Many pet owners want the best for their animals, in particular the kind of food that they are being fed. They search for healthy foods for their pets put it can often be confusing or impossible to determine the good from the bad. More people are providing home cooked dog food for their pets, rather than use commercial foods, especially after the recent rash of recalled commercial dog food stories in the papers and on television.
Although not all dog foods are bad, some commercially available dog food can contain some rather undesirable ingredients, such as artificial colors and fillers. But you can ensure that your pet never eats these types of ingredients and that he is getting all of the nutrition he needs by cooking your own dog food at home. Your home cooked dog food will contain only the ingredients youve selected to put into it, so you can be sure that your dog is getting only quality, human grade meat, vegetables and grains.
Just as people eat pre-cooked meals for convenience sake, so too they see it as convenient to use commercial dog food to feed their pets. But at one time, a dog's entire diet consisted of scraps from the family's table or in some cases specifically made food for the dog. Although feeding your dogs scraps is not a healthy option, you would be surprised how easy it is to prepare home cooked dog food that is nutritionally well balanced if you follow specially formulated recipes.
You can cook for your dog at the same time you cook for your family, if you so choose. There isn't any danger if you use the same dishes and cooking utensils, because home cooked dog food uses the same ingredients you will find in the food you prepare for your family. It's possible to cook larger batches and freeze any extra, which makes the amount of actual cooking you need to do less frequent.
Preparing food for your dog requires more than just cooking and putting it into a bowl. You should consult with your vet to be sure the animal is getting the proper dietary and nutritional needs for its size and breed. The vet may also be able to guide you as to which vitamins or supplements to add to your home cooked dog food.
It makes sense to start cooking home made dog food. If you follow formulated recipes you can provide well balanced meals for your pet. You will know the quality of the ingredients that go into the food (which is often impossible with commercial foods). Your pet will be happier and healthier with more vitality. Once you get into the routine, you will find it is actually not a big hassle on your time or finances for a noticeable improvement of your dog's energy level.
You may enjoy cooking for your dog; not only are there are a fair number of home cooked dog food recipes on the market — some people even consider it a hobby! Why not try making some home cooked treats? Your dog will love it and you will love knowing that he is getting fresh and nutritious food.
