The Thrive Scoop
Food Safety – How we Protect Every Batch
Is Big Country Raw Pet Food Safe? Here's How We Protect Every Batch
Big Country Raw uses a multi-layer food safety program that includes approved ingredient sourcing, strict temper
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Food Safety – How We Protect Every Batch
Is Big Country Raw Pet Food Safe? Here's How We Protect Every Batch
Big Country Raw uses a multi-layer food safety program that includes approved ingredient sourcing, strict temper
Read More
Ingredients with Purpose: Muscle Meat
Why Muscle Meat Is Essential in Raw Pet Food
Muscle meat is the foundation of biologically appropriate nutrition because it provides complete, highly digestible protein and all ess
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Ingredients with Purpose: Muscle Meat
Why Muscle Meat Is Essential in Raw Pet Food
Muscle meat is the foundation of biologically appropriate nutrition because it provides complete, highly digestible protein and all ess
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Navigating Pet Loss with Compassion
About the Author
Jason Lau is a Managing Partner at Tails Farewell, Toronto's first dedicated pet funeral home, and a Registered Pet Funeral Director with the International Associa
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Honouring Your Pet After Loss
Meet the Blogger
Sharon Canovas is a dog mom to two boys, Cisco and Tito, and is devoted to giving them the best life she can.
Sharon has been a professional stuntwoman in film and
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Cats, True Domestic Carnivores
Even though feeding raw first gained popularity with dog owners, cats truly are the ones that benefit the most from a species appropriate raw diet. Unlike dogs, cats are
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Tips for Transitioning Your Adult Cat to Raw
Considered an obligate carnivore, lacking many enzymes that break down carbohydrates, cats even more so than dogs, can benefit from eating a fres
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Ingredients with Purpose: Marine Algae & Cod Liver Oil
When it comes to building a foundation of truly nourishing Big Country Raw recipes, every ingredient plays a role. Two powerful, ocean-derived ingredients included in every Big Cou
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New Kitten? We Can Help With That!
8 Weeks – 6 Months
First, Congratulations on Your New Kitten! You’re at the start of a wonderful adventure, and we wish you many years of love and health tog
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Ingredients with Purpose: Organic Chelated Minerals
Here at Big Country Raw, every ingredient we include is selected not just for what it is, but for the role it plays in supporting your pet’s health. In this edition of our&nb
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Ingredients with Purpose: Fruits & Vegetables
Here at Big Country Raw, every ingredient in every recipe we make is intentionally chosen with the main goal being the nutrition it brings. This new “Ingredients with Purpose
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Ingredients with Purpose: Organ Meat
Organ meats are one of the most nutrient-dense components of a raw diet, providing essential vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, vitamin A, iron, and selenium that are necessary
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Catober Spotlight: Feline Favourites for a Healthier, Happier Cat
October isn’t just about pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters - it’s also the perfect time to celebrate our feline companions. Catober is
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Cats & Hydration – A Love / Hate Story
Every animal on the planet will drink when thirsty, it’s a survival instinct, and even when they have other options, they often choose random and even disgusting wa
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Ingredients with Purpose: Organ Meat
Organ meats are one of the most nutrient-dense components of a raw diet, providing essential vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, vitamin A, iron, and selenium that are necessary
Read More
Ingredients with Purpose: Fruits & Vegetables
Here at Big Country Raw, every ingredient in every recipe we make is intentionally chosen with the main goal being the nutrition it brings. This new “Ingredients with Purpose
Read More
Ingredients with Purpose: Organic Chelated Minerals
Here at Big Country Raw, every ingredient we include is selected not just for what it is, but for the role it plays in supporting your pet’s health. In this edition of our&nb
Read More
Ingredients with Purpose: Marine Algae & Cod Liver Oil
When it comes to building a foundation of truly nourishing Big Country Raw recipes, every ingredient plays a role. Two powerful, ocean-derived ingredients included in every Big Cou
Read More
Raw Feeding, Your Way: A Guide to the Big Country Raw Product Line‑Up
Raw feeding doesn’t have to be complicated. One of our core messages is that successful raw feeding is about finding the right balance between proper nutr
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Proactive Seasonal Allergy Support: Getting Ahead of the Itch
Seasonal changes can introduce environmental factors that place added demands on your dog’s skin and immune system. The good news is that you don’t need to wa
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Canada’s Leading Raw Pet Food Brand Expands into the United States
(SMITHVILLE, ON, CANADA) Big Country Raw, Canada’s leading raw pet food brand, has partnered with Frontier Distributing, to expand distribution into the United States startin
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Big Country Raw Launches “Stay A Little Longer” Campaign and Enhanced Meal Planning Tool
(SMITHVILLE, ONTARIO) Big Country Raw, Canada’s leading raw pet food brand, has launched its new brand campaign, “Stay A Little Longer,” alongside the introductio
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Stay a Little Longer: Why Healthspan Matters for Our Pets
We all wish for the same thing when we look at our pets curled up beside us or greeting us at the door: more time. But what if the real goal isn’t just mo
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Ingredient Choices That Matter: How Science Shapes Our Recipes
Whether you’re just looking into the benefits of a Big Country Raw diet or your pet has enjoyed our menu for years, our commitment to you and your furry f
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Ingredient Choices That Matter: How Science Shapes Our Recipes
We invite you to explore Big Country Raw - a fresh approach for nourishing your pet’s health. Our commitment is to support health and longevity throu
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Allergy or Intolerance? How to help stop the itch.
