We all want our dogs to live long and healthy lives. There is truly no better way to promote health and longevity than by feeding our dogs a healthy, fresh food diet of species appropriate raw meat, bone and organs! Choosing to feed a raw food diet is one of the most important decisions we can make when it comes to keeping our pets healthy.

When it comes to raw feeding, learning exactly what to feed and how to balance meals can be intimidating and difficult. That's where Iron Will Raw comes in! Iron Will Raw is a raw pet food company located in Ontario, Canada that provides pet parents with safe, balanced, nutritious raw meals for dogs and cats!

Iron Will Raw pet food is produced in a HACCP Certified facility, focusing on safety and quality. Their focus on creating the highest quality food and on product safety was one of the reasons I decided to make the switch to feeding my dog Iron Will Raw food.

Iron Will Raw comes in a wide variety of proteins, and two types of formulas. One formula contains only meat, bone and organs. The other formula contains meat, bone, organs and vegetables!

In my first delivery from Iron Will Raw, I selected the Basic Beef raw food for my dog who does extremely well on red meat. The basic beef formula is nutritious and wholesome, containing beef meat, beef heart, green beef tripe, ground beef bone, beef liver, beef kidney, and beef spleen.

The Original Beef formula contains beef meat, beef heart, green beef tripe, ground beef bone, beef liver, beef kidney, and beef spleen. They are also nutritionally boosted with kale, spinach, parsley, and kelp to provide all of the vitamins and minerals dogs require to thrive.

Their balanced raw pet foods are full of high quality meat and a variety of organs. Good organ variety is vitally important because each organ provides different nutrients. Including multiple organs means your dog is getting  the complete prey model nutrient spectrum they require. By rotating their proteins (such as beef, chicken, pork, turkey, lamb, etc) you will be able to provide your dog with a highly nutritious, highly digestible balanced diet.

My dog Hunter has been eating Iron Will Raw exclusively for over a month now, and I can happily say that he is doing amazing. He has been struggling with some allergy issues, and has made significant improvements on Iron Will Raw's Basic Beef food. We were struggling with a lot of eye discharge every single morning. Ever since he started eating the Basic Beef, we have had no trouble with his eyes! On top of that, he is pooping much less! He went from 3 (sometimes 4) times a day down to once or occasionally twice a day.

In general, he seems much more comfortable in terms of his skin and coat. His coat condition has improved quite a bit, and his fur is thick and glossy. Overall, he is doing extremely well. Out of every commercial raw food company out there that I have tried, Iron Will Raw seems to be the best of the best.

I am extremely picky about what goes into Hunter's body in terms of food and treats - and I have total confidence in this company to provide high quality raw food. I am beyond excited to share this information with you all and spread the word about them!

If you have any questions, please feel free to visit Iron Will Raw's website. They have an amazingly informative blog, and tons of resources for people new to feeding a raw food diet!

You can also visit their store locator if you'd like to know the closest place to get your dog or cat some Iron Will Raw pet food!

With Iron Will Raw, you get the comfort of knowing the raw food is safe, carefully produced and packaged. You will  know without a doubt that you are getting the convenience of balanced and packaged healthy, fresh food without the effort and trouble of preparing and balancing raw food yourself.

We LOVE our dogs, with all of our hearts. They are family to us, not just animals sharing our living space. We want them to live long, happy lives. We want many happy years together, and as low of a risk of illness and diseases like cancer as we can possibly get! With nutrition, we can make a significant impact on the health of our furry family members. Instead of simply surviving, we can help our dogs truly THRIVE in this life!

Every species on earth has evolved to eat a specific diet that will fuel their physical body and maintain their health and wellness, allowing them to thrive in their native environment. Dogs, as a species, are quite special. They have evolved to be able to take a lot of abuse in terms of poor nutrition. They may not die immediately, but they will absolutely experience a decline in vitality and experience degenerative changes that will make them much more susceptible to illness and disease. Dogs can survive on a poor quality food, but most of them will not live as long as their real food fed counterparts, and will be much more susceptible to disease.

The University of Helsinki in Finland (click here to visit them) has a research group called DogRisk that has been actively studying diet, environment and disease in the domestic dog. They have been busy collecting data that proves dogs are healthiest when fed a raw food diet... food that is not processed, is high in fat and is low in carbohydrates.

