Dr. Ruth Roberts is a holistic veterinarian most known for her Holistic Health Coaching program. She’s also an advocate for cooked, home-prepared diets for dogs, including “the Crock Pot diet.”
I recently watched a promotional video for her cooking program where raw food diets were called a “dangerous scam.” As someone who advocates for raw and fresh food, my brain did this:
Wait… what?
Why is this an either/or situation?
And after reading the caption, is any of this actually true?
I love a good rabbit hole. So I went down it. Here’s what I learned.
The Caption on Instagram
Scientists analyzed 10,000-year-old fossilized dog poop. They found cooked grains, root vegetables, and human food scraps.
In 2022, researchers studied village dogs in Laos living closest to how ancestral dogs lived. They were eating cooked cassava, sorghum, and sticky rice.
These dogs had the most diverse, healthy gut microbiomes of ANY dogs studied - more than raw-fed or kibble-fed dogs.
The raw food industry is worth #3.5 billion. They have a massive financial incentive to keep you believing raw is the only way.
But after 35 years as a holistic vet, I need to share the peer-reviewed science they’re hiding.
Watch the FULL breakdown on YouTube.
Comment “WOLF” if you’ve been told your dog should eat like a wolf - I’ll send you the truth about what ancestral dogs REALLY ate.
Addressing Dr. Robert’s Claims about the Raw Food Industry
The Raw Food Industry is Worth $3.5 Billion
I’m not a veterinarian, I’m not an economist. I’m an accountant and wanted to start with the claim that the raw food industry is worth $3.5 billion - I’m, like, what?
I can’t verify $3.5B as a solid, agreed-upon current raw pet food industry value from a single authoritative, transparent source. Market-size estimates vary a lot depending on what gets counted - raw vs. “fresh,” retail vs. direct-to-customer, freeze-dried vs. frozen, U.S. vs. global. For example, Reuters has described the fresh pet food category as “just over $3 billion,” which includes new fresh food products from Blue Buffalo (General Mills), Fresh Pet, and Farmer’s Dog, none of which I consider raw dog food.
Fresh pet food isn’t strictly raw. The “$3.5 billion” might be a projection or a different category (fresh), not a verified current raw-only number.
The Raw Food Industry is Built on a Lie
One part of the post I struggle with is the claim that the raw feeding industry is “built on a lie,” along with the suggestion that raw food companies don’t want pet parents asking questions. My experience has been the opposite. Every day, my feed is filled with educational content from raw food brands - not secrecy.
I’ve collaborated with many of these companies because we share a core belief: pets deserve a natural, species-appropriate diet.
What I see are small businesses working hard to offer balanced meals, and supplemental and ethically sourced animal parts for DIY feeders - all while supporting local farms and navigating complex FDA regulations.
These are not corporations run by people with mansions who fly private jets. They’re pet parents who built something because they loved a dog. And they’re not liars.
What Science Really Says About Raw, Cooked, and Fresh Food for Dogs
Dog food debates are nothing new, but it’s usually a Raw vs. Kibble, Fresh food vs. Kibble, and, my absolute favorite, Balanced vs. Balance Over Time. This is the first time I’ve seen someone claim that “the raw food industry is built on a lie.”
That sounds dramatic, but science is rarely that simple. And Dr. Ruth Roberts isn’t a nut case, so let’s break this down calmly, fact-check the claims, and talk about where raw food, cooked food, and other fresh options actually fit in a dog’s lifetime.
Are Dogs Wolves? No. But That’s Not the Whole Story.
Dogs are not wolves, and no serious raw feeder claims they are.
Science shows that during domestication, dogs developed more copies of the amylase gene (AMY2B) than wolves. This gene helps digest starch. Wolves usually have about two copies, while dogs may have many more, depending on breed and ancestry.
What this means:
Dogs can digest starch better than wolves.
What it does NOT mean:
Dogs require starch to be healthy.
Being able to digest something doesn’t automatically make it biologically essential.
