YummyHealthyDogFood

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the “healthy” dog food choices in the market, and it doesn’t help things that so much negativity has been said about commercial dog food products. Many dog owners find themselves at a loss in choosing or preparing a good dog food diet for their pets, and often wonder if there really is a perfect healthy dog food diet out there.

It’s really quite simple once you know what should go into the dog – the nutrients. Dogs need a mixture of protein, carbohydrates, good fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Whether you’re checking the label of a particular dog food brand or preparing his meal yourself, making sure that your dog gets all these essential nutrients will keep you on the safe side.

Next, you’ll need to decide on the ingredients of the dog food. Meat, vegetables, starch, and fruit are good sources of the nutrients that dogs need. Meat products such as lamb, poultry, fish, and lean beef and pork are good choices – it depends on the availability. The same goes for vegetables – choose what’s most available, and go organic if you can afford it.

Good starch foods include brown rice, brown pasta, oatmeal, and potatoes. Stay away from the grains, however, as dogs can’t properly digest them and may have nutrients that dogs don’t need. When choosing starch foods, go for whole products so your dog can take advantage of the extra fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

There’s a prevailing rule of thumb for dog owners these days that if you won’t eat a particular kind of food, then don’t feed it to your dog, either. Some organ meats and byproducts (feathers and beaks, for instance) are included in some commercial dog food brands, and may not exactly be best for your dog.

Another thing to remember is that the abovementioned rule of thumb doesn’t apply in the reverse – it doesn’t necessarily mean that if you can eat it, your dog can, as well. Chocolate, raisins, grapes, garlic, and onions have been found to be toxic to dogs, so it’s wise to avoid feeding them such foods. In other words, if you’ve been feeding your dog pizza, it’s in his best interests that you never do it again.

With this information, you then choose the type of dog food diet you’ll be giving your dog. Basically, you have three options – commercial, BARF, or natural. Commercial dog foods are those you find lining the shelves of your pet store or supermarket – they’re basically tailor-made to suit the needs of dogs in all stages of their lives. They also come in organic form, though a bit pricier. It’s a good idea to choose the premium brands over economy, since the cheapest ingredients are almost never the best for your dog.

BARF stands for Bones And Raw Food, the diet some experts insist is the ideal diet for dogs, owing to the fact that this was what dogs ate while in the wild. Despite the theory’s validity, some questions have been raised about feeding bones and raw meat to dogs. It’s best to approach this type of dog food diet with caution.

Finally, you can go between commercial and BARF diets and feed your dog a natural one. Natural dog food diets involve cooked meat, fresh vegetables, enough starch, fruits, and water – quite close to what we’d eat ourselves. Despite the lack of scientific proof, dog owners have claimed that feeding dogs a natural diet (40% meat, 50% vegetables, 10% starch, for instance) make them healthier, happier, and live longer lives.

Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll make no mistake about coming up with healthy dog food for man’s best friend.

The dog food industry today has grown to be so large and diverse that it’s difficult for dog owners to decide which type of dog food diet provides a balanced set of nutrition for their pets. There are three major categories of dog food types available to them, which are as follows.

First, there are the commercial dog foods, which often come in kibble form or in cans. Such dog foods are being produced by dog food manufacturers who put a lot of research into the types and amounts of nutrients that dogs need, as well as offering these nutrients in forms that can easily be absorbed by a dog’s digestive system. Commercial dog foods offer ease of serving and long shelf life, and come in different variations for all stages of a dog’s life.

Over time, commercial dog foods have been blamed for the rise of common dog illnesses. Today, for instance, more dogs die of medical conditions instead of old age, which was the prevailing cause of death only decades ago (back then, owners fed their dogs table scraps). There are also accusations that some dog foods include questionable ingredients in their mixes, such as colorings, preservatives, and low-grade meat.

The commercial dog food industry has responded to these claims through the introduction of organic dog food. Organic dog food products contain ingredients that were raised naturally and were untouched by hormones, preservatives, antibiotics, and pesticides.

When thinking of feeding your own dog a commercially-made dog food product, it’s often wiser to select the premium and organic brands over bargain brands. While these products may be more expensive than others, it subjects your dog to a much lower level of risk and may let you save up on veterinary bills.

The second kind of dog food diet is the BARF diet, the acronym in which stands for Bones And Raw Food. Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst presented this idea in a book a few years ago, in which he suggested that raw foods such as whole meat and fish carcasses, yogurt, raw eggs, fruit, and vegetables imitates the kind of food that dogs naturally ate while in the wild. In effect, the BARF diet is the antithesis of commercial dog foods.

There has been some controversy regarding the BARF diet and some of its components. For instance, feeding dogs raw eggs and raw meat may subject them to illnesses, which may include salmonella. Bones may also splinter and injure a dog’s digestive tract. So far, it seems that the BARF diet has failed to elicit enough attention and interest from dog owners, who instead lean towards the surety and convenience of commercial dog foods – or the third kind of dog food diet.

The third kind of food diet is the organic/natural dog food diet. This diet forms a sort of “middle way” between commercial dog foods and the BARF diet, in which it advocates feeding dogs with foods only suitable for human consumption. Meals in an organic/natural dog food diet involves cooked meat, fresh vegetables, fruit, and starch foods.

To date, there has been no scientific study on organic/natural food diets and whether it does have positive effects on a dog’s longevity. There have been stories, however, of dogs living well beyond their breeds’ normal life spans.

In conclusion, it may not matter which diet type you choose for your dog. The best you can do is to ensure that he gets the most balanced set of nutrients you can give him. This means enough protein foods (meat), carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes), vitamins and minerals (fruit and vegetables), and water.

