Homemade Dog Food

Many dog owners believe there is an alternative to the long tradition of dry kibble.  The search may begin because of a picky eater or an allergy or sometimes just a desire for something better.  Some turn to raw food options.  There is plenty of marketing available indicating that raw is better for your dog than kibble because it mimics the ancestral diet.  There is also plenty of risk and concern with feeding raw diets due to potential pathogen contamination.  So, some pet parents decide to start a homemade dog food option.

Homemade Dog Food – Required Nutrients

Like all living animals, dogs require a balanced diet to grow normally and to maintain health once they are mature.  The diets of dogs require seven nutrients to sustain life.  They include water, energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.  Dogs can live for a while without food, but that is not the case for water.  Dogs will die within a few days if left without water.  Energy intake needs to equal the energy consumed.  An imbalance in energy intake versus consumption will lead to over or underweight dogs.  The remaining five nutrients also need to be balanced.  An imbalance in protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals will require the dog’s body to make adjustments to meet its nutrient requirements.  In some cases, excess vitamins or minerals can lead to toxicity over time.

Homemade Dog Food – Veterinarian Nutritionist’s Role

If you are thinking about switching to a fresh homemade dog food option you need to seek advice and help from a Veterinarian Nutritionist.  They will help in determining how much of your protein (chicken, beef, turkey, etc.) to include or the quantity of vegetables and carbohydrates to put in your recipe.  Once you have a recipe designed it is imperative that you stick to the amounts in the recipe.  Many times pet parents have a tendency to alter the recipe a bit and then your recipe will no longer be balanced.  You need to ensure you use a gram scale when measuring each ingredient.

Homemade Dog Food – The Role of Vitamins and Minerals

Your dog’s body does not have the ability to synthesize all of the vitamins and minerals that are essential in the body.  Therefore, they must be supplemented in the diet.  If you have been looking at recipes on the internet you will notice that some have that component missing.  In order for your homemade meal to be complete and balance you must include those essential vitamins and minerals.

Homemade Dog Food – Our Role

Yellow Dog Deli works with a Board Certified Veterinarian Nutritionist that makes sure each fresh, homemade recipe is balanced and complete for your dog’s life stage.  We would love to deliver to your door weekly.  www.yellowdogdeli.com/shop