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Have you ever made the assumption that because a product is on the market it is safe? This unfortunately is not true. There are lawsuits before the courts on a weekly basis because of some of the poor quality things that are on the market. My husband had a very bad experience with a poor product that almost cost him the life of his dog.

About seven months prior to our marriage my husband bought a black lab puppy. My husband is a duck hunter and he was raised in a family that always owned a lab. The puppy was very smart and so his training went quite smoothly. We did not have very much money when we were first married and we were saving for a home. We were always looking for ways to save money. When the puppy got to be a year old we switched it from puppy chow to adult dog food. We were feeding him food that we bought from a large farm supplier. When the dog was about eighteen months old we noticed that his coat was getting very thin. When we would pet him there were clumps of hair that would fall out. He seemed to have no energy. We took him to the vet. The vet’s first question is what have you been feeding the dog. We told him the name of the food and where we were buying it. We found out that our dog was starving. The food we were feeding him was mostly fillers. He was not getting the nutrients needed to maintain a healthy coat or to sustain activity. We felt awful. The vet suggested buying science diet dog food to help get him back on track. The vet explained to us that the science diet dog food might seem expensive; however it is so concentrated with protein and nutrients that you only feed the dog a small amount.

We bought a bag of the science diet dog food from the vet and took the dog home. Within two weeks the dog was filled with energy and you could see that his coat was getting its sheen back. We also noticed that we had much smaller feces to up. When he had been eating the cheap filler food he would have large piles of feces. We went to the farm supplier and told them our experience with using the dog food that they were selling. They told us that the ingredients are listed on the bag as well as the percentages based on weight. They told us that the percentages meet the minimum requirements of the food and drug administration. We could not believe that they could have something on the market that will starve a dog no matter how much was fed to it. We have tried to spread the word as much as possible to let people know the importance of feeding high quality food to their animals such as science diet dog food.

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The quality of food eaten by both humans and dogs affects their everyday lives and has long-term benefits to their health. A holistic dog food regime will ensure a dog receives a balanced nutritional mix of high quality ingredients.

Holistic dog food recipes are designed to include a blend of ingredients including bones, meat, vegetables and supplements to meet a dog’s nutritional needs. When you think about it, isn’t this the type of diet dogs consumed before humans, tinned food and supermarkets began to control their lives?

Nearly all commercially manufactured dog foods contain fillers, and artificial flavors and colors. The meat component is often poor quality and of dubious origin. Pet food recalls evidence that the filler components are easily tainted.

Before dramatically changing a dog’s diet to a more holistic dog food diet, it is recommended that pet owners consult with their veterinarian to ensure what supplements, if any, will be required to benefit the pet. The type of supplements could vary according to the dog’s breed, age and weight.

There is a huge range of holistic dog food recipes available on the internet, and applying variations of them is easy. It is not necessarily a more expensive option to commercially made dog food, and cooking up a supply and freezing it in portions is often the most economical system used.

By making your own dog food you can be sure of the ingredients, and modify them to suit your dog’s changing needs. Supplementing with natural ingredients can assist with canine health issues like shedding, fleas and halitosis. Indeed by consuming holistic dog food, a dog will avoid having any of these conditions at all.

Dogs who suffer from health problems like allergies that cause itching and rashes will often benefit from home made dog food, which by its very nature will not contain any preservatives – a common cause of allergies.

Apart from the health benefit to dogs, their owners can also benefit in a variety of ways from giving their dog a natural diet. Firstly, they will notice a reduction in flatulence from their pet (yes please!), and they will no longer have to haul all of those tins of dog food home from the supermarket (yes again!).

Most dogs with DM will require insulin injections, but research into management through diet is continuing. Most vets recommend that diabetic dog food contains a higher soluble fiber content that commercially available dog food. It is generally believed that soluble fiber affects the digestive system by slowing the absorption rate of glucose.

If the diabetic dog is obese, it will require a diet even more specialized because it is important for the diabetic dog to lose excess weight gradually. Veterinarians will be best equipped to advise on the best diabetic dog food for individual pets as this will vary according to age, breed, size, and other health issues that may be present.

Often home cooking is not recommended for diabetic pets, but in consultation with your vet, it is possible to prepare meals at home for dogs with this condition. The main thing is to keep the food well balanced, healthy and consistent at each meal to maintain a stable glucose level.

