Preparing dog food; An Overview

The following dog food recipes have been tested and Vet approved. 

Many times this collection has been suggested by a veterinarian to give to a dog who is unwell.   Pay attention to your dog's health: his weight, activity level, skin and coat quality. If these are not maintaining or improving, consult your veterinarian.

Essentially your dog should be eating what he would  be getting in nature:

• Meat protein
• vegetables
• grain
• bone meal
• oil

But you say, “dogs don’t eat vegetables”.  Actually they do ingest vegetables and grains but they get them from the animals they hunt.   The first thing a dog or pack of dogs eat after they bring down game is the stomach.  Inside the stomach can be found what the rabbit has been grazing on; green leafy vegetables and grains.

The importance of variety

cannot be over stressed. (This applies to any and all diets and recipes!) Do not get in the habit of feeding just one recipe to your dog.  How would you like to eat Hamburgers for the rest of your life?  Pretty boring, eh?

To make a large batch of food

Mix meat, starch source (if applicable), oil, vegetables, and bone meal together. Freeze in meal-sized portions. The other supplements should be added fresh at each meal.

The vitamin-mineral supplement

You can use a specially made dog or cat vitamin supplement, such as Pet Tabs. There are many good animal supplements available today that can be found at your local feed store or health food store.  Ask your Vet about what he/she recommends.

Bone meal must be an edible

Bone meal is a must for your dog.  A dog loves to munch on leg bones and ribs!  Have you ever seen a happier sight than your dog with his bone?  If your dog cannot eat bones from the butcher give them a good human grade quality bone meal.  I get mine from the health food store.  Measure according to weight.  Do not use bone meal intended for gardening or plants.

Probiotics include acidophilus

 and other "good" bacteria. They help maintain your companion animal's normal bacterial population and prevent colonization by disease-causing bacteria. Digestive enzymes are important to keep the pancreas from being overworked and to aid digestion so your dog gets the greatest benefit from the food he/she eats.

Meat may be fed cooked or raw.

While many holistic veterinarians recommend feeding raw meat, there are potential risks to your dog's health from bacterially contaminated meat. Please discuss this issue with your veterinarian before feeding raw meat. If feeding raw, it is recommended that meat be frozen for 72 hours at -4 degrees F prior to use. Most meats can be refrozen one time safely, so once you mix the meal, it can be put back in the freezer until thawed for feeding. Always follow standard safe meat handling procedures.

IMPORTANT!!

With any diet change, please go slowly and gradually! Your dog's tastes and digestive system need time to accommodate to new foods. Too rapid a change may result in diarrhea, vomiting, refusal to eat, or other problems. This is especially important with older animals, sick animals, and cats.  Start by adding 2 tablespoons of the new food to your dog’s diet.  Slowly increasing by a tablespoon each day.  If you have a giant breed, start by using 1/4 cup of the new food.  Increasing gradually.