Butchers offcuts: are they the secret ingredient for a strong, healthy, not to mention shiny dog? As you might recall from our article on the old saying, “fit as a butcher’s dog,” the dogs of yore who ate scraps behind the counter of the butcher shop were some pretty well-fed pups.
It makes you wonder: should we all be feeding our pups butcher offcuts? How does the old saying stand up to our modern discoveries about doggy nutritional science? And what’s the best way to give our puppers a fully balanced dog diet?
Buddy up to your local butcher, because we’ve got the info you’ve been looking for!
Benefits of butchers offcuts for dogs
Fresh, raw meat is packed with protein
This is the most obvious benefit of feeding your dog butchers offcuts. Those cuts of fresh meat and organs are high with the protein your dog needs to stay active and keep their mind sharp.
Offal and other scraps are high in healthy vitamins and minerals
Iron, zinc, copper, vitamins A and B are all found in high quantities in butchers offcuts. This is especially true for organ meats such as liver.
Just like humans, doggos need a wide array of vitamins and minerals for all of their bodily functions – from brain processing, to muscle regrowth, to healthy immune responses.
Fatty meats are wonderful for your dog’s coat
Butchers offcuts are also high in essential fatty acids like Omega-3s, which are known to promote skin and fur health and lower the risk of allergy-induced skin irritation. But that’s not all! If you’re up for a fun afternoon cooking project, you can make bone broth from butcher offcuts right at home. The collagen from a slow-cooked bone broth will really make your dog’s coat shine.
Your dog will adore their butchers offcuts
We’re always looking for ways to improve our dog’s lives, and feeding them fresh meat is an easy way to get their tail wagging. With the new, exciting flavours and textures that they can enjoy from offcuts, you can give your dog some much-appreciated mental stimulation.
Offcuts offer an environmental benefit
We humans can be a bit selective about the types of meat we’re willing to buy. And that can mean that perfectly good parts of the cow, pig, or chicken get thrown out or passed along for further processing in factories.
Your dog, on the other paw, will gladly gobble down the bits of meat that stay behind the counter. It’s a great way to make your dog’s diet a little bit more sustainable.
Drawbacks of butchers offcuts for dogs
Clearly, butchers offcuts are pretty great. But, before you throw your dog’s current meal plan out the window, we should note that a diet exclusively of butchers offcuts isn’t a good idea.
For one thing, trying to figure out a dog’s nutritional needs at home is risky business. While you may think that moving away from store-bought foods is the best thing for your pet, the reality is that dog food manufacturers have food scientists on staff to make sure their product meets your pet’s nutritional needs. When feeding your dog exclusively from the meat aisle of the supermarket, you could be giving your dog too much protein, too little phosphorus, too much iron, too little dietary fibre, and the list goes on.
The other drawback of a butchers offcut diet is that it doesn’t take into account the fact that dogs are omnivores. While they can live a life without veggies, many dogs love the taste and textures of vegetables. And, they can benefit from the fibre and wide range of vitamins and minerals found in dog-friendly fruits and veggies.
How to give your dog the “fit as a butchers dog” treatment
Finding the right balance between fresh meat and plant-based ingredients is sure to make your dog healthy, happy, and gorgeous. Here are a few tips to follow to ensure that your dog is on a nutritionally safe diet:
- Don’t prepare meals yourself. Like we said, the danger of giving your dog only butchers offcut meats is that it’s very hard to cover the nutritional bases without a scientific approach. Play it safe by relying on a trusted company who puts nutrition at the top of the priority list. That way, your dog will get the tasty fresh meat they drool over, as well as all the other ingredients they need.
- Consult with your vet. Whenever your dog is switching to a new diet, it’s a good idea to give your vet a head’s up. They’ll be able to advise you on your dog’s unique dietary needs and monitor the transition process.
- Stick with human-grade foods. Giving your dog kibble with butchers offcuts as a main ingredient is much different than giving them human-grade offcuts. That’s because food that is rated for human consumption undergoes more rigorous testing for bacteria and parasites.
- Feel free to supplement, but don’t overdo it. If your dog’s main food doesn’t include butchers offcuts, you may be able to give them a bit of this delicious fresh meat as an occasional treat. Keep in mind that dogs don’t have iron stomachs, so only give them small amounts of fresh meat until you know how they’ll react. And, if you are supplementing your dog’s regular diet with treats from the butcher, don’t overdo it; otherwise, you may put your dog at risk for unhealthy weight gain.
- Give Fido an all around healthy lifestyle. When it comes to your dog’s overall health, good nutrition goes hand in hand with exercise, hydration, sleep, mental stimulation, and quality time with their favourite humans. When you’re able to meet all of your dog’s needs, they really will be as fit as the butcher’s dog. However, it will only be partly thanks to the added butchers offcuts in their diet.
