The Benefits of Making Homemade Dog Food |
Posted: June 2, 2022 |
When it comes to your family’s health, you want to do the best you can. You recognise the importance of taking care of yourself so that you can thrive as a busy mum and you work hard to ensure even fussy children are well fed with good, nutritious foods. But what about the dog? Does your dog get the same attention when it comes to maintaining good health? Pet health is something all owners should be aware of. Your lovable companion benefits from a healthy body condition just as much as you and the kids do, and staying healthy will maximise their life expectancy and work towards preventing the onset of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes. To manage your pet’s diet and body condition, see your vet regularly. Your veterinary team is the best team to provide objective advice on diet and body condition score. Misinformation on diets is widespread, so it’s important to find a reputable source of information. Your vet may suggest a change to a quality dog food product (along with specific serving suggestions), or they may suggest you try making your own food. Commercial dog food is designed to provide a nutritionally complete diet for your dog, but the standards for production vary from brand to brand. To take out the guesswork you can try your own healthy homemade recipes.
Making healthy homemade dog foodGenerally speaking, dog food recipes can be versatile and scalable. You can use a wide variety of ingredients, as long as they are safe for canines. Always modify recipes to match your dog’s weight and as a guide, you should aim to give your dog ½ to ¾ cup of food for every 25 pounds of weight. This might not seem like a lot, but remember, a well-balanced homemade food meal is much more nutrient-dense than most commercial diets. When you make homemade dog food, use high-quality whole-food ingredients rich in protein and moderate in fat, carbohydrates and vitamins. Do your research or work with an expert to figure out your individual dog’s specific nutritional needs and how best to meet those needs. It may be that you need to add supplements to your homemade dog food meals to ensure they balance. An example is if your dog is predisposed to hip and joint issues, you may need to include a joint supplement. Other common supplements include multivitamin supplements, Vitamin A & E, calcium and extra protein. This varies depending on your dog’s condition.
The benefits of healthy homemade dog food1. Regulation of pet food qualityBy selecting the ingredients yourself, you can ensure you use quality food in the correct amounts. You can avoid using processed ingredients or those with additives and preservatives and you can stay away from using artificial chemicals that could be harmful for your dog. 2. No filler ingredientsEvery ingredient should work together to provide your dog with a diet that’s complete, balanced, and designed to support a happy and healthy life. Some dog fillers can be wholesome, nutritional and quality filler ingredients (corn, wheat, soy, rice etc) but others have little or no nutritional value, could have been replaced by higher quality alternatives, and aren't biologically appropriate for your dog. The bottom line is that dog food fillers can be hard to define and are often subject to trends. 3. Increased varietyMost dog owners have experienced the unpleasant surprise of a sick dog whose stomach wasn’t prepared for a change in food. This can actually be a symptom of poor gut health from eating the same thing over and over. This is why variety is important. It certainly isn’t uncommon for a dog’s diet to consist of the same food every day. Unlike us, dogs don’t get tired of eating the same thing everyday. That said, most veterinary nutritionists and holistic vets recommend rotating different proteins every couple of months and with homemade food, you can feed your dog a wide variety of foods from different food groups. 4. Less wasteThe idea that pets can’t eat human food is myth. Food is food, and if it’s nutritional for you, it’s most likely nutritional for your dog. Always check with your vet first, but with the all clear you can scrape kid’s plates straight into the dog bowl. If you want less waste in terms of plastic, you can make your own treats and buy food ingredients in bulk. 5. It can be cheaperThere is a wide range of costs associated with both home-cooked and mass-produced dog foods, largely based on quality. A 40-pound bag of dry kibble could cost less than $20, while that same sized bag of high-quality food could cost closer to $75. Wet food is more expensive again. The price of homemade dog food is also dependent on what you cook and where you shop, as well as if you buy organic or not. Generally speaking, you can save a bundle though by making your own food.
So should you make the switch to homemade?Homemade dog food is a great nutritional choice, but only when it’s prepared right. Using “human ingredients” requires balance, so talk to your vet before deciding on your recipes and confirming your commitment to the process. Making the wrong choices and giving your pet a poor diet will negatively impact your pet’s health, so plan, do your research, and get sign off from your vet that you’re making the right move for your pet and your family’s situation. Pets really do bring the kids and family together and food can play a role in this when all get involved.
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