Sources:
Ancient Dog Poop, Cooked Grains, and Context Matters
Yes, scientists have studied ancient dog coprolites (fossilized poop). Some samples show evidence of grains and plant foods.
But here’s the key detail often left out:
Those dogs lived alongside humans and ate what humans ate: scraps, leftovers, and whatever else was available. That tells us more about human food systems than about a dog’s ideal biological diet.
Dogs weren’t hunting mammoths and cooking rice. They were opportunistic scavengers living near people.
Important takeaway:
Ancient evidence shows dietary flexibility, not a nutritional requirement for cooked grains.
Sources:
The Laos Village Dog Study: Interesting, But Often Overstated
A 2022 study looked at village dogs in Laos - dogs living free-roaming lives, eating what was locally available (including sticky rice, fish scraps, and agricultural foods).
Their gut microbiomes were different from pet dogs, but here’s what matters:
The researchers found functional similarity, meaning the microbiomes worked in similar ways despite looking different.
Environment played a huge role: outdoor living, exposure to soil, parasites, water sources, and other animals.
Did these dogs eat cooked starches? Yes, because that’s what was available.
Does that prove cooked rice creates the “healthiest” microbiome? No.
Microbiomes are shaped by diet, environment, stress, medications, lifestyle, and exposure - not one ingredient.
Source:
Do Cooked Diets Automatically Create Healthier Gut Microbiomes?
Cooked diets don’t automatically create healthier gut microbiomes. Studies show that raw, cooked, and kibble diets all change the microbiome, but “more diversity” doesn’t always equal “better health.”
Some raw-fed dogs show lower microbial diversity in short-term studies, but that doesn’t mean poorer health. Inflammation levels, stool quality, immune markers, and long-term outcomes matter just as much, and those are not consistently worse in raw-fed dogs.
It’s important to remember that we’re still at the starting line when it comes to studying raw diets and the gut microbiome of pets. And since there isn’t a “standard” when it comes to feeding fresh food to our pets, we should be careful about listing one form of fresh food as better than another.
Sources:
Do Dogs Biologically Need Carbohydrates or Grains?
A nutrient is considered biologically required if:
The body cannot make it on its own and
Deficiency causes disease or dysfunction unless it’s supplied in the diet
For dogs, this applies to:
Certain amino acids (protein)
Certain fatty acids (fat)
Vitamins and minerals
Carbohydrates and grains are not on that list.
What the Science Says
1. Dogs Have No Minimum Carbohydrate Requirement
The National Research Council (NRC), one of the most authoritative bodies in animal nutrition, states: Dogs have no minimum dietary requirement for carbohydrates provided that adequate protein and fat are supplied.
Dogs can:
Maintain normal blood glucose
Fuel their brains and muscles
Thrive metabolically
without eating grains or carbs, because they can make glucose internally.
2. Dogs Can Make Their Own Glucose (Gluconeogenesis)
Dogs are metabolically adapted to:
Convert protein and fat into glucose
Maintain stable blood sugar even on very low-carb diets
This process is called gluconeogenesis, and it’s always active in dogs, not just during fasting.
This is one of the strongest reasons dogs don’t need dietary carbs, even though they can use them.
3. Starch Digestion isn’t the same as Nutritional Requirement
Dogs evolved increased copies of the AMY2B gene, which helps digest cooked starches better than wolves, which means:
Dogs are adapted to eating carbs
Not that carbs are required for health
Evolution favored flexibility, not dependence. Ability doesn’t mean necessity.
4. Fat and Protein Can Fully Meet Energy Needs
Dogs can meet:
Energy needs
Brain glucose needs
Exercise demands
using dietary fat and protein. No grains required.
Carbohydrates are simply:
A non-essential energy source
Often used because they’re inexpensive and easy to process
Why Carbs Still Show Up in Dog Food
If dogs don’t need carbs, why are they everywhere? Easy, for practical reasons:
Cost control
Kibble structure (starch is required to make kibble)
Palatability
Shelf stability
Human comfort with grains
None of those equals biological necessity.
