Dry Dog Food Recipes: Better than Commercial Dog Food?
If you have a dog, you are probably aware of the 2007 dog food recall. That incident made many pet owners question the safety of commercial dog food, particularly dry dog food. If you want to be really sure about what goes into your dog's food, you should make it yourself.
You can follow a dry dog food recipe if you want food that is convenient to give your dog and keeps longer in storage. Homemade dry dog food is better than commercial dry dog food because it doesn't contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives. However, is dry dog food made at home nutritious?
Generally, a dry dog food recipe will be grain-based and consist of ingredients like powdered milk, whole wheat flour, oats, wheat germ, soy flour, egg, and yeast. There are some protein sources in this dry dog food recipe but the bulk of it consists of carbohydrates.
Your dog needs a lot of carbohydrates but too much is not good either. For an optimum diet, give your dog dry food from a dry dog food recipe along with some meat. Dry food alone will not provide your dog with enough protein. You should make small quantities of dry food when following a dry dog food recipe to ensure freshness.
If you are too lazy to use a dry dog food recipe and make your own dog food at home, you can give your dog all natural commercial dry food. You can find some at natural food stores, veterinary offices, or feed stores. Look for dry foods that are free of preservatives and that come in vacuum-sealed packages. Look at the ingredients to make sure that they are truly natural.
The Optimal Dog Diet
Although dry dog food is convenient, you are better off giving your dog home cooked food to provide him with an optimal diet. You can make doggie treats at home that are grain-based and save them for special occasions. You can also follow dry dog food recipes and use them as a supplement to a meat-based diet.
The best homemade dog food should consist of raw or lightly cooked meat, some carbohydrates, and some fruits and vegetables. You can also supplement your dog's diet with a multi-vitamin multi-mineral. Don't rely on dry food alone if you want your dog to thrive.
In conclusion, following a dry dog food recipe is a good idea if you want to provide your dog with some healthy, preservative-free carbohydrates. However, don't rely solely on dry food to feed your dog. Even though it's convenient, you need to make sure your dog's diet is balanced by providing him with enough protein from meat and vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables.
