Tips For Making Nutritious Homemade Natural Dog Food

There have been several recalls on commercial dog foods in recent years that have left pet-lovers worrying about the quality of their furry friends' diets. Manufacturing processes that prioritize profit over quality, low-grade ingredients, the presence of chemicals and preservatives are all factors that weigh heavily on the mind. To do away with this anxiety and ensure your best friend's health, you can do one of two things: swap to one of the organic, high-quality, expensive products available from more scrupulous manufacturers, or learn how to make natural dog food at home.

There are many recipes online for nutritious, natural dog food, and this article will give you a basic recipe to go by, but this article is meant to be a guideline, not professional advice. Also remember that certain breeds have specific dietary needs, and that (like humans) some dogs also suffer from allergies, and there are many conditions, diseases and other ailments that can be helped or hindered by diet. Size, lifestyle and age are also factors that should impact on your choices regarding ingredients, preparation and portion sizes.

Your vet is the best person to advise you and should - always - be consulted (and approve) regarding changes to your pet's diet, recipes and other dietary details - before you implement them.

As a general rule, a healthy canine diet should contain a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. A supplement of minerals and vitamins should also be included, according to your animal's weight and your vet's instructions. Dogs require calcium, and bonemeal (human/dog-consumption grade - never use gardening bonemeal, as it can contain dangerous chemicals and other toxins) or powdered egg-shell can be added to your dog's food to make sure he/she gets the required amount.

Being carnivores, dogs require about forty percent of their diet to be protein. Easily available, good sources of protein include cooked, ground chicken, lamb or beef. Feed your best friend good quality meat that contains no chemicals, hormones or antibiotics. Find out if your local organic butcher has a pet section - many do. Kidneys, liver and other organ meat make for welcome, healthy ingredients to incorporate in your mutt's meal. An egg now and again is a good idea and your four-legged companion is bound to agree.

The remainder of the diet should be a mixture of vegetables and grains. Frozen veggies that can be happily incorporated: corn, peas, lima beans, cut green beans. Recommended fresh vegetables: grated carrots or zucchini, broccoli, baking potatoes, yams/sweet potatoes. Fast-cooking grains: cornmeal, couscous, rolled oats, quinoa, whole-wheat, bulgur. Longer-cooking grains: millet, brown rice, barley, wheat berries.

Please Note - Stay Away From: onions/onion powder, all forms of coffee, tea, alcoholic drinks, almonds, macadamia nuts, raisins and grapes (incl. Juices, oils, etc.), the green parts of potatoes (foliage, sprouts, peels), tomato leaves/stems, rhubarb leaves, fruit seeds and pits - these are all toxic. Veggies containing a lot of oxalic acid are not exactly toxic, but will hamper calcium absorption, so keep away from rhubarb, spinach and swiss chard if you can help it. Never feed your pets table scraps. Let just-cooked food cool down to room temp before feeding - some dogs get upset stomachs or burns when they wolf down hot or too-warm food.

A sample natural dog food recipe for a medium/large dog: 1 to 1.5 cups roasted chicken cut into small pieces; 1 cup cooked barley; 0.5 cup shredded carrots, cooked; 0.5 cup green beans, cooked; 1 tablespoon plain, organic yoghurt.

By: Zachery Stalley

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Jamie is a family pet health guru who specializes in grain free, raw dog food. Click here to learn more.