Doggy Steps and Ramps

You hear all sorts of advice on how to provide healthy dog food for your pet – from pet food manufacturers, your veterinarian, friends and family – but what’s the real story on giving your dog a diet to keep him in top form? We’ll look at a few basic recommendations and some options for snazzy home cooking for your dog.

First, if you purchase commercial dog food, you should keep some basic guidelines in mind. A ratio of 40% meat, 50% vegetables and 10% grain is ideal. Check the packaging label closely to ensure a similar ratio when purchasing commercial food. While you’re checking the label make sure that a meat protein is listed first on the label – usually chicken, beef or lamb. Keep in mind that buying cheap commercial dog food often results in cheap ingredients. Pay a little more for higher quality and your dog will thank you!

Preservatives in food are a good thing, usually necessary but it’s a good idea to see what preservatives are being used and then find out from a an expert source (usually your vet) if the preservative is known to have any undesirable properties. Some commonly used preservatives such as BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin are considered by some to be toxic, at least in large amounts. If you prepare your pet’s meals at home the use of preservatives of this type is no longer an issue.

There are many sources for dog food recipes. Your vet may have some and the Internet certainly is a good source. Of course there are good recipes and some not so good. Follow the 50-40-10 ratios found on the packaged foods and you should be all right. Make sure the meat is fully cooked and free of bones. Brown rice and oatmeal are excellent choices for the grain component.

Once you know the basic ratios, you can experiment until you find a combination of ingredients that your dog will love. Remember not to salt the food, and that some ingredients – chocolate, garlic, onions, avocados, grapes, raisins and mushrooms – are actually dangerous for your pet and should never be used. Make certain that your healthy dog food is also safe!

Many people consider a vegetarian diet to be the most healthy. That may or may not be true for humans but dogs are carnivores and in their wild state would subsist mainly on a diet of meat. Your dog is apt to grow tired of it’s meals if meat is a low percentage ingredient or absent altogether.

If you don’t have time to cook, there are still options for healthy dog food. Many health food stores and even some mainstream pet stores now offer organic prepared food for your dog. There’s also a wide selection of holistic and organic food available online.

Your dog’s health is primarily determined by it’s diet so make an effort to insure that diet is a proper one. There are many options ranging from checking labels to ensure a proper mix of good ingredients to preparing your own or looking to your vet or health food store. This extra effort on your part will pay big dividends to both you and your best friend.

Similar Posts:

• Commercial Dog Food Can Be Dangerous – Is Your Dog Food Safe?
• What Is The Right Food For Your Dog?
• Toy Poodle Nutrition – Tips For A Healther Pet
• Homemade Dog Food Analysis: Keeping Man’s Best Friend Healthy
• Natural Dog Diet Tips For Better Health

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