Homemade Dog Food: Why?

NOTE: MY interest in making my own kibble and dog food was for two reasons. 1). Proper  nutrition to keep my furry friend healthy and happy. 2). To be able to afford to afford to supply my furry friends with the proper nutrition to keep  them healthy.  With all of dog food recalls over the past 4-5 years I don't trust dog food companies. I love my dogs and I can't bear the thoughts of them suffering poor health from garbage that's in manufactured dog foods and outright  poisons and unhealthy fillers. Poor nutrition means  high vet bills/ early euthanasia/ shorter lifespan/ more food allergies . I want to keep my dogs around for as long as possible




Homemade Dog Food: Why? (Part 1) 

Being retired breeders, we have used a few different commercial dog foods over the years. The best we have found is Flint River Ranch Dog Food. This food is not sold in stores and is not filled with all the preservatives and chemicals that the store brands have. Store brand dog foods have a shelf life of 12-14 months, thus filled with preservatives and chemicals. Incidents of the past few years have caused us to be seriously concerned about the safety of the commercial pet food that we were using. With the pet food scares and recalls that have been all over the news recently, more and more, we began our research and found Flint River Ranch. Many dog owners expressed interest in how to prepare nutritious homemade dog food. The pages to follow is the result of our research. 

NOTE: If you feed a homemade dog food, to be sure your dog gets all the needed minerals, etc., you might want to consider feeding half Flint River Ranch and then the other half with your homemade recipe. That way, you can be sure they are getting necessary vitamins, supplements, etc. Remember, variety is the key!

Feeding homemade dog food, you must always be concerned that you provide them with a balanced diet. We discovered quickly that a balanced diet for us is not the same as the one required by our dogs.

Their nutritional requirements are slightly different and these differences need to be taken into consideration for them to have a healthy balanced diet. In my research, I discovered the 3 major ingredients that are absolutely necessary:

(1) Protein
Dogs require a significant quantity of protein in their diet. This will be the meat source or some additional vegetable protein source. This is the most important ingredient in a dog's diet. Examples of good protein sources would be chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, organ meats, as well as fish, eggs, and cheese.

(2) Essential fatty Acids
The next most important requirement is fatty acids. Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) is the most important since it is the only one that dogs can't make themselves. Examples of good Omega 6 sources would be vegetables, vegetable oils, grains, and fruits.

(3) Calcium
Calcium is also an important requirement for dogs. They actually need significantly more than we do. Bones are not a good source of calcium because of the risk of choking. Good sources of calcium are cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, canned salmon with bones, and many vegetables have calcium, but in a lower dose.

Foods to Avoid

Some foods which are edible for humans, and even other species of animals, can pose hazards for dogs because of their different metabolism. Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death. The following common food items should not be fed to dogs. This list is, of course, incomplete because we cannot possibly list everything your dog should not eat.
According to ASPCA, these foods are to be avoided when making meals for your dog. 

 

Items to Avoid	Reasons to Avoid
Alcoholic beverages	Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.
Baby food	Can contain onion powder, which can be toxic to dogs. (Please see onion below.) Can also result in nutritional deficiencies, if fed in large amounts.
Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources	Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Cat food	Generally too high in protein and fats.
Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine	Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous systems.
Grapes and raisins	Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys and liver. There have been no problems associated with grape seed extract
Human vitamin supplements containing iron	Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
Large amounts of liver	Can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones
Macadamia nuts	Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.
Milk and other dairy products	Some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.
Moldy or spoiled food, garbage	Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.
Mushrooms	Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.
Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder)	Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.
Raw fish	Can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly.
Salt	If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.
Sugary foods	Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.
Chocolate and cocoa products	chocolate contains theobromine which can be poisonous to dogs when eaten in large quantities
Avocados	the plant and the fruit are toxic to dogs
Yeast dough	Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
Cooked poultry bones	these bones can splinter and kill your dog.
Raw meat	Many people advocate giving raw meat to their dogs. However, there is a chance that your dog (and you) will get sick from food-born parasites. Remember, if you do feed your dog raw meat, to practice safe food handling procedures. Also practice safe handling of your dog's waste as, although salmonella rarely affects dogs, they can pass it in their feces.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435

NOTE: If you are thinking of changing your dog's diet to a homemade one, you should consult with your veterinarian before a major change. He/she is your best source of information on pet nutrition and can advise you on creating a balanced home diet. Dietary changes should be made gradually as rapid changes in diet can cause stomach upset. Just remember that to stay fit, healthy, and active your dog needs a nutritious and well balanced diet.

