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Keep your dog healthy and fit with this easy peasy homemade recipe its cheaper than store-bought and chockfull of fresh veggies!
I never thought I would be one of those dog owners who made homemade human food for their pups. Not in a million years.
But when Butters recently fell sick with an upset stomach, our vet advised us to feed him a bland diet chicken and rice without any kind of seasoning. So thats what we did we poached a chicken, shredded it in a food processor, and mixed in some white rice and fed him this bland diet for 3 days.
Thats when I started to do some research on homemade dog food, and I have been so amazed as to how many different kinds of vegetables dogs can have. And with the help of Balance IT, you can create so many different recipes for your pup!
Now the best part about making homemade dog food just like making anything at home is that you know exactly what is going into the dog bowl, and not any of that questionable gelatinous gunk from the canned food.
But its important to note that dogs have different nutrient requirements than humans for their proportional body size, such as:
Now this recipe here has a balance of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains, but the ratios can easily be adjusted to suit your pups breed and/or needs.
This Is A Good Choice For Pet Owners Who Have Always Fed A Homemade Cooked Diet But Who Want To Transition To Raw
How fast you transition from cooked to raw depends on how your dog is handling it. You many need to extend this transition schedule.If your dog has issues with a decrease in cooking, wait until digestive upset resolves before moving to the next step. You can wait it out at the current level or return to the previous level for a few days.If youre unsure how long to cook a percentage of your dogs daily serving, time how long it takes to cook through on the first day. Then, use that time frame as a guideline for reducing cooking on subsequent days.Only cook meat, NEVER edible bone. Cooked bone is prone to splintering and should not be fed to dogs.With that said, you can cook a premade, ground raw dog food if the bone in that formula is small enough. Dr. Peter Dobias says, In this situation, you can cook packaged meat with ground bone in it. The ground bone fragments must be smaller than 1/2 cm . Such small fragments of cooked bone do not pose a threat to your dog if fed mixed in the rest of the meat. If youre unsure, ask your raw food manufacturer. I know a lot of premade raw brands will, like Darwins, for example will instruct new customers to initially cook their food
It Takes A Little Patience
Whether youre switching brands, changing from dry to canned food or simply changing flavors, the key is to make the transition gradually.
Start by adding a small amount of the new food while slightly reducing the previous food. That means the pet starts with about 75 percent of the previous food and 25 percent of the new food. Over the course of the next 7 to 10 days , you can gradually alter the food proportions to 50 percent of the previous food with 50 percent of the new food, then 25 percent previous food with 75 percent new food until the pet is finally eating 100 percent of the new food.
If your pet experiences any vomiting, loose stools, excessive gas or digestive noises, talk to your veterinarian. Usually, its better to slow the transition even further than to abruptly switch back to the previous diet.
Making the Pet Food Switch Easier
If youve been free-feeding your pet, this may be a good time to switch to regular meal times. Instead of leaving food out all day, place the bowl down, then remove whatever your pet hasnt eaten after 20 or 30 minutes. For pets that may not be enthusiastic about the change, slight hunger pangs may prompt them be more accepting of the new food.
Since cats have a reputation for being finicky eaters, it helps to expose them to different types of foods as kittens. Try feeding them both dry and canned foods, as well as different sizes and shapes of kibble . This may make food transitions easier later in life.
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Transitioning From Wet To Dry Dog Food
- When shifting from wet to dry food, similar tips apply. Make it a slow transition by gradually mixing in the new food while removing the old to avoid any digestive upsets. However, the shift to dry food can be a bit tricky depending on your furry friends tastes. If your dog dislikes dry food, there are a few tricks of the trade to help get you both on the same page.
- Add some water to your dogs dry food bowl to help soften the kibble
How Do I Transition My Pet To Fromm
Whenever you change your pets food, the key is to go slowly.
If you make the change too fast, your dog or cat may develop stomach upset. This is true even when switching to a Fromm recipe, because the gut needs time to adjust to any change.
Also, picky eaters may refuse a new food if the change is too sudden.
There is no magic timeline for all dogs and cats, as every pet is an individual. For success and a happy tummy, here are two ways to transition your pet to their new Fromm food:
The Mixing Method
- Mix a small portion of the new food together with your pets current food. Think 25% Fromm and 75% previous food, or 1 part Fromm to 3 parts previous food.