When Carbs Can Be Helpful (But Still Not Required)
Carbohydrates can be useful:
For senior dogs with lower fat tolerance
During recovery from illness
For dogs needing quick, easy energy
In gently cooked diets for sensitive digestion
Useful doesn’t equal required.
What Happens If Dogs Don’t Eat Carbs?
If the diet is: | Dogs can: |
|---|---|
Properly balanced | Maintain lean body mass |
Rich in animal protein and fat | Maintain normal blood glucose |
Adequate in vitamins and minerals | Support immune and brain function |
Thrive long-term |
This is why properly formulated raw and low-carb fresh diets can be nutritionally complete.
Pros and Cons of Cooking for Dogs
Cooked food absolutely has a place, and for many dogs, it’s a great choice.
Easier for some senior dogs, as older dogs may have… | Great if you’re nervous about feeding raw, because cooking… | Helpful for certain medical situations, even when fed temporarily… | Gently cooked allows for flexibility; like raw feeding, it can… |
|---|---|---|---|
Dental issues (it’s easier to chew) | Feels safer for many pet parents | GI upset | Stretch a budget |
Reduced stomach acid | Reduces bacterial load | Pancreatitis recovery | Be batch-prepped |
Slower digestion (it’s easier to digest) | Can be a stepping stone toward other fresh foods | Post-surgery healing | Be rotated with other fresh options |
A preference for warmer food | Is more accepted by veterinarians |
Cons of Cooked Diets: Synthetic Nutrients
This is where problems often start. Many cooked diets - especially commercial ones - rely on synthetic vitamin and mineral premixes.
Potential issues:
Synthetic nutrients may be less bioavailable for some dogs
They don’t come with the same cofactors found in whole foods
Over time, some dogs show sensitivities or poor absorption
Whole foods provide nutrients in a form the body recognizes and uses more efficiently, which is why I formulate gently cooked recipes for my dogs without synthetic vitamins and mineral mixes.
It Doesn’t Have to Be “Us vs. Them”
This is the part that gets lost in online arguments.
Fresh food isn’t one thing. This category includes:
Raw
Gently cooked
Freeze-dried
Dehydrated
Air-dried
All of these have a place throughout a dog’s lifetime, depending on their needs and preferences.
Rotating food styles (and even raw feeding models):
Helps adapt quickly to changing needs
Supports a resilient gut microbiome
Keeps budgets manageable
Reduces dietary stress and rigidity
Dogs change. Their needs change. Their digestion changes.
Having options is what truly supports long-term health. At the moment, raw feeding is what’s best for my dogs. This doesn’t mean I’ve been taken in by a “multi-billion-dollar” segment of the pet food industry. It means that I acknowledge that every dog has different needs. As much as I love raw feeding for my dogs, I know it may not be appropriate for all dogs.
My Final Thoughts
I’ve been feeding raw for 13 years and talking about canine nutrition for 12, and I’ve seen our community grow and shift as we learned more and welcomed new dogs into our lives. From realizing that the 80/10/10 ratio diet isn’t nutritionally complete (that one stung) to learning the value of raw meaty bones and finally getting over my fear, my approach has continued to evolve.
Supporting my dogs’ nutrition is a marathon, not a sprint. I’ll always be learning, and that’s why I don’t shy away from a good rabbit hole. I’ve learned there’s value in revisiting them, too.
This week, I learned:
Science doesn’t say raw food is a lie.
Science tells us dogs don’t have a biological requirement for carbs
Science also doesn’t say cooked food is wrong.
Science supports the fact that dogs are adaptable, resilient, and thrive best when their diets meet a dog’s nutritional needs, flexible, and based on biology - not fear or marketing. As you follow pet professionals and content creators, attend live events, or check out the Holistic Canine Nutrition Conference below, remember this: it’s easy to fall into the mindset that there’s only one right way to feed dogs. That belief usually lasts until a dog shows up and says, “Challenge accepted.”
