion on this matter, the picture I am trying to paint is simple.
Make sure that if you want to bash feeding your Pitbull a raw meat diet, that you are understanding the source of the information you are reading and not reading the advice from a company with a lot to lose.
For example, I have nothing to gain nor lose by providing you this information about raw meat diets for your Pitbull.
I have no publicly-traded company, no revenue, and certainly do not have $13.2 billion dollars on the line for having this discussion and educating you on the topic.
Okay, end of rant.
I want to look at some of the benefits of raw meat diets for your Pitbull Terrier.
Raw Meat Can Shed Weight and Increase Energy for Your Pitbull
One of the major health benefits that have been associated with feeding a Pitbull Terrier a raw meat diet as opposed to a processed diet is the ability to drop weight while also gaining energy and stamina.
They also, will typically be more muscular.
While a Pitbull is already known to be a strong dog breed capable of strenuous exercise, a raw meat diet may further enhance their abilities to perform and remain healthy and at peak shape.
Lowering the weight of a dog can also help with other common health problems with larger dogs, such as hip dysplasia and even heart issues that arise in the future.
Not to mention the potential for diabetes.
Overall, these are a few of the significant health benefits a raw meat diet can provide your Pitbull as opposed to using processed dog foods.
Now, it is also important to note some of the potential drawbacks of offering raw meat to your Pitbull.
Understanding the Risk Involved with Offering Raw Meat to A Pitbull
One of the risks you encounter when you decide to offer your Pitbull raw meat in their diet is the potential for bacteria being present such as salmonella and listeria.
Some individuals suggest offering meat to your Pitbull but weighing the pros and cons of cooking the meat first.
This removes the chance of bacteria and makes the food more digestible, allowing the dog to capture more of the nutrients within the meat.
However, plenty of individuals entirely skip this step and have not reported issues.
Also keep in mind that a significant percentage of dogs are allergic to beef or chicken, whether it is cooked or not.
When it comes to you and your Pitbull, you need to make that decision for yourself and for your dog and consult with your Vet first.
We are not Vets and do not replace the advice you can get from a Vet.
At Terrier Owner, we are simply trying to state the facts and give you an honest path that is not swayed by sales of specific dog food and only provides information that can benefit your Pitbull and your lives overall in the long run.
How to Begin Feeding Your Pitbull Raw Meat
Now, for a second, I want to assume you have decided to go with a raw meat diet for your Pitbull and explain what this may look like and how you should approach the transition.
Most importantly, you want to do so gradually.
Transition into Raw Meat Slowly for Your Pitbull
Regardless of what your Pitbull is currently consuming for their diets such as dry food, canned food, or a combination, if you want to switch to a raw meat diet, you need to make the transition slowly.
This will avoid upsetting your dogs’ stomach and digestive system and allow your Pitbull to gradually break into the new diet.
Try mixing in some of your raw meat ingredients with the current diet and slowly scale up the amount of raw meat while scaling down the amount of your previous food choice that you were using.
The idea behind raw meat is, again, to mimic what whole prey would provide your Pitbull if they were in the wild.
The recommended ratio for raw meat for a Pitbull is the following:
| Type of Raw Meat Offered | Recommended Percentage In Pit Bull’s Diet |
| Muscle Meat | 80% |
| Raw Meaty Bone | 10% |
| Liver | 5% |
| Other Secreting Organ | 5% |
As you can probably see, muscle meat, raw meaty bone, liver, and other secreting organs are all critical in this ratio.
Prepping Raw Meat for Your Pitbull
If you are struggling to understand how to prepare raw meat for your Pitbull, I wanted to provide you with a few tips:
- Stick with raw meaty bones that are easy for your Pitbull to chew and swallow
- Avoid Weight Bearing Bones
- Supervise while your Pitbull eats
Additionally, here are some bones that are considered safe to offer your Pitbull:
- Wings
- Necks
- Feet
- Frames
- Ribs
- Tails
You also want to avoid ever cooking the actual bones for the dog.
Lastly, providing a nice balance with the meats you choose can help provide even more significant amounts of proper nutrients such as phosphorus, manganese, and calcium, resulting from food choices such as Green Tripe.
Providing the heart can also be a great source of taurine and B vitamins and is recommended to account for 10-15% of the raw meat diet.
Other options, such as the tongue, can provide good and healthy amounts of fats.
And finally, brains can provide DHA and fatty acids, while livers can give much needed folic acids and iron.
On the flip side, you want to avoid raw salmon and raw pork to prevent further complications such as trichinosis, and pork is overall, relatively difficult for a Pitbull Terrier to digest.
What Age Can Pit Bulls Begin Eating A Raw Diet and Raw Meat?
A Pitbull puppy can also eat raw meat in their diet or as their diet, but you need to be careful about how you introduce raw meat into your Pit Bull’s diet.
If they were not eating raw meat from the breeder, you will want to transition to raw meat slowly to avoid digestive processing issues.
One of the most popular ways to introduce raw meat as your Pit Bull’s diet is to offer raw meat as a treat first for the first week or so.
As you follow your Pitbull and keep tabs on their digesting of the meat, you can gauge how well they are handling it and how much they enjoy it.
As you get comfortable with how your Pitbull is processing the raw meat and if it is not causing uncontrollable poops or other issues, you can continue your transition to raw meat for your Pit Bull’s diet.
Choosing to Feed Your Pitbull Raw Meat or A Raw Diet Is Completely Up to You
Clearly, you will always have some back and forth on the debate of feeding your Pitbull raw meat.
In my opinion, it is a completely viable option to choose and can offer great health benefits.
Trust the source providing the information and do your homework.
If you need to transition your Pit Bull’s current diet, be sure to do so slowly to avoid any stomach issues or digestive issues for your Pitbull.
Speak to a vet if you have further reservations about feeding your dog raw meat and choose the diet that best suits you and your affectionate and loving Pitbull Terrier.
Luna and I wish you the best of luck with your new Pitbull and hope your Pitbull flourishes with whatever diet you choose to offer them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Raw Meat Make Dogs Aggressive?
A: No, raw meat does not make a Pitbull aggressive and no evidence has been linked to raw meat causing aggression in Pit Bulls. Some Pit Bulls may be more prone to defend their raw meat diet because of how much they love it, but raw meat will not cause added aggression for a Pitbull Terrier.
Do You Feed Your Pitbull a Raw Diet or Raw Meat?
Do you offer your Pitbull a raw diet or raw meat?
Do you notice any noticeable benefits or have anything further you can share with the readers?
Be sure to share those thoughts, stories, and concerns by dropping a comment below.
As always, Luna and I appreciate you stopping by and reading today, and we will see you again next time!
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