Complete And Balanced Dog Food

Preparation Of Our Homemade Diet

All of the information above might seem intimidating, but I assure you that making the actual meals for our dogs takes no more than 20 minutes of actual hands-on time.

First, we cook our complex carbs, whether theyre grains, legumes, or starchy vegetables.

While that pot is simmering on the stove, we cook the meat in a separate pan in coconut oil and ground turmeric. After its cooled a bit, we add chunks of meat to our food processor and pulse until theyre broken down into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces.

Then, we gather whatever vegetables or fruits we have in the kitchen , chop them up as needed, and toss them into the food processor.

We also add a few clean, crushed eggshells to the mix. A few pulses turns all this food into smaller pieces, making them more digestible for our dogs.

Finally, we add the cooled, cooked carbs to the food processor and do a couple more pulses to combine. Everything should have a finely crumbled texture by this point.

Since dogs have short digestive tracts, its crucial that you break down the food to increase its bioavailability that is, making all the nutrients in those wholesome ingredients more digestible in a dogs system.

I prepare enough food to last my two pugs an entire week. Its unbelievably easy, and I like knowing exactly what goes into their food. Friends will watch us feed our pugs and remark that it looks good enough for them to eat!

Dry Dog Food Versus Wet Or Canned Dog Food

Freeman argued the amount of water in wet food might make it an unwise investment, and instead recommended you go with dry food. One benefit to dry food , she noted, is that the friction of chewing it can help keep your dogs teeth and gums healthy. Its also less messy. Morgan added that bags of dry food also tend to be more affordable compared to the other options.

However, Morgan noted that kibble typically includes less meat and often includes some sort of grain, legume, or potato. If you go with kibble, Morgan suggested topping the dry food with a bit of canned food, meat from home, or other toppers.

Do Dogs Need Vitamin Supplements

A completely balanced and formulated diet has all the daily vitamins that your dog would need. Many commercial pet food diets are fortified to meet your dogs vitamin requirements.

Diets that have an AAFCO statement should be complete and balanced with all required vitamins. Even though confirming the percentage of vitamins in the diet is difficult, supplementation of a dogs daily diet is often not needed, and in many cases, can pose a risk of toxicity.

It is very important when choosing a diet for your dog that the AAFCO statement is included. If you are feeding a nontraditional diet that does not have an AAFCO statement, consult with a primary care veterinarian who practices advanced nutritional health or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to ensure that your pet is meeting his or her daily nutritional requirements.

They can also discuss supplements and confirm any questions regarding pet food labeling. Over-the-counter human and canine supplements in many states are not required to undergo food studies or bioavailability testing, meaning some products may not be readily available for dogs.

Bioavailability can only be confirmed through clinical and safety trials, which show the percentage of what is available, what the active and inactive ingredients are, and what can be absorbed.

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I Was Told That Dogs Cannot Digest Carbohydrates Is This True

To meet their energy needs, dogs have evolved to use proteins and fats as their primary energy sources, but they can also use carbohydrates for energy. The fact that the dog’s digestive system produces enzymes that are specific for digesting starches and sugars shows that they are capable of digesting carbohydrates. However, complex carbohydrates such as grains are more digestible when they are cooked.

Production & Food Safety

Our mixes are made fresh to order in our hygienic commercial kitchens, with very strict sanitarymeasures that include a full sanitary scrub-down between production runs.

To preserve the nutrient value and freshness of our foods, we recommend observing careful food safetypractices. Always wash your hands and bowls after feeding.

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How To Make Homemade Dog Food:

Making homemade dog food is a cinch! Heres a quick rundown of the process:

• Brown the turkey. Heat a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add in the coconut oil and turkey and sauté until it is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Add the veggies. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the zucchini, spinach, carrots and turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• Mix in the egg. Turn off the heat and and crack in the egg. Let the egg cook in the hot food, mix it around to ensure it mixed through and cooked through.
• Stir in the rice. Add the rice and stir it in with the other ingredients until everything is well combined. Cool and serve!

