Prepare Food for Dogs

We lead extremely busy lifestyles today, and the thought of preparing homemade dog food for our pets seems like a difficult and unachievable task. However preparing homemade dog food preparation is not a very difficult task and we can ensure that our dogs get good nutrition by following some simple dog food recipes. I’m sure, if given a choice, your dog will prefer holistic dog food instead of the stuff you pick up across the counter. This commercially purchased food not only consists of low quality proteins but also has agents that produce a high quantity of ammonia.

Dog food recipes include white chicken meat, dairy products that are low in fat. Eggs are very good for your dog as they provide good quality proteins and are also high in moisture.  One simple recipe includes making a mixture of rice, carrots and turkey that is ground to a fine paste. A combination of ground beef, rice (brown), carrots and brewer’s yeast will also be appreciated by your dog. Why not try baking your own biscuits at home. These can be refrigerated for later use. Simply mix well an egg, a tablespoon of brewer’s yeast, a one third cup of apple sauce, a cup of cooked brown rice, and mashed vegetables. Make small balls and place on a greased baking dish. Stick the tray in the oven and bake in an oven pre-heated at a temperature of 350 °F for about 10 to 13 minutes. Your dog is really going to love these biscuits.

Here’s another dog food recipe that your pet is going to enjoy. Simply boil a chicken breast for about thirty minutes and keep aside. Take four cups of water and add a cup of flour to it and beat well. Cook this mixture on a slow flame until it thickens. Make tiny pieces of the chicken and add to this gravy. You may also add an egg to make this gravy tastier. Serve your dog once this mixture cools. This recipe has to be prepared the same day you want to serve it, as it won’t freeze.

Preparing meals for your dog at home is a simple task and does not take too much time. It is important that you check with your vet before shifting to homemade dog food. Homemade dog food is not only more nutritious as compared to food bought off the shelf, but also works out cheaper.

Foods to Avoid Dogs

A dog is by nature a very curious and inquisitive animal that will eat practically anything that smells or seems interesting. This habit at most times results in their getting poisoned as most humans out of sheer ignorance end up feeding their dogs “human” foods which are toxic and unsuitable to dogs. This may not only cause long term or short term harm to the dog but may also be fatal. Certain common household human foods that are dangerous for dogs are onions, macadamia nuts, chocolates etc. The effects they have on the dog’s health may range from mild stomach upsets to severe repercussions to even cause emotional and behavioral disturbances in the dog. Some human foods may be toxic in nature on account of their chemical structure whereas others may become toxic dog foods because of incorrect cooking or storage.

Foods like grapes and raisins, as few as 4-5, are known to cause irreparable damage to dogs kidneys. Consumption of chocolate, especially dark chocolate by the dog may result in symptoms like seizures, tremors, and increase in heart rate depending on the quantity consumed. This is triggered by a component called Theobromine. Onions and garlic on the other hand directly affects the red blood cells in the dog which in turn affects the flow of oxygen to the dog’s vital organs. Hence onions which may be present in pizza, baby food or Chinese dishes can easily become a toxic dog food. Even a small amount of alcohol is known to result in coma or even death in dogs and is hence considered as a poisonous dog food. Hence make sure that all cans or bottles of alcohol are kept well out of the dogs reach Chicken or other bones, even if cooked can be harmful to dogs when consumed as they may splinter and either tear or block the intestine and overall digestive system of the dog. Macadamia nuts are another human food that is extremely dangerous to dogs. There are more foods such as potatoes, yeast, coffee, artificial sweeteners, corn cobs etc that are also termed as toxic dog foods.

Although the kitchen may come across an exciting playground for your dog, their exposure via treats or accidentally finding human foods and table scraps has to be minimized and completely stopped so as to avoid the pitfalls of toxicity and obesity. Teach kids about which foods are not meant for dogs and specifically mention that they are bad dog foods as this is a term that children can easily understand.

Cat Foods for Dogs

It is not uncommon for pet owners to have both cats and dogs. While there are many things that can be used commonly for both dogs and cats, food is not one of them. In most of the cases, pet owners interchange feeds for dogs and cats, which is a very harmful practice and could cause malnutrition and other health disorders for both of the animals.

It is known that cats are often finicky about their food and would turn their noses up at something that they do not enjoy. Dogs, however, would eat anything that you give them because they really enjoy their meals. If you feed your cats and dogs together, you would not really find it surprising to see that your dogs have consumed the cat food that your cats did not eat.

Cat foods essentially contain higher protein content and higher caloric count. Dogs enjoy both of these and would simply eat all of the cat food that you have lying around the house. While eating cat food in small amounts is not very detrimental to your dog’s health, in the long run, consuming cat food can cause health problems.

