Raw Dog Food: Preparation and Hygiene Guide
Our high
quality raw meals can be kept in the freezer for up to nine months.
Every two to three days transfer the amount that your dog requires, and allow
to defrost in the fridge. If you’re in a hurry, soak in hot water in the
kitchen sink. Our Cotswold RAW meals will keep fresh for 48-72 hours in the fridge. Just as with all raw meat do not refreeze food that has been fully defrosted.
In order to make raw feeding easier our sausages are individually wrapped in their
edible skins and all our packs are the perfect size for stacking in the fridge
or freezer.
How can I defrost raw dog food?
Thawing our food in the microwave is NOT recommended and indeed microwave cooking will alter the composition of the food such that it may no longer be a complete and balanced meal.Can you cook your raw dog food?
We do not recommend this. Cooking reduces the nutritional value of the food, and the higher the cooking temperature the more nutrients are destroyed. So our food isn’t cooked. Some owners switching to raw may find gently warming the food in an oven dish will enhance palatability. Don't refreeze any leftovers.Most dogs will wolf down the tasty raw food immediately, straight from the fridge.
Is my dog at risk from infections by eating
raw meat?
Dogs have a very different digestive system
to humans. It is designed to cope with a certain level of bacterial contamination
and food moves through it much more quickly. A happy, healthy dog is much less
likely to present a health risk to humans but sensible hygiene precautions must
still be followed. Raw products must be handled and stored in the same way as
any meat purchased for human consumption. Cotswold RAW’s design and packaging
make this easy – the sausages come in their own edible wrappers, all packages
are heat sealed and easy to store in the freezer or fridge.What about salmonella?
The safety of our foods is top priority here at Cotswold RAW and they face the most stringent food safety protocols.All our fresh foods are presented in such a
way that handling is minimised and,
wherever possible, waste is eliminated. This means no cross- contamination of bowls, feeding areas, kitchen surfaces or
bins and no unwanted smells. Our containers neatly store in your domestic
fridge or freezer.
All fresh food is "alive"
containing enzymes, vitamins and bacteria, both good and bad. The Animal and
Plant Health Agency tests all pet food manufacturers (raw, wet and dry) for
bacterial contamination. Nevertheless ALL raw
meat has the potential to contain traces of bacteria. These bacteria are
not usually harmful to your dog but they can be to humans – which is why we are always
so careful in handling raw meat for
our own consumption.
The same rules apply when handling raw food
for your dog. Keep the product in a sealed freezer bag (as supplied by Cotswold
RAW), once defrosted use separate utensils for serving raw meat and wash them,
surfaces and your hands thoroughly.
Which food To Choose...
Find out more about the benefits raw dog
food can have for your dog on our raw dog food
benefits page.