Fresh Diy Dog Food Tips

Dog owners do get really concerned about feeding their dogs human food and scraps. I just had a really long chat with Sassy’s vet at her annual health check-up. Each dog is totally unique. Some have food sensitivities, easily get upset tummies and some have digestive issues, so regular commercial food is best for those dogs.

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A Dog Food May Qualify As Complete And Balanced By Any One Of These Three Standards But Each Says Different Things About The Food

There are three ways that a pet food can earn the right to be labeled with an AAFCO statement that says the product is complete and balanced. AAFCO the Association of American Feed Control Officials does not test or regulate pet foods it creates model regulations that may be adopted by states and acted on by state feed control officials. Nevertheless, the organization lends its name to the standards that are applied nationally. The three methods of substantiation are:

Passing an AAFCO feeding trial

Meeting the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles

Resembling a product that passed an AAFCO feeding trial, also known as the family rule

Each of these methods has some merit and at least one deficiency in its ability to guarantee the nutritional adequacy of a pet food, so its good to know what standard your dogs food met, and what it means!

Dogs And People Love It

• Carefully-sourced ingredients from North American suppliers
• A great reputation with customers

Cons

• The price of this dog food is on the higher end, but customers report that because the nutritional value of this food is so concentrated with no fillers, youll need to use less food overall
• Doesnt offer canned/wet foods

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Nom Nom Fresh Pet Food

Rating: 5/5

Nom Nom is a fresh pet food delivery service that creates and delivers custom meal plans based on your dogs breed, age, weight, activity level, dietary restrictions, and other special needs.

All of their recipes are made by their board certified veterinary nutritionists, so, you can breathe well knowing that your dog is getting a complete and balanced diet each meal.

Nom Nom is the one you are waiting for if youve been wanting to serve fresh food to your pet, but you are hesitant to do it on your own, or you are a bit loaded with your work. As of writing, they are offering four tasty recipes your pup will surely love: Beef Mash, Chicken Cuisine, Pork Potluck, and Turkey Fare.

Whats more, all of these recipes are made using high quality ingredients that are sourced from trusted and reliable U.S. growers and suppliers.

Each recipe is also crafted to the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Food Nutrient Profiles. Plus, they prep all of their meals at their facilities in Nashville and California.

Pros:

The Farmers Dog is a great option for pet parents who want less expensive fresh dog food for their canine companions. But of course, this is still more expensive than kibbles.

For commercial dry dog food from a decent mass-market dog food company, you will spend around $1 per day for a 25-pound dog. On the other hand, for The Farmers Dog, you will spend $4 to $5 per day for the same 25-pound dog.

Pros:

Pros:

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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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What Really Does Complete Balanced Dog Food Mean

When you see the words Complete Balanced Dog Food on the packaging for your dog, what does it make you think? You likely understand the term to mean that it is made with a balanced mix of all the nutrients your dog would need to maintain a healthy, active life and if so, youd be right but only partially so!Complete Balanced Dog Food on a dog food label means that the food should contain a combination of ingredients which has enough of each nutrient needed for a dogs diet, in order to prevent most diseases caused by protein, fat, mineral, and vitamin deficiencies.

Unfortunately, what you read on the packaging isnt always what it appears to be and there are many examples out on the shelf that can lead us astray. However, having some understanding and being wary of what you choose for your dog for their dinner time can be the difference between a healthy change for your dog or potentially, a harmful effect on your dogs health!

If youve recently switched to a Premium or even better, a Super Premium dog food from what may have been an inferior diet, you would have likely noticed a difference in both their appearance and overall health and quality of life. Do the research and you will find many, many loving dog owners claiming their testament to this!

Benefits

• Act as enzyme precursors in the metabolic process
• Help preserve the integrity of cell membranes
• Aid in blood-clotting
• Aid in the release of energy from other nutrients
• Aid in the transmission of nerve impulses

What Is My Take

Choosing a high-quality food from the hundreds of available brands and formulas can be challenging. The pet nutrition industry is very competitive, and most commercially available foods are very good balanced diets. Ask your veterinary health care team to help you select a diet that is backed by scientific principles and research and that meets your dog’s individual needs. If you have any questions about a particular food, your best source for help is your veterinary health care team.