If your dog is consuming cat food on a regular basis, it has severe consequences and the symptoms manifest as diarrhea, vomiting, and other stomach troubles. This is because cats and dogs have different constitution and therefore, different nutritional needs. While cats are purely carnivorous, dogs, like humans, are omnivores. The food that is meant for cats is not good for a dog’s metabolism. In fact, cat food can make a dog obese. A dog that is consuming cat food on a regular basis will continue to gain weight and may also develop chronic conditions of the heart. The dog will also almost certainly miss out on nutrients meant for it. This is because cat food consists of only animal content and does not include any vegetarian nutrients.

This problem is not only limited to dogs. Though cats are known to be finicky eaters, often you will find a cat that is interested in dog food and actually even relishes it. Cat foods consist of high levels of taurine, which is essential for the cat’s metabolism. This is missing in the dog’s food. Dogs cannot essentially metabolize taurine and therefore, feeding on cat food can lead to large deposits of taurine in the body. Cats on the other hand, when deprived of taurine, can develop heart problems and other health issues that may become serious.

Dog treats are an invaluable resource for showing your affection and appreciation for your dog. However, if your dog treats are moist or are not packaged properly, their shelf life is very short and they often get spoilt. These dog treats can be used during the training of your dog or for restraining your dog. Most pet owners use dog treats as a reward for good behavior so that the behavior is reinforced. Taking in account the importance of dog treats, it becomes important to keep them handy.
Dehydrated dog treats are great for your dogs. They have a better shelf life and don’t spoil that easily. There are a number of ways that you can create your own dehydrated dog treats. While it is always more convenient to buy the commercially available dog treats, making them at home ensures that your dog is getting the best quality foods. With commercial foods, there is no guarantee on quality and pet owners should be wary of them.

When you dehydrate dog treats, these can be preserved for a longer time. Cooking has always been used to improve the shelf life of various foods. The process of cooking helps evaporate the moisture from foods, allowing them to stay fresh for a longer period of time. When you cook your dog’s treats, you dehydrate the treats, kill the bacteria that may be present, improve and enhance both color and texture, and impart better flavor to the treats.

While you are cooking the treats, you can also add tocopherol and vitamin E, both of which are natural preservatives. In the case of dog food treats, there is little else that you can do other than to cook your treats. Simply baking dog biscuits till they are done, as with other baked foods, would prove to be inadequate as there is still a lot of excessive moisture present in the treat.

You can also make some homemade food, using vegetables, rice and meat, and bake them together to form hard, cooked slabs. Cut these slabs into small pieces and then use them as dog treats.

Using a convection oven and a good amount of baking soda or yeast ensures that you have a crunchy and healthy treat for your dog. You can knead your ingredients into a soft dough and then bake the dough in your convection oven. These treats can be stored for a long time and are both healthy and tasty—the perfect reward for your canine companion.

How to Boost, Increase Dog Immune System

Boosting dog’s immune system is very important for its well being. This vital system continuously protects the body against viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Boosting a dog’s immune system helps to kill virus and bacteria and remove toxins from the body. Improper functioning of the immune system in a dog leads to certain problems such as chronic  or acute, eczema, yeast infections, demodectic mange, arthritis, food allergies, ear infections, fertility disorders, or slow healing of wounds.

There are many reasons for low immunity in dogs such as stress, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise, auto immune diseases, and most important of all, poor diet. The most prominent reason for immune deficiency is improper nutrition. Research on dogs has proved that nutritional deficiencies in dogs can affect the next generation’s immune system even if the next generation of dogs is well nourished. Here are some tips to boost your dog’s immunity:

•    Stabilized levels of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements are necessary to your dog’s immunity to fight parasites, fungi, viruses, and bacteria.

•    A dog’s digestive system is designed for raw food, which enhances the immune system. Avoid commercialized dog food as it decreases the immunity due to its contents of over processed food mixed with chemicals. Prepare food at home containing all the vitamins and minerals.

•    To satisfy the total nutrient requirements for your dog, you can use good quality nutrient supplements to your dog’s food such as folic acid, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, magnesium, iodine, potassium and biotin. Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, antiviral, and toxin fighter, is a very important immune booster. Omega fatty acid is another very important dog nutritional supplement for boosting your dog’s immune system; it makes food digestion more efficient.

•    Natural or herbal nutrient supplements are the best immune boosters in dogs; they allow the body to fight against the infections naturally, without any side effects. The important natural or herbal nutrients are astragals, mistletoe, echinacea, Indian ginseng, milk thistle, and cat’s claw.

• Astragalus maintains the blood sugar levels and enhances appetite.
• Mistletoe is used to treat circulatory and respiratory problems.
• Echinacea maintains the blood pressure and boosts immunity.
• Indian ginseng strengthens the immunity.
• Milk thistle is a liver tonic. It cleans the toxicity.
• Neem extracts increase the production of T cells, thereby enhancing immunity levels.

