Petsmu

Believe it or not, most commercial dog food isn’t really healthy for your dog. Most commercially made dog foods contain animal parts that were never meant to be included in food. They also contain a host of preservatives and chemicals that are there to increase the food’s shelf life, not help your dog stay healthy. Keeping your dog fed with healthy dog food is not as hard as it sounds. Sometimes all it takes is reading the label. Sometimes, if you want to be one hundred percent sure that your dog’s food is safe, you can make it yourself!

Make your own dog food recipe

If you are thinking of making your own dog food here are some simple steps to follow:

1. Meat is the most important ingredient. Make sure the meat is fresh - the best kind to use is meat from a meat processor or butcher. They can grind the meat up for you if you would like them to. The meat can be beef, lamb or chicken (some people also use fish).

2. Vegetables need to be added to every meal. The best vegetables to use are broccoli, yams, beets, sweet potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, cucumber and squash. Stay away from beans, spinach, chard, garlic, bell peppers, potatoes, onions, beet greens and spinach as these have been known to lead to digestive problems and red blood cell damage.

3. The best way to figure out how much food to feed your dog is to take its body weight and then multiply it by 0.4. This will give you the number of ounces your dog needs to eat every day and from there you can decide how those ounces should be served.

Natural dog food

You can feed natural ingredients to your dog in cooked or raw form. The most important thing is to make sure that they get the nutrients they need in the amounts they need.

Naturally made healthy dog food is far more convenient than commercially made dog food. While most people prefer commercially bagged or canned dog food because of its ease, the dog food you make yourself will save you time and money in the long run. The ingredients for your dogs food do not have to be expensive - they are basically the same foods that you are buying for your family. Another reason home made or natural food is better is that, in the long run, it saves you time and money on trips to the veterinarian and gives you more time with your pet (dogs who eat natural food live longer).

Homemade dog food is healthy

While it is certainly easy to run out to the store and grab a bag of the cheapest doggie kibble available, this is not what is best for the four legged member of your family. Dogs have dietary needs just like humans do and often, the commercially made dog food does not cater to these needs. By paying attention to your dogs nutrition and the ingredients of his food, you are making sure that your dog leads a long and healthy life. Isn’t your best friend worth it?

About the author: Tom Peters is a dog lover and owner of Birkdale Medicinals. He created a healthier dog food and herbal supplement line after losing his beloved Banjo to cancer. Keep your dog healthy with a pet mix that is an all http://www.dogcancerinfo.com/Dog-Cancer-Diet-Pet-Mix-s/55.htm natural pet food with http://www.dogcancerinfo.com/Pet-Health-Products-s/1.htm discount pet food all natural made at home.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

The Labrador Retriever is an active and multi-talented breed of dog. It is expected to carry out various roles to be of service to people. In countries like United States and Australia, the Labrador Retriever is considered as the most popular breed of assistance dog and also makes excellent pets and working dogs. With all the happiness and countless help this breed offers, it is just right to give them what they deserve. For sure they will never ask for anything other than your attention, care, praise and love. Show them how much you love them by taking good care of them, providing toys and activities to entertain them, giving them a comfortable place to sleep, water to drink and food to keep them healthy and active.

The health of your Labrador Retriever depends on you. Choosing the activities they must do, how often they should take a bath and what foods to eat are some of your several responsibilities to your dog. Many issues concerning dog foods are coming out from all corners of veterinary world. Some claims dry dog food to be the best dog food because it has various health benefits for your dog. Others go for semi moist food because it taste better.

There is really no specific answer when somebody ask what is the best dog food. The answer will always be “it depends”. Each dog has is own specific dietary needs depending on its breed, age, size, activities and health condition. Puppies and older dogs may need different amount of calories. Same with normal and overweight dogs. A dog with health problem, even as simple as fever, has different dietary requirement compared to healthy dog.

For some reasons, most owners consider dry dog food as the best. One obvious reason for sure is the convenience this type of food brings. Feeding your dog is a no sweat process in this type of food. All you have to do is grab one from grocery stalls, tear open the package and pour the contents into your dog’s food bowl. Aside from that, dry dog food is known to contain the most nutrients your dog needs. However, this food contains 10% water making it hard to chew especially to older dogs. You can wet the food to make it easy for your dog. Dry dog food is also said to benefit the dog’s teeth and mouth condition by preventing tartar buildup.

Not all dry dog foods are proven safe for Fido. Some brands contain unknown ingredients and are mainly fillers such as soybean meal, corn meal and corn gluten meal. Food colorings are also present in dog foods. These food colorings can be made from chemicals and can cause health issues.

Make it a habit to carefully read the product label. Check the ingredients making sure that meat is included in the list. Meat is important because it is the source of natural protein for dogs. Nutrition greatly affects your dog’s health. Lack of it can cause high cholesterol, obesity and countless other ailments that could eventually shorten your dog’s life.

About the author: Richard Cussons writes articles about dogs. This site about Labrador Retriever contains valuable Labrador training tips.
Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com

The concern over the commercially sold dog food is on the rise, and some have even received lots of complaints and criticisms. As a safe alternative, natural dog food is gaining popularity. This article is going to show you a couple of tips to help you to choose the right natural food for your dog.

* Know Your Pet and His Food

You may be aware that there are different types of natural dog food. Raw meat and vegetables are considered natural, and so are cooked meat and vegetable, as well as commercially sold natural food. The key is to know which one best suits your dog’s needs.

The best way to find out is to get to know your dog personally. You have to know his nutritional requirements based on his breed and special health conditions. You can do a little research on your own. Supplement your knowledge with your veterinarian’s advice.

* Prepare Food for Your Dog

Quite a few dog owners love to prepare food for their dogs by themselves. This is a very good idea, but you should know your dog really well to serve him with exactly what he needs in nutrition. Raw food is just as good as cooked ones, although many believe that cooking and heating will help kill the bacteria in the food.

You should also take note that not all human foods are good for dogs. Chocolates, raisins, mushrooms, onions and raisins, for example, may be dangerous or toxic to dogs. List what foods are toxic to dogs and avoid them. If you are not prepared to cook for your pet, then it is safest to go for commercial brands of natural dog food.

* Read Labels

Most of us read labels when we shop for new human food. You should do the same for your dog. Natural dog food should never contain fillers like wheat and corn. There should also be no artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, animal and plant by products and artificial preservatives. Many of these synthetic ingredients can cause gastrointestinal problems, malnutrition and behavioral changes in dogs.

* Get Enough Proteins and Nutrients for Your Dog

Dogs are carnivorous and should be served with enough protein. Lean meat and poulty are good sources of high quality protein, and you should by all means stay away from low-grade meat by-products.

Vitamins and minerals are another set of important nutrients that should not miss from natural dog food. You may either buy food with fortified nutrients, or you may feed your pet with squash, beans and peas, which are rich in both vitamins and minerals.

If you are keen about keeping your dog healthy and happy, be sure to read more about natural dog food from our site. You may also like to check more about dog food from our dedicated section if you would like to dig further.

About the author: If you are keen about keeping your dog healthy and happy, be sure to read more about natural dog food from our site. You may also like to check more about dog food from our dedicated section if you would like to dig further.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com