by Heather Hamel

Created on: April 04, 2010

Early 2007, thousands of our beloved pets were poisoned by bad batches of commercial pet foods. It turned out that the ingredient in the foods that were poisoned was only filler, not even necessary to the animals’ nutritional needs. Since then, people have been reading labels closely, and sales of organic pet foods are way up. Some people have even started making their own pet foods. 

If you decide to make your own dog food, research on the internet for recipes and more advice. There are many different schools of thought on feeding dogs, and everyone is promoting something different. If you go to many different websites, you can weed out the bad information, and find lots of good ideas. Be sure to check with your veterinarian to get a better idea of the proper balance of nutrients, protein, good fats, and grains. Vitamin and mineral supplements might be needed. Older dogs will require much less protein, and puppies and working dogs will need more. Too much protein may give your dog kidney problems. You will also have to pay close attention to your dog’s weight, unless you are able to figure out the calories in their meals. Always keep a bowl of fresh water available. 

Without preservatives food should be made fresh for your dog each day. Almost equal portions of meat, vegetables, and starch, are a good start. Drizzle with a little olive or fish oil to give them some healthy fats. They need this for energy, and to absorb vitamins. It is also essential for their coats and skin. If you give fish oil, you will need to supplement with a vitamin E source. The portions don’t have to be exact, but try to make sure the protein portion is between 25 to 35 percent. Any lean, lightly cooked meat will do (no seasoning, no bones). Brown rice and peas together makes a good additional protein. A hard boiled egg is also a really good source of protein, and is a nice treat sometimes. For the starchy portion, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grains, or potatoes are good. For the vegetable portion, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, broccoli, blueberries, apples are all good choices. Corn is the worst choice nutritionally. Fruit should be only in moderation, only to occasionally supplement the vegetables. Otherwise there will be some messy digestive issues, and fruit has high sugar content. After their meal it is a good idea to give them a crunchy little cookie type treat to help clean their teeth. 

If you have a dog which does well with a varied diet, it

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