Here Is A Little Bonus5 Birthday Cake Doggie Style Homemade Dog Cake
You can celebrate your pets birthday with a healthy and hazard-free homemade dog birthday cake. It is a pet-friendly, sugar-free, and lactose-free recipe. Time for you to host a canine birthday party and carelessly give this your doggie and his friends this cake to lick off.
A. Ingredients:
2. Cake Frosting
B. Directions
2. Making the Frosting
3. Frosting
There you are, a perfect cake for a barking birthday party.
Tip #: Put The Bag In A Can
Weve just established that you should leave your dog food in its original bagyou should NOT be transporting it into a different bag.
But you can put that original bag inside a secondary container made of glass or stainless steel.
This way you get the benefit of the original bag, and you get the benefit of a second airtight container. This will help ensure that your food stays fresher, longer.
Common Food Allergies For Dogs
After Rascal turned a year old or so, he started developing really strange eating habits. He wasnt finishing his food, had loud intense stomachaches and frequently threw up. We went through a number of blood tests. He had been diagnosed with things like pancreatitis, anxiety and one vet even thought he had parvo. We were stressed and at a loss at how to more forward. That is until we did an allergy test.
We uncovered that Rascal was allergic to a dozen different food items, one being beef, the main ingredient in his traditional dry dog food. We were introduced to an all-natural human-grade dog food company called Just Food for Dogs. The company sells premade food and teaches people how to make recipes at home. Once we started this all-natural diet the stomach aches subsided and he was the happiest we had ever seen him.
At first, the thought of homemade dog food was so daunting and just downright boujee. I can honestly say that making his food doesnt cost much more than the prescription diet he was on beforehand. After watching the documentary Pet Fooled we realized just how unregulated the dog food industry was and started to feel stronger about our homemade switch.
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Overview Of Homemade Dog Food
Cooking for your dog enables you to give them various flavors each day so they dont get bored of the same thing. You can also feed them fresh food for every meal, which some dog owners feel is healthier. Homemade dog food includes no preservatives because it isnt made to last for weeks on a shelf. If your dog is allergic to certain ingredients, you can make sure these foods arent included. Recipes can also be customized for weight loss and other health concerns.
However, homemade dog food has to have the right balance of nutrients in it, or the results can be devastating. You cant just cook chicken and vegetables for your dog and call it a day. You may need to use supplements to fill nutritional gaps, and these can be expensive.
Before you begin, you need the right advice from a veterinary nutrition expert who can offer scientifically backed recipes that will give your dog the correct nutrients. Homemade diets often lack iron, calcium, riboflavin, and vitamins E and B12. These are all necessary for a dogs health. To prevent this, you can purchase a DIY homemade food package like the one offered by The Farmers Dog.
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Making homemade food can also be time-consuming, and if you run out of time, you wont have any food for your dog. Keeping store-bought food on hand in case of this circumstance might seem like a solution, but dogs can get stomach issues and diarrhea from switching foods too quickly.
What Affects Shelf Life In Dog Treats
When you use fresh and natural ingredients, the shelf life of your treats will shorten significantly. The benefit of full nutrition without additives comes at the price of a shorter usable life. Most of the recipes can last for up to a week when stored properly and under refrigeration. If you freeze a batch right after cooking, you can extend their expiration date for several weeks.
Baked treats made with natural preservatives like vitamin C and mold inhibitors can last for up to six months in the right conditions. Heat, ventilation, cooking method, list of ingredients, and storage are the most important factors that affect how long your homemade treats will last.
Want to know if dogs should eat spicy food like chili? Weve got you covered.
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Can My Dog Eat Faq
So many readers are asking if these vegetables for dogs safe? So let’s go through some of the most asked questions.
Can dogs eat bell peppers?
Yes. Bell peppers are loaded with essential vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants beneficial to a dogâs health. Rich in vitamins A, E, B6, and lutein and are great sources of vitamin C and beta-carotene. Red bell peppers actually start out green and mature to red. They pack the most nutrition because they’ve been on the vine longest.
Can dogs eat potatoes?
Yes. Cooked potatoes in moderation are fine. Boil, steamed, or baked without seasoning are fine. They contain a number of nutrients including vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium. Raw potatoes should never be fed to your dog. Like other vegetables belonging to the nightshade family , raw potatoes contain solanine, a compound that can be toxic to dogs.
Can dogs eat broccoli?
