Natural Dog Food

These days we all have a heightened awareness of the nutritional components of our diet. Trans fat, good fats, bad fats, have become part of the common lexicon. Conversely, most pay almost no attention to the nutritional components of the food we feed our beloved pets. Dog food is often over priced and made up of empty fillers that provide our pets with a full tummy and not much else. Sometimes the substandard ingredients and poor manufacturing controls mean commercial pet food is actually damaging our pets health. It's time to think about feeding our pets natural dog food.

We don’t mean to be careless about the well-being of our pets. We are simply too trusting of the marketing spin animal food conglomerates feed us. Do we really think that Blue Ribbon show animals eat the cheapest brand of pet food found in the average grocery store just because it says so on the package? Unfortunately, we have recently seen pet food recalls and animals that have become severely ill when given foods that contain harmful ingredients.

Unhealthy pet food can lead to poor circulation and a weak heart, and lack of healthy fats can give your pet dry skin and a dull coat. A lack of proper vitamins in your pet’s diet can shorten their life and lead to general poor health. Mass manufacturers of pet foods use cheap, unhealthy and perhaps tainted ingredients to increase their production. The addition of terribly unhealthy preservatives allow bagged and canned foods to have an unhealthy shelf life thereby increasing profits for the company. If you believe that one pet food is just as good as another, than this information might just open your eyes.

Today, many commercial dog food products contain the cheapest and poorest grades of grains, unsafe meat remnants and artificial flavorings and preservatives that are not safe for humans or pets. A great deal of the meat products used in our pet's food are actually from dead or diseased animals. Make sure to check to see where your pet food was produced and manufactured. This can be tricky as often the packaging is done in a different location from where the ingredients originated. Aside from home made dog food which will be discussed below, products made by select North American manufacturers and offered through your vet provide the best pet food choices.

Just like us, our dogs need food that contains quality fiber, antioxidants, good fats, protein, vitamins, and carbohydrates. Our dogs depend on us to do some research and provide them with healthy and nutritious pet food. A good, high quality dog food will contain quality meat, eggs, vitamins, vegetables and sometimes even brown rice. These are all excellent ingredients for a healthy pet food. Vegetables are vital to a healthy pet diet. Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which in turn will give your dog a longer life. Some pet food manufacturers are even beginning to add Acidophilus for your pet’s digestive health.

Good pet food uses good quality ingredients and accordingly can be more expensive than lesser quality pet food. One way to ensure your pet has an excellent diet while not breaking the bank is to make your own pet food at home. It’s pretty simple and can be very inexpensive. With the recent pet food recall, many pet owners have started to make their own pet food.

Although a homemade diet can be excellent for dogs, you must consult your veterinarian first, as dogs have definite nutritional requirements. Also, changes in your pets diet should be done gradually to avoid digestive upsets. Recipes or ingredients should be rotated to ensure complete nutrition. Years ago many people believed that dogs were carnivores but it’s now known that dogs are omnivores, meaning that they need both meat and plant-based foods

Dogs require protein containing ten amino acids. The most popular diet, at present, seems to be one that is meat based and supplies a good quality protein such as egg white, chicken, fish, beef, or lamb with some carbohydrate such as oats, rice, wheat, corn, barley, or soy, also include vegetables for energy, vitamins and minerals, and fats. These ingredients can be easily made at home using human quality foods. And as previously mentioned, when preparing homemade dog food, it is best to vary the recipes so that your dog gets all necessary nutrients.

The following natural dog food recipes are some of my favorites:

Dog Food Recipes

Dog Stew

1 cup medium grade ground meat, fried in 1 tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp cottage cheese
2 boiled eggs, mashed with a fork
½ cup cooked plain oatmeal
1 cup stewed green beans
1 cup stewed carrots
Combine the above ingredients and serve at room temperature. Be sure to store unused portions in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.

Dog Chicken n Rice Dinner

2 cup boiled and deboned poultry, cut into small pieces
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup boiled mixed vegetables
5 to 6 Tbsp water as needed to smooth mixture
Stir together and serve at room temperature. Be sure to store unused portions in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.

Dog Peanut Butter Cookies

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup white flour
¼ cup oatmeal
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp honey
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup whole milk
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. Combine milk, peanut butter, and honey in a separate bowl and mix well. Stir peanut butter mixture into dry mixture. Knead dough and roll-out on floured surface to a quarter inch thickness and slice into rectangles. Cover the cookie sheet with tin foil and bake cookies in a 400 degree oven for approximately 12-15 minutes.

Dog Burgers

2 cups stewed and mashed carrots
1 cup browned ground beef
1/3 cup Wheat Germ
1/4 cup powdered milk
Mix ingredients well and then press into small burgers. Bake in 350 oven for approximately 12-15 minutesa.

I hope your dog enjoys these bulk dog food alternatives, and you enjoy knowing your pet will see many years of good health.