Dog Food

Food Trials for Dog Food Allergies

Monday, January 30th, 2012

Dog food allergies account for about 20 percent of all dog allergies. The most common symptom of a food related allergy in dogs is itchy skin especially on feet, legs, armpits, ears, face and anus. Hair loss from biting and scratching, hot spots, and skin infections can be repercussions of an untreated food allergy. There are many ingredients that can cause food related allergies in dogs. These are but not restricted to;beef, chicken, eggs, wheat, corn, fish and soy.

Before treating a food allergy you must cure any secondary infections or conditions that are occurring such as skin infections, mange, yeast infections, etc. Once all of these are cured then a food trial can begin.

Most allergies are associated with a particular protein of carbohydrate that is in the food or treats the dog is eating. A food trial or elimination diet consists of feeding the dog a food containing a protein source and carbohydrates that the dog has never had before. The trial consists of twelve weeks of only this food. This means no treats, rawhide or any other type of dog chew (pig ears, bully sticks, etc.), flavored medications, toys or toothpaste of any kind. If the food for the elimination diet has a version in a can you can use bits of this as treats. The dog must not roam giving them access to eating things in the yard that may cause these symptoms. I think you get the idea, you do not have to quarantine the dog but make sure the diet is all they are eating or playing with. At the end of the trial the dog is reintroduced to the food they were given to begin with to confirm the allergen is in the food.

The cure for these allergies is avoidance of the items that aggravated them in the first place. Short term relief for the symptoms can be achieved through the used of antihistamines and steroids but the only cure is through avoidance of the offensive ingredients. At this time your veterinarian may prescribe a particular type of food to put your dog on or you can investigate a homemade diet. If you choose to use a homemade diet it can afford you the ability to control exactly everything that goes into the food. Commercial dog foods are not bound by law to list every ingredient on the pet food label. If you go the homemade route make sure your formula contains all the nutrients your dog needs.

Allergies in dogs seem to be more prevalent these days that ever before. With food allergies at twenty percent of all allergy causes it is a very viable avenue to pursue if your dog is suffering. Allergic reactions can occur due to new foods being introduced so talk to your veterinarian if making your dog food and follow their recommendations to avoid recurrence.

One of my greatest passions is dogs and everything about them thrills me. Find lots of information from an owners perspective at http://alldogsguide.com Learn about reading a pet food label at http://alldogsguide.com/how-to-read-a-pet-food-label/

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Dog Food Secrets – Are You Feeding Your Dog the Wrong Foods?

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

If you are feeding your dog a strict diet of commercial dog food, there is an excellent chance that you are providing a balanced diet for your dog. By feeding your dog a balanced, nutritional diet you can increase his life span by several years.

A nutritious meal for your dog would be made up of quality meat as a base. One of the dog food secrets that come to light if you search is that intestines, tripe, liver or intestines can increase the purine levels in your dog. This can eventually lead to kidney problems and joint problems. It is not advisable to feed your dog raw food because it may cause parasites if there is any sign of contamination.

We often hear about the importance of reading labels on human food. It is equally important to read the labels on your dog food labels. There is a great number of dog food secrets. If your commercially prepared food does not have animal meat as its main ingredient, pass it by. Meat by products should be avoided. Meat by products can be hooves, chicken feet, hair and other waste products.

If your dog is suffering from allergies or food intolerance, the dog’s diet could be the problem. Dog food secrets are what give the manufacturer its profit. It is up to the owner to determine the hidden ingredients in food. Preservatives and additives contribute to the intolerance in dogs with delicate digestive systems. Here again the owner needs to know. You have to read the label.

The ideal situation is to prepare your dogs food at home. A home cooked diet will assure you that there are no dog food secrets to uncover in your dog’s diet. By basing your dog’s diet on a good protein and building from there, you will have a chance to improve your dogs health and lengthen their life span by a considerable number of years. It can be very time-consuming, but it is well worth it.

You should not include canned human foods in your dog’s diet for the same reasons that you should refrain from commercial foods. They contain excessive amounts of sodium and some also have preservatives. Not only there are dog food secrets but there are human food secrets as well.

