Cat’s and dog’s diets have changed drastically since their domestication, as they have gone from hunting their own food to relying on their owners to feed them pre-packaged dried kibble. In the wake of the many pet food recalls in recent years, many pet owners want to know how to feed their pets safe and nutritious food. How is a pet owner to know how to do this?

Homemade Dog Food

The first step is for a conscientious pet owner to research on how to pick out a commercial food. Many books, internet articles and dog food ratings can give us information about how to select a food with the right combination of vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates. But the best way to ensure that your pet gets a chemical-free and balanced diet is to prepare your own pet food.

A homemade dog food with chicken can be made using the freshest ingredients, and still cost a lot less than a commercial food. While it can take some time and planning to prepare, your pet’s health will certainly thank you for it, and he will show these benefits in his coat and energy levels in a very short time.

Basic Homemade Dog Food

Boil one cup of chicken, save a cup of broth for later. Add 1/2 cup each of boiled rice and vegetables, and the chicken broth. Brown rice contains more fiber and nutrients than white rice, and is healthier for your pets as well. Add a canine multivitamin supplement for extra vitamins. Store leftovers in a refrigerator for up to three days.

Pets can be picky with new foods, so a gradual switch might be in order. Begin by mixing larger and larger portions of the new pet food with the old so that your pet has a chance to become used to it. Cooked bones can fragment and become lodged in a pet’s throat and digestive tract and should be avoided in a dog food. So should ingredients like chocolate, nuts, garlic and onions and mushrooms.

More pet food recipes can be researched on the internet and pet nutrition books. Soon both you and your pet will become accustomed to eating healthy, balanced diets, and you will see improvements in his coat and temperament. Cooking for your pet may not be as easy as feeding commercial food, your pet will thank you for his healthy diet, cooked with love.

Melinda Smith is a dog lover who advocates intelligent pet food choices for all pet owners. They believe that, armed with the wealth of information available on the internet and through books, dog food ratings from reliable sources, and the wealth of homemade raw dog food recipes, dog owners have all the right information at their fingertips to make these often confusing decisions.

– Melinda Smith