Homemade raw dog food can be an engaging way to provide nourishment for your furry pal, but should only be done under professional guidance and without risk.
As a rule of thumb, it’s often recommended to combine five parts meat/offal/veggies at one mealtime, blanching vegetables to help make them easier for digestion and improve nutrient absorption.
Contents
Meat
Homemade raw dog food allows you to experiment with various ingredients until you discover which ones your pet responds best to.
Ideally, the ideal ratio is 75% meat (including offal) and 25% vegetables/fruits; this provides your dog with all of the essential vitamins and nutrients they require for good health.
Muscle meat contains essential vitamins and minerals such as iron and zinc, while organs provide rich sources of protein and essential nutrients such as iron and zinc. Bones provide calcium and phosphorous which contributes to bone development.
Fish provides your pup with essential omega-3 fats they require for good health. Try feeding him sardines – packed with protein, calcium, selenium and niacin! Also include eggs which contain high levels of choline for brain health as well as egg whites which benefit the heart for an easy yet flavorful mix that will have them salivating for more!
Vegetables
Debate continues over whether vegetables should be included in a raw diet for dogs. While some proponents believe a diet simulating whole prey model is optimal and that animals provide all essential nutrients necessary for canines’ wellbeing, others emphasise an alkaline diet as essential in protecting against diseases like cancer and other serious health problems.
Some owners find their dogs prefer eating fruit and veggies in the form of smoothies, chunks, or grated into their food dishes; others find grated foods easier for their dog with limited teeth or sensitive digestion systems to digest. Chopped greens may be difficult for these dogs to chew up whereas grating makes digesting greens simpler.
Many people also like to add in various oils such as flaxseed oil, walnut oil and olive oil as these provide essential omega fatty acids that promote healthy skin and coat as well as reduce inflammation.
Bones
Raw bones offer animals natural chewing stimulation that promotes optimal dental and gum health. Furthermore, they aid saliva production while simultaneously reducing bad breath, tooth decay, tartar build-up and gingivitis symptoms.
Start by selecting an appropriate bone size. Feeding too big of a bone could cause your pet to try swallowing it whole and could potentially be fatal, leading to choking or blockages in their stomach and intestines. Small hollow bones such as wings and necks of poultry provide great introductions into raw meat for your pet’s first experience with it.
Always feed a bone alongside smaller meals such as ground meat or organs to facilitate stomach acid secretion and ensure easier digestion for both components of their diet. Make sure the bone you select contains adequate amounts of calcium and phosphorus; otherwise it could pose health risks to your pet while chewing it up! The composition may also depend on processing method used and raw food source used, thus potentially altering their nutrient profile.
Other Ingredients
Homemade raw dog foods enable owners to customize recipes tailored specifically to the nutritional needs of their pet. While this may take more time and effort than store-bought varieties, homemade options offer greater peace of mind as you know that only high quality ingredients and no potentially toxic foods are being fed to your furry pal.
Many owners opt for the BARF diet for their dog, consisting of raw meat, organs and small amounts of vegetables, seeds and fruits that mimics what the ancestral dogs would have consumed in the wild.
As dogs are obligate carnivores, the bulk of their diet should consist of protein sources. Supplementing this with veggies and fruits for added vitamins and minerals as well as nuts or seeds that offer omega fatty acid supplements is also recommended. Just be wary when purchasing fruits or veggies which could contain dangerous chemicals that could harm them!