•    Give your dog a fresh, clean bowl of filtered water frequently. This helps flush the toxins out from the dog’s body, which is important for the proper functioning of all the organs, including the heart and brain.

•    Exercise your dog daily to relieve stress.

Boosting a dog’s immune system is very important for its well being. This vital system continuously protects the body against viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Boosting a dog’s immune system helps to kill virus and bacteria and remove toxins from the body. Improper functioning of the immune system in a dog leads to certain problems such as chronic or acute, eczema, yeast infections, demodectic mange, arthritis, food allergies, ear infections, fertility disorders, or slow healing of wounds.

There are many reasons for low immunity in dogs such as stress, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise, auto immune diseases, and most important of all , poor diet. The most prominent reason for immune deficiency is improper nutrition. Research on dogs has proved that nutritional deficiencies in dogs can affect the next generation’s immune system even if the next generation of dogs is well nourished. Here are some tips to boost your dog’s immunity:

• Stabilized levels of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements are necessary to your dog’s immunity to fight parasites, fungi, viruses, and bacteria.

• A dog’s digestive system is designed for raw food, which enhances the immune system. Avoid commercialized dog food as it decreases the immunity due to its contents of over processed food mixed with chemicals. Prepare food at home containing all the vitamins and minerals.

• To satisfy the total nutrient requirements for your dog, you can use good quality nutrient supplements to your dog’s food such as folic acid, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, magnesium, iodine, potassium and biotin. Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, antiviral, and toxin fighter, is a very important immune booster. Omega fatty acid is another very important nutrient supplement for boosting your dog’s immune system; it makes food digestion more efficient.

• Natural or herbal nutrient supplements are the best immune boosters in dogs; they allow the body to fight against the infections naturally, without any side effects. The important natural or herbal nutrients are astragals, mistletoe, echinacea, Indian ginseng, milk thistle, and cat’s claw.
? Astragalus maintains the blood sugar levels and enhances appetite.
? Mistletoe is used to treat circulatory and respiratory problems.
? Echinacea maintains the blood pressure and boosts immunity.
? Indian ginseng strengthens the immunity.
? Milk thistle is a liver tonic. It cleans the toxicity.
? Neem extracts increase the production of T cells, thereby enhancing immunity levels.

• Give your dog a fresh, clean bowl of filtered water frequently. This helps flush the toxins out from the dog’s body, which is important for the proper functioning of all the organs, including the heart and brain.

• Exercise your dog daily to relieve stress.

Homemade Canine Diet:

Making dog food at home is something that is gaining increasing popularity with pet owners. This is because of some of the criticisms of dog food that is created industrially as being too low on the nutritional charts and for having food additives that are toxic to dogs. Another reason is the growing movement towards a more wild diet that is believed, by proponents, to be the real natural dog diet. Whichever side of the debate one decides to be on, the fact of the matter is that there is a great deal that one needs to understand about canine nutrition before one ventures into feeding a dog naturally.

One of the biggest mistakes that people tend to make is in believing that what is good for humans must be good for dogs as well – albeit with the exclusion of some of the plant portions of the human diet. To a large extent this is correct because of the course of thousands of years of evolution, dogs have developed a digestive tract that is specialized in only eating meat. In fact, eating plant material is of no use to a dog as it will pass right through the digestive tract. This is because plant material requires time and the action of bacteria to be broken down. Having state the difference in digestion, there are some things that one needs to understand about even feeding meat to a dog. All mammals require the essential nutrients of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, and water but dogs require a very different formulation of these essential elements. A dog in the wild would be completely used to a purely protein based diet. Whatever fat and carbohydrates are ingested are a result of eating meat and from the conversion of protein into sugars and glycogen.

Bearing this in mind, you should be feeding your dog fresh meat. The reason for fresh meat is that it is particularly difficult to store meat without losing taste and nutrients. Apart from this, methods like mashing up and baking to make homemade kibble would be fruitless without the use of additives and preservatives. These are not very good for the dog anyway. For dogs that are obese, boiling meat as a preparation to remove fat or cutting away fat from meat is a good practice. Some fiber is allowed and good for the dog and can be achieved by a few bran biscuits in the course of a day.

Vegan Dog Food:

Vegetarian dog food has been something of a contentious topic among pet nutritionists worldwide. The nutritionists have a killer argument in the fact that vegetarianism is not something that dogs are naturally disposed towards and their digestive systems have evolved in a completely different way compared to humans. This basically means that a vegetarian diet is actually bad for a naturally carnivorous animal. In addition, the entire concept of vegetarianism is one of human concoction and something that is actually quite wrong to impose upon one’s pets. The fact of the matter is that a vegetarian diet is something that is actually quite bad for a dog.