And if you own a dog, then you need to watch this controversial video. Already over 100000 people have been amazed by this video and this 8 minutes could save your dog’s life. You can know more about the video here http://www.thedogfoodsconspiracy.info/

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Worst Dog Food Brands – How to Spot Them by Reading the Label

Saturday, January 21st, 2012

How easy is it for people to tell what the worst brands are? Unfortunately, it’s not very easy at all. Most of the ingredients just look modified to comply with a dog’s digestive tract but the truth is the ingredients are terrible. So what are some of the less desirable ingredients in consumer dog food? Before we get to the list I just wanted to point out that ingredients on dog food labels are listed by the most prominent to the least prominent, just like regular food labels.

Meat By-Products

All of the major and even some of the lesser known dog foods contain this and no matter what the flavor they’re in the worst dog food brands out there. So what are meat by-products? In a nutshell these are the parts of an animal that are not fit for human consumption including bones, blood, intestines, the head, the lungs and even feathers in the case of a chicken.

Corn

Corn is cheap and available in massive quantities so it should come as no surprise that it’s in dog food. What makes it an ingredient in all the worst brands of dog food is dogs have a very hard time digesting corn products. Another hard to digest ingredient is meat and bone meal or beef and bone meal.

Animal Fat

This is just a generic fat source that is primarily grease. For humans using an animal fat would be like frying everything bacon fat or the stuff that restaurants discard at the end of the night. Please note that if you see a named fat (like chicken fat) than it is ok.

Sweeteners

Dogs can be diabetic as well. The sweeteners in pet foods are no different than human foods but they also have the same consequences.

Food for dogs that is fit for human consumption is the best food you can buy. Another alternative would be to make your own.

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Canned Dog Food – What Are the Benefits and What Is the Downside?

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Have you been thinking about adding canned dog food to your dog’s diet but every time you pick up a can, your mind has a complete meltdown at the thought of trying to decipher the information on the label? Well, don’t give up, because reading and understanding those labels are an important step in making sure your feeding your dog right and with a little help you can get the hang of the labels and find the benefits of feeding canned dog food to your dog in no time.

Feeding canned dog food can certainly have it’s benefits to your dog’s health but it can also have a downside depending on your dog’s personal needs. One of the first considerations is of course taste. If you have a picky eater, canned food will be a definite plus as it is generally very tasty. It can also hold health benefits if you have a dog that is suffering from kidney issues because canned dog food is high in water content, so it will help your dog go to the bathroom more frequently. Along those same lines, it’s easily eaten because it’s soft and it’s easy on the stomach for those with digestion issues.

On the downside, one of the main problems with canned food lies with owning a larger dog breed. If you dog requires a large quantity of food/calories each day, the amount of canned food required to meet that need is going to be large and expensive compared to a dry dog food diet. It’s also important to note that dog’s that don’t have any dry dog food or chew bones in their diet are going to need regular dental care because their teeth are not getting cleaned properly with hard foods. It is also possible that too much wet dog food can disagree with your dog’s tummy and cause diarrhea.

Once you’ve considered the basic considerations of feeding your dog canned dog food, you need to think about the actual ingredients of different wet dog food brands. This is going to require you to do some label reading. This is easier than you think if you know what to look for. To start with, identify a food that is formulated for your dog according to life stage or size according to the label.

Then you should begin looking for a protein source or meat on the list of ingredients. Your meat source should always be one of the first three ingredients on the list because ingredients are listed according to weight, largest being first, therefore you will want your meat source to be at the top. You should know that if you have a fresh ingredient like chicken as the first ingredient it does not always mean that there’s a large amount of chicken in the can. What happens is, there’s a great deal of water in fresh chicken, this causes the weight of the chicken to go up. However, if the first ingredient listed is chicken meal, then you know that the dog food contains a large amount of it.

