Why Homemade Dog Food Can Be Better For Your Dog?
Just recently, dogs all over the United States fell ill and died after eating contaminated dog food.
These dog food products were found to contain chemicals that poisoned the dogs, without the owners knowing just what was going on with their pets.
To make matters worse, the dog food industry seems to be doing too little to prevent such a thing from happening to our dogs.
While it's true that majority of dog food products in the market today are safe, owners and veterinarians alike are now no longer quick to disregard the possible advantages of homemade dog food.
A carefully prepared diet subjects the dog to a much lower risk of poisoning from bad commercial dog food - which, to add, may even contain meats that are not suitable for human consumption.
That premise alone is compelling enough for many dog owners - if you love your dog, they say, would you feed them something you would never eat yourself? Preparing a homemade dog food diet Homemade dog food is easy to prepare, and the rules are simple: The dog's meal must contain roughly 40% meat, 30% vegetable, and 30% starch.
A simple meal of cooked turkey (without the bones), carrots, and rice is a good example.
The reason for these proportions is to make sure your dog gets all the nutrients he needs.
If he eats only meat, for instance, he will only get his protein requirements, but none of the carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Meat can be of any kind that's easily available, be it beef, pork, poultry, fish, goat, etc.
Organ meat, such as liver, is particularly good for dogs.
Only be sure to cook the meat before feeding it to your dog - raw meat can contain bacteria and carry diseases such as salmonella.
In addition, make sure to take the bone out of the meat.
Bones can cause choking in the dog, or may splinter and injure its digestive tract.
Vegetables, like meat, can be of any kind that's available to you.
Freshness and variety is the only special requirement.
Carrots, baked beans, and lettuce are good choices.
Starch provides your dog with carbohydrates, its main source of energy.
Good starch foods include pasta, brown rice, oatmeal and potatoes.
Foods that may be harmful to your dog's health Some foods, however, are not advisable for dog consumption, as these may cause illness and death.
When planning a homemade diet for your dog, make sure you do NOT feed him the following: Garlic or onions, grapes and raisins, chocolate, and any artificial sweeteners and fats.
Other tips in making the transition to homemade dog food When you're feeding your dog commercial dog food and would like to make the transition to a homemade diet for him, break it to him gradually.
On the first day, for instance, give him a bowl of 1/8 homemade food, and the rest as the same commercial dog food he's eating.
Increase the portion of homemade food by 1/8 every day until it's all he's eating.
Another thing - it's best to consult your dog's veterinarian when you're planning to move your dog to a homemade diet.
The vet may give you helpful advice on homemade dog food diets - provided, of course, the vet is not biased towards commercial dog food.
These dog food products were found to contain chemicals that poisoned the dogs, without the owners knowing just what was going on with their pets.
To make matters worse, the dog food industry seems to be doing too little to prevent such a thing from happening to our dogs.
While it's true that majority of dog food products in the market today are safe, owners and veterinarians alike are now no longer quick to disregard the possible advantages of homemade dog food.
A carefully prepared diet subjects the dog to a much lower risk of poisoning from bad commercial dog food - which, to add, may even contain meats that are not suitable for human consumption.
That premise alone is compelling enough for many dog owners - if you love your dog, they say, would you feed them something you would never eat yourself? Preparing a homemade dog food diet Homemade dog food is easy to prepare, and the rules are simple: The dog's meal must contain roughly 40% meat, 30% vegetable, and 30% starch.
A simple meal of cooked turkey (without the bones), carrots, and rice is a good example.
The reason for these proportions is to make sure your dog gets all the nutrients he needs.
If he eats only meat, for instance, he will only get his protein requirements, but none of the carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Meat can be of any kind that's easily available, be it beef, pork, poultry, fish, goat, etc.
Organ meat, such as liver, is particularly good for dogs.
Only be sure to cook the meat before feeding it to your dog - raw meat can contain bacteria and carry diseases such as salmonella.
In addition, make sure to take the bone out of the meat.
Bones can cause choking in the dog, or may splinter and injure its digestive tract.
Vegetables, like meat, can be of any kind that's available to you.
Freshness and variety is the only special requirement.
Carrots, baked beans, and lettuce are good choices.
Starch provides your dog with carbohydrates, its main source of energy.
Good starch foods include pasta, brown rice, oatmeal and potatoes.
Foods that may be harmful to your dog's health Some foods, however, are not advisable for dog consumption, as these may cause illness and death.
When planning a homemade diet for your dog, make sure you do NOT feed him the following: Garlic or onions, grapes and raisins, chocolate, and any artificial sweeteners and fats.
Other tips in making the transition to homemade dog food When you're feeding your dog commercial dog food and would like to make the transition to a homemade diet for him, break it to him gradually.
On the first day, for instance, give him a bowl of 1/8 homemade food, and the rest as the same commercial dog food he's eating.
Increase the portion of homemade food by 1/8 every day until it's all he's eating.
Another thing - it's best to consult your dog's veterinarian when you're planning to move your dog to a homemade diet.
The vet may give you helpful advice on homemade dog food diets - provided, of course, the vet is not biased towards commercial dog food.
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