With the rise in cases of dog food product pull outs in the market, pet owners are now more keen and concerned about providing natural and healthier ways to feed their pets. Homemade dog food is a better alternative than buying it straight from the can or from a sack, as you can be really sure of the nutrients your dog is getting. Below are some ideas to making a healthier, uncontaminated dog food for your four legged best friends.
- A dog’s well-balanced diet actually consists of meat and starch and some vegetables. Take note of this when you plan on giving your pet dogs homemade food.
- Meat products rich in protein, such as beef, tuna, chicken, lamb, turkey and liver are most nutritious for them. If the meat is grounded, it is much easier for dogs to eat them. Choose your meat carefully and buy fresh ones from the butcher shop. Pick the leaner parts. You can have the butcher prepare grounded meat. Or better yet, ask the butcher about sawdust meat, as this is healthiest for dogs. It is also cheaper.
- If you prefer to give your dogs rice, the brown variety is a healthier choice. You can also give them corn-based food, whole wheat and soy flour based food.
- For other sources of carbohydrates, dogs also love oatmeal and pasta.
- Carrots and spinach are okay to give to your dogs but they have to be sliced properly to help with digestion.
- Every dog loves a good bone and the raw ones are great sources of calcium.
- Other pet owners also give their dogs powdered milk, by mixing this in their food, in spite of the fact that most dogs are lactose intolerant.
Avoid giving your dogs the following food as they may have huge health risk:
- Chocolates are known to cause seizures, as well as tea and coffee.
- Grapes and raisins may lead to kidney failure.
- Onions and food based with onions can affect their blood circulation.
- Fruits with pits are also dangerous as these contain cyanide, which can be lethal to dogs.
Before you decide on switching your dog’s diet to homemade food, do ask an expert veterinarian first. Some veterinarians understand that commercially available dog food may be unhealthy and they can help provide you with additional information on how to prepare alternatives to it. They should also be able to helpful determine how much homemade food you should serve your pets in day.
Give your dog some variety and rotate his menu time and again. If you have prepared plenty, you can refrigerate this for a maximum of three days. You can cook the meat slightly so that it becomes more tender and juicer. Cooking will kill some of the bacteria, as with poultry. But then again, cooking may also reduce the food’s nutritive value. Some pet owners also add a little salt into the meat, but do take note that salt can also be bad for your pets. Do provide your dog a healthy stock of water everyday.