When looking for your meat source, make sure it’s a whole meat source, not a mystery meat. Here are a few of the statements that are used on dog food labels that can be misleading:

  • With Chicken Flavor – Flavor is detectable but doesn’t have to have any actual Chicken meant present in the product
  • With Salmon – The product contains at least 3% salmon. So if you buy a product that says “now with real beef” it may only have 3% real beef in it!
  • Beef Dinner – The product must contain at least 25% Beef.
  • Liver For Dogs – At least 95% of the product must be liver or 70% including water

After you check out your meat/protein source, you need to make sure the dog food has the other basic nutritional needs such as carbohydrates. The five basics of these energy requirements are protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.

  1. Protein – Usually Meat – Should be approximately 20% of the diet
  2. Carbohydrates – Rice, Corn, Wheat, Soy Should be approximately 50% of diet
  3. Fats Approximately 9-15%
  4. Vitamins – A, B, C, D, E & K Complexes.
  5. Minerals – Calcium, Potassium, Sodium & Magnesium & Other Trace Elements

Choosing to feed your dog a complete canned dog food diet is definitely something you should research and discuss with your vet before beginning. Many dog professional suggest feeding both a dry dog food and canned food diet together to supplement each other. The important part is to make sure you are feeding quality dog food products and reading your dog food labels because feeding your dog healthy will ensure that they live a quality life and live a longer lifespan.

A few months ago I left the business world to pursue my passion of working with animals while trying to improve my health. To do this, I am using my 20+ years experience as a dog breeder and pet owner. I also worked for a well known veterinarian and national vet supply company for several years. I have a B.S. In Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Science and Ag Business and I worked in the Agriculture Business Industry for over twenty years. So if you are interested in the details of how the right dog food, dog care and just good old fashioned love and affection can help your dog live a healthier and longer life, please join us at:

http://www.love-your-dog-food.com

Spoil your dog at discount prices:

http://www.love-your-dog-food.com/canned-dog-food.html

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Dog Food Labeling & Dog Food Regulations

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Dog food labeling and dog food regulation requirements are probably not something that you think about on a regular basis but if you are a pet lover they are something you need to make a priority to familiarize yourself with. The unfortunate truth is that the rules and regulations that govern pet food have not been made to ensure that what your dog is eating is nutritious, safe and is accurately reflected on the labeling of the food.

The truth is that the rules often allow for manufacturers to lead consumers into false beliefs on what they are feeding their dogs. The problem lies in the labeling specifics. For example, if your product says “With Chicken Flavor” the flavor only needs to be detectable but there does not have to be any actual chicken meat present in the product. How about one that’s labeled “Beef Dinner”, this product only has to contain 25% Beef and even worse, a product that says “With Beef” only has to contain at least 3% beef!

So even though you are buying a product that you think is “With Beef” and in your mind that means it’s full of hearty beef, you better think again! What you need to be looking for are whole products such as beef, chicken, salmon or venison. If a product says “Salmon For Dogs”, then at least 95% of that product must be Salmon and/or 70% including the water.

It’s just too easy to be fooled into thinking you are purchasing a wholesome product for your dog. You need to be able to decipher the labeling on the products you are purchasing to ensure your dog is getting the nutrition you are intending them to get.

Currently the pet food industry is being monitored by three different agencies. These agencies each play a different role in trying to ensure pet food safety. **FDA Center Veterinary Medicine**

The FDA division for Veterinary Medicine of course deals with animals and one of their functions is to make sure that the ingredients that are used in pet food are safe. The ingredients in pet food must also serve a functional purpose such as nutrition, flavor or vitamins and minerals. Any additional substances such as preservatives or additives must be specifically approved before they can be added.

**Association of American Feed Control Officials**

  • AAFCO is not a government agency like the FDA, instead its members are made up of state and federal employees from various agencies and employees from pet food companies. They have additional rules and dog food label regulations on top of the FDA regulations for pet foods. However, dog fd. regulations vary from state to state and not all states agree to AAFCO regulations.
  • The AAFCO require dog fd. to obtain the AAFCO Nutritional Adequacy Statement in order for them to utilize the term “complete and balanced” on their packaging. It’s basically their way of guaranteed compliance for nutritional standards and statements and ingredients. If a dog fd. product acquires the AAFCO Nutritional Adequacy Statement, it has met the Nutritional Profile based on the laboratory testing or it has successfully passed a feeding trial on live dogs.

