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Healthy, Homemade Dog Food – Give Your Dog’s Diet an Upgrade

June 13, 2011 By 22 Comments

If you’re thinking of upgrading your dog’s diet to healthy, homemade dog food, then this article will answer all your questions. Dog nutrition can be very confusing because dog owners have been conditioned to feed their dogs nothing but commercial pet food. You are about to learn how store brands are actually unhealthy, what makes healthy, homemade dog food a better choice, and the benefits you can expect from making your dog’s meals yourself. When you are finished with this article, you will have all the information you need to make the best decision for your dog’s nutrition.

The pet food recall of 2007 made it very dangerous for dog owners to continue to feed their dogs store brand food. Not only were they putting their dog’s life at risk, they no longer trusted those companies to provide safe, nutritious products. This is why so many people have taken their dog’s nutrition into their own hands.

Healthy, homemade dog food consists of natural, wholesome ingredients that are packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

There is nothing artificial and there are no additives, preservatives, or chemicals of any kind. Compare that with any commercial pet food label and the importance of this type of diet becomes clear.

So what are the benefits of healthy, homemade dog food? When you make the switch, you will be boosting your dog’s immune system, giving him a higher-quality of life, and increasing his life span. Additionally, he will have fewer health problems and his risk of disease will be greatly diminished. The benefit for you is lower pet health care costs.

I’m sure you’ll agree that healthy, homemade dog food is a smart alternative to the commercial brands.

You won’t have to worry about pet food recalls, you will be using natural, nutritious ingredients, and your dog will live a longer, healthier life. When you see the positive changes in your dog, you will know that you made the right decision. With healthy, homemade dog food, you will not only be upgrading his nutrition plan, you’ll be prolonging his life.

The longer you leave your dog’s nutrition in the hands of the pet food companies , the shorter his life span will be. Don’t waste another day. Reverse the damage that has already been done and prolong your dog’s life by making the switch to healthy, homemade dog food today. Great advice is just a click away. Homemade Dog Food Benefits

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Is Your Dog Overweight?

June 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dogs are not that different from human beings in so far as if they eat too much of the wrong kinds of food and don’t get enough exercise then they put on weight. Having gained weight they may be even less inclined to take exercise and so gradually put on even more weight.

How is it that they get the wrong kinds of food?  Some dog owners like to give their pet snacks and treats to help in training, and some just to show their love for their dog. Too many treats of the wrong kind can upset a dog’s natural dietary inclination towards high protein foods like neat and direct them increasingly towards an unhealthy diet that’s high in carbohydrate.

Dogs will naturally favour high protein foods like meat, but they can easily be persuaded to eat other things like biscuits and cakes, things that they would never find in nature. These high carbohydrate foods are as a bad for dogs as they are for humans, leading to excess weight gain, heart disease and other health problems. If you over- feed your dog with the wrong kind of food you will certainly shorten its life span and make its latter years miserable.

Dogs, like humans need a balanced diet with plenty of protein for growth, and for maintaining muscle mass. They also require vitamins and fibre. They get energy from both fat and carbohydrate in their diet, although can even convert protein into energy if required, and should therefore only need a little carbohydrate if any. Carbohydrate in refined form should not be given, as it’s high in calories and low in fibre. A healthy dog, like a healthy human, should have a diet as natural as possible with a minimum of processed food.

It may not be practicable to feed your dog  on 100% home cooked food of course, but there are plenty of good quality dried foods that are available that can be mixed with meat to provide the right diet. Relying on canned dog foods is not a good idea because they are often bulked out with too much carbohydrate, or are made from the lowest quality meat sources including animal organs.

If your dog is all ready overweight then you need to instigate a plan to gradually alter its diet and make it less reliant on carbohydrate, and more protein rich, coupled with a gradual increase in the amount of daily exercise that your dog takes. This may mean more exercise for you too!

Special weight reduction dried foods are available, and are a little more expensive than the ordinary, but are higher in nutrition and lower in calories, so are worth the investment. A good idea is to cover kibble for ten minutes with hot water before serving, as this causes the food to swell and makes the dog feel fuller and be less likely to overeat.

In –between meal snacks should be curtailed as much as possible, and, when given, should be protein, not carbohydrate based. Do not allow your dog scraps from the table or any human junk foods like biscuits or cakes, as these are a sure way to make your dog put on weight. It is a good idea to feed your dog first before sitting down to dinner yourself, as that will help minimise begging at the table

You should try to restrict your dog to its one or two regular meals per day, and remove the bowl once the dog has finished, rather than leaving it down all day. This routine ensures that your dog does not get into bad habits, but has adequate proper nutrition.

As a dog owner you have the responsibility to make sure that your dog gets enough exercise. Dogs love to run about and you should encourage this. Throwing a ball or stick for your pet when out walking will ensure that he covers more ground than you do and gets a good work-out

A sensible, controlled diet and daily exercise is all that a dog needs to stay healthy. A dog that is overweight may not live as long as it should, and may suffer health problems once it gets older. Also, like humans, once the excess weight builds up, it is difficult to get rid of it.

Written by robesmund
Ex-health professional keen to help others improve their own health

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Healthy Snacking for Dogs

June 13, 2011 By 1 Comment

Dog obesity, just like human obesity, is on the rise.  The difference between the two types of obesity is the people can seek their own remedies, but dogs require outside assistance to get back in shape. 

Concerned pet parents have probably heard the number “10%” thrown around for treats, and Dr. Edward Moser, a board certified veterinary nutritionist and adjunct associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine believes the number is solid.  When ninety percent of a dog’s calories comes from balanced nutrition, good health can be maintained.  Pennsylvania veterinarian Dr. Erica Tramuta-Drobnis has noted, however, that people tend to overestimate their dogs’ caloric needs. Ideally, she recommends consulting with a veterinary nutritionist; short of that internet calculators provide an acceptably accurate numbers.

Outside of the quantity of treats, there are still qualities that make some healthier and less fattening. The rule for making the right choices for our pets is the same as making the right choices for ourselves: always read the label.  Pet food labels read differently from human food labels, but the Association of American Feed Control Officers makes certain that the necessary information is provided.    

Dr. Moser’s recommendations for obese dogs are the tried and true rules that have been supported by doctors of veterinary (and human) medicine for years:  fewer calories in from food, more calories out from exercise.  Similarly, the best ways to ensure a dog feels full on fewer calories are the same as for people: higher protein or higher fiber. Dr. Moser points out that high fiber food increases dog’s stool volume, making a high protein diet easier for dog parents to manage, therefore he recommends aiming for 20-25% of a dog’s calories from protein if this is the route taken.

All experts recommend giving the list of ingredients a thorough read-over, stressing that at the very least, everything should be identifiable. Dr. Moser recommends avoiding foods and treats that use meat by-products. Heidi Junger, of Onesta Organics, warns pet parents away from all added sweeteners, including honey.  Both urge pet parents to limit added fats to identifiable, quality fats, like those people are urged to include in their diets. Ultimately, quality food helps dogs feel better which helps them move more and burn more calories. 

While there are treats available that claim to have added ingredients to encourage weight loss, Dr. Moser urges caution with such “functional” snacks. As always, it is important to read the label to determine whether the treat is “truly functional, or does it just have the functional ingredient.” Pet parents should also know whether veterinary evidence supports the ingredient effectiveness. 

Ultimately, fattening dog treats are those that are fed mindlessly, with a lack of awareness of their contents.  By paying attention to both the quality and quantity of foods, pet parents can ensure their dogs live a long, healthy and mobile life.

Written by CateKulak

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