If you have a dog, you are probably aware of the 2007 dog food recall. That incident made many pet owners question the safety of commercial dog food, particularly dry dog food. If you want to be really sure about what goes into your dog’s food, you should make it yourself.
You can follow a dry dog food recipe if you want food that
is convenient to give your dog and keeps longer in storage.
Homemade dry dog food is better than commercial dry dog food
because it doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients or
preservatives. However, is dry dog food made at home
nutritious?
Generally, a dry dog food recipe will be grain-based and
consist of ingredients like powdered milk, whole wheat flour,
oats, wheat germ, soy flour, egg, and yeast. There are some
protein sources in this dry dog food recipe but the bulk of it
consists of carbohydrates.
Your dog needs a lot of carbohydrates but too much is not
good either. For an
optimum diet, give
your dog dry food from a dry dog food recipe along with some
meat. Dry food alone will not provide your dog with enough
protein. You should make small quantities of dry food when
following a dry dog food recipe to ensure freshness.
If you are too lazy to use a dry dog food recipe and make your
own dog food at home, you can give your dog all natural
commercial dry food. You can find some at natural food stores,
veterinary offices, or feed stores. Look for dry foods that are
free of preservatives and that come in vacuum-sealed packages.
Look at the ingredients to make sure that they are truly
natural.
The Optimal Dog Diet
Although dry dog food is convenient, you are better off giving your dog home cooked food to provide him with an optimal diet. You can make doggie treats at home that are grain-based and save them for special occasions. You can also follow dry dog food recipes and use them as a supplement to a meat-based diet.
The best homemade dog food should consist of raw or lightly
cooked meat, some carbohydrates, and some fruits and
vegetables. You can also supplement your dogs diet with a
multi-vitamin multi-mineral. Don’t rely on dry food alone if
you want your dog to thrive.
In conclusion, following a dry dog food recipe is a good idea
if you want to provide your dog with some healthy,
preservative-free carbohydrates. However, don’t rely solely on
dry food to feed your dog. Even though it’s convenient, you
need to make sure your dog’s diet is balanced by providing him
with enough protein from meat and vitamins and minerals from
fruits and vegetables.