Currently there are only two specific Nutrient Profiles being used:

  • **Adult Maintenance
  • **Growth, Lactation and Reproduction

**Pet Food Institute**

  • The Pet Food Institute is the voice of the U.S. Pet food manufacturers. It handles the industry’s public education and media relations and a representative before the U.S. Congress and state and federal agencies. They organize informational seminars and educational programs and coordinate with other organizations. The PFI represents 98% of all dog and cat food manufacturers in the U.S.

**Please see resource box for links to these agencies

PFI dedicates itself to the following:

  • Promote overall care and well being of pets
  • Support initiatives to advance the quality of dog and cat food
  • Support research in pet nutrition and the important role of pets in our society
  • Informing and educating the public on pet proper feeding and pet care
  • Representing the pet food industry before Federal and State governments

Although these three separate agencies work diligently to protect the pet food industry, it’s important that you make an effort to learn to understand and read the label on your dog’s food. Because even though there are food label regulations in place, they are full of loopholes and allow for clever wording or lack of descriptions to be left out of your pet food labels.

To start with the FDA does set forth this set of rules on all dog food labeling:

  • The product must be identified as a dog fd.
  • The weight, volume or count of the dog fd.
  • Name and location of the manufacturer
  • Listing of all ingredients by their common name
  • Listing of all ingredients in descending order by weight

What’s Missing

With all of these agencies and rules and regulations in place I’m sure you are wondering why this doesn’t take care of the quality issues within the pet food industry. For starters, the AAFCO statements is only used on commercial pet foods. This means that anything produced under the “All Natural or Homemade” heading does not have to comply with this standard and cannot be compared.

Next, you should note that when they design these dog foods, they are just a base nutritional food. What I mean is, that they have not accounted for each dog’s individual needs in any way. For example, my dog Rodeo is a Border Collie and works cattle almost every weekend. He is an extremely active dog that requires high amounts of energy. This means he needs an excellent quality food with good protein and quality carbohydrates along with balanced fats, vitamins and minerals of course. This diet would not be suitable for a small dog that lazes around the house all day on the couch taking naps, living the pampered pup life.

The point is that an AAFCO Nutrient Profile only gives an average standard for the dog fd. manufactures to shoot for, so if they put the same average amount of protein, vitamins, minerals, fat etc. in each dog food, then how can that possibly be the best quality for your dog and your neighbor’s dog and his neighbor’s dog?

Now certainly there is no way the dog food industry could possibly make a food for each an every dog but making carbon copy foods is also not the answer. Obviously there still needs to be further changes to address the quality of the ingredients and not just the quantities of the dog food. The fillers and carbohydrates in dog fds. need to be addressed as they are generally responsible for over half of the make up of the dog fd. and yet hold little nutritional value for your dog. The other concern here is how the unknown ingredients affect your dog’s health and specifically their digestion.

The biggest idea to get across here, is that you really need to be reading those labels and if you feel strongly enough, make your voice heard. There is a definite need for new regulations and labeling laws. Write a letter, make a phone call – remember you speak for your dog!

With continued insistence from consumers the dog food industry is going to have to clean up their act and improve their pet food labeling and their products. For now, it’s up to you to take charge of your precious pup’s health and make that informed dog food brand decision and read those labels!

A few months ago I left the business world to pursue my passion of working with animals while trying to improve my health. To do this, I am using my 20+ years experience as a dog breeder and pet owner. I also worked for a well known veterinarian and national vet supply company for several years. I have a B.S. In Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Science and Ag Business and I worked in the Agriculture Business Industry for over twenty years. So if you are interested in the details of how the right dog food, dog care and just good old fashioned love and affection can help your dog live a healthier and longer life, please join us at:

I mentioned these agencies, you can find them at the link listed below.

