Wednesday, October 7, 2009

How To Make Nutritious Home Made Dog Food

By Juliette Crane

Many people today realize that home made dog food is a great alternative to provide for all your pet?s nutritional requirements. Because you can prepare the meals, you can make it as healthy as it can be for your canine. Not only that, it can also be quite economical when planned beforehand. Here are some great tips on how to make dog food the best way.

1. Consult your veterinarian first. There are many canines that have special needs and some food might be particularly harmful to them. Get your dog a thorough check up to find out their present condition and prepare the necessary food and nutrients into their meals.

2. Research about food in relation to canines. There are a lot of food that are dangerous when ingested by animals?many of which are found right under our noses. For example we have chocolates, onions, baby food, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, grapes, raisins and all types of caffeine. There are more so read up on toxic substances for dogs so you can keep these stored and locked away.

3. Some people believe that it is good to feed animal fresh and natural fare. However, it seems a wiser course of action to thoroughly cook the food to avoid any possible infections raw food might give. You can also keep the cooked meals in air tight containers and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Fresh ingredients should be frozen until you decide to use them.

4. Feed the canine the appropriate amount of starch, meats and vegetable. Many recommend a 50% starch, 25% meat and the remaining 25% for vegetable ratio; with some fruits thrown in as a healthy treat. You will need to find out what mix will work best for your dog. Potato and rice are good sources of starch for the dog. Almost all kinds of meat are acceptable for feeding. Keep in mind though that liver and other organ meat will be unsafe if used too much. Tomatoes, carrots, peas and green beans are excellent additions to the canine?s meal.

5. Consult the vet on how to best portion meals to your dogs. Some canines have a more active lifestyle and need a larger quantity of food (high in protein), while some must be monitored carefully. Loving your dog does not mean feeding him treats at all times?responsible owners need to exercise restraint and care in providing him with the right kind and amount of food.

6. When you are transitioning your pet from store bought processed pet food to home made dog food, do so gradually. Introduce it slowly by giving the canine small amounts of the new fare as you decrease the regular canned food in his diet. When no indigestion or other problem is forthcoming?increase feeding him the home made food it becomes standard.

Switch up the dishes and menu every once in a while. This will ensure that your canine will get the nutrients and vitamins he needs; as well as keep his attention and interest. Sometimes it is somewhat of a challenge to learn how to make dog food?but in the end, it is well worth the effort.

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