Is Beneful Wet Dog Food Healthy
A dog food-only brand, Beneful offers an assortment of dry food and wet food options as well as an assortment of treats. According to a company spokesperson, the name Beneful means full of goodness but the company has recently come under fire in a 2015 class action lawsuit regarding the use of propylene glycol and mycotoxins as potentially poisonous ingredients i n Beneful products.
How To Prepare Homemade Food For Dogs
When preparing a diet at home for your dog, it is essential that you follow a recipe that is complete and balanced. Once you and your vet have chosen an appropriate recipe, it’s time to get started.
Making Food Is More Time
Some highly admirable, organized people cook fresh food for their dogs several times a week, or even every day. Some even buy whole cuts of meat and grind it themselves in a meat grinder.
But I have no desire to do that, and I dont beat myself up over it. Usually, Ill buy two or three weeks worth of ground chicken or turkey at once, and store it in the freezer. Then once a week, I batch-cook Charlies food and portion it into individual glass containers. I store all of the containers in the freezer, and let the next days meal defrost in the refrigerator overnight. The whole processfrom cooking, to packing, to cleanuptakes less than an hour.
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What Nutrition Guidelines Should You Follow
While there are many benefits that you can get from preparing your dogs food, this doesnt mean that you just give him whatever food that you have at home.
And please, dont even think of giving him table scraps particularly oily and fatty foods. Doing so can increase his risks of health problems like diarrhea and pancreatitis. Worse, he might end up eating toxic foods like onions.
Just like us, our dogs need to have a complete and balanced diet. This means that the food you give to your dogs must meet all of his nutritional needs.
The following is a general nutritional guideline you should follow in feeding your dog:
- 50 percent of his diet should consist of vegetables
- 40 percent should consist of protein from animal meat, eggs/dairy and seafood
- 10 percent should carbohydrates composed of grains and beans
Yet this should not give you the impression that you would feed your dog with the same meal every day. Like people, dogs want variation in their food.
But you may wonderwhat are the ingredients that I can use in making dog food?
For protein, good sources are ground or small strips of beef. I also recommend turkey as it is very easy to digest. It is also widely available and cheap.
You can also give your dog with chicken. Just like turkey, you should have no problems getting it. Lamb is another good source of protein. You may also give beans and eggs, although in moderation.
Our Favorite Homemade Dog Food Recipes For Senior Dogs By Ann
11 September, 2018
A healthy, nutrient-rich diet is important for any dog, regardless of age. However, for senior dogs, its even more essential. Being mindful of what and how much your older pooch eats can go a long way in helping to manage common issues associated with dog aging, includingobesity. There are lots of high-quality, specialty dog foods available and Ive had great success with some of them but they can be expensive. Making your own dog food is a more affordable alternative to commercial versions and youll be able to control what goes into it. If youre concerned about your pooch missing out on nutrients, adding supplements can be helpful too.
Be sure to keep any food allergies or dietary restrictions in mind and talk with your vet before starting your dog on a diet of homemade food, particularly if they suffer from any health conditions. You might also need to adjust the ratio of protein to grains and veggies to accommodate your dogs needs. With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite homemade dog food recipes for older dogs that contain tasty,safe ingredients.
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Recommended Serving Amounts For Homemade Dog Food
As a general rule, dogs will eat around 2 to 3 percent of their ideal body weight in fresh food daily. Larger breeds may need as little as 1 1/2 percent, and smaller breeds may need as much as 4 percent.
This works out to be approximately:
- 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
- 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog
There is much variation in what the ideal amount should be as it depends on how much your dog weighs and how active she is.
I feel that the best approach is to feed and watch if your dog is losing weight, give more, and if your dog is gaining weight, give less.
For our pugs, we feed a scoop each in the morning and a scoop each in the evening, plus all their supplements.
We have an easy system for this: homemade food is refrigerated in a sealed container with a measuring cup , and all the supplements are lined up together in a cupboard in the kitchen. Keeping your ingredients organized and accessible will make feeding time fast and smooth.
Compared to feeding commercial food, where you might scoop out kibbles or open up a can, feeding homemade food with all the supplements takes maybe 10 seconds more. And even if it took 10 minutes more, fresh wholesome food for our furbabies is worth it.
An Alternative To Home Cooking
Cooking for your pet is a process thats demanding on your time, labor, space, and finances, says Dr. Larsen.
