Commercial dog foods are very popular today. There are many dog owners who rely on manufactured products that are available in grocery and pet care stores. On the other hand, there are some who prefer to make the food for their dogs. This does not include feeding your dogs with table scraps of human food as well as raw foods. It is about cooking or mixing a certain recipe for your dog to keep him healthy. There are many recipes for dog foods. If you want to make some foods for your dog, here are the most common ingredients used in a homemade dog food recipe.
Safe ingredients used in a homemade dog food recipe
A homemade dog food can contain meat and bones. Meat and bones are highly recommended take a maximum of 10% of any dog diet. Meat byproducts are common ingredients used in a homemade food recipe. They are allowed by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) with some regulations according to the law. For instance, animal parts not suitable for human consumption such as brains of cow can be used as ingredient in pet foods.
Plain yogurt is also one of the healthy ingredients used in a homemade recipes. It is probably the only dairy product that is good and healthy for your dog. Others like cheese, milk, and butter should be avoided like chocolate that may have theobromine, which when consumed in large quantities can cause death to dogs.
Wheat and grain are usually used to make biscuits and cookies. You can include flour, cracked wheat and whole wheat flour when making dog's biscuits and cookies. They are usually mixed with water, yeast, honey and egg. However, these foods should not exceed 10% of your dog's diet.
Fruits are one of the main ingredients used in these recipes. They are healthy and nutritious. However, caution in the amount to be given is necessary. Including fruits in moderate amount is healthy but too much fruits can cause loose stools.
Harmful ingredients used in a homemade dog food recipe
Fillers may also be included as ingredients used in a homemade dog food recipe. However, fillers are not advisable especially if you are aiming for a natural diet for your dog. In fact, most dog owners who opt to cook the food for their dogs do this to avoid fillers that may be present in commercial products.
Other harmful ingredients to avoid are as follows: bacon or bacon drippings, ham, tomatoes, dairy products, onion, and pepper. Tomatoes should also be avoided because they are too acidic. Bacon, bacon drippings and ham are too fatty. Thus, they are not good for the health of any dog. The AAFCO recommends adding more protein-rich foods when the diet contains high fat.
One main advantage of going for a homemade dog food recipe is that you know what exactly goes into the mouth of your pet. You can give him a 100% healthy diet based on the ingredients that you will use. Some pet owners also choose to give their dog a natural or organic diet. This can be made by choosing the ingredients used in a homemade dog food recipe.