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Recommended Serving Size For Homemade Dog Food:

The amount of homemade dog food that your dog will require is dependent upon how much your dog weighs and how active he or she is. This amount varies from dog to dog. I suggest talking to your vet and getting their advice on a good starting point.

You can also monitor your dog to make sure they are maintaining their weight and staying happy and active.

This recipe makes about six cups of food, which is three days worth of food for Charlie who is about forty-five pounds. You can easily adjust this amount based on the weight of your dog. Also, feel free to scale this recipe up and double or even triple it, if you wanted to cook less often.

How Often Should I Feed My Dog

The biological evolution of dogs as hunters has given them specialized digestive and gastrointestinal adaptations that allow them to ingest a large meal followed by up to days of not eating. However, for most pet dogs, feeding once or twice per day is recommended. Many dogs will benefit from eating equally divided meals two to three times per day. See the handout Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Dog for more information on feeding schedules and mealtimes.

Regardless of the feeding schedule you choose, avoid allowing your dog to exercise vigorously after consuming a large meal, especially if your dog eats its food rapidly. This will help minimize problems with bloat, intestinal obstruction, or other serious digestive disorders.

Be sure your dog has access to fresh, clean water at all times.

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Balanced Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Cooking for your dogs, when done right, can be very advantageous for the pet’s health. With the number of recipes we have here, there’s always something new for you and your pooch to try.

But not all homemade dog food recipes will fit every dog , and more importantly, a pet owner must pay attention to the nutritional value of each dish.

Balanced homemade dog food recipes are usually the closest to a healthy doggy meal but still require a vet’s assessment.

Do Your Portion Research

You will need to do some research on how many calories your dog needs per day based on your dogs activity level and your dog’s weight. There are so many factors to consider that will vary due to the breed, size, age, and activity of your pet. My dog needs about 400 calories a day, and is a small dog weighing just 11 pounds.

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What Are The Nutritional Requirements For Dogs

The six basic nutrients are water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. These essential nutrients are required as part of the dogs regular diet and are involved in all of the basic functions of the body. The minimum dietary requirement has been established for many nutrients. The maximum tolerable amounts of some nutrients are known, and results of toxicity have been established. What is less understood is what may happen over time with marginal deficiencies or excesses.

Nutritional guidelines have been developed by the Association of American Feed Control Officials . AAFCO guidelines are the general basis for the nutritional content of commercial pet foods. Make sure that your dogs food meets the AAFCO standards. Keep in mind that these are guidelines and your dog may need more or less depending on his health status. Speak to your veterinarian for more information on specific nutrients that your particular dog may need.

Senior Dogs Picky Dogs

One tip I can share is you can use riced frozen vegetables. I have used packages of riced cauliflower, sweet potato, and broccoli. All work great, save time and are convenient, but they are a little more expensive. These will work great for dogs that can’t chew well, are picky, don’t each much food, or won’t eat larger pieces of dog food.

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What Does A Complete & Balanced Dog Food Look Like

Every dog has a different balanced diet unique to them. Anything from changing life stages to different breed sizes can affect your dog’s nutritional needs. Senior dogs have different needs than puppies and a blend of dog food that’s healthy for your Great Dane probably won’t be best for your Pug. For the sake of this infographic, we’re talking about the basic nutritional requirements for the maintenance of an adult dog, plus just some of the ingredients Just Right® uses to deliver those balanced nutrients.

In short, to ensure your dog has a healthy diet, there are a variety of nutrients they should consume. In fact, your dogs food pyramid is made of six important nutrients:

• Vitamins

Is Homemade Dog Food Better

Homemade crockpot dog food can be better, but that is not always the case. You will have to put more effort into choosing ingredients and ensuring the food is balanced.

You may need to talk to your own veterinarian and look at various food recipe ideas for your furry best friend to meet his nutritional needs.

That being said, homemade dog food can be better, especially if your pup is on a restricted diet or has allergies.

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