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Nutrition
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Written by Jolie Mitchel
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Plenty of advice on how to provide your dog with a healthy diet is
found in the dog food ads and on the cans and packages. Your vet,
family, friends and neighbors will add their own advice. Let's go to
the basics and see if we can't come up with some great home cooking
ideas for your pet.
When buying dog food you want a product that breaks down to a ratio of
40% meat, 50% vegetables, and 10% grain, or something close to that.
The meat component should be listed first and is commonly chicken,
beef, or lamb. If you buy a cheaper product that doesn't have these
ratios or ingredients you're not doing your pet any favor. Go after the
best quality you can afford and you'll have a happier companion as a
result.
Some pet owners are starting to also examine the preservatives used in
commercial dog food. BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin are common preservatives
that many consider toxic - ethoxyquin is even classified as a
pesticide. While the jury is out on the effect these small amounts of
preservatives have on the health of your dog, some owners are turning
to more natural alternatives and developing their own dog food recipes.
You can find a dog food recipe on the Internet, but the basic
ingredients and ratios should be the same as they are for commercial
food - 40% meat, 50% vegetables and 10% grain. Meat should be fully
cooked and free of bones. Popular grains are brown rice or cooked
oatmeal.
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!
Can you feed your dog a purely vegetarian diet? Most experts say that
you can, but dogs are carnivores and they really are in top form with
meat included in their diet. There's also the danger that your dog will
grow bored with a vegetarian diet and become a finicky eater.
If you don't feel up to standing over a hot stove to cook for Fido you
might check out your local health food store. Many have organic dog
foods in stock. The Internet is also a good source of organic or
holistic pet foods.
Proper diet then is of primary importance in ensuring your pet is happy
and healthy, Take the time to check labels for proper ratios of good
ingredients or make your own or, if that's too much work consult with
your vet or health food store to see what they recommend. Your best
friend will thank you.
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Jolie Mitchel |
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Dr. Rosenberg is the owner, CEO & Chief of Staff at Veterinary Cancer Group.
Kymythy Schultze has been a trailblazer in animal nutrition for over two decades.
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