Allergies seem to be increasingly common in pets, especially in dogs. Food allergies, environmental allergies, autoimmune diseases, or a combination of all, it can be very discoura
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Evolution of the ‘Picky Pup’
Any dog owner today is familiar with the narrative of how our canine companions came to be domesticated. However, only recently has a more symbiotic relationship been taken into co
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Defining RAW
If you’ve recently wandered the pet food aisles at your local pet specialty retailer, you’ve likely seen some or all of these trendy, yet misleading, marketing claims p
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Good to the Bone: Why Chewing Matters for Your Pet’s Health
Dogs and cats love to chew – it’s natural, deeply satisfying, and actually really good for them. Feeding bones isn’t just a tasty treat - it supports your pet&rsq
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Join the Raw-volution: Small changes, big impact
This month, we're highlighting health - how making a few small, intentional changes can have a big impact on your pet's long-term health, wellness, and longevity. Like all meaningf
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Holiday Wellness Tips: A stress-free season for you and your pet
The holiday season is full of sparkle, excitement, and delicious food, but it can also disrupt your pet’s routine and introduce stressors. Visitors, changes to schedules
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Feeding Your Senior Pet: Supporting them in their Golden Years
Most raw feeding conversations revolve around transitioning puppies or adult dogs. Once the switch is made, raw feeding becomes part of the daily rhythm: simple, nourishing, and ro
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Catober Spotlight: Feline Favourites for a Healthier, Happier Cat
October isn’t just about pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters - it’s also the perfect time to celebrate our feline companions. Catober is a chance to spotlight the unique ne
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Grateful for Our Dogs: How They Heal, Help, and Inspire Us
October isn’t just a time for pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters. As we pause to reflect on the many things we’re thankful for this season, our dogs naturally top the list
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Big Country Pet Co. Places No. 401 on The Globe and Mail’s seventh annual ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies
Smithville, ON – Big Country Pet Co. is pleased to announce it has ranked No. 401 on the 2025 Report on Business magazine’s ranking of Canada’s Top Grow
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New School Year, New Routine
Author's Bio: Kiley is the Owner and Head Trainer at Courteous Canine Inc. located in Wainfleet, Ontario. She has invested over a decade in the canine training and behaviour modifi
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Giving them a ‘fresh’ start
Where to begin with a raw diet for your newly adopted dog
You’ve just brought home your new rescue pup and are ready to offer them a brighter tomorrow! But where to start? Of
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Doing Better, Feeding Better: Big Country Raw’s 2025 Recipe Update
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou
These powerful words are a great reminder that learning is
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Fire Safety for Dog Owners
We’re honoured to welcome Fire Chief Dave Upper of St. Catharines, Ontario, as a guest contributor to the Big Country Raw Master Class. With over 30 years of experience
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Hydration Matters
Why Your Pet May Still Be Dehydrated (Even with a Full Water Bowl)
Hydration is probably one of the aspects of feeding pets that is the most neglected by pet parents. Leaving
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Ahiflower: A new earth-friendly Omega choice
Fish oils are a formidable and essential component of a pet’s diet, benefitting skin and coat health, cerebral development, inflammation prevention, cardiovascular health, to
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Ensuring Food Safety
Ensuring Food Safety with Big Country Raw: From Production to Your Kitchen
At Big Country Raw, food safety is just as important as delivering trusted nutrition. As a lead
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New Season, New Pet
Spring is the perfect time for fresh beginnings—give your new puppy or kitten the nutrition they were born to thrive on!
More daylight hours signal spring growth and new begi
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Bites, Bones, & Brushing
Supporting your pet’s dental health, naturally.
In honour of Pet Dental Health Month (February), we are going to investigate the causes, signs, and tools for prevention of pe
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New Years Rawsolutions
How to simply incorporate some fresh food and exercise into your pet’s lifestyle.
