People today are becoming more health conscious. You may be more concerned about what you eat, and you may also worry about what you are feeding your dog. If you have ever compared dog food brands and realized how the food you feed your dog rates, you may have then wanted to begin feeding your dog a healthier alternative, suck as an all natural or organic dog food.
Dogs need many of the same things that we do, in order to be healthy. Foods that are healthy for people are often also healthy for our dogs. Just like us, our dogs require a diet based on healthy, lean protein such as lean beef or chicken, and especially organ meats. The Western Veterinary Conference, at it’s 1994 meeting, confirmed that dogs also require many of the same vitamins that people do, such as vitamin E and C, as well as antioxidants to eliminate cancer causing free radicals from their bodies.
Our diets often rely heavily on unhealthy processed foods, that are preserved with dangerous chemicals, and many dog foods also contain the same problem ingredients. You can avoid this by purchasing all natural, organic foods for your dog. You should be sure to always check the label on the bag of dog food that you intend to purchase and evaluate it. You want your dog to eat a healthy, balanced diet, but you will realize after comparing several brands of commercial dog foods, that it can be extremely challenging to find just what you are looking for in a bag.
The most simple solution is to offer your dog a serving of the healthy dinners you serve to your family. If you are eating healthy, there is no reason that your dog can’t eat what you eat. For the dog that doesn’t like vegetables, or other healthy ingredients, try mixing them in with meat first. This works for dogs just like it does for a child. Some parents will run vegetables through the blender and then mix them into their meat loaf before cooking, so that the child never knows he is being served a healthy, balanced meal. It is easy to hide vegetables, just like this, for your dog to ensure that your best friend is getting a complete, wholesome meal.
It will be easy for you to know you are giving your dog everything he needs in his diet if you follow this simple break down. Two thirds of your dog’s meal should be made up of healthy, meaty proteins, such as lean beef and chicken. The remaining one third should contain equal parts of vegetables and starches (rice or pasta.)
How much should you feed your dog? Start by filling your pet’s bowl to the same level you have in the past. Observe your dog’s behavior after eating. If he seems hungry, you may want to increase the amount slightly. Observe your dog’s weight over the first few weeks. It is normal for a dog on a healthy diet to lose a few pounds, but you don’t want too much weight to come off too quickly. Adjust as you need to.
Now is the time to make the switch to a healthier diet for your dog. Think about all the horrific stories in the news, over the last few years, of dogs who have tragically been killed or made terrible ill by commercial pet foods. You don’t want to become one of those grieving pet owners.
Most of us know by now, how unhealthy our own diets can be, especially when we are consuming processed foods, and more and more pet owners are becoming more conscious of how healthy their dog’s diets are. Dogs should be a member of the family, and thus should be loved, cared for, and kept healthy. In order to do this, take a look at the label on your bag of dog food and question “how does it compare?” This should leave you striving to provide a healthier, more natural diet for your dog.