Dogs are omnivores only because we are forcing them to be omnivores by completely controlling what they eat. If you want to know what they should be eating, look at their digestive tract. If you look at the teeth of the dog, you will see the teeth of a wolf. Canis lupus familiaris (the dog) and Canis lupus lupus (the wolf) share more than their scientific nomenclature, they share 98.8% of their DNA. That includes their digestive tract, and such, their diet and nutritional needs. Both species, although different through our selective evolution of the dog, have identical dietary needs. Dogs are facultative carnivores, they are primarily meat-eaters, but can survive on plant material alone if necessary. It is important to note that surviving is very different from thriving.

Humans are the only species on earth that cook their food, and they are the only species that eats highly processed food. Facts don't lie... 1 out of 4 dogs will develop cancer, and those risks simply do not exist in other species. The only factor that is different between dogs and other animals, is the fact that we force a diet on them... a diet that does not promote health or wellness based on their natural dietary requirements.

Rather than forcing an unnatural diet on our dogs, we should be both understanding and respecting what they need to eat based on the reality of their digestive system, and what they are biologically designed to eat.

WHAT IS A RAW FOOD DIET?
A raw food diet is non-processed food that consists of raw meat, raw edible bone, and raw organs. Raw food can also contain dog-safe fruits, vegetables and supplements (such as fish oil, seeds, and other supplements to fill nutritional gaps). A raw food diet is successful when it is nutritionally balanced appropriately, which takes some research, learning and attention to detail. It can seem intimidating at first, but once you understand how a meal is balanced it gets MUCH easier!

Our dogs are suffering. Cancer, obesity, diabetes, allergies, and so many more diseases are plaguing our beloved four-legged family members. Now more than ever, dogs are getting sicker and sicker. Research is coming out that proves a raw, fresh food diet is the greatest tool in your toolbox to help your dogs THRIVE instead of simply survive.

The power is in your hands to make a change to your dogs diet and promote health, longevity, and disease resistance. You can make a difference, just by changing what goes into your dogs body. It's easier than you think!

If you cannot afford to completely make the change to a fresh food diet, or you are interested in starting slowly... Remove 25% of your dog's kibble from their bowl, and replace it with fresh food like sardines, meat, mussels, or vegetables (such as broccoli, red cabbage, kale, spinach, red pepper, carrots, etc) and it WILL make a difference!

The Healthy Canine eCookbook is a collection of nutritionally balanced and complete homemade dog food recipes. There are 25 grain free recipes that provide excellent variety, nutrition density and living enzymes for your furry family!

Each recipe requires a whole food multivitamin for dogs (a list of recommended supplements is included in this eBook) and provides owners with the information they need to feed this diet successfully.

A homemade diet is highly beneficial for dogs and is superior to commercial kibble diets. Switching to a homemade dog food diet can make your dog healthier, stronger and more resistant to disease. A homemade diet can also lengthen your dogs life and improve their quality of life as they enter their senior years.

Visit the K9 Instinct shop to purchase this eBook!

Dogs love fruit! Fruit is delicious, packed full of nutrition and can make a refreshing (and grain free) snack - a great alternative to store bought "junk" treats found in many pet stores. Fruit is also an important part of many homemade dog food diets, and can also be added to a raw food diet as well. When not incorporated into meals, fruit makes an excellent treat for dogs!

Not every fruit is safe for dogs, so I have compiled a list of fruit that has been proven safe and beneficial for our furry family members. While fruits (and vegetables) are not necessary in a dogs diet, they can certainly act as a nutritional boost or act as a healthy snack. Much like the "Healthy Vegetables for your Dogs" article I have previously written, you can use any of the fruits mentioned on the following list! Replace store bought treats with pieces of fruit, or add some fruit to your dogs diet and give them something nutritious and healthy!

Blueberries
These antioxidant rich berries are FULL of nutrition, including but not limited to vitamin K, manganese, vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin A, folate, phosphorus, calcium and potassium! Ideal for brain health, eye health and the cancer fighting properties!

Strawberries
Rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and more, strawberries make a healthy and tasty treat that is low in calories and high in taste and nutrition. Another excellent frozen treat for dogs!