FDA Center Veterinary Medicine
Association of American Feed Control Officials
Pet Food Institute

**You Can Find The Links To These Agencies Here Click Here.

For more information visit the link below:
http://www.love-your-dog-food.com/dogfoodbrands.html

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The Best Home Remedy for Dog Allergies

Friday, January 13th, 2012

The Best Home Remedy For Dog Allergies

What is the #1 Best Home Remedy For Dog Allergies?

The best home remedy for dog allergies is changing your dog’s dog food. This works the majority of the time if you know the few brands out there that don’t contain the offending ingredients. Unfortunately, it is difficult to cut through the misleading marketing hype to determine these quality foods. I am sad to report that they are the exception rather than the rule.

The Nasty Ingredients In Dog Food Cause Dog Allergies

Most commercial dog food is full of all kinds of nasty stuff that cause dog allergies. The ingredients can include diseased farm animals, rotten roadkill, euthanized animals from shelters and vet offices (including dogs), zoo animals that die from mysterious causes, traces of the tumors removed during surgery, surgical pins, metal ID tags, rotten meat from supermarkets, and up to 1/3 fecal matter. None of these disgusting ingredients are ever disclosed on the list of ingredients of course. With ingredients like these, it is no surprise that we have so many “itchy dogs.” The so called “premium dog foods” contain this nasty stuff too.

Cheap Fillers Like Wheat and Corn Cause Dog Allergies

Commercial dog food is also often full of cheap “filler” ingredients that cause allergies in many dogs. For example, wheat and corn are often included, especially as byproducts, and these commonly cause dog allergies. If you love your dog, please don’t think for one moment that the so called “premium” brands and most of the expensive brands won’t contain cheap fillers – they usually do. In fact, the brands most often sold in the vet offices, which you may think are the most premium of them all, often contain these cheap fillers that cause allergies. Ironic isn’t it?

Dog Food Labels Make It Difficult For Us To Avoid Feeding Our Dogs What They’re Allergic To

Dog food labels are incredibly confusing and misleading. Many dog owners don’t even know that they are giving their dog a food they are allergic to. In fact, many dog owners get fooled even after carefully reading the labels and making sure what they buy doesn’t contain the offending ingredient (or so they think)! Let’s say your dog is allergic to beef (the number one allergy in dogs). Now suppose you buy a can of dog food labeled as any of the following:

Chicken Dinner
Chicken Entree
Chicken Formula
Chicken Platter
Chicken Nuggets
Chicken and Rice Recipe
Chicken and Fish Formula

You probably would never guess that this can of dog food could still contain beef! In fact, it only has to legally contain up 25% chicken (and rice and fish in the last two examples). It can legally contain beef, dead giraffe from the zoo, euthanized dogs, etc, etc… Furthermore, if it contains beef, it may not even show up in the ingredients.

Luckily, there a few brands (very few) that don’t contain harmful ingredients, cheap fillers, and they don’t try to trick you on the label. Please visit my Dog Food Ingredients website ( http://dog-food-ingredients.blogspot.com ) and learn more about this.

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Recipes for Homemade Dog Food

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

It is understandable that responsible dog owners only want the best for their beloved pets. After the pet food recall that had happened, many pet owners are trying to learn how to make homemade dog food. They believe that by making their own homemade canine food they can help their pets avoid the potential harm that can result from the intake of contaminated commercial foods.

We cannot blame pet owners if they shun commercial dog foods away from the diet of their pets. In a way, they have made a wise decision. Recipes for homemade dog foods usually contain ingredients that are natural and are therefore safe. Apart from this, dogs can be given optimum vitamins and minerals since homemade pet foods can be cooked according to the vitamin and mineral requirement needed by the animal.

A variety of recipes for homemade canine foods can be found in the Internet. Dog owners can browse websites and see for themselves which recipe will be best for their pet. They can try cooking all these recipes or choose only those which fit their budget. However, before giving their pets any homemade foods, they should consult the veterinarian first and ask if the food they will be giving their pet will better give the animal the nutrients it needs. The veterinarian can give advice on the proper preparation of the homemade food. In addition, prior to shifting completely into homemade dog recipes, the owner must see to it that his canine friend is ready for the change in his diet. Abrupt dietary changes may result to problems of indigestion and upset stomach.