Home cooking is not for everyone, though, and it doesnt have to be. Another option to provide your dog with whole ingredients is to get carefully prepared ready-made meals.
There are commercial foods that can be purchased that contain whole ingredients that are pre-cooked. Which is very close to cooking, notes Dr. Bartges.
So, while you might think that cooking for your dog is better for their health, it can be just as beneficial to purchase pre-prepared food thats made with the same principles in mind. Whichever method you choose, just to make sure you are always catering to your dogs individual health and nutrition needs.
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Beef And Liver Homemade Dog Food
Ingredients:
- ¼ Tsp. turmeric
Directions:
This is one of the healthy homemade dog food recipes that takes a little work to prepare, but it will pay off when you see Fido enjoying it. First, boil the chicken in a large soup pot until cooked through. Set the liquid aside and let the chicken cool slightly. Remove chicken meat from the skin and bones. Shred the chicken meat, throw out the skin and bones.
Combine all ingredients together in the soup pot including left over chicken stock and stir. Cook on low until everything has cooked through. Cool before serving.
What Is The Best Homemade Food For Dogs
The best food, homemade dog variety, to feed your pet will be the kind that you enjoy making, your dog enjoys eating, and it meets all of their nutritional needs! Unless youve got a picky eater , theyre likely to enjoy anything you make.
So, its up to you to decide what and how to feed your dog. You can choose how many homemade meals to feed your dog per day. Most importantly, high quality and fresh ingredients are a must. Here are a few of the feeding options you have to use homemade dog food:
- Give your pet a homemade meal on special occasions like their birthday or holidays
- Make a home-cooked meal for your dog a few times a week
- Feed a homemade meal once a day and commercial food for your dogs other meal
- Replace every meal with home-cooked food
Just like preparing food for your human pals, its important to keep things clean and fresh. You dont want to risk feeding your dog poor quality ingredients or food thats gone bad. Make sure your cooking environment is kept tidy by using the following guidelines:
- Always use clean equipment, utensils, and tools
- Keep your dogs bowl clean in between feedings
- Store any leftovers in sealed containers in the fridge
- If you need to store food for longer than a few days, freeze it
Bottom line, if you wouldnt eat it, you shouldnt feed it to your dog!
There are some specifics you want to stick to when whipping up pet food in your kitchen. Lets discuss the necessary components of the perfect homemade dog food combos.
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Why Should You Make Your Own Homemade Cat Food
For starters, you will know exactly what’s in your cat’s food because you put it there yourself. Dry kibble tends to be loaded with carbohydrates and plant based proteins.
Worse, it is often contaminated by bacteria, fungal mycotoxins and even vermin and their excretions. You want better nutrition for your cat.
Dry food also does not have a high enough moisture content for cats. Many people remember the mass pet food recalls in 2007 after many unfortunate animals experienced renal failure after eating contaminated food. If you cook your cat’s food yourself, you will know exactly what she’s eating and, almost as importantly, what she’s not eating.
Now let’s talk about costs. Will it be cheaper in the long run to cook your own cat food? That all depends. Are you using chicken or rabbit? Unless you own a warren, chicken will usually be cheaper.
Are you getting your ingredients from Whole Foods, a typical grocery store or the farmer’s market? Do you want to use supplements? Just how much does your cat eat? How much should your cat be eating? Do you prefer organic? Will you be willing to do your own prep work? All cats are different.
When considering how much your food bill will be for your cat, it’s a good idea to weigh it against a possible vet bill. Cats that eat healthy have better health and won’t need to see a vet as often. Plus, healthy cats are happy cats.
Final Considerations For Home
Many veterinarians, while acknowledging that pet food recalls and the poor quality of some pet foods are causes for concern, still feel that homemade diets, when fed exclusively, may result in nutritional imbalances and vitamin/mineral deficiencies that may pose threats to your dogâs health. Therefore, if you choose to feed your dog a homemade diet, it is important that you understand and provide what your dog needs to stay healthy veterinary nutritionists can assist in developing suitable homemade diets.
While caution was taken to give safe recommendations and accurate instructions in this article, it is impossible to predict an individual dogâs reaction to any food or ingredient. Readers should consult their vets and use personal judgment when applying this information to their own dogsâ diets.
*The cost of feeding homemade will vary according to the size, activity level and health of your dog. Dogs who are pregnant or lactating, growing pups, and those who participate in endurance activities require much more nutrition and have other special nutritional needs.
