How Much Water Do Raw
Raw-fed dogs drink a lot less than kibble-fed dogs do.
However, water is still essential.
Always ensure your dog has plenty of fresh water to drink. This is especially important when your dog has consumed a lot of bone.
He will drink as much as he needs.
Its true that water fountains like this one are increasingly popular. But dont stress about the trends. Your dog will be fine with a regular water bowl, provided you keep it clean and well filled
Raw Food For Puppies: Rules And Principles
If you choose to feed raw, you need to understand the principles involved and follow some basic rules to keep your puppy safe and healthy.
Even for animals perfectly designed for crushing and swallowing bones, there are certain risks involved. And it is important that we minimize those risks in any way possible.
Can A Dog Live On Just Chicken
Although chicken is safe and healthy for dogs, it is not nutritionally sufficient enough to meet all of their dietary needs. Therefore, youll need to feed your dog a wider variety of foods if you plan to switch it to a home-cooked diet.
Unlike wolves, dogs are not purely carnivorous. They also need carbohydrates from grains and fiber, vitamins, and minerals from fruits and vegetables. Incorporate some rice, oats, spinach, peas, or carrots into your pets meals.
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What Human Foods Are Bad For My Dog
There are also plenty of foods that are off-limits to your dog. Here are the biggest offenders and why theyre so harmful to your pup:
- Chocolate contains specific chemicals that are toxic to dogs
- Garlic contains toxic compounds called disulfides and thiosulphates
- Grapes researchers havent pinpointed the exact substance in grapes and raisins, but we know they are highly toxic even in small amounts
- Avocados contain a toxic substance called persin
- Cherries contain toxic cyanide, which is found in cherry pits
- Some types of nuts Macadamia nuts in particular are highly-toxic others are very high in fat and should be limited
Other food and food groups, like dairy and certain grains, can cause tummy issues in some dogs. Limit these and keep an eye on common food sensitivity symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. And of course, avoid anything high in sugar, sugar substitutes, fat, salt, or other junk! It should go without saying but never give your dog alcohol or any products containing it.
If you believe your dog has eaten something toxic, call your vet or the Animal Poison Control Center right away to get help. The latter is a 24-hour emergency line that connects you to experts who can walk you through common symptoms and help you determine when to take your dog in. They also have a helpful app you can download!
The better solution? Consider switching your pet over to a well-researched, human-grade dog food, as well get into next.
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.
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Human Food Safety For Dogs
Almonds:No, dogs shouldnt eat almonds. Almonds may not necessarily be toxic to dogs like macadamia nuts are, but they can block the esophagus or even tear the windpipe if not chewed completely. Salted almonds are especially dangerous because they can increase water retention, which is potentially fatal to dogs prone to heart disease.
Bread: Yes, dogs can eat bread. Small amounts of plain bread wont hurt your dog, but it also wont provide any health benefits either. It has no nutritional value and can really pack on the carbohydrates and calories, just like in people. Homemade breads are a better option than store-bought, as bread from the grocery store typically contains unnecessary preservatives, but its best to avoid it altogether.
Cashews: Yes, dogs can eat cashews. Cashews are OK for dogs, but only a few at a time. Theyve got calcium, magnesium, antioxidants, and proteins, but while these nuts contain less fat than others, too many can lead to weight gain and other fat-related conditions. A few cashews make a nice treat, but only if theyre unsalted.
Cheese: Yes, dogs can eat cheese in small to moderate quantities. As long as your dog isnt lactose intolerant, which is rare, but still possible in canines, cheese can be a great treat. Many kinds of cheese can be high in fat, so go for lower-fat varieties like cottage cheese or mozzarella. Many dogs enjoy their very own dog-specific Himalayan dog chew made of dried cheese .
Can Adult Dogs Eat Puppy Food
Short answer yes, but they probably shouldnt. Puppy foods are specifically designed to accommodate growth. Once your dog has reached adulthood, the only way a puppy food will help them grow is out.
Obesity is already a big problem for pets, so feeding a high calorie food, like puppy food, to a dog that doesnt use those calories willlead to unwanted weight gain.
This is not to say that puppy food is never recommended for adult dogs. Under special circumstances, and with a vet’s recommendation, puppy foods can be fed to adult dogs temporarily. Here are a few situations that might warrant feeding puppy food:
- Pregnancy/weaning – pregnant and nursing dogs are giving most of their calories and nutrients to their pups. Puppy food is a great way to ensure that mom is getting enough of the right nutrients until the pups are done being weaned.
- Underweight in some cases of severe weight loss caused by starvation or illness, your vet might recommend feeding a calorie-dense diet like puppy food to help get more calories in smaller portions. This will allow your skinny dog to build muscle faster.
- High energy Some breeds have a need for speed and a typical diet just cant meet their energy needs. To maintain muscle and energy, a puppy formula might help to keep them energized and strong.
Outside of the above special cases, feeding a puppy food to an adult dog full-time isnt recommended.
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Can I Feed My Dog Chicken And Rice Everyday
Can Dogs Eat Chicken And Rice Every Day? It is not a good idea to keep your dog on a daily diet of chicken and rice for long. While this dish is extremely healthy for dogs, it does not contain all of the nutrients they need, which they get from other sources such as red meats and vegetables.
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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.
