Your Dog Doesn’t Need a “Balanced” Diet (Seriously)
Let’s just get this out of the way: “balanced” is bullsh*t.
We’ve been trained to believe our dogs (and cats) need a perfectly balanced meal every single day of their lives. But let’s think about that for a second. Do you think dogs and cats in the wild sit down to a complete, balanced dinner every night? Of course not. They’re opportunistic eaters meaning they eat what they find, when they find it. And they thrive.
So why are we stressing ourselves out about measuring, balancing, and overthinking every single meal?
Raw vs. Kibble: What’s the Deal?
People ask me all the time how to transition to raw food, and here’s the truth: it’s so much easier than you think.
Dogs’ bodies are designed to eat raw, moisture-rich foods. Kibble, on the other hand, is dry, heavily processed, and actually pretty hard for them to digest. I’m not saying you need to toss your kibble out today, but if you want to improve your dog’s diet, start by reducing kibble and adding fresh, raw foods.
Example: if you’re feeding 1 cup of kibble twice a day, cut it back to ¾ cup and add something fresh—like a sardine, a raw egg, or a cube of frozen raw.
See? It’s really easy!
Easy Ways to Add Fresh Food
This doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. There are plenty of easy add-ins that make a big difference:
Makers of pet food add-ins
Raw Dynamic – frozen, freeze dried and gently cooked formulas that make mixing raw into kibble simple.
Solutions Raw Goat Milk – helps with allergies and gut health to name just a few.
Tucker’s – pre-portioned purees (beef liver, heart, goat milk) that you can pop right out of the freezer.
The Bear & The Rat – not just ice cream and birthday cakes for dogs, they also make bone broth cubes! Great for joints, gut health, and hydration.
You don’t need to feed these every single day. Rotate them. One day it’s goat milk, the next it’s a raw egg, then maybe some bone broth. My dogs eat something different every day. Variety is the point.
About Those Table Scraps…
Here’s another myth we need to bust: feeding table scraps doesn’t make your dog picky.
What does make them picky is scraping food directly off your plate into their bowl. That teaches them to beg. Instead, scrape leftovers into a container, keep it in the fridge, and add it to their meals later. As long as it’s not heavily spiced or seasoned, it’s fine. Just remember to feed them wholesome meals, not junk.
Take It Slow
If your dog has been eating only kibble for years, don’t throw them into a raw food buffet all at once. Transition gradually. Add small amounts of fresh food, let their system adjust, and build from there, it’s a journey. Otherwise, you could end up with some tummy troubles (nobody wants the diarrhea episode).
Final Thoughts
Stop stressing about “balance.” Dogs don’t need a perfectly balanced meal every day. They need variety, moisture, and fresh nutrients. Start small: reduce kibble, add real food, rotate your add-ins, and keep it simple.
It’s not as hard, or as expensive, as you’ve been led to believe. And honestly? Your pet will thank you for it!