There are many ways of making homemade pet foods. Some of these ways may be costly but some can be very affordable. If you want a recipe that is friendly to your budget, try some of these following tips.

1. Look for the ingredient that is on sale in the market. For example, if a certain kind of meat is on sale in the market you can make your dog food from this meat. Mix and cook this meat with other ingredients and your dog food is ready to go.

2. Look first in your kitchen if there are available ingredients there that may be good for your homemade dog recipe. This way, you do not have to buy and shell out any money for your pet’s food. 

3. Use your left-over meat or rice for your homemade recipe. You can save a lot from this.

4. Buy ingredients in bulk. This way, you can save a few cents.

You only need to be creative to be able to make homemade dog food that will fit your budget. Recipes for homemade dog foods don’t need to be costly. There are ingredients that can be bought at a lesser price but can still give the daily nutrient requirement of your pet. You can also turn to your existing supply in the kitchen and make your pet food from what can be found there.

Melissa Simmonds is a pet lover. She has made several recipes for homemade dog food and made them for her dogs herself. Ever since she has learned how to make homemade dog food she has been feeding her dogs dog food that she had made herself.

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Natural Raw Dog Food Recipe – the Best for Your Dog

Monday, December 26th, 2011

A raw dog food recipe is the best thing for you to make for your canine when you want to provide them a natural diet. Many dog owners do not know about the great benefits that a natural diet can offer their pets or what kind of things should be included in a natural diet. This is where a good raw dog food recipe comes into play.

Canines are originally hunters by nature but they have been changed to be domestic animals. Since the dog no longer has any need to hunt for food because of the owners feeding them each day, the canine miss out on the raw meat they grew to enjoy. A raw dog food recipe can assist the owner in creating a meal for their canine that gives them the right amount of what they need without all the junk that goes into the typical store brand dog food.

It is essential that dogs get a raw dog food recipe to keep them healthy. In the wild, the hunt produces raw meat that is not cooked like the food is today. Cats can also be fed a raw diet as they come from the same background as the dogs in that they are natural predatory animals.

Ingredients included in a raw dog food recipe might be a raw meat of some kind, pureed vegetables, whole grains which have been cooked, oil, and others. The raw meat is usually form raw chicken or beef.
A raw dog food recipe gives large benefits to your animal. It helps to increase their energy level, a healthy running immune system and digestive tract, teeth and gums that are cleaner looking, skin and coats that appear healthier, and stools that move easier.

Your canine will love this new diet made from the natural things they need and have been deprived of for so long. It gives them a natural diet they can benefit from. By providing your canine with a natural raw dog food recipe each day, you are taking the additives, fillers, preservatives, and other harsh ingredients that could rob him of extra years.

You might not be knowing that most of the dog diseases are due to bad dog food. Prepare the best healthy dog food recipe for your dog. Dog Food Secrets is a guide that explains the healthy homemade dog food recipes with pictures. Check out Dog Food Secrets Review and don’t let your dog die young.

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Recipes for Home Cooked Dog Diets – What You Don’t Know Is Killing Your Dog

Sunday, December 25th, 2011

Recipes for home cooked dog diets may be the answer you are looking for to help remedy your dog’s nutritional health problems. Even if your dog currently isn’t experiencing any health problems, you can often give them a longer, happier life by preparing home cooked meals that provide the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Home cooked meals may sound like a hassle, but the large variety of ready-made, commercial dog foods available on the market today could be dramatically shortening the lifespan of your puppy.

When feeding your dog commercial dog foods, how do you know that the company producing the feed truly cares about your dog? In this day and age, it’s not always about the nutritional health of your dog. Instead, it becomes a matter of trying to make an extra buck to boost profits.

