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Home Made Dog Food
Your dog isn’t just a pet, he is a member of your family. Which is why there are growing numbers of dog owners who are opting for healthy homemade dog food instead of dry or canned food loaded with additives and preservatives. You may want to make your own dog food because, like many, you feel that it will be healthier for your precious pooch. There are also many dog lovers who do so as they simply like the idea of doing something special for their beloved pets.
Whatever reason you have for considering making home made dog food for your four legged friend, there are a few things you should know before you begin.
What You Should Do First
How to make homemade dog food – before you start, speak to your vet first. If he has recommended a specific dog food diet he may have some good reasons why you should not be changing your dog’s diet. If there is no particular reason that a change can’t be made he may be able to offer suggestions that will help your dog when transitioning from his old diet to the new one.
You are also going to want to talk to a canine nutritionist. This professional can explain to you the necessary ingredients that your homemade dog food should contain, and can even help you develop a few recipes to use. That way you can be certain that you are feeding your dog the healthiest diet possible to meet his nutritional needs. Your vet may be able to recommend a canine nutritionist to you or at least tell you how to find one in your area.
General Guidelines - What to Include in Home Made Dog Food
While not all dogs should have the same diet due to different needs such as age, health, and specific conditions, here are some basic general guidelines of what a healthy adult dog diet should include.
- 50% meat or protein
- 25% fruit and vegetables, with emphasis on vegetables
- 25% grains
- a small amount of fat
- additional vitamins and minerals made specifically for dogs
- bone meal supplement
Good Sources of Protein
Good sources of protein that can be included in your natural homemade dog food include:
- boneless poultry – either chicken or turkey, and can be ground or in chunks
- beef – either ground or cut into chunks
- lamb – either ground or cut into chunks
- fish cod or salmon are good choices, but you may include other fish as well especially those high in omega 3 fatty acids
- liver – either beef or chicken. This is an excellent source of iron. However limit the number of times you feed liver to your dog to about twice a week
- egg
Recommended Sources of Starches
- potatoes
- pasta
- oatmeal
- rice – either white or brown
- barley
- avoid giving your dog bread or other starches that contain sugar
Vegetables That Work Well in Homemade Dog Food
- carrots
- peas
- green beans
- broccoli
- squash
- sweet potato
- green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, kale, and romaine lettuce
Try Adding These Fruits
- blueberries
- blackberries
- raspberries
- cantaloupe
- honey dew melon
- apples
- pears
When it comes to choosing the meat, vegetables, and fruits choose the freshest ones possible. Avoid canned vegetables because of the excessive salt and preservatives. In addition if you are going to use foods other than those on this list, check and make sure they are safe for your dog to consume before including them in your recipe. Never feed a dog onions or garlic as these can often be deadly to a dog even in small amounts.
Having a good food processor can help you to grind some of the fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces before adding them to the starches and meats. Make sure you mix all the ingredients well before serving it to your pet so that if he does not eat the entire feeding he will still be getting at least some of the vitamins and minerals from all the different sources.
If you are cooking most of the ingredients by boiling, try boiling the meat and vegetables together and then straining them from the broth so that you can use the broth to cook the starch. This way the starches will absorb some of the vitamins and minerals that were let in the water when you cooked the meat and vegetables.
Once Your Pet Is on the Homemade Dog Food Diet
Once you start your pet on the home made dog food watch carefully for signs in behavior, weight loss or gain and other signs that he may not be getting the proper nutrition he needs. If there is a problem, ask your vet or canine nutritionist for suggestions on how to improve your dog’s diet.
Make sure that your dog has a vet check at least twice a year to ensure that he remains healthy. You may also want your vet to review his diet during these checkups because dogs’ nutritional requirements change as they age.
Learning how to make dog food and preparing homemade food for dogs on a regular basis take time and commitment, but can be well worth it in terms of your dog living a longer and healthier life. Making your own dog food may not be the right choice for everyone but for those who are truly motivated to do so it can be a fulfilling experience.
Note: If you choose to recreate homemade dog food recipes found on the internet or in a book please check with your vet or canine nutritionist to ensure that the recipe can meet your dog’s nutritional needs.
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