The Benefits Of Homemade Dog Food?
Imagine eating the same thing every day for your whole life. Sounds boring, doesnât it? Not only is it boring but it also lacks a variety of nutrients. Canned or dry dog food is not the most nutritionally balanced diet and any highly processed food tends to lose nutritional value. So what has the most nutrients? REAL FOOD like vegetables, fruits, meat, and whole grains. With fresh food, you know exactly what your dog is getting instead of buying a bag or a can and not being able to recognize most of the ingredients because of all the additives and preservatives they use.
Making your own dog food maintains more of the vital nutrients during the cooking process. I can promise you that no dog will complain about tasty meals made with fresh and easy-to-pronounce, human-grade ingredients. When it comes to food I like to eat as close to nature as possible and follow this idea when feeding my pets too.
When Lambo was on a wet canned food and kibble diet I didnât actually know what each ingredient was or consisted of until I started to do some research and educate myself. I was choosing the âbestâ brands that were available to me but it wasnât the best food for my sweet, adorable, little pooch. As soon as I transitioned him to a home-cooked diet I noticed he was more lively, seems much happier, and is eating more. Homemade dog food can have great health benefits for your pooch(es). And if your dog suffers from allergies, gastrointestinal sensitivity, or skin problems itâs probably the best option. Share your wholesome foods with the fur member of your family for a longer, happier, and healthier life.
Before commercially produced dog food was abundant, dogs ate a lot of the same foods that humans eat. Thereâs a reason our dogs are waiting for our food to drop at the dinner table, theyâre meant to eat a variety of real delicious foods. A home cooked diet is a great option! But make sure to feed only foods that are safe for dogs as there are some foods you should NEVER feed to a dog like grapes, chocolate, or avocado to name a few.
Disclaimer: Don't literally feed them your dinners leftovers because this can include spices, oils and ingredients that aren't dog friendly but can also lead to obesity. It's best to cook for them separately.
A homemade meal beats any packaged or processed dog food. Though commercial dog food is advertised as nutritious and healthy they simply donât have the same health benefits. Commercial dog foods contain additives, whether to improve the composition of some nutrients, to enhance flavor, or to preserve the food, they are chemicals that may adversely affect your petâs health. Commercial dog food also has fillers with no nutritional value. These ingredients only pass through the canineâs system to create more waste and many of these filler ingredients are allergy-causing ingredients. Commercial dog food no matter how you look at it, even the better brands or the organic and the âbetter for your dogâ brands are processed products.
With homemade meals, you are in control of what goes in your best fur friends bowl and it also allows variety in their meals. The variety allows for a wide array of nutrients. The more variety in their diets the healthier and happier they will be! Every time I make Lambo a new batch of food I switch up the veggies so it's not always the same ones and I tend to switch up the meats as well. His favorites are chicken, beef, and duck. I use chicken most often though. When it comes to bones I usually stick small bones like chicken wings because it's easier for him to consume since he is a toy breed.
When it comes to canine or even human nutrition we don't need to worry about balancing every meal. What's more important is balance over time through every meal. We only get a certain amount of meals a day as our dogs do (that could be 1-3, depending on your dog and their calorie needs) and the goal is to get balance over time. Trying to balance every meal is also overwhelming and can be stressful.
I use my own recipes or follow a recipe maker online. I feed Lambo portions with the right amount of protein (meats) and wholesome foods (veggies) in the morning and in the evening based on his size, weight, and breed. He is not overweight so on days that he is extra active or has a bigger appetite I will give him more!
When I first transitioned Lambo to a home-cooked diet I wanted to make sure he was getting all his nutrients since I was not including raw food. (Although, a raw food diet is probably the best diet for dogs, not everyone is comfortable with feeding raw. It also requires following best practices when handling raw food and feeding it to your dog.) So, I decided to use supplements from Dr. Dobias, a holistic vet with over 30 years of experience. You can check out the supplements under the supplements menu. I used these supplements to ensure he started off on the right paw with getting enough nutrition in his meals over time.
TIP: Before embarking on a homemade meal plan, consult with your veterinarian or a holistic vet to make sure your dogâs diet sufficiently meets all its nutritional needs. You can also seek out a canine nutritionist for specific meal plans. If you have questions as to where to find a dog meal plan please send us an email!
You can also check out our YouTube video on making a home-cooked meal!
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