We Aren’t The Only People That Have Converted To Making Homemade Dog Food And Are Loving The Results Check Out The Links Below For More Homemade Dog Food Recipes Your Pup Will Love
Homemade Dog Food Recipe from College Housewife || Elizabeth’s sweet dog Rascal suffered from all sorts of health issues which led them to having him allergy tested. Turns out Rascal was allergic to all sorts of things – even beef! So, Elizabeth developed a homemade dog food recipe that is just perfect for Rascal’s sensitive belly that is filled with ground turkey, sweet potatoes, carrots, and zucchini squash and macaroni noodles!
DIY Homemade Dog Food from Damn Delicious||Chungah’s dog Butter’s battle with stomach issues led her to start making dog food at home. This recipe is easy to make and super good for your pups too! It combines a delicious blend of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains and is made of ingredients like ground chicken, brown rice, shredded zucchini, spinach, carrots, and peas.
Can You Feed Your Dog One Food For Life
Busy pet parents or those with multiple dogs often ask if they can set and forget with an all life stages dog food. While some dog foods target prevalent health conditions in dogs, the convenience of an all-rounder may do the trick for healthy pets.
We asked Dr. Brookshire for her thoughts:
Any complete and balanced diet with a great blend of ingredients can be fed for a lifetime. Signs that a food is working great for your pup include bright eyes, shiny coat and a firm but not hard stool.
So there you have it, you can feed your dog one food for life. But that doesnt mean you can feed them just anything. Make sure youre giving your dog the best by providing them with food that packs nutrition as a priority.
With a recipe formulated in collaboration with expert veterinarians, Canidae All Life Stages meets the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages including growth of large size dogs .
These ultra nutritionally dense formulas mean you can feed less and get more. Whats more, every bite has been precisely fortified with HealthPLUS Solutions® guaranteeing carefully balanced nutrients, antioxidants and probiotics to support your dogs immune system. Canidae All Life Stages is a premium dog food, crafted for multi-dog homes.
Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food
Image courtesy Merrick
Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food is a delicious and nutritious meal that your dog will love. The first ingredient in this food is real chicken, which ensures its nutritional value.
This food also includes whole grains, vegetables, and fruit to provide your dog with a well-rounded diet. The Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food is devoid of synthetic colors, flavors, and preservatives.
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How Do I Choose Which Brand To Feed My Dog
While we know that different types of food have different benefits, how does a dog owner make the decision on which brand of dog food to feed their best friend? Dr. Brookshire has some advice:
Choosing a reputable brand, known for high-quality foods, is one of the most important factors when choosing the right food for your pet. Most dogs do great with variety and a brand with numerous options can satisfy the needs of almost every dog out there.
Canidaes use of premium ingredients, plus our wide range of recipes for puppies and adult dogs of all sizes really push us ahead of the competition. We pack more protein, nutrition and flavor into every bite see just how we shape up against our competitors.
When youre making a decision on dog food, find a brand you trust and then pick a food, but dont be afraid to try different recipes with your dog. As pet parents ourselves, we know so well how every dog is different and has its own unique personality, as well as different tastes and needs.
If your dog has a health condition make sure to consult your vet before making any major changes to her diet and check out our transitioning guide to see how best to change your dogs food.
Make the best decision for your dog and transition to Canidae today!
Purina Pro Plan Focus Dry Dog Food
Rating:
Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Large Breed is one of 19 dry recipes included in our review of the Purina Pro Plan Focus product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, brewers rice, whole grain wheat, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn
- Type: With grain
- Other recipes: Puppy, sensitive stomach, weight management, small breed, giant breed, toy breed, senior and more
Purina Focus Adult Large Breed derives the largest share of its animal protein from fresh chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 30% protein, 14% fat and 49% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 46%.
A top-rated, grain-inclusive dog food formulated by a team of professional, board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Highly recommended.
Sample buyer reviewMy black lab loves this food. Her coat is beautiful, her energy is high, and she digests it easily. My vet recommended this food and I couldnt be happier. I saw a noticeable difference within days of feeding this to her. My dog eats the dry food with a little bit of the PPP wet focus for large breeds. Do not hesitate to feed this to your pups.. its a game-changer!
This Ollie formula derives the bulk of its animal protein from fresh lamb. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38% protein, 27% fat and 27% estimated carbs with a fat-to-protein ratio of about 70%.
A top, grain-inclusive option. Recommended with confidence.
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Tailored To Life Stage
The label should also say for what stage of a dogs life the food is designed. The options are the following:
- All Life Stages
- Gestation/Lactation
If diets are suitable for Growth or All Life Stages, they should then specify whether they are suitable for puppies expected to be over 70 pounds as adults.
You should not choose a food that is not suitable for your dogs life stage, as it may be unbalanced.
