Things To Add To Dog Food

When People Find Out We Make Our Own Dog Food At Home They Always Ask Us What About A Raw Diet So Let’s Get That Out Of The Way First

There are LOTS of thoughts and theories on feeding your dog a raw diet especially a dog that is living with kidney disease. Our vet however, was personally opposed to feeding a raw diet due to the fact that dogs, just like us, are very susceptible to food poisoning. Besides that, a raw diet can be tricky to get just right! You run the risk of giving your dog a horrible belly ache by mixing a raw diet with cooked treats, so if you decided to go raw it is important to have both raw meals and raw treats planned for your pup at all times. NO MIXING the two! Since raw and cooked foods digest at different rates any combination of the two can wreak serious havoc on your pup’s gut which can lead to some pretty unpleasant situations for you – if you get my drift.

Organ Meats Like Liver

Organ meats are extremely rich in key nutrients. Liver, for example, is high in protein, copper, iron, and zinc. Its a good source of vitamin A and various B vitamins. Since liver is very rich and offers up way more nutrients than muscle meat , a little goes a long way.

According to the experts at Dogs Naturally Magazine: If your pet tolerates liver without developing loose stools, you should consider feeding up to 1 oz. of liver per day for a medium to large dog, and up to 0.5 oz. per day for small dogs. Feeding double that amount of liver only 2-3 times a week is another good strategy.

You can add raw, freeze-dried, or dehydrated organ meats to your pups kibble. Check out my recipe for baked beef liver bites HERE. Rather than slicing and serving as treats, you can follow this same recipe and then pulse the baked liver in a food processor a few times to create tiny bits. Sprinkle them on top of your pups kibble and youll instantly enhance the nutrients and flavor!

Add Colorful Freshly Chopped Veggies

Remember this tip: feed your dog the rainbow! Each color of fruits and veggies provides valuable phytonutrients that are not found in kibble due to the heavy heat of cooking and processing.

Our favorites colorful veggies are:

• Broccoli
• Bell peppers
• Green beans
• Sweet potatoes
• Yellow Squash

Remember, your dog gets more value from many colors than from one. So rather than feeding 3 green veggies, keep it colorful with variety.

But wait, what if your dog wont touch fresh veggies!? If your picky pooch wont tolerate freshly chopped vegetables in their bowl, consider using a freeze-dried mix of meat and veggies, such as the Happy, Health brand.

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Consider The Form The Food Takes

Next, you should consider the form your dogâs food takes. Are you only serving kibble? While thereâs nothing inherently wrong with dry food , sometimes the nutritional aspects can be lost or diminished in the manufacturing process. And worse, some companies will promote health benefits from their products â like probiotics â that donât really exist.

And while fresh or raw food alternatives are great ways to improve your dogâs overall health and nutrition, the reality is that there are many hurdles to changing our dogsâ diet â from refrigerator space to budget.

Adding Superfoods For Your Dog

Dogs will enjoy a variety of foods as add-ins, including those that will be good for them. The superfoods listed in the accompanying infographic can provide both a great add-in to the dog’s regular food as well as desirable vitamins and minerals that will contribute to your dog’s good health. Some superfoods are better as a standalone food, while others are great to add to the kibble. The following list includes the five best superfoods to add to a dogs regular kibble!

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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.

Foods To Avoid Adding To Dry Dog Food

Certain foods can be dangerous to dogs and should be avoided if possible.

Chocolate: Most people know about this one, but not necessarily why it should be avoided for dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a good chemical for us.

It is part of what we crave when we crave chocolate. However, our bodies can process it much better than a dogs system can. Darker is worse, dark chocolate can kill a dog easier than milk chocolate can.

And remember to take extra precautions around the Holiday times as its easy to forget and leave chocolate out.

Grapes: For the same reason that grapes and wine can be heart healthy for humans makes it dangerous to dogs. Grape skins contain a substance that acts like a blood thinner in the mammalian body.

For humans, it is such a small amount, and our bodies process it quickly that it is safe. Like with chocolate, too much can kill doggies, so its best to avoid it.

Garlic and onions: While a small amount once in a while probably wont do much, a large amount of consistent small amounts over a longer period of time can start to destroy red blood cells leading to anemia, at the very least.

