Dog food is plant or animal material intended for consumption by dogs or other canines. Special dog foods given as a reward, and not as a staple, are known as dog treats. Some people make their own dog food or feed their dogs meals made from ingredients purchased in grocery or health-food stores; many others rely on commercially manufactured dog food.

There are a number of great homemade dog food recipes. Most veterinarians and dog experts agree that commercial dog food is not always the best, healthiest option. In fact, many experts warn against using most types of commercial dog food, thus encouraging a wide variety of homemade dog food recipes that are easy to prepare and much appreciated by your family pooch. Homemade dog food should be a combination of forty percent meat, thirty percent vegetables, and thirty percent starch. By maintaining these ratios in your dog’s food bowl, you are giving your pet the very best in balanced nutrition. Most commercial dog foods contain little vegetable or meat ratios and rely heavily on starches and fillers. When choosing meats it is recommended that you use eggs, liver, kidneys, ground turkey, or lean ground beef. One great homemade dog food recipe is a combination of ground turkey, rice and carrots. The carrots do not have to be cooked, but they should be cut small for both large and small breeds. Another excellent approach to homemade dog food is the combination of ground beef, brewers yeast, brown rice, and once again, carrots. The best meats according to some veterinarians come from organs; substituting liver or kidney in the previous recipes is a great option for dog owners concerned with the amount of vitamins and minerals your canine’s diet includes. Homemade dog food can also be seasoned in order to both give your pet a great tasting meal, but also, many seasonings can actually be beneficial to dogs as well. Adding garlic to a homemade dog food recipe not only adds flavor, but also acts as a natural flea repellant. Eggshells can also be ground up and added to any dish. Eggshells are chock full of nutrients and any egg products can help promote a shiny healthy coat for your dog even in the winter months. It is important to provide your dog with fresh, raw vegetables and good lean meats including eggs, turkey, liver and kidneys. Similarly, it is better for dogs to eat fresh, raw foods appropriate to their species, than to be fed processed and heavily preserved foods. Commercial dog foods are often more popular than home made dog food due more to their convenience than to any nutrient ion over home made dog food. Pet owners considering home made dog food need to educate them about it. There are a number of books, articles and Internet sites to go to for information and advice on suitable foods and nutrition. Commercial dog foods rely primarily on grain products for nutrients and as filler, and since many of these may be of sub-human-grade quality, molds and fungus are a concern, and have led to more than one recall. The standards for maintaining appropriate nutrient levels in most manufactured dog foods are poorly regulated, thus further emphasizing the significance of home made dog food. Allergies, skin disease, dental disease, and other health problems are often a problem for dogs on commercial diets. As a result, more and more people are choosing home made dog food.
There are many different recommendations on what diet is best for dogs. Some people argue that dogs have thrived off of leftovers and scraps from their human owners for thousands of years and the commercial dog foods (which have only been available for the past century) contain poor-quality meats, additives, and other ingredients dogs should not ingest, or that commercial dog food is not nutritionally sufficient for their dogs. One of the best ways to ensure your dog’s health is to choose the correct food and feed her the appropriate amounts according to size, breed and activity level. Healthy diets, in addition to daily exercise are the two main ingredients for a happy, healthy dog or puppy. When choosing a dog food, always use the age appropriate formula such as senior or puppy.

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