Many fresh food dog diets are suitable for All Life Stages. However, there are some points in a dogs life when they may benefit from a more tailored diet. Consult your veterinarian for personalized recommendations for your dog.
Royal Canin French Bulldog Puppy Food Ingredients
The food does not contain the best ingredients. However, Royal Canin puts a lot of research into their dog foods. Therefore, the ingredients do represent the cumulation of all that research.
The first ingredient is brewers rice. While we dont commonly eat brewers rice in America, other people worldwide do consume this rice. You make brewers rice by taking white rice and making it smaller. Therefore, this ingredient features about the same nutritional value as white rice.
Most would agree that white rice doesnt provide much nutritional value beyond being a good source of carbohydrates.
After that, this dog food includes chicken by-product meal. Many misconceptions surround by-product meal. All chicken by-product is made using the leftovers of the chicken manufacturing process. These leftovers include high-quality ingredients, like organ meats, and low-quality options, like feathers.
We dont know which ingredients each by-product meal listing includes. Therefore, this could represent high-quality ingredients or low-quality ones.
Royal Canin lists wheat gluten as the third ingredient. As the name suggests, this ingredient includes exclusively gluten, representing the protein portion of wheat. Therefore, this ingredient is concentrated wheat protein something to keep in mind when looking at the protein content of this food.
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The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Dog Food
Best Dehydrated Dog Food One of the best dog food options in terms of quality nutrition is dehydrated dog food. The Honest Kitchen specializes in dehydrated dog food, and they offer a variety of grain-free recipes made with premium ingredients like free-range chicken, sweet potatoes, and green beans. Because these recipes are dehydrated and not cooked, they retain most of their original nutritional integrity which means a more nutritious diet for your dog. All recipes are free from corn, wheat, and soy as well as GMO ingredients, by-products, and artificial additives. Plus, it is the first pet food made with 100% human-grade ingredients. Simply rehydrate with water or chicken broth then feed it to your dog.
- Pros: Made with 100% human-grade ingredients, retains most of its original nutritional integrity, dehydrated not cooked, grain-free recipes, no additives or low-quality ingredients
- Cons: Very expensive, some dogs dont like the texture, must be rehydrated
The Best Dog Food To Feed A Senior Dog
My neighbors senior Dachshund, Maynard, has arthritis and some other health issues that mean paying special attention to what he eats. Not only are Maynards teeth not working really well these days, he also has a tendency toward a picky appetite. His owners feed him a brand of canned food that he really likes. The wet food is easy for him to chew, and it also gives him more water in his diet.
The added moisture in canned foods may be beneficial for older dogs to help them stay hydrated, said Straus, who pointed out that adding water to dry food can do the same. But in Maynards case, he doesnt want dry food. He only wants canned. And at his advanced age of 16, Maynard gets what Maynard wants.
Once a dog gets to a certain age, giving him a quality food that he enjoys eating is the best approach, whether its canned or dry. The question of canned or dry doesnt have to be either/or, Straus said. Its fine to feed both, either together or in separate meals, as long as it agrees with your dog.
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Is Instinct Dog Food Good For Older Dogs
Instinct Raw Boost Senior Grain-Free with Real Chicken is designed specifically for older dogs. Each recipe contains over 40% dry matter protein and about 18% fat. Calorie content is around 478 calories per cup. The recipe meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages which makes it a healthy option for senior dogs. For more choices, visit The Dog Food Advisors best senior dog foods here.
The Results From Feeding Our Diy Dog Food
Back to the story of Bug
After only a couple of weeks of feeding her a homemade diet, the hubby and I were blown away by how much her mental and physical health improved. And we wholeheartedly believe she was able to bounce back because of her new food.
She went from an ailing, exhausted, incontinent, tail-down dog to a happy, energetic, curious, communicative pup. While she isnt miraculously walking again, her hip dysplasia also hasnt progressed or caused her any pain.
Weve learned to watch for signs that she needs to relieve herself as weve realized she knows when she has to go, she just cant get there without our help.
We feed both of our pugs the same food, with the hope that we can stave off any potential health problems for our older one.
When we travel, well bring their homemade food on the road in a cooler. On occasion, weve even ordered their dinner from a restaurant when we ran out of food .
If were camping, well usually just feed them whatever were cooking in camp they love corn on the cob, hobo packs , and the whole assortment of tri-tip, sausages, and ribs that weve usually got going on.
As you might imagine they lovecamping trips!
Homemade dog food gives us the flexibility to fine-tune their diet as needed. Im forever grateful for the extra time we were given with our beloved Bug as a result of the food we chose to feed her.
