Dog food has come a long way since Fido had to forage for food in garbage bins and beg for table scraps.

Or has it?

The first commercial dogfood was created in 1860 when James Spratt made the first dog biscuit out of wheat meal, vegetables, beets and meat, according to the Pet Food Institute. Canned dogfood, with horsemeat as the main ingredient, was the most popular dog food during the Great Depression in the 1930s. But canned gave way to kibble after World War II, and the dog food industry took off.

Today, it is a $14 billion industry. And you can get your dog food processed, cooked and prepared - or raw.

Yes, you read that right. Feeding dogs raw dog food is an idea that some say is becoming more popular, even as it remains controversial.

Raw dog food can come in several forms: raw meat parts (in most cases, frozen chicken backs) or processed raw meat that comes in patties, medallions and chubs (that sausage-like thing you can get hamburger in). It's usually bought or delivered frozen so you can thaw it on a daily basis, as needed. It also can come dehydrated or freeze-dried.

Locally, you can get raw dog food at several places (see box). You also can order a month's supply from In the Raw, a newly launched local company that delivers the frozen doggie dinners right to your door.

IN THE RAW

Rich and Debbie Bennett started the company after reading "Give Your Dog a Bone," by Ian Billingsworth. Billingsworth is a proponent of the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet, which originated in the 1980s in Australia.

"We feel that people who have dogs with bad breath, tarter build-up, allergies, skin problems or other more serious issues such as diabetes, arthritis, obesity, heart disease, cancer, kidney and liver disease - problems which never existed until commercial dog food became the norm in the 1920's - would greatly benefit from In the Raw," Debbie Bennett said.

The Bennetts say they've adopted Billingsworth's guidelines to create their menu, which consists of raw chicken backs four days a week, a veggie pack (zucchini, carrots, lettuce and spinach) twice a week and a pack with dried apricots, fruits, potatoes, yogurt and cooked beans and rice once a week.

Bennett said the idea for In the Raw came after her family adopted a more organic eating lifestyle. "We noticed how much better we all felt and wanted the best for our dogs, too."

NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH

Plopping a raw chicken back into Fido's bowl can be a bit disconcerting at first, Bennett said. "We tried to make it so you don't have to touch any of the food," she said. "Just open up the pack and dump it in their dish."

The initial switch-over can also be a bit, um, messy as Rover adjusts. "They have to de-toxify the body," Bennett said.

Other raw dog food forms, such as the medallions, patties and chubs, have less of a yuck factor.

You can get raw dog food frozen and freeze-dried at Northwest Pets in Eagle.

"We sell somewhere in the ballpark of 50-75 pounds of frozen raw dog food a week, which is actually quite a bit," said Del Peterson, owner of Northwest Pets. "We also sell a lot of frozen raw beef, lamb and buffalo bones in various forms, which are awesome for keeping teeth clean and healthy - that's how wolves avoid going to the dentist."

RAW COST

Commercial raw dog food is about 20 to 25 percent more expensive than high-end kibble diets, Peterson said.

And, Bennett said, while the price varies per dog, according to size, age and breed, the delivered In the Raw diet works out to cost about $112 per 28-day cycle for a 55 pound dog.

Still, "our raw dog food sales have been steadily increasing," Peterson said. The store recently added another brand and a second freezer "to meet the demand for more exotic diets such as buffalo and for increased organic options."

SO SHOULD YOU SWITCH TO RAW DOG FOOD?

Proponents of feeding raw food to their dogs rave about benefits:

Fewer or no fillers that can cause allergic reactions or illness.

Dogs are carnivores - it's the way their ancestors used to eat in the wild.

Bowel movements happen less often, and gas is reduced.

Coats are noticeably shinier, teeth cleaner.

Kathy Whipple, a horse boarder in Eagle, has two award-winning golden retrievers, Joy and Divot. Whipple has been feeding Joy raw dog food for about eight years.

"Raw dog food in the morning, kibble at night," she said. "She loves it."

Whipple said she incorporates raw food into Joy's diet because it seems to work best for her digestion and energy level. It also makes her coat shine.

"I'm into showing dogs and always looking for the best dog food. I started doing research on the kibble and the horrors of what they put in it."

First, Whipple said she began whipping up her own doggie dinners, then switched to raw patties. "My dogs are show dogs. The better they look, the more they win."

Peterson said in the three years Northwest Pets has been operating, he has never seen an animal with an infection traced to raw food. He fed his two large Bernese mountain dogs raw food for 10 years as a supplementary diet.

"(Commercial) raw food delivers grain-free, species appropriate nutrition that is not altered by cooking," he said. "Hard-core raw feeders believe that heat destroys many fragile nutrients such as beneficial dietary fats."

Peterson said he's seen dogs allergic to dry, cooked kibble with symptoms that include inflamed skin and eye and ear discharge. He's also seen those symptoms "disappear after starting a raw diet."

But some veterinarians are hesitant about recommending a raw dog food diet, and some are against the diet outright.

"This is, indeed, a very hot-button topic," said Sohaila Maleki, veterinarian at Habitat Veterinary Hospital at Bown Crossing in Boise. "There are zealots on both sides of the debate. There are pros and cons to a raw diet. The main controversy is health risks versus health benefits. "

She said consumers need to educate themselves. There are many all-natural, premium dry kibble diets that are high-protein with little to no grain and the appropriate balance of nutrients.

"With so many food choices, it is critical to educate yourself and understand the potential risks of raw diets and the health benefits found in each type of food," Maleki said.

As with any handling of raw meat, consumers must be stringent with cleanliness and hand-washing - and pet bowl washing - to avoid salmonella and e-coli contamination.

"And if you have dogs with beards, make sure they are clean (after eating the raw food) before they lick you," Anne Mueller, assistant manager at Northwest Pets said.

Maleki said while the main concern is the spread of disease through raw meat, large beef bones can cause abnormal wearing of teeth and tooth fractures that can cause infection and possibly lost teeth.

She also says that raw chicken bones are not safe for dogs.

"Chicken bones can splinter and penetrate the intestinal wall, causing perforation," she said. "The risk of peritonitis (infection within the abdominal cavity) is very high and can result in serious health problems."

Peterson said he's aware of the controversy. "The main beef - no pun intended - with raw diets is that they say they may not be safe to feed, but the evidence doesn't seem to provide data to back up the fears."

In the end, Maleki said choosing a diet that's right for your dog is an important one that should involve your veterinarian.

"The raw diet is not an appropriate choice for every pet. I tell each of my clients that not all pets do well on all foods. Age, breed, weight, size and health status are all variables in choosing the right diet for optimal health. We want our pets to thrive, not simply survive."

Jeanne Huff: 377-6483