Research released last week has revealed two-thirds of dogs suffer from some sort of health issue such as allergies, dental or stomach problems.

Bad breath is the most common problem (26 percent) and over 20 per cent admit their dog is overweight. Despite this, over 60 per cent of owners aren’t aware that poor nutrition is one of the leading causes of health issues such as these, which can be vastly improved by changing to a raw diet.

Of the owners surveyed, the research has also revealed a lack of understanding of what really goes into our dogs’ food. Almost a quarter (23 percent) of dog owners admit to paying little or no attention to what’s on the label of the current dog food they purchase and over 10 percent say they don’t really know what’s healthy or nutritious for their furry friend.

Interestingly, men (32 percent) are less likely to check the label on their dog food versus women (36 per cent) and similarly, women (29 per cent) are more aware of what’s healthy for their dog compared to their male counterparts (27 percent).

Raw feeding aims to give dogs a diet appropriate to their digestive system and as close as possible to what they might have eaten as wild animals. It has been shown on countless occasions to make an extraordinary difference to a pet’s health and wellbeing.

Craig Taylor, Managing Director of Natures Menu, Europe’s leading expert in raw pet food, said: ‘We all care so much about our furry friends and this should extend to what we’re feeding them too. Standard dog food often may seem like it’s the best for your pet, but on closer inspection, many contain ingredients such as sugars, meat meals and meat derivatives that just aren’t as healthy or nutritious.’

‘Raw feeding not only has its benefits in terms of nourishment and easy digestion but has also been shown to help alleviate a number of health issues, such as chronic skin and digestive problems. If your dog is suffering from any sort of health issue, we always recommend speaking to your vet for advice but switching to raw could really make a world of difference.’

There are a number of factors that point towards a health problem in dogs. Here are the ones to look out for which could indicate an underlying issue, all of which are often easily alleviated by a change in diet:

1. Bad breath
2. Poor digestion
3. Dull fur, dry or itchy skin
4. Change in activity levels or behaviour
5. Lack of appetite

You can view our full range of Dog Food Recipe and Dog Nutrition eBooks here ...