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American Journey Dog Food
Our Most Affordable: Produced and sold by Chewy, the American Journey brand of dog food is an affordable option that still offers good quality which makes it one of the best foods if youre on a budget. American Journey offers a wide variety of products, including grain-free options made with digestible carbohydrates like sweet potatoes. Their chicken and brown rice recipe is one of their most popular, made with high-quality and nutritious ingredients like deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, chicken fat, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It also contains chelated minerals for maximum nutrient absorption.
- Pros: Affordable but high in quality, rich in protein and healthy fats, made with nutritious ingredients, fresh fruits and vegetables, digestible whole grains, chelated minerals
- Cons: Some recipes are not grain-free, no probiotic supplements
Best All Stages Dog Food Reviews
Choosing the appropriate all stages dog food can be tough. However, if you consider these factors, your job will be easier.
- Product Quality: A product that you won’t have to buy again or that will last you a long time is an important consideration, especially when it comes to the all stages dog food. Nobody would want a low-quality or easily worn-out object. They are even willing to spend a somewhat greater price for a good product.
- Ease of Use- A vital trait of any replace_keyword] is its ease of use, so most item did well in this metric. How easily can you use your product?
- Ergonomics Ergonomics was a much simpler metric for these products. We split it into three aspects: comfort, aesthetics, and profile design. Most of our listed products are decently comfortable, and we think it is one of the group’s sleeker and more stylish designs.
- Comfort Comfort is the other primary factor we took into consideration when evaluating all stages dog food. After all, the more comfortable a all stages dog food is, the less likely you will dislike it. We pay attention to softness, shape, and size.
- Value is always important, but the range for all stages dog food is relatively narrow. We feel that the #1 model offers a great value for most people and that the #2 is great for advanced users.
#1 Best Overall all stages dog food:
After considering the above, we nominated this model as our Top Pick.
The #1 model won this place with its consistent performance, ease of use, and quality build.
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Buyers Guide: How To Select The Best All Life Stages Dog Food
There are several all-life stages dog foods you can buy. Choosing the right kibble for your dog is essential to keep it healthy. You should be aware of your dogs specific needs and nutrition requirements when selecting dog food for dogs of all life stages.
A healthy diet can help keep your dog fit and happy throughout its life. Changing your dogs diet frequently can have negative impacts on their health. Choosing an all-life stages dog food is a great idea to avoid any diet-changing mishaps
Several dog foods claim to be great for dogs of all ages.
A formula suited for dogs of all life stages can be tricky to find. Some products are high in calories which is great for pregnant mothers and active young dog breeds, while theyre not so great for senior dogs.
It is important to consult a veterinarian before making any changes to your dogs diet. They can also advise you on what type of food your dog should have.
Cooking Our Way To A Healthier Dog Diet
Ever since I started raising my own dogs, Id always wanted to make their food at home but thought it would be too expensive or too time consuming, or that they wouldnt get the nutrition they needed.
During the month of Bugs doggy depression, I vowed to make her precious life as comfortable as possible.
Both of my pugs had a range of health issues growing up, which I unfortunately found out were common for the breed.
My older one had persistent hot spots and itchiness that no commercial dog food could cure .
Bug was overweight for a while when she was younger, even though she ate the recommended amount of food for her target weight. Eventually, I settled on Wellness kibbles and they did well with that brand.
But, I wanted to explore other options. I wanted to give them real food fresh, nutritious ingredients that I recognized and could even eat myself.
Ive mentioned in my post on homemade whole grain chicken feed that the entire household all share the same whole grains and seeds that we buy in bulk, as well as the bounty that comes from our edible garden.
Everything our animals eat, we can eat.
When it comes to homemade feed for our laying hens, we stick to a tried-and-true formula that works for every layer: 16 to 17 percent protein , vitamins, minerals, and amino acids from a wide variety of grains and seeds, and free range of a pasture for weeds, greens, and insects.
Dogs, on the other hand, arent bred for a standard function the way chickens are.
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Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food
Rating:
Canidae All Life Stages Chicken Meal and Rice is one of 5 dry recipes included in our review of the Canidae All Life Stages product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran, cracked pearled barley
- Type: With grain
- Other recipes: Multi protein, lamb formula, large breed, less active recipe and more
- See all 5 available recipes
This Canidae All Life Stages dog food derives largest portion of its animal protein from chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29% protein, 17% fat and 46% estimated carbs which creates a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.
A fully-balanced, budget-friendly option. Ideal for dogs of differing ages and breed types. Highly recommended.
Sample buyer reviewIm fanatical about the health of my animals. I research the food my dogs eat every 3 months for recalls and health issues. I also will not buy dog food if the ingredients are sourced from China. Through recent research, my other dog food was found to be causing congestive heart failure. I recently changed my dogs to this food and they are thriving with no issues.