The fundamental problem lies in the biology of the digestive tracts of carnivores. Herbivores are built with elaborate digestive systems and many stomachs in some cases to break down really tough plant material. They also have specialized bacteria in their intestines to break down polysaccharides like cellulose. When it comes to omnivores like humans, the digestive system is shorter and looks quite a bit like a carnivores but the stomach bacteria still exist to ensure that complex plant material can be broken down. Humans can live off a completely meat diet but we do need vegetable matter for some essential nutrients and too much meat in our diets can have some adverse effects on the intestines and other organ systems. Dogs, on the other end of the spectrum, are completely specialized to eating pure meat always.

The final verdict is that if a vegetarian diet is something that you do insist on for your dog, go for dog food instead of trying to feed your dog a salad, which really won’t go down well with your dog. Most vegetarian dog food brands are specially designed and supplemented with some of the nutrients that a dog cannot get from a plant diet. Note that most of the time, this is the same case with humans as well, as high concentrations of some types of nutrients like creatine, vitamin B, and choline are not very highly available in plant material and to make up for this, vegetarians would have to indulge in dairy and eggs. In dogs, this strategy can be used but some breeds of dogs can only tolerate milk products for a certain period of time in their lives and after that lose the ability to digest dairy products – a problem in some races of humans as well.

Unhealthy Dog Food:

Taking care of a dog is an extremely important responsibility for a dog owner. Dogs shower us with love and attention, and become close companions to us. It is therefore only natural to feel attached to them and want whatever is the best for them.

The choice of dog food is one of the biggest challenges that a pet owner could face. It is not always easy for a pet owner to decide what kinds of food should be given to the pet. Many prefer giving their dogs homemade food. However, not everyone can give their pets homemade food. Many people just don’t have the time to make food for their dogs; therefore, they have to rely heavily on commercially available food.

In the recent past, there have been many controversies regarding commercially made food. It has been noted that the commercially available packaged food for dogs used low quality material. There is evidence of extremely harmful chemicals being used in this type of food. These chemicals can cause various ailments when ingested.

For a long time, nutritionists have debated over canned food versus organic food. It has been found that canned and preserved food cannot replace the nutritional value of fresh organic food. There are various health reasons due to which consumption of canned food is not recommended. The same rule applies to our pets. The moist canned food which are packaged and kept for many days before being fed to dogs contain added flavors and preservatives that are often harmful. These chemicals are usually added to preserve the food, add flavor, and to increase palatability of the food.

When quality is considered, it has been found that dried processed food is even lower in quality than the moist canned food. While canning in itself is a preserving process, canned food contains much less chemicals in the form of preservatives. However, the dried food is packed in plastic cartons and packages which may not be best suited for prolonging its shelf life. To preserve the food, lots of chemical preservatives are added to it.

Sometimes the ingredients themselves are not very healthy. Some of the indigestible by products produced in the meat and poultry industry are processed and used in the dog food. A lot of times, the disease carcasses of animals are also processed into the dried dog food. The bacteria, if present in these diseased animals, could be carried into the dog food. The manufacturing process and the subsequent packaging process also destroys nutrition.

Best Dog Food:

Once you get a dog, the next most important thing is to decide on the kind of food that you need to give your dog. Choosing the kind of food that you feed your dog is an extremely important decision since the kind of nutrition the dog receives is closely connected to the overall health and the behavior of the dog.

These days, choosing the right kind of food for your dog is especially important because of the multitude of commercially made dog foods available in the market. It has recently come to light that many of the producers of dog food use low quality raw material. It has also been found that instead of the nutritionally balanced meals that most of these manufacturers and marketers promise, the commercially produced merchandise contains high levels of chemicals and preservatives.

Commercially available dog food typically portrays it as natural, wholesome, organic, holistic and healthy. A dog does not require very complex food. To ensure the longevity and the vitality of your pet dog, it is essential that your dog gets food which is in fact healthy.

Here are some of the commonly available dog food types that you can choose from.

• Commercial dog food: This is the commercially made, packaged food that is available in the market. This kind of food is available in stores and with veterinarians. There are several forms in which this food is available. There are dry, semi-dry and wet kinds of processed food. However, recent reports have shown that commercially available dog food is not very healthy.
• Raw dog food: This is food that is pre packaged, but hundred percent natural. It consists of raw meat and other raw food which are suitable for consumption by dogs.
• Homemade food for dog: This type of dog food is made completely at home. There are several recipes for home-made dog food. You can discuss these recipes with your vet. Your vet may also suggest the types of food that you can feed your dog. Since you are making the food at home, using fresh ingredients and avoiding any chemicals, it will be completely natural and healthy. You can also periodically change the kind of ingredients you use so that your dog has variety in its meals.

The type of food that you want to feed your dog depends entirely on you. However, be careful while choosing your dog’s food because your pet’s health depends on it.