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What Food Is Poisonous To Dogs
As you already know, not all human food is safe for dogs. Some human foods are mildly poisonous for dogs, while others are so dangerous that they can be lethal. Below is a list of some toxic foods for dogs.
Basic Puppy Training And Socialization
The Spruce / Kristie Lee
Beyond housebreaking, there are many more things you will need to teach your dog. Start by working on socialization. Next, leash training will set the stage for teaching basic commands, like sit, come, and stay. Teaching various basic commands can help you curb some behavior problems.
Just remember that puppies are curious, active, and teething. They put everything in their mouths, including your hands. Work with this by replacing the inappropriate object with an acceptable toy or safe chew. Distract your dog from mischievous behavior by offering something more pleasing, like a game, walk, or other activity. Reward your puppy with treats or praise for shifting his attention.
While puppy training can be a challenge, the outcome will make your efforts worthwhile. A solid foundation of training provides structure and gives your dog confidence. Well-trained dogs are happier dogs.
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Can Puppies Eat Vegetables
Dogs in the wild eat the stomach of their prey and some of its contents, which may include digested vegetation. They may also consume fallen fruit, berries, and so on at certain times of the year.
Tripe is the stomach of a herbivore usually a cow or a sheep. Green simply means unwashed. If you feed your dog green tripe, he will benefit from the minerals in the remains of the semi-digested material. On the other hand, humans typically eat white tripe. This kind has had all these important nutrients washed out of it, so it isnt beneficial for your dog.
Feeding green tripe and whole prey animals intermittently is healthy. It will give your puppy access to the range of nutrients he needs. If your puppys diet is more restricted, and you dont feed green tripe regularly, youll need to supplement your dogs food with some vegetables.
Ensure that these are pureed or liquidised. .
Some people like to feed fruit and vegetables to their raw fed dogs as snacks. This is not a problem provided you are aware of which common human foods are toxic to dogs. .
Make The Change Gradually
Regardless of your pups age at the time of the food transition, it is important to make said transition gradually.
Start by mixing in a little adult dog food with your pups typical puppy food diet. About 10% 20% is of the new food is ideal. If your pup tolerates that well , you can double the amount of new food the next day. Always try to minimize intestinal distress, and dont be afraid to slow down the transition if necessary.
It should usually take about a week or so to make the full transition from 100% puppy food to 100% adult food.
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What’s The Difference Between Puppy Food And Adult Food
It is highly recommended that your puppy eats a commercially formulated dog food specifically for puppies until they are fully grown. This is because growing puppies have different nutritional needs compared to adult dogs. Puppy diets tend to be higher in calories to support growth and have a slightly different balance of vitamins and minerals to provide optimal nutrition for growing bones and muscles.
Most veterinary nutritionists do not recommend homemade, raw, or adult diets for puppies because they do not contain the right balance of nutrients to support rapid growth. Therefore, these diets may lead to developmental abnormalities or deficiencies.
While an adult dog is less likely to become unwell from eating puppy food, there are still some concerns with feeding your dog a diet that does not match their current life stage. The biggest problem with giving a puppy food or a generic “all life stages” diet to an adult dog is that these diets are often too high in calories.
Adult dogs that are no longer growing do not require as many calories as puppies and can gain weight if they are fed puppy food. Spaying and neutering your dog, while very beneficial, also causes a decrease in your dog’s metabolism that can lead to weight gain. Specifically formulated diets for neutered dogs are available and contain fewer calories to keep your dog’s weight healthy.
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Packaged Dog Food Is Nutritionally Complete
Before you get cooking for your canine companions, an important note:
Good-quality commercial dog foods are nutritionally complete and balanced to provide the right amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals your dog requires.
The tips and recipes here will help you provide a healthy, dog-friendly meal in a pinch. These suggestions and meals, while all perfectly safe and healthy for your dog, are not 100% nutritionally complete and should not be fed for longer than 5-7 days which should be enough time to get your dog back to their regularly scheduled feeding program.
Tips For Not Running Out Of Pet Food:
- Ask your veterinarian for a few cans of the bland diet they stock and recommend. Keep these on hand for any out-of-food emergencies.
- When getting a new bag of food, portion off a weeks worth into a Ziploc® bag. Store that Ziploc in the same place you normally keep your pets food. When you have to open the Ziploc bag, thats your reminder that its time to get or order more food.
- Store a week worth of your pets food in a gallon size Ziploc bag and store it in the freezer. Then you know you always have an emergency backup that is fresh.
- If you made an emergency batch of bland food, freeze a couple of feedings worth so that you are covered in a pinch.
- Check with your veterinarian, or wherever you get your pets food from, to see if they have a food auto-delivery option. Sign up to get regularly scheduled deliveries. You often get extra perks or discounts if you subscribe.
- Feed your pets food that is readily available from a good pet supply store or your vet, rather than one thats so exclusive that it can only be bought at one store in your town. This is especially important if you travel with your pets frequently, as thats a common time to run out of your pets food.
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Is Chicken Easy For Dogs To Digest
Compared to many other types of meat, chicken is one of the meats for your dogs stomach to digest. However, not all cuts of chicken are as easy to digest as others. To make things easier for your canine companion, stick with boneless, skinless chicken breasts boiled to completion.
Chickens lower fat content makes it easier on your dogs stomach so your pet will be able to feast on high-protein meat every day without trouble.