Pears
Do not feed seeds/core. Light, low calories and refreshing! Pears contain vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium! A few pear slices make an excellent summer treat!

Cranberries
Known for helping to maintain a healthy urinary tract, cranberries can help flush the kidneys and prevent urinary infections. Cranberries are rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus and potassium!

Watermelon
Refreshing, full of water, and perfect for a fun snack on a hot summer day! Watermelon is full of vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and water! Watermelon is great for helping rehydrate dogs!

Cantaloup
Full of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, niacin, folate, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and omega fatty acids, cantaloup is another fun and refreshing snack for dogs that can also help rehydrate them!

Designed for the working dog, dogs active in sports, and dogs with active lifestyles. Many dogs are always on the go and weight can be shed very quickly. These "power bars" are healthy high protein and high calorie alternatives to junk food dog treats. I cooked up this recipe in honour of my working dog, Hunter, who has trouble keeping weight on and is so active in the summer that he needs some extra calories!

These are great to take on hikes and to training and trialing events, offer one or two to restore energy and provide protein to continue preforming to the best of their ability.

Want more healthy and easy homemade dog treat recipes? Check out the "Homemade Treats" section of my blog! Don't forget to like K9 Instinct on Facebook to get all new blog updates, news, and promotions!

Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

The popularity of feeding real food to our furry family members is growing rapidly, which is a wonderful step forward in animal care. As pet owners learn that real food is superior to commercial kibble, they are more willing to add fresh whole food to their dogs' diets. This results in dogs getting whole food nutrition and people are often substituting poor quality "junk" treats for healthy fruits and vegetables.

The following list of vegetables are safe and healthy for your dog! While dogs do not need vegetables in their diet to survive, and don't receive a lot of nutrition from vegetables, they can make a great snack. Cooking (boiling, steaming or baking) or making a vegetable puree is the only way our dogs can derive good levels of nutrition from vegetables. Since dogs are carnivores and do not have the proper enzymes to digest vegetables, cooking or chopping them very finely helps "pre-digest" the vegetable matter for them so that nutrients are unleashed in the digestive tract and absorbed into the body easily.

Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is a highly nutritious vegetable full of beta carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E. This vegetable is best boiled and mashed or cut into chunks. Sweet potato is ideal in sick or bland diets to help bulk up food, add fiber and soothe the digestive system.

Carrots
Raw or boiled, carrots are an excellent snack rich in beta carotene, carotenoids and vitamin A. When raw, they can help clean the teeth by acting as a crunchy chew for dogs to gnaw on. Whether or not they are raw or boiled, they are well known for improving red pigments in the fur!

Green Beans
Full of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, the B vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium and calcium - green beans are a super healthy snack. Crunchy when raw and excellent for bulking up food, green beans are safe and healthy for dogs! Green beans can be added to a dogs diet if they are notorious for always being hungry!

Pumpkin
Famous for being a digestive aid, pumpkin is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and can both aid constipation and help firm up diarrhea. This vegetables is perfect for soothing an upset stomach! Pumpkin can be used to improve red pigment in a dogs coat.

Zucchini
Best fed cooked, zucchini is full of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin B-6. Zucchini is also low in calories. Zucchini is extremely popular in homemade dog food recipes for it's B vitamins and fiber!

Cucumber
Cucumber is a refreshing, healthy and crunchy vegetable dogs love! This is a great low calorie, low sugar option for dogs. Cut into thick slices and freeze for a hydrating snack in the hot months!

Broccoli
Loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B-6. Broccoli is fantastic steamed, baked or boiled, can be served cooked in the food bowl or given as a crunchy snack.

Cauliflower
Cauliflower can be fed just like broccoli, best steamed or boiled but it also makes a good crunchy snack. Cauliflower is full of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, calcium, magnesium and iron.

Celery
Celery is ideal for dogs who need a healthy, very low calorie and low sugar treat. Crunchy and delicious with a high water content, this is a perfect treat for dogs! While it is not as nutrient dense as other vegetables,  celery is a great source of potassium and fiber.

If you are interested in switching your dogs to a more whole food, natural diet consider learning about a raw food diet or a homemade diet.

Don't forget to come join our positive only, friendly, wonderful FB community for dog lovers: The K9 Connection.

Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com