Feeding Homemade Dog Food

Homemade dog food prepared in the proper nutritional proportions is considered by many experts to be the best diet for your dog. Before switching to a homemade diet, check with your veterinarian. Individual dogs may have unique nutritional requirements. Remember that changes in diet should be made gradually to avoid digestive upset.

Experts vary in their recommendations for a good general homemade diet for dogs. Meat recommendations run from 25% to 40% and can include beef, lamb, poultry, and fish. Fish and flaxseed or good sources of omega-3 fatty acids that are healthy for your dog. Organ meats, such as liver, hearts and kidneys, are good for your dog but should not be fed every day. Other sources of protein include cottage cheese, eggs, and soybeans. Dogs also need vegetables and grains in their diet. These can include carrots, green beans, spinach, potatoes, rice, oatmeal, or pasta. A good canine vitamin/mineral supplement along with Brewer’s Yeast should be added for optimal health. It is suggested that you rotate your dog’s foods so that he gets nutritional variety.

Some pet owners feed a raw food diet but most experts recommend cooking your dog’s food to kill parasites and aid in digestion.

Foods to avoid that are dangerous for dogs are chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, avocados, and bones, especially cooked bones. Feeding garlic to dogs is controversial. It may better to err on the side of caution and avoid giving your dog garlic.

A good, easy homemade dog food recipe to begin with is a mixture of ground beef, cottage cheese, rice, carrots, and green beans, including a good canine vitamin/mineral supplement. Stir-fry the meat, boil rice, carrots and green beans, and then combine them. Blend in cottage cheese and add the supplement after the mixture has cooled.

Remember to store any unused portions in a covered container in the refrigerator and keep no longer than three days.

Your dog will love the new taste of human quality food. Most dogs need to be fed only once a day but old dogs, sick dogs, pregnant and nursing dogs, and very young dogs should be fed twice a day.

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