Yes. Broccoli is best served as an occasional treat. It is high in fiber and vitamin C and low in fat. However, Broccoli florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause mild-to-potentially severe gastric irritation in some dogs. Furthermore, broccoli stalks have been known to cause obstruction in the esophagus. Chop up the broccoli for your pet.
Sassy girl, is happy. Okay, she didn’t like the spinach and pulled it out! But loves the rice and beef.
The trick I learned was to chop it finer than seen here and she gobbled it all…
Northwest Holistic Pet Care: Cooked Meal For A 20 Lb Dog
IMPORTANT: Before making any changes to your dogâs diet, please consult with your holistic veterinarian to ensure the changes are compatible with your dogâs current health status. Weigh your dog before making diet changes. Having a baseline tracking their weight will help you in adjusting quantities should they lose or gain too much. The amount of food a dog requires will vary based on activity level, age, and overall health status.
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What Meat Should Dogs Not Eat
Bacon, Ham and Fat Trimmings Bacon, bacon grease, ham, and fat trimmed off meat or bones contains a lot of salt and/or fat and at the least can cause indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea in both dogs and cats. These foods can also cause pancreatitis, a serious, potentially deadly inflammation of the pancreas.
Homemade Dog Food For Renal Disease
If your dog is diagnosed with renal disease, you have to avoid sodium and phosphorus in its diet and minimize its protein intake.
The right ingredients for their homemade food include green beans, pumpkin, baby carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas, apples, broccoli, and watermelon.
They can also have some butter and whole milk yogurt since these are low in phosphorus but high in fat.
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What Is The Shelf Life Of Homemade Dog Treats
All the information on this page will help you answer this question. There are clearly lots of variables which can affect shelf life of homemade dog treats, including ingredients, method, environment etc.
Homemade dog treats should always be kept in an airtight container or use a vacuum-sealer for longer term freezer storage.
Here’s a quick overview that simplifies it all, but remember to include the information given to adjust for individual and specific recipes.
Baked Dog Treats
Dry, baked, homemade dog treats have the longest shelf life… up to one week in the larder and up to two weeks in the refrigerator, and the crispier/crunchier your baked treats are, the longer they’ll stay fresh.
Recipes that don’t contain meat, fish or cheese can be stored in airtight container in the larder for up to a week, and in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
If the treats contain meat, fish or cheese should ALWAYS be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, no matter how crunchy they are. They should be good for around five days in the refrigerator.
Soft, baked homemade dog treats store relatively well… generally staying fresh for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Soft baked treats should always be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. Meat, fish, cheese, fruits and vegetables can all make treats softer, although extra baking time, or putting them in a dehydrator after they’re finished baking, can dry them out.
Gummy Dog Treats
Dehydrated Dog Treats
Homemade Dog Food Benefits
Cooking food from scratch is being aware of the ingredients you add. You will not only have confidence in what you are feeding your dog but also can cook a nutritionally complete homemade dog food.
Homemade dog food has proven to work wonders for dogs that suffer from internal or skin allergies and gastric problems.
DIY dog food can be a savior when you run out of dog food.
Make sure that you prepare nutritious food from trusted ingredients.
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Freeze Dried Homemade Dog Food
Freeze-drying helps keep the nutrients 100% intact, and it’s almost as good as feeding dogs raw food.
One of the easiest to free-dry is chicken liver because after boiling and cutting it into uniform pieces, you only need to put it on a baking sheet with parchment paper and freeze it.
After a week, you can already feed it to your dog if there’s no moisture in it.
What To Watch Out For When Cooking For Dogs
As much as pups might beg for their humansâ snacks, there are some foods that dogs should never be given, including macadamia nuts, chocolate, tea, coffee, raisins, grapes, onions, or excessive amounts of garlic. And, of course, check with your veterinarian before making big changes to your dogâs diet, particularly if they have any preexisting health conditions. Once you get the green light, make the changes gradually to avoid digestive upsets introduce new foods slowly, substituting a small proportion of the new food for the old over time. Finally, be careful not to provide too many overall calories , as obesity is just as unhealthy for dogs as it is for humans your vet can help you determine how much your dog should be eating.
Food safety is also an issue: While dogs have many defenses against bacteria, parasites and other food-borne pathogens, they are not immune to them. Be sure to keep utensils clean, perishables refrigerated and ingredients cooked to appropriate internal temperatures to kill off any unwanted bugs. This is particularly important for puppies, old dogs or those with a health condition that makes them vulnerable to food-borne illness.
