Looking for a new diet for your beloved pup in Singapore? You might want to consider a fresh or raw diet! But what’s the difference between cooked dog food and raw dog food diets? Are they meant for different dogs? Which is better?

Let’s take a look at some of the differences between cooked and raw dog food!

What is Cooked Dog Food? 

Cooked dog food refers to anything that is cooked, and this includes raw dog food. Yes, raw dog food is a type of fresh food. In Singapore, the term 'cooked dog food' typically refers to dog food that is either fully or gently cooked. They can be made at home from fresh, natural and real ingredients like beef, chicken, lamb, peas or blueberries.

It gives you 100% control over your pup’s diet, allowing you to incorporate as much healthy nutrients as your pup needs. It also helps you better understand what nutrients your pup needs so you can pair your dog’s diet with suitable dog supplements like Zeal’s New Zealand Hoki Fish Oil Dog Supplement or Augustine Approved SuperBoost to make sure your dog doesn’t miss out on the important nutrients.

Cooked Dog Food Benefits

With the right ingredients, you’ll be able to

• Easily avoid fillers, preservatives and other unhealthy additives common in commercial diets
• Have better control over your pup’s weight. This has long-lasting impacts on their lifespan and general lifestyle especially for breeds like Corgi with a tendency to put on weight
• Improve your dog’s digestive health
• Help them sleep better
• Make them smarter with an antioxidant-rich diet
• Give them a shinier coat

As a whole, the biggest benefit of a fresh dog diet is the flexibility and control you have over it! For picky pups or pups with specific dietary needs, preparing cooked dog food may be exactly what they need. 

Cooked Dog Food Considerations

That said, preparing cooked dog food can be demanding on your time and finances. 

Preparing home-cooked dog food for your pup everyday requires a lot of planning. Furthermore, it’s absolutely vital to create a balanced diet which requires plenty of research. For instance, what are some vegetables for dogs that are good and what ingredients should be included to make the homemade dog food that provides all the nutrients your pup needs? In comparison, traditional commercial dog food has been specially formulated to meet all of your pup’s needs.

If you do decide to go with the cooked dog food route, definitely seek a veterinarian or canine nutritionist’s help with creating tasty homemade recipes for your pup!

Thankfully, there are also easy cooked dog food options on the market. Proudly made in Singapore, The Grateful Pet’s range of gently cooked cooked frozen dog food contains protein options ranging from lamb to wild kangaroo. You’re sure to find a suitable fresh dog food diet that works for your pup!

Another great cooked dog food option also made locally in Singapore is PetCubes. With zero preservatives, filler or additives, PetCubes are high in meat content and great for pups with food sensitivities. They also offer great raw diet options and offers diets based on life stage. 

What is Raw Dog Food? 

Raw dog food diets, as the name suggests, contain raw organ meats, muscle meat, whole or ground bone, raw eggs and other dog-safe fruits and vegetables. Raw diets can be freshly prepared at home as well, although there are plenty of commercially available raw diets that can offer similar benefits. 

Raw Dog Food Benefits

Raw diets are able to provide your pup with

• A shinier coat
• Healthier skin
• Improved dental health
• Increased energy levels
• Smaller stool

Similar to freshly cooked diets, if prepared at home, you can have full control over your pup’s raw diet. You can easily avoid subpar ingredients while tailoring the diet to your pup. For instance, if your pup requires added calcium, you can easily add Egg Shell Powder Dog Supplements made locally by The Barkery’s. Or if your pup requires that extra joint support, adding NaturVet Glucosamine DS Plus would also boost the benefits of a raw dog food diet.

Raw diets also have a high water concentration, helping to prevent dehydration in your pup!

Raw Dog Food Considerations

While raw diets can provide your pup with a lot of benefits, be sure to handle raw meats properly to prevent catching on any harmful pathogens! If you're planning to prepare the raw diet from scratch, you'll definitely need to dedicate some time and money to finding the right ingredients. 

Regardless, there are also plenty of benefits of a raw diet. If you do decide to feed your pup a raw diet, make sure to contact a veterinarian or canine nutritionist for advice. 

There are also plenty of affordable and convenient commercial raw dog food options that contain a balanced recipe like Organic Paws Original Blend Frozen Raw Dog Food. These tasty raw recipes contain “whole” carcasses including all prime cuts to simulate a carnivore’s natural diet. It’s also chock full of cod liver oil and kelp that are great for overall health.

Big Dog Barf also features a large selection of frozen raw dog food options. They also have options that cater to dogs with specific needs like their Sensitive Skin Frozen Raw Dog Food.

As with everything in life, there are some pros and cons. While cooked or raw dog diets can take some effort to prepare, they also provide many benefits for your pup and can 100% be worth the time and effort. It If you'd like to reap the benefits of these diets without the hassle of preparation, check out the commercial options! Good Dog People is an online pet store that has your back when it comes to a variety of quality dog food options for even the pickiest of pups. That means we also carry a great range of gently cooked cooked or raw dog food!

If you’re interested to find out more on the types of dog food, or even the best dog food for your dogs, we’ve also written an article that you can read here. 

Editor’s Note: 

We’re so glad you’re here! As Singapore’s Better Pet Store, we care for the well-being of our dogs just as we would with our loved ones. GDP supports ethical and responsible dog ownership and you can be assured that all the products featured on our online store are responsible products. You may check out our Academy to learn more about various interesting topics that might guide you to becoming an even better dog owner for your furry friend. If products listed below are 'out of stock', that means they are super popular, but before you get disappointed, check out the drop down bar to discover other flavours or sizes.  

  

Tammi writes articles about anything from data analytics to animal health, and loves doing the occasional craft. But most importantly, she loves hanging out and doing photo-shoots with her dog.