- After two consecutive firm stools, switch to a 50% Fromm and 50% previous food ratio Then after two consecutive firm stools, switch to a 75% Fromm 25% previous food ratio .
- Finally, after two more consecutive firm stools, feed just the Fromm food.
The Two Bowls Method
- Fill your pets food dish with their current food, as usual. But also offer a small amount of the new Fromm food in a bowl right next to it.
- Watch to see if your pet warms up to the new Fromm food and nibbles at it. If they do, gradually increase the quantity of new food over several days to a week.
- Start reducing the quantity of the old food at the same time.
- Finally, stop offering the old food, so your pet is eating just the new Fromm food.
Some pets do better with one of these two methods. So, if one method doesnt work well, try the other.
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How To Change Your Dogs Food
Switching your dogs food abruptly can cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite. Any time you decide to change your dogs food, you should transition to the new diet gradually in order to give your dogs system time to adjust to the change. Ideally, these transitions should happen over 5-7 days. During this transition, you will gradually incorporate more and more of the new food by mixing it with your dogs current diet. For most dogs, a good diet transition will look like this:
- Day 1: 25% new diet and 75% old diet.
- Day 3: 50% new diet and 50% old diet.
- Day 5: 75% new diet and 25% old diet.
- Day 7: 100% new diet.
Some dogs with sensitive stomachs, food allergies, or other gastrointestinal diseases may need an even longer transition period. The key to a good diet transition is monitoring your dogs individual response. If, at any point during the diet transition, your dog displays concerning signs such as changes in appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea, you should proceed more slowly. And if you have transitioned gradually and your dog is still experiencing stomach upset, it is best to consult with your veterinarian. In some cases, it may be necessary to choose a different diet.
Tips For Raw Transition Success
Fast your dog before their first raw meal This gives their digestive system a chance to reset and detox. Plus, it ensures theyre hungry and will have greater interest in their new food the next day.Fast adult dogs for 24 hours and dont fast a puppy under a year of age.Choose a transition method that supports your dogs potty schedule. I recommend a more gradual switch if youre limited in your ability to let your dog out throughout the day. If youve opted for the cold turkey switch, start over a weekend or when youre off from work. That way, youre available should additional potty trips be needed.
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Best Probiotic With Fiber
Eliminate the fear of switching dog food by keeping a can of Fruitables Switch on hand. Touted as the just-right balance of soluble to insoluble fiber, Switch supports a healthy gut to ensure a smooth transition to your dogs new food. We love the transparency of this products, as its one and only ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is safe for humans and dogs, and the pure pumpkin in Switch contains no additives or preservatives.
Highlights
- Tasty pumpkin base is a flavor most dogs love
- Helps decrease the risk of loose stool or digestive issues when changing foods
- Made in the USA and developed by a veterinarian
- Easily replace 30 percent of your dogs current food with Switch when transitioning
- Can be used after transitioning for a daily fiber addition
Things to Consider
- Unused portion must be refrigerated after opening and remains fresh up to seven days
- Contains 4 calories per tablespoon
- Consult with your dogs veterinarian first if your pet has a medical condition or takes medication
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!
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Choosing An Adult Dog Food
Once you are able to recognize the signs of adulthood in your pup and you are ready to make the switch to adult dog food, you should look for only the best that stores have to offer. It is important that their food leaves their bellies feeling happy, and also meets their nutritional needs. While researching doggo nutrition on the internet, you may find yourself in confusion with the myths and misinformation. Make sure to check your sources when making this decision and always consult with a veterinarian if you are unsure.
Learning how to properly read the label on the food packaging is also crucial when choosing the best fit food for your doggo. The Food and Drug Administration has made it mandatory to to include 8 key pieces of information, including product name and list of ingredients, which can be helpful when making this decision. Its also good to remember that some ingredients may be pawesome for some furry friends, they may not be best suited for others.
Your pups whole future is in your hands. It is up to you to shape him into a happy, healthy adult by making the right decisions when it comes to nutrition! Give your pet the life he deserves by knowing when and what to feed him.