If you are feeding treats off your plate, you dont have to worry if they accidentally get some, but be cautious that it is not a large amount or too often. Also, certain breeds of dogs are more sensitive to garlic and can have more severe reactions.

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What To Mix With Dry Dog Food Healthy Dog Tips

It can be hard to eat the same thing, day in and day out. Sometimes it is good to change things up once in a while. I am not talking about you, but your doggie.

Adding a little spice to their lives, or rather, more taste to their regular doggie food can help break up their sometimes mundane daily diet.

What to mix with dry dog food? Here are some healthy foods you can add to your dogs dry food to make it more enjoyable for your doggie:

• Eggs
• Rice
• Oatmeal

There is such a wide variety of foods that can be added to a dogs dry food that the list is nearly endless, though there are a few precautions that should be taken.

We wanted to share with you some of the things that dogs like to eat that you can use to spice up their dry dog food. Keep in mind, however, that like humans, dogs have their individual tastes .

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Give Your Dog The Proper Nutrition

Dont wait until your dog starts developing joint problems to get them on the right track. Make sure their primary diet always covers their nutritional profile needs. Then, you can offer extra beneficial goodies at meal and snack time. Since different dogs vary in size and energy levels, there is no one-size-fits-all menu, so vary your portions according to your dogs size.

You should select a high-quality dry kibble or wet food with all the good stuffand without harmful fillers or artificial preservatives. Dont be afraid to do your research or ask your vet for recommendations on diet options. Each breed might require certain commercial foods over others.

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Best Vegetables For Homemade Dog Food

These vegetables work well, providing your dog can digest them without issue:

• Carrots
• Bell Pepper
• Brocolli
• Cauliflower

As for potato and pea, we consider them a starch and not a vegetable. If you want give it to your dog, it has to be cooked and given in strict moderation due to the sugar conversion. Sweet potato is recommended over white potato and boiled is healthiest.

Add A Splash Of Water

Heres one tip that will cost you nothing! Adding some water into your dogs bowl will keep them better hydrated. The ancestral diet of dogs contains significantly more moisture than kibble, which contains almost no water. An added bonus is that adding water enhances the smell and taste of bland dry food.

Finally, many dog owners find that soaking kibble in a bit of water helps your dog feel full, which could assist in helping your dog lose a few pounds.

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Things To Consider When Feeding Ducks Dog Food

Because dog food isnt widely used to feed ducks, not many people are aware of the considerations that should be taken into account while feeding ducks with dog food.

So, these are the considerations and justifications that you should keep in mind when feeding your ducks dog food.

• When buying dog food, look for bite-sized circular or cube-shaped bits, which are easier for dogs to eat and digest. Ducks, on the other hand, dont chew their meal. Therefore these bits are big enough for them to swallow.

As a result, it poses a choking hazard risk. So, when feeding your ducks dog food, keep in mind that the large portions wont fit down the ducks throat.

Due to this, ducks can choke on dog food, and if they cannot regurgitate the meal, they can die.

• A diet high in fat can lead to obesity in ducks, which is well-documented in the scientific literature. As a result, giving ducks an excessive amount of food can lead to their eventual death due to extreme obesity.

To avoid this, dont feed your ducks dog food on a regular basis. Because compared to other duck feeds, dog foods are high in fat.

Therefore, regularly feeding dog food can lead to obesity in dogs and even lead to the death of ducks.

• When dog food is stored in a high-humidity area and during the monsoon season, it is more susceptible to mold growth. Ducks lives will be in grave danger if these rotten items are provided to them.

Youll notice that your ducks wings will stand out from their bodies if this happens.

Make Mealtimes The Same Time Every Day

Just like for us humans, establishing a mealtime routine for your dog will help them predict and anticipate what is going to happen. A predictable mealtime helps them feel more excited about their food. Try asking them to do tricks before mealtime a creative and predictable routine makes mealtime rewarding for dogs.

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Can You Feed Your Dog Too Many Vegetables

Yes, while dogs are omnivores like we are, too many vegetables in the diet could cause gas, bloat and lead to hunger. There are also seeds to consider such as those found in squash and cucumbers which could irritate your dogs GI tract if eaten in excess.