Homemade Dog Food: (Part 2)  

What ingredients and their amounts do I include in my dog’s homemade food? We have already determined there are three essential parts to a wholesome homemade dog food diet: Protein, Essential Fatty Acids, and Calcium. Several books are helpful in learning about a homemade dog food diet.

Protein Requirements

Dogs require a significant quantity of protein in their diet. This will be the meat source or some additional vegetable protein source. This is the most important ingredient in a dog's diet. Examples of good protein sources would be chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, organ meats such as heart, liver, and kidney, as well as fish, eggs, and cheese. The typical meat ratio that we use is around 35 - 50%.

Protein requirements for dogs are an important and often misunderstood aspect of pet nutrition. All of us want to feed a high quality diet to his or her dogs.  No two dog owners seem to agree as to which dog food is “the best”.  A large part of the disagreement regarding “the best” food to feed centers around the misunderstanding regarding the substance we call Protein. Let’s get the facts straight about the importance of protein in the dog’s diet. Then we can better judge which food would be “the best” for own dogs.

Many people continue to feed their dogs commercial dog food. Some do not have the desire nor time to take on the task of making your own homemade dog food. There are a lot of good quality commercial dog foods that can be purchased locally or shipped to your door. Just be sure you use the food that best fits your dog's nutritional needs. See this list for good quality commercial dog foods: Dog Food List

Dogs can survive on a diet of either plant or animal origin if it is balanced and diverse.  But to thrive and not merely survive, dogs should have a source of animal protein - MEAT - in their diets.  There is a huge difference between survive and thrive! For that reason dogs thrive on diets based on meat.

I have heard many vets report, “Many dogs are not thriving because Nature's rules are not being followed. Overweight dogs, dogs with itchy, flaky skin, dogs with coarse and brittle coats, dogs with poor energy levels, and resistance to infection. . .  95% of the time these dogs will be consuming diets low in animal origin tissues and high in grain-based products.  Inexpensive, corn-based diets are some of the worst.” (The Internet Animal Hospital)

Several years ago, I got really interested in a raw meat diet. I was on my own. Linda would not help because it was so messy! She was afraid of bacteria! The dogs loved it, but I soon gave it up because it was so time consuming and I basically had to bathe the dogs after each meal. Boy were they a mess! I have since learned that an all-meat diet can actually be harmful because it is not balanced. In the wild, carnivores (wild dogs, wolves) eat animals, but also get their fatty acids, calcium, and grains from the stomachs and bones of their prey. My plan was an all-meat diet, so I was on the wrong track. My intention was noble, but I was misinformed.

Essential fatty Acids 

The next most important requirement is fatty acids. Linoleic Acid (Omega 6) is the most important since it is the only one that dogs can't make themselves. Examples of good Omega 6 sources would be fats in meat, egg yolks, vegetables, vegetable oils, wheat, brown rice, oatmeal, corn, barley, potatoes, corn, honey, and fruits. Since many dogs are allergic to certain products such as wheat and corn, you will leave those out of your recipe.

The essential fatty acids ratio we use is about 30 - 35% veggies and 15 – 20% carbohydrates.

Calcium
Calcium is also an important requirement for dogs. They actually need significantly more than we do. Bones are not a good source of calcium because of the risk of choking. Good sources of calcium are cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, canned salmon with bones, and many vegetables have calcium, but in a lower dose.

NOTE: If you are thinking of changing your dog's diet to a homemade one, you should consult with your veterinarian before a major change. He/she is your best source of information on pet nutrition and can advise you on creating a balanced home diet. Dietary changes should be made gradually since rapid changes in diet can cause stomach upset. Just remember that to stay fit, healthy, and active your dog needs a nutritious and well balanced diet.

http://www.happypetheadquarters.com/homemade.htm