And remember, puppyhood is fast and is gone before you know it. Make sure to savor the time when your pup is young, and take lots of pictures along the way!
The Cold Turkey Switch
Compare this to smoking or eating junk food. Should you wean off the potato chips or throw out the bag and start fresh? The latter is how many dog owners feel.Granted, it can be more complicated than thatBut once their eyes are opened to the shortcomings of processed pet food, these dog owners chuck the old food. They march straight to the store, buy prepackaged raw dog food and never look back.No instruction is needed. Throw out your old food and start with raw ASAP.
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Changing Dog Food For Your New Dog
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Changing dog food isn’t something you should rush into, especially when bringing home a new dog. Seeing canines chow down on the contents of an overturned trash can you might be tempted to think they have iron stomachs. The reality, however, is that dogs have surprisingly sensitive tummies, and abrupt changes to their food can upset them. To help make a dog food transition go smoothly for your new housemate, follow these steps:
Recommended Products For Canine Digestive Health
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Despite the best of intentions, sometimes changing dog food can cause digestive upset. Switching your dogs food too quickly may result in imbalances in her gastrointestinal flora . Dogs are notorious creatures of habit, so their digestive system may not always agree with a new food.
In order to help you help your pooch transition to a new food like a pro, weve curated five of our favorite products for canine digestive health. Each of these products has been hand-selected for pet parents who are changing their dogs food. We recommend you keep one or more of these products on hand when making the transition in the event your dogs tummy reacts with a vengeance.
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Why Go To All This Trouble
Its well worth it to pursue a successful dog food switch. And yes, we mean aside from the already stupendous benefit of healthier, smaller, less stinky dog poops.
Many dog owners tell us they see dramatic changes in their canine friends after switching to a fresh dog food like A Pup Above. Benefits include:
But Is Such A Slow Transition Natural
Make sure you find a vet that supports real-food diets. Any vet that recommends you continue feeding processed pet food may not be the best choice. According to Dr. Karen Becker:
If a seasoned holistic veterinarian isnt participating in the dietary transition, it can go so poorly for some of these animals that they end up being hospitalized. These unsuccessful attempts at a dietary transition are why traditional vets will say, Some pets just cant tolerate raw foods or fresh foods. You just need to leave well enough alone and continue feeding kibble.But its important to recognize that with good effort and professional guidance, these animals, too, can be transitioned to better, healthier diets.
This is critical for a successful switch to raw, so you dont negatively affect your dog. Veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker explains:
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When Should You Switch From Puppy Food
There are a number of rules out there regarding when to make the switch from puppy food to adult dog food, and recommendations vary depending on your dogs breed size. Some say that you should switch your puppy to an adult recipe when his growth in height starts to slow down.
Even once your puppy reaches his adult height, he may continue to fill out a little in terms of muscle mass but he wont need quite so much energy. For small-breed puppies, this usually happens between 8 and 10 months of age and, for large-breed puppies, somewhere between 12 and 24 months.
Another rule you may have heard is the 80% rule that you should switch your puppy to an adult recipe when he reaches about 80% of his expected adult weight. Again, this will come sooner for small-breed puppies than for large- and giant-breed puppies. Your veterinarian can help you guess at your dogs expected adult weight.
How To Transition Puppy To An Adult Dog Food
When you stop feeding puppy food, you must change more than just the food he eats. The number of meals and portion sizes will shift, too.
Most puppies eat three meals a day, but adult dogs can eat just two meals per day. The feeding guide on your dogs food label will tell you how much to feed your dog each day and to split the amount into two meals.
When its time to transition your puppy to an adult dog food, do so gradually. A gradual transition helps prevent stomach upset.
Heres a sample transitional feeding plan:
- Days 1 to 2: Feed 3/4 of the normal amount of puppy food and add 1/4 adult dog food.
- Days 3 to 4: Serve half puppy food and half adult dog food.
- Days 5 to 7: Feed 1/4 puppy food and 3/4 adult dog food.
- Days 8 to 10: Serve only adult dog food.
If your dog resists eating the adult food or experiences an upset stomach, extend the transition time as needed. Consult with your veterinarian for more help if needed.
For more information and tips on puppy and dog nutrition from our experts, visit our Pet Expertise page.
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