This often leads to the use of cheap, inferior ingredients that have little nutritional value. Plus, many dog foods are loaded with preservatives, additives, artificial colors, and filler ingredients that may actually be harmful to your dog. The premium brand dog foods that actually do provide a high quality product are often too expensive to purchase on a regular basis. When you opt for a cheaper food, you risk missing out on critical ingredients that promote good healthy joints, bones, teeth, and gums.

By using a variety of recipes for home cooked dog diets, you can ensure that your puppy or adult dog gets the right mixture of ingredients to provide proper nutrition. The cost is often cheaper too because your dog won’t have to eat as much to get the same nutritional value from the food. Improper nutrition can lead to all sorts of ailments such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache, seizures, poisoning, and worst of all, death. Is it worth the risk?

Recipes for home cooked dog diets also allow you to provide your dog with a large variety of different meals. There are hundreds of meals you can come up with easily and cheaply that your dog will absolutely love. Every dog has unique needs and providing your dog with a “all in one” commercial solution may not be the best idea.

Before you go to the store and pick up that next bag of dog food consider what’s really inside. There could be a large difference between what’s actually in the food versus what the commercial companies want you to believe is in the food. Just like your own health depends on the foods you decide to stick in your own body, so too does your dog’s.

Prepare your dog for a longer, happier life: Home Cooked Recipes

If you want to discover in one day over 100 healthy recipes for home cooked dog diets that will dramatically improve your dog’s overall health, then an excellent resource you should visit and bookmark right now is http://www.HomeCookedDogDiets.info

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This Is Why You Should Give Vegetarian Dog Food to Your Dog

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

There is a growing number of vegetarians today as people realize more and more of the benefits of eating less or completely getting rid of meat on their diet. Because of this, most of us begin to wonder if it will be a good idea to do the same with our pet dogs. But as we all know, dogs are born carnivorous. They may also eat vegetables and fruits but their bodies are meant to feed more on meat, aren’t they?

Because of this, many dog owners are quite hesitant about providing their dogs a purely vegetarian diet. They think that their pet would not be able to get all the nutrients that its body requires and thus cause illnesses or deficiencies. However, there are some dogs with specific health conditions like allergies that may need to eat vegetarian dog food.

Dogs are very much known as carnivores but they can also survive even without meat as long as they are provided with a balanced diet and possibly with supplement.

There are large numbers of dogs today which are allergic to pet foods with meat content, some have difficulty digesting protein rich foods making them good candidates for a vegetarian diet. Owners attest to the good benefits of this diet, some of them claim that their dogs became less prone to heart and kidney diseases. On the other hand, some owners say that it also has some drawbacks. This meat-free diet may lead to serious complications such as mineral, vitamin and protein deficiencies, weak immune system and limp bones. One thing more, dogs are very active creatures and so protein is a very essential part of their diet.

Although there are some dog owners who have provided this diet and have been successful, always keep in mind that what’s true to a sample may not be applicable to the whole. Your dog’s response may not be the same with theirs. Always look out for signs of imbalances or deficiencies. Monitor your dog’s adjustment to ensure that there are no problems to the diet switch. Indicators are allergies that may cause flaky dull coat, low energy level and difficulty in digesting. Also, feed your dogs with this gradually to allow your dog ample time to cope up.

Below are some ingredients you may include in your dog’s vegetarian dog food meal:

1. Vegetables
Give your dog green vegetables to boost his immune system. You may serve these raw or if you want to cook it, just heat it slightly to retain their nutrients. Always wash them thoroughly to get rid of bacteria.

2. Fruits
Fruits will provide your dog necessary vitamins and minerals and a whole lot of antioxidants. They also contain fibers much needed in proper digestion. However, be careful of some fruits that may not be too good for your acidic dog so consult the veterinarian first.

3. Grains
You may need to add grains as a source of starch on your dog’s diet to ensure a well-balanced diet. Brown rice is preferred especially for diabetic dogs.

4. Yogurt
If you want to totally get rid of meat then adding yogurt is a good idea as it will provide your dog the necessary protein and calcium he needs. It also contains prebiotics which are good for the tummy.

To learn more about what your dog should it go to my vegetarian dog food website at Homemade Dog Food Recipes.org

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