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Is It Healthier To Make Your Own Dog Food
If you can barely find time to cook for yourself, making a meal for your dog may seem out of the question. But your standard dog food is far from ideal, especially compared to simple meals with real food you can whip up in your kitchen. “You wouldn’t eat at Burger King and McDonald’s every night and expect to be healthy. It’s basically the same thing for dogs on dry kibble. That stuff has been cooked, dehydrated, and processed to death,” says Judy Morgan, DVM, author of What‘s For Dinner, Dexter?, a cookbook for dogs. “The stuff that goes into pet food would blow your mind,” she adds. Pet foods can contain “human food processing by products.” That includes expired grocery-store items and the food containers, meaning plastic and cardboard can find their way into a bag of kibble.
Even if expired groceries aren’t the main staple, “the majority of commercial dog food is made from ingredients that are considered ‘feed grade,’ which means they’re unfit for human consumption,” says Patrick Mahaney, DVM. Mahaney has been cooking for Cardiff, his Welsh terrier, since the dog was a puppy, and he says that the more he learns about the commercial pet food industry, the more he urges his clients to opt out of it. “People need to be shaken up and woken up about what they’re feeding their pets.”
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Peanut Butter And Banana Dog Biscuits
No compilation of homemade dog food recipes would be complete without a treat! If youre watching your senior dogs weight, moderation is key, but for a special occasion, try thesepeanut butter and banana dog biscuits from All Recipes.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup wheat germ
- 1 lightly beaten egg white for the egg wash
Directions:
Whether you go with commercial food or you try one of these homemade dog food recipes for senior dogs, combining a nutritional diet with exercise will keep your older pooch healthy and energetic. If your senior dog has mobility issues, check out ourDogger dog stroller andGrippers traction socks. The assistance products are designed to help keep dogs moving, so they can safely get the exercise and stimulation they need.
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Pros Of Homemade Dog Food
- Homemade dog food can be made fresh so that the ingredients retain their maximum nutritional value.
- If your dog suffers from food allergies, a homemade dog food diet may enable you to control his exposure to the offending ingredient.
- With homemade dog food you can control the ingredients, limiting your dogs exposure to artificial preservatives, flavors, dyes, and hormones.
- A homemade dog food diet may be more cost-effective than certain specialty diets like raw food diets for dogs.
- Making your own dog food enables you to cater directly to your dogs taste this is especially beneficial if your dog is a picky eater.
- You can make homemade dog food using many of the ingredients you purchase for yourself and your family .
- Homemade dog food will always be fresh this may make it more appealing and palatable for your dog.
Ingredients Needed For This Homemade Dog Food Recipe:
This DIY dog food made at home is filled with rich protein, vegetables, and healthy grains. Heres what youll need:
- Coconut oil provides a variety of health benefits for dogs, such as improving the skin and coat, increasing energy, aiding digestion, and reducing allergic reactions, just to name a few. And just like us, your dog needs healthy fats in their diet.
- Ground turkey will add necessary protein to your dogs diet, as well as important vitamins and minerals.
- Veggies this homemade dog food recipe uses a mix of zucchini, spinach and carrots. All are safe for dogs and will provide your baby with a variety of nutrients.
- Turmeric a dog-safe seasoning that also provides antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Egg for extra protein and nutrients.
- Rice a complex carb that provides energy and aids in gastrointestinal function.
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Homemade Dog Food Recipes
What would you prefer? A TV dinner, or a homemade stew made by Mom herself? Most of us have eaten both, and have a preference. I can’t speak for your mother’s cooking ability, but chances are, she can do a bit better than a frozen brick of kinda-food. This example may make it easier to empathize with your dog when you fill his bowl with nuggets of processed corn meal and he glances up your way that saying, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Or, maybe your best buddy is more than willing to scarf down anything that hits the bowl. In that case, you might want to ask yourself, “Is conventional dog food the best thing for him?” Your dinner choices might be a no-brainer, but choosing the best option for your pet isn’t always that easy. He’s relying on you to make the healthiest, and most enjoyable, choices for him.
Share your favorite homemade dog food recipe with our community of dog lovers – submit recipe here.
When you make food at home for your dog, you are ensured that your dog is eating food that meets your standards, and is free of preservatives, fillers, and chemicals that are often found in commercial dog foods.