Is Raw Chicken or Raw Beef Better for My Dog?

When you’re choosing a protein for your fur kid’s raw food diet, there’s more to think about than just how it tastes. Chicken and beef, the two most popular raw food options, offer very different upsides and downsides. Here are just a few of the things to consider when deciding on what to feed your dog.

Chicken is the leaner option of these two meats. This makes it a good choice for dogs who are overweight or who need a strictly controlled diet. Beef’s higher fat content makes it more filling, but also can lead to pets packing on pounds of they eat too much.

Raw chicken is typically cheaper than raw beef when purchased from a grocery store, making it a more affordable option for pet parents on a budget. However, this isn’t always the case for commercial raw dog foods. Many raw food brands have both chicken and beef food available at similar price points.

Chicken is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, a type of helpful fat that supports immune function and a healthy coat. However, it contains much less of the omega-3 fatty acids that the omega-6 acids need to function properly.

Feeding your dog nothing but raw chicken will cause a fatty acid imbalance that may trigger inflammation in his system. Beef, on the other hand, has a much more balanced combination of fatty acids and is less likely to cause this kind of inflammation.

Both raw chicken and raw beef can contain bacteria that may make your fur kid sick. Raw chicken is more likely to contain certain particularly harmful strains of bacteria, including salmonella and campylobacter. It’s still safe to feed to your dog in most cases, but feeding your dog raw chicken exclusively may increase his risk of getting sick. Always be sure to store your dog’s raw food properly to kill any bacteria before he eats it.

If you plan to feed your dog just one type of raw meat for the rest of his life, raw beef wins out in most cases. It’s more nutritionally balanced and poses fewer risks to his health. However, both chicken and beef can be valuable parts of a raw diet.

The best solution is to rotate your dog’s raw proteins, offering him commercially formulated raw food made from chicken, beef, and other meats. Visit us today at For Your Fur Kids and we’ll help you pick out all the raw food you’ll need to optimize your dog’s diet.