The best approach to take when trying to incorporate healthy snacks is to have a variety of vegetables with and without seeds and of different colors. That way, your veggie treats will be more naturally balanced.

After awhile, your dogs bathroom business will tell you exactly which vegetables they cant digest properly. Simply adjust these vegetables as you learn how your dog handles each vegetable.

Making A Barf Diet Plan

To put together a thorough and well-balanced feeding plan, we recommend working together with an experienced doctor or canine nutritionist.

Raw feeding is thought to bring out their feral side, therefore theres a persistent notion that it makes dogs more likely to bite.

This is frequently used as a significant justification against raw feeding in a breed like the Pitbull, which already has an undeserved negative image and a lethal bite.

However, we can put your mind at ease.

This notion is completely devoid of scientific validity. A BARF diet will not lead your dog to become blood thirsty.

However, some dogs on a raw diet, according to anecdotal evidence, are more protective of their food bowl.

At mealtimes, its always a good idea to keep children away from your puppys food bowl.

Last but not least, while eating a raw diet, cleanliness is critical.

Raw meat is usually contaminated with hazardous bacteria and parasites, and we cannot emphasize this enough.

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Adding Milk Or Yogurt To Kibble

When considering adding in any type of dairy product into your dogs diet there are several factors to consider. First it is important to understand that not all dogs tolerate milk products. Many dogs are actually lactose intolerant, which means they will be unable to digest diary products, leading to loose stools. Also most milk products such as goats milk are very high in fat, and calorically dense. Making it very easy to over-supplement above that 10% of recommended calories coming from treats/additions, and causing loose stools due to the higher fat content.

However for picky dogs using goats milk or kefir it may be beneficial to keep them eating consistently. You can also use these milks to hide vegetables or other beneficial treats. Kefir also offer additional benefits as it does contain probiotic bacteria, however its important to note that not all the bacteria in kefir are ideal for dogs.

In fact only the Lactobacillus acidophilus strain found in kefir is beneficial. The rest of the strains are not species appropriate strains for dogs. This is one of the main reasons why probiotic supplements may be a better choice for dogs with gastrointestinal upset than kefir.

• Goat Milk:168 calories per cup, 21 calories per ounce. 300-400 mg calcium per cup, or about 40 mg per ounce
• Kefir:161 calories per cup, 17 calories per ounce. 300-400 mg calcium per cup, or about 40 mg per ounce
• Non-Fat Greek Yogurt : 80 calories per cup, 270 mg calcium per cup

What To Put In Dog Food So They Will Eat

There are many reasons for this behavior, but one of the most common is boredom with its current food.

When youre sure that everything else your dog eats is just as healthy and nutritious as it can be, its time to change the diet.

From home-cooked meals to different brands of kibble, your dog might need a new kind of food that they havent tried before.

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Five Things To Add To Dog Food For Dry Skin

So, lets get to the heart of the matter and give you five ingredients that you can add to your dogs food.

All of these add ons are easy to get hold of, reasonably priced and easy and quick to use.

Olive Oil

The most common of these is olive oil. Olive oil is high in antioxidants, especially vitamin E, and can simply be added to your pets daily meal. Add about a teaspoon for a dog of around 30 to 40 pounds, and a tablespoon for dogs in the 90 pound range.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is yet another favorite additive to enhance skin condition, but should be used with more caution. Start with a small amount, gradually building up to the amount recommended by your vet.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This can be used, both internally and topically, to treat your pets dry skin. Taken as a dietary supplement, apple cider vinegar acts as a natural acidifier and may increase blood flow to the skin.

Used in the skin, it can help stunt the growth of harmful organisms which may contribute to the condition.

Yogurt

Yoghurt is also a moisturizer which, taken orally, can help good bacteria colonize the skin, overcoming the effects of other organisms which may cause dryness and inflammation.

Use a teaspoon a day for a small dog, up to a tablespoon for larger pets.

Liquid Fish Oil

You could also try adding liquid fish oil to your dogs food, as this is rich in omega-3 fatty acids so important to health.

And there you have it.

Five quick fixes to add to food that should help fix dry skin.