For those contemplating home cooking for their diabetic dog, the basic recipe is 50% complex carbohydrates, 25% vegetables, and 25% protein (chicken, lean beef or fish). For a large dog, a sample recipe would be:

6 pounds of chicken
4 cups of uncooked brown rice
3 cups of carrots
2 cups of chopped celery
10 ounces of fresh spinach
3 cloves of crushed garlic
3 cups of rye
80 ounces of chicken stock
80 ounces of water

Simmer the chicken and garlic in the stock for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and add the rye to the liquid and simmer for 40 minutes before adding the rice and simmering for a further 15 minutes. Combine the rye and rice mixture with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. You do not need to cook the vegetables as the heat from the rye/rice mixture will soften them enough.

Follow your vets directions as to how much to give your dog at each serve, but 3 feeds per day is best for diabetic dogs.

Many of the commercially available high-quality dog foods are able to be consumed by diabetic dogs. Maintaining the consistency of timing of meals and serving size is the key. As well, several manufacturer’s of premium dog foods, for instance Purina and Eukanuba make prescription diets.

More and more dog owners have realised that there are many alternatives to buying commercially prepared dog foods. They are taking the time to investigate how to provide their pet with natural dog health food, as a way of keeping him healthy and full of life.

Following the pet food recalls in the US, it was revealed just what ingredients some rendering plants are sending to dog food manufacturers. Pet lovers were justifiably horrified to learn that euthanized pets were included in the list, along with hide, feet, hooves, beaks, feathers and blood.

These ingredients are then bulked up with fillers, usually grains, which are difficult for dogs to digest, and lack the vitamins and minerals needed by healthy dogs.

By preparing their own natural dog health food, owners believe they are giving their much-loved pet the best possible diet. And provided they consult with their veterinarian regarding the composition of the diet, they are probably correct. The vet will advise on the right ratio of meat protein, vegetables and carbohydrates, for your particular dog. They are also the best people to advise if any supplements are needed by your pet for any health issues it may have.

Fresh vegetables are key ingredients in a natural dog health food diet, and should comprise 25% of each meal, as they provide antioxidants and vitamins. Garlic is great to add as well because dogs love it, and it is excellent for keeping fleas at bay.

The most popular carbohydrates are potatoes and rice.

Choose fresh lean meat as the basic protein source for your dogs new diet. Just about any meat will do – beef, lamb, chicken, turkey or fish. Port is perhaps best avoided as it can contain parasites that attach to the dogs intestinal walls.

A dramatic change in your dog’s diet to natural dog health food is a big change, so don’t be surprised if he resists initially. Many people find it easier gradually introduce the new food with food that the dog is used to, increasing the ratio day by day.

It is a good idea to cook up the dog’s food in bulk and sore it in meal-sized portions in the refrigerator, or the freezer if a large quantity has been prepared.

Pet owners report that having full knowledge of what their dog is eating helps them manage conditions like overweight much better, and they believe their dogs coats are shinier, they have less allergies and they are more alert.

The best way to determine what is right for your dog is to initially consult with your veterinarian. He or she will advise you on the correct proportion of meat, carbohydrates and vegetables, how many times a day to feed your dog – depending on its age and health issues, and what supplements may be required for your dog’s particular needs.

By simple virtue of the fact that they are massed produced, there is just no way commercial dog foods can compete with a diet designed specifically for your dog.

A natural dog food recipe will contain fresh meat, fresh or frozen vegetables and carbohydrates. It will not contain the fillers, feathers, beaks, hooves and other dubious extras that commercial products can contain. Nor will it contain artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

The proportion of meat, carbohydrate and protein will vary, but as a rule of thumb it will be 40/30/30 or 50/25/25.

Any type of lean mean is acceptable, whether it be beef, chicken, turkey or fish, and once you find one that your dog likes, there is no need to vary it. Buying what is seasonal or on special is the most economical way to go.

Most people who prepare from a natural dog food recipe will buy and cook in bulk and then freeze the mixture in meal size portions. Flatten out the portions so that they store better, taking up less room in the refrigerator or freezer.

For a large dog, your recipe would look something like this – substitute the type of meat preferred and what vegetables in season, but maintain the type, e.g. only substitute green vegetables with other green vegetables.

6 pounds of lean beef
4 cups of uncooked rice
3 cups of carrot
2 cups of chopped broccoli
2 cups of chopped celery
3 cups of rye
10 ounces of spinach or bok choy
80 ounces of beef stock
80 ounces of water
Simmer the beef, stock, and water for 20 minutes. Remove the beef, and add rye to the liquid. Simmer for approximately 40 minutes before adding the rice and simmering for a further 15 minutes. Combine all the ingredients, including the vegetables, and mix well. The heat from the mixture will soften the vegetables.

If your dog is reluctant to eat his new meals, try adding a little to his regular food and increase the amount you add until he is taking the full natural dog food recipe.