The new year’s resolution is a 4000-year-old tradition beginning with the Ancient Baby
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Avian Influenza Protocols
Dear Valued Customer,
At Big Country Raw we understand your pets are part of the family, and we want to assure you that our products are processed safely with the best quality for
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Holiday Treats for Your Pet: Safe Foods, Cautions, and Festive Fun!
‘Tis the season for parties, food, fun, and seemingly unending festivities. Most pets enjoy the change in routine: parents enjoying extra time at home, perhaps the small huma
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Rob and Geraldine Brouwer Awarded EY Entrepreneur Of the Year® 2024 for Ontario
(Toronto, Ontario) – On Thursday, October 24th, in the incredible space of the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, Rob and Geraldine Brouwer were awarded EY Entrepreneur Of Th
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What Does A Healthy Weight Look Like?
How would you evaluate your pet’s body condition score, and level of activity? From one pet parent to another, this question may be very subjective. We will often evaluate th
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Big Country Raw places No. 318 on The Globe and Mail’s sixth annual ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies
Smithville, ON – Big Country Raw is pleased to announce it has ranked No. 318 on the 2024 Report on Business magazine’s ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies.
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Simplifying Supplements
Thrive Oils, Powders or Chews? Which is best for my pet?
As we expand the Thrive lineup with our new soft functional Chews, we thought it would be a great idea to help you understa
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Enrichment Toys
To Hunt and Scavenge; Honing in on Your Pet’s Instinct at Mealtime to Satisfy Their Belly and Their Mind
Our pets have a long-standing history of hunting and scavenging for
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Over Supplementing
We often get asked “what supplements should I give my pets?” and while there are a ton of options that can help create the optimal diet for your pet, not all supplement
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Hunger Pukes Explained
Has your dog ever vomited a bright yellow foamy liquid mixed with saliva? Have you ever heard it referred to as “hunger pukes”? Though this type of vomiting is quite co
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Food Safety
Food Safety
At Big Country Raw, we work diligently to provide the best and safest raw pet food on the market. Safety and quality, along with education and knowledge-sharing with th
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Public Health Agency of Canada’s Recent Notice
We take the recent news through Health Canada very seriously as a leader in the raw pet food category. As a summary, the news coverage highlights:
Drug resistant salmonella is the
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Cats And Hydration
Every animal on the planet will drink when thirsty, it’s a survival instinct, and even when they have other options, they often choose random and even disgusting water source
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Open Door Kitchen Tours
Big Country Raw Opening Kitchen Doors for Public Tours to Support Manufacturing Month
Smithville, Ontario – As part of a partnership with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporte
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Allergy Or Intolerance?
Allergies seem to be increasingly common in pets, especially in dogs. Food allergies, environmental allergies, autoimmune diseases, or a combination of all, it can be very discoura
Read More
Evolution of the ‘Picky Pup’
Any dog owner today is familiar with the narrative of how our canine companions came to be domesticated. However, only recently has a more symbiotic relationship been taken into co
Read More
Understanding Prebiotics & Probiotics
Probiotics, prebiotics, microbiome, bacteria, are all buzzwords when talking about gut health. What are they and how do they function together to keep our pets healthy?
Explained m
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Talking About Raw to Veterinarians
Whether you’re already a Big Country Raw customer or a veterinary professional who has seen pets that would benefit from a diet change, we want to give you the tools to be co
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Defining RAW
If you’ve recently wandered the pet food aisles at your local pet specialty retailer, you’ve likely seen some or all of these trendy, yet misleading, marketing claims p
Read More
Tips for Transitioning Your Adult Cat to Raw
Considered an obligate carnivore, lacking the enzymes that break down carbohydrates, cats even more so than dogs, can benefit from eating a fresh food, species appropriate balanced
Read More
Cats, True Domestic Carnivores
Even though feeding raw first gained popularity with dog owners, cats truly are the ones that benefit the most from a species appropriate raw diet. Unlike dogs, cats are obligate c
Read More
Give the Dog (and cat) a Bone
Perhaps you’ve seen them in your local pet store’s freezer, or you’re looking for an alternative to expensive dental chews with so many unknown ingredients and wa
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Big Country Raw is the First Canadian Raw Pet Food Company to Complete an Extended AAFCO Feeding Trial
Smithville, Ontario – Big Country Raw is proud to announce they have self-published their 2021 AAFCO Feeding Trial results – the first of its kind from a Canadian raw p
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Myth Busting: Is Big Country Raw High in Fat?
There’s a lot of buzz lately surrounding the fat content of raw diets. We’d like to separate fact from fiction to help our customers, and other raw feeders, feel confid
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We Are HACCP Certified!
We would like to share some news that we’re very proud of. We’re HACCP Certified!