Even if they ainât too proud to begâ¦
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How Do You Store Homemade Dog Food
Since homemade dog food doesn’t have preservatives that’ll help make it last longer, it is important to store it properly. Divide the freshly prepared food into serving sizes and put each portion inside an airtight container. Those that can be consumed within 3 days can be placed in the fridge while the rest can be stored in the freezer to extend their shelf life.
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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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.
Homemade Dog Food For Bladder Stones
According to the AVMA study in 2002, feeding dogs a low carb and high protein diet can reduce the risk of kidney stones.
So, experts recommend giving your dog at least 1 pound of protein per pound of its body weight.
Another holy grail for dogs is pumpkin because it’s full of fatty acids and antioxidants that keep the urinary tract in shape.
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Homemade Dog Food: The Complete Guide
Is store-bought homemade dog food weighing heavy on your pocket? Why not try to Do-It-Yourself?
This complete guide to homemade dog food will give you a glimpse of the following.
- The advantages and drawbacks of homemade dog food
- Easy-to-make homemade recipes that will fill your fido’s tummy
- And homemade dog foods designed to address different health problems
So, if you want to level up your dog’s diet and explore other exciting recipes for your pup, you’ll enjoy this insightful guide.
How Do Good Treats Go Bad
Staleness: The first step towards a baked good going off is usually noticed as staleness. But unless youre sampling the dogs treats yourself, this would be missed. Most dogs are a little less picky that we humans, and would still eat a stale treat. Foods baked with starchy ingredients, including biscuit style dog treats, slowly go stale over time as the structure and moisture levels shift.
Oils and fats in treats can oxidise and eventually go rancid. Once again, unless youre sharing the dog treats, you wont notice changing flavours and potentially not scents either. Unlike staleness which usually just affects taste or texture, oxidisation can affect food quality or safety. Oxidised foods can have reduced nutritional value and/or develop potentially dangerous compounds.
Bacteria in or on treats can multiply. Not all bacteria are bad, in moderation of course. We enjoy beneficial bacteria-rich foods like yogurt and kefir for example. But other unwanted bacteria can lead to serious food-borne illnesses. While dogs are generally more resilient to food-borne bacteria thanks to their acidic stomachs, vulnerable dogs and/or the people in contact may not be so fortunate.
Snack Safely, Furfriends
If in doubt, throw it out. Yes, wasting dog treats is always a bummer. But spoiled food can be dangerous for pets and the people around them. Better safe than sorry. Read on for more info on the factors that affect dog treat shelf life and treat storage options.
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Foods Not Safe For Dogs:
The most important thing to know when making homemade dog food for your dog are the foods they should NOT eat.
You can do a quick google search for an all inclusive list or buy a doggie cookbook for reference. Heres a list from the Humane Society of foods that can be poisonous to pets. Be sure to take the necessary precautions if you plan to start cooking for your dog, but also know, theres really not that much to worry about!
Here are some common human foods that should not be fed to your dog:
Charlie LOVES his homemade food and Im excited to experiment with new recipes and treats for him, so if you want to see more recipes for your pup, let me know in the comment section below!
Common Mistakes When Cooking For Your Dog
Not Using Trusted Sources
There are many inadequate, and sometimes dangerous recipes, available to owners, says Dr. Larsen. There are now many studies demonstrating that most of these are not balanced.
Some of these may cause deficiencies in your dogs diet, while others may lead to an excess of certain nutrients. To avoid encountering unhealthy or dangerous options Dr. Larsen and Dr. Bartges recommend avoiding generic recipes from books or online sources. Some so-called nutrition experts are without proper training, and may do more harm than good.
Larsen and Bartges also suggest consulting BalanceIT.com, a site run by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, to help create a semi-individualized diet.
Not Preparing Balanced Meals
When you dont prepare balanced meals that are individualized to your pets needs, it can come at a cost. Nutrition deficiency can lead to diseases, such as malnutrition or obesity, and can ultimately be fatal.
Each of the ~40 essential nutrients required by dogs has a specific role in the body. When they are provided in inadequate concentrations, the function is not optimal and suffering may result, explains Dr. Larsen. Similarly, nutrient excesses can also cause illness. While the impact of an unbalanced diet may be mild and not even noticed or attributed to the diet by the owner, these problems can also be very severe, and pets do not always survive.
Relying On Multiple Diets To Create Balance
Using Unsafe/Unhealthy Ingredients
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