With the many different commercial dog food formulas on the market today, more and more dog owners are choosing to take their dog’s nutritional needs into their own hands. Homemade dog food has been growing into a very popular trend, as more dog owners are researching how to give their dog the best possible dog food formula. However, as with any new trend, there is some confusion regarding the proper way to make a homemade dog food formula.
The staple of any homemade dog food formula should come from a good protein source. Protein is the foundation of a domesticated dog’s diet, much in the same way as dogs in the wild. However, when choosing the protein source for your homemade dog food formula, there are several different things that you keep in mind. First, and foremost, is the quality of the meat. Because the protein is going into a dog food formula, many dog owners think that it does not need to be “human-grade” quality, and opt to purchase lower-grade inexpensive meat. However, this can be extremely dangerous. Many premium dog food formulas have human-grade meat products in their recipe, and for very good reason. It is always best to choose a human-grade meat product to add to your homemade dog food formula.
The type of protein that you choose to add to your homemade dog food is also very important. It’s always best to have a variety of proteins, so that you are not constantly feeding your dog from a sole protein source. For example, try to have three homemade dog food recipes that each use a different protein (such as lamb, beef and chicken). You can alternate feeding your dog each of these formulas on a daily basis, or use one dog food formula per week. This will ensure that your dog consumes a variety of proteins.
Depending on your personal preference of pet dog care, you may choose from several different ingredients to add carbohydrates to your dog’s homemade dog food formula. Though dogs do not need a high level of carbohydrates, it is still best to include some carbohydrate ingredients. You can choose to use grain-based ingredients, though some dog owners do not like feeding their dogs grains. Overall, it is a matter of personal preference, of what you believe is best for your dog. However, it is never advised to add simple carbohydrates to homemade dog food, since they are fairly difficult for your dog to digest.
Another ingredient that is an important part of a homemade dog food formula is vegetables. It’s always best to use fresh vegetable ingredients in your dog food formula, as opposed to canned. Fresh vegetables retain a lot more of their nutritional value, and are not overly processed like canned vegetables are. However, there are two vegetables that you should never add to your dog food formula (Onions and Garlic), since they can potentially be toxic to dogs. For extra pet care, you can add some fruit ingredients to your homemade dog food formula if you wish, though a dog’s nutritional needs do not require a high level of fruit ingredients.