Though we’ve always followed HACCP guidelines, the past couple of years, Big Cou
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Pain Management
Pain, it's both unpleasant and unavoidable. Whether it be a minor injury from rough play, surgery, or joint disease, there are natural remedies that can offer some relief or even m
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EPI and Pancreatitis
(Updated in 2025)
Note: this blog post will not replace veterinarian advice. Our goal is to help you feed raw to a dog or a cat with pancreas health issues.
We know what you may ha
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Why We Don’t Include Fish Oil in Our Meals
If Big Country Raw meals are “Complete”, why isn’t it added to the meals?
Most pet owners know that omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in fish oils, are an ess
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Raw on the Road - Feeding Raw & Traveling
For some people, hobbies and travel are the main reason why switching their pet to a raw diet seems inconvenient or even impossible. Although it can sometimes be difficult to bring
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An Interview with Co-Founders Rob and Geraldine Brouwer
For those of you who don’t know the story behind Big Country Raw, it is something that employees of BCR are proud to share with anyone who wants to know more about raw feedin
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Celebrating 10 Years of Big Country Raw
Big Country Raw, Canada’s leader in raw pet food is celebrating 10 years in business and throwing a party on July 9th from 10 am – 2 pm in Smithville, Ontario!
“O
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Feeding the Canine Athlete
(Updated from a previous blog)
There are many sports that we can practice with our dogs. Even if many only practice as weekend warriors, it is possible that your passion brings you
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The Secret Behind Big Country Raw’s Recipe Formulation
The Best Recipes are Always Improving
You might have noticed that over the past couple of years, balancing a raw diet has been much more involved than simply following ratio guidel
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Cost Saving Tips for a Raw Diet
It’s hard to argue that offering a fresh, raw diet is the best option when feeding our pets. A beautiful coat, pearly white teeth, fresh breath, more focus and energy, and le
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How to Read Pet Food Labels – Part II: Guaranteed Analysis
As mentioned in Part I, something that I particularly enjoy doing is going through the nutrient and ingredient panel of pet food. When you know what to look for, it can be impressi
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How to Read Pet Food Labels – Part I: The Ingredient List
One thing that I particularly enjoy, is going through the nutrient and ingredient panel of pet foods. For some, this may be confusing, but when you know what to look for, the amoun
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Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?
Spring brings warmer temperatures, longer days, and lots of outdoor activities to enjoy with our dogs! You might also notice that when spring arrives, your dog becomes very interes
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Spring Into Allergies
Spring is a beautiful time of year: days are longer, temperatures are warmer, and everything that was white and grey, is slowly turning lush and green! For many, including our pets
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Big Country Raw for All Life Stages
In the pet food industry it is common to see claims like; for growing puppies, for senior pets, all life stages, giant breed, adult, maintenance – and the list goes on and on
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Dental Month
Since February is dental health awareness month, we decided to share the current knowledge about dental health and raw feeding.
It is often said that feeding raw will resolve any d
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What You Need to Know About Feeding Ferrets a Raw Diet
Feeding Ferrets
Ferrets are adorable little obligate carnivores, and they are becoming more and more popular as small animal companions! They are also the best candidates for raw f
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New Kitten? We Can Help With That!
8 Weeks – 6 Months
First, Congratulations on Your New Kitten!You’re at the start of a wonderful adventure and we wish you many years of love and health together. You ar
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New Puppy? We Can Help With That!
8 Weeks – 6 Months
First, Congratulations on Your New Puppy!You’re at the start of a wonderful adventure and we wish you many years of love and health together. You are
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Feeding The Pregnant Dog
Just one of the great things about choosing to feed a species appropriate raw diet is that it can be fed to dogs of all ages and through all life stages, even during pregnancy and
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Feeding The Pregnant Cat
Just one of the great things about choosing to feed a species-appropriate raw diet is that it can be fed to cats of all ages and through all life stages, even during pregnancy and
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Weaning Kittens Onto A Raw Diet
Starting kittens on raw as soon as possible will give them the best possible start in life, and help prevent numberous health concerns like diabetes, and even cancer. The transitio
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Weaning Puppies Onto A Raw Diet
The easiest way to set up your puppies for a lifetime of health and wellness, is to wean them onto a species-appropriate, complete and balanced Big Country Raw diet. Feeding a raw
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What Makes THRIVE the Best & Safest Supplement Line on the Market?
There are more and more pet supplements on the market, and it can be hard to tell which ones your pet might need and even more complicated to find out if they’re safe to use
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Who Makes Big Country Raw Recipes?
Have you ever wondered who formulates the Big Country Raw recipes? Who decided which and how much of each ingredient to use? I could tell you that recipes are formulated by one sin
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How Much Should I Feed My Dog?
When raw feeding, the calculation for feeding portion is often based on a percentage of ideal adult body weight. For your "average" dog, we estimate 2% of their ideal adult weight
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