Most pet owners will faithfully proclaim the unwavering loyalty and dedication they feel for the dog, cat, etc. that they have adopted as another member of their family. That being said, it is not surprising that many pet owners are willing to go to great lengths to provide their animals with nothing less than the best in order to supply them with a healthy, comfortable lifestyle. Perhaps the most practiced method of doing so might be through the food that is given to pets on a daily basis.

Particularly in the last few years, a lot of controversy has surrounded the bagged dry foods and canned wet foods that are marketed on shelves for pet consumption. Studies have shown that literally thousands of brands are shelved on pet food aisles around the nation and billions of dollars are spent each year to feed the animals that have been taken on as pets in the households of many families across the country. Unfortunately, several recalls and pet illnesses have been connected to some of the brand foods that are marketed in stores and pet shops alike, leading to a strong distrust among many pet owners who fear that the food they may be feeding their pets might be dangerous to their health. As such, a new trend has recently arisen that promotes a raw food diet which is supposedly superior to those which are mass produced in commercially prepared foods.

In 1993, the raw food diet really took off. Sparked by the popularly selling book, "Give Your Dog a Bone," the theories preached in the book systematically led many to quit their current dog food brand and opt instead for a diet that consisted entirely of raw foods made at home. Under the belief that dogs were pulled away from their natural wolf-like instincts as man developed and tamed them as pets, the raw food diet adheres to a philosophy that promotes bringing the canine back to a purer form of it's original roots, and this is primarily achieved through a raw food diet. Proponents of this wave of thinking claim that a dog's overall health will exhibit positive increases in energy, nutrition, and lifestyle when they are fed a raw food diet vs. a commercial food diet. According to its advocates, homemade food can actually extend the lifespan of a pet that consumes raw food rather than store bought brand food.

The raw food diet is a fad that has swept not only the nation, but many other countries across the globe as well. However, it is one that should be looked into more closely before its claims of better health and nutrition are taken at face value. In fact, the positive statements that have been issued regarding this fad are ones based almost entirely on the observation of home pet owners who have employed this new line of feeding methods. Currently, no scientifically tested or experimentally proven evidence exists to suggest that the diet is truly more healthy or nutritionally more sound than any that could be gotten from the packaged pet food offered in stores. Similar claims in regards to a pet's inability to be able to digest certain types of grains and corn could also be considered invalid as studies have effectively proven a canine's ability to digest these just as easily as any other.

While many pet owners have opted to personally prepare their pet's meals out of extreme distrust of the companies responsible for packaging the pre-bagged and pre-canned foods available for sale, there is nothing that steadfastly proves this is any better or worse than a raw food diet. Intense speculation surfaced after the 2007 scare in which many recalled foods were the source of some pet illnesses; however, this can in no way be taken as the norm. In fact, there are many more cases of healthy, nutritionally sound store-fed pets than not. It can further be argued that some forms of the raw food diet could also be a source for harm in your pet. In some cases, the high risks that are believed to be associated with brand food have been found in raw food as well. These types of diets are greater sources of nutritional imbalance and have also shown signs of bacterial contamination. Therefore, the choice to feed your pet raw food or brand food should not be made without understanding all aspects of both sides of the argument.

As with most things, each side has positives and negatives. While some marketable pet food has been recalled for deficient nutrients and contamination, this is not true of all brands. In fact, these foods are designed by professionals who have been doing so successfully for years. Thorough testing methods and effective safety protocols are employed regularly to ensure the nutritional health and wellbeing of your pet, and this can be done in pet food manufacturing companies just as well – if not better in some cases – as those who opt to make their own food from home ingredients. Raw diets come with just as many pluses and minuses as do manufactured pet foods. In the end, the best way to make the decision on what to feed your pet is by consulting with a professional veterinarian who can guide you as to the right choices to make in regards to promoting the health of your animal.