If you are feeling like your dog is getting tired of his commercial dog food, you maybe want to add some homemade dog food to his diet. He will probably eat this food much faster than the commercial one. Especially because it was made by your for him.
What must you include in homemade dog food
Here in Dogalize we shared with you a list of some foods that you should not feed your dog. Now, there are foods that are very nutritious to your pet and that you might want to include in your homemade dog food.
To create a balanced meal for your dog, make sure it has essential nutrients he needs. Now, it is not necessary for every meal to be complete and balanced. You can spread a complete and balanced diet throughout different meals over time.
When you prepare food for your dog, make sure you offer him the essential nutrients following guidelines in terms of food groups and portion sizes. Unless your dog has a condition that requires him to follow a specific diet, you might want to vary his diet in order for him to get what he needs.
Some guidelines
Depending on the size of your dog, whenever you see a recipe, you will need to adjust portions and amount of ingredients. While we do not plan in this article to offer you a specific recipe, we would like to share with you some ideas or guidelines when you prepare homemade dog food.
- One single food should not make more than half of the diet, ever.
- Unless specified, food can be fed either cooked or raw.
- You may include your leftovers but only if you would eat them yourself. No bones or fatty scraps.
- Meat and other animal products should make at least half of the diet.
- Be careful with fat, too much of it can be hazardous to your dog.
- Use lean meat, remove skin from poultry, and cut off excess fat. You do this to remove unwanted fat. However, if your dog does regular exercise, omit this part.
- Include both red meat and poultry.
- Fish provides vitamin D. Some boned options such as sardines in water or pink salmon are good. Remove the bones of any fish you cook. Species such as raw trout, Pacific salmon are not good for your dog.
- Liver should be about 5 percent of the organs category.
- For dogs weighing more than 20 pounds, an egg a day is a good option.
- Limit the amount of cheese and dairy products (cheese, ricotta, yogurt) since some of these contain large amounts of fat.
- You can add fruits and vegetables for their fiber that supports digestive health.
Follow us here in Dogalize to learn more ways to care for your dog. We have a lot of information, tips, and resources for you and your pet. Get in touch with us if you have any questions.