By definition, ‘organic’ dog food pertains to dog food that contains no preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. Many believe that these substances, which touch much of the food we humans ourselves eat, contribute to the rise in illnesses.

The recent recall of contaminated commercial dog food products has caused a spike in sales of organic dog food. In fact, organic dog food is growing in sales up to three times faster than organic food products for humans. After the horror that many pet owners went through in watching their dogs get sick and die from poisoning due to lethal ingredients in the said commercial dog food products, they’re not taking any chances and are making sure that their dogs get only the best that they can give.

Still, many dog owners are leery of organic dog food. The reasons vary – some claim that they can’t afford the price tag for organic dog food products, which may fetch almost up to twice the normal price of commercial dog food. Others also cite that there is no scientific proof that feeding their dogs organic food can keep them from getting sick and dying at a young age.

Advocates of organic dog food, however, claim that organic dog food does improve a dog’s health. A few decades ago, the leading cause of death for dogs was old age. But today, the number of dogs dying from cancer and tumors is on the rise, and organic dog food advocates are citing the popularity of commercial dog food, particularly bargain brands.

Owners who love their dogs, however, have a simpler argument – why feed your dog something you wouldn’t eat yourself? Wouldn’t you want your dog to eat as well as you do?

Organic dog food may actually save you money. By keeping your dogs healthy and free of any harmful substances from their diet, they’ll be less likely to develop illnesses as they grow older. This can translate to lower bills in veterinary care, medicine, and other pet care necessities.

And despite the fact that no scientific studies on the effect of organic food on the life spans of dogs, the Internet is replete with blogs of happy dog owners who can testify to that end. Some dogs that have normal life spans of 9 years, for instance, can live up to over 14.

While organic dog food still makes up only a tiny part of overall dog food sales in the United States – less than one-tenth of a percent – its popularity is still growing at a pace too fast to ignore. And for traditional dog owners who’d like to introduce their pet to a more organic diet, it may be difficult to find such organic dog food products if they don’t know where to start.

Some of the more popular dog food brands include Newman’s Own Organics, Natura Pet Products, and Castor And Pollux Pet Products. Try to see if you can find these and other organic dog food products available in your local market, and check their labels for the nutrition information suitable for your dog.

Proper feeding is essential to your dog’s health. Different breeds of dogs have different and specialized requirements to sustain their growth and their health - some large breeds, for instance, have food designed specifically to meet their needs. Attention to diet must be followed all throughout your dog’s life.

Selecting the right nourishment for your pet should not be done randomly. The overall well-being of your dog depends on how much research and preparation you do.

The kinds of nutrients that dogs need

A balanced diet gives your dog the calories he needs for energy and nutrients for growth and replacement of body tissue. Commercially available high quality dog food provides a balanced amount of calories and nutrients in the proper amounts that your dog needs to sustain good health. Giving additional food such as tidbits and snacks may possibly affect this carefully formulated balance of such dog foods. Leftovers should not constitute more than 25% of your dog’s diet since these are nutritionally unbalanced. So is an all-meat diet, since this kind of diet would lack certain nutrients and vitamins that are vital to your dog’s health.

Your dog’s diet should have enough high protein. However, the amount of protein in proportion to other nutrients should not be too high. An ample supply of carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals should also be present to keep your dog healthy. It would be wise if you can choose food that is nutritionally complete and balanced.

Commercial vs. Natural Dog Foods

There are a lot of commercially available dog foods in the market. You can choose from canned dog foods, dry dog food kibbles, all natural homemade dog foods and raw diet. All of these diets have their pros and cons, as well as their own critics.

Have your dog used to one or two brands of dog food. If you keep switching dog food, it is possible that this can cause digestive disturbance. Your dog may also become a picky eater. You should teach your dog to eat what you give him.

Dogs need to be fed according to their age

It is advisable to feed puppies with small amounts four times a day until they’re 3 months of age. Three times daily feeding should be observed from 3 to 6 months, and two times a day when your dog reaches 6 to 12 months of age. Most adult dogs only need to be fed once a day, in addition to a small snack can be given aside from his usual meal. It’s important to adhere to a fixed schedule when feeding your dog. Dogs love routine, and their biological clock will most likely adapt to the scheduled feeding.

Fresh and cool drinking water should be available to your dog at all times. Keep it in a dish that cannot be easily tipped over by your dog. Food bowls and water dishes should always be kept clean and washed daily to avoid unwanted sickness and infections.

What about chew toys and bones?

Give your dog something that is safe to chew on. This keeps their gums and teeth healthy and clean. A rawhide strip is better than a plastic chew toy since it can be digested in case of ingestion. Never give your dog a bone that can splinter because it may cause internal injuries.

Just recently, dogs all over the United States fell ill and died after eating contaminated dog food. These dog food products were found to contain chemicals that poisoned the dogs, without the owners knowing just what was going on with their pets. To make matters worse, the dog food industry seems to be doing too little to prevent such a thing from happening to our dogs.

While it’s true that majority of dog food products in the market today are safe, owners and veterinarians alike are now no longer quick to disregard the possible advantages of homemade dog food. A carefully prepared diet subjects the dog to a much lower risk of poisoning from bad commercial dog food – which, to add, may even contain meats that aren’t suitable for human consumption.

That premise alone is compelling enough for many dog owners – if you love your dog, they say, would you feed them something you’d never eat yourself?

Preparing a homemade dog food diet

Homemade dog food is easy to prepare, and the rules are simple: The dog’s meal must contain roughly 40% meat, 30% vegetable, and 30% starch. A simple meal of cooked turkey (without the bones), carrots, and rice is a good example. The reason for these proportions is to make sure your dog gets all the nutrients he needs. If he eats only meat, for instance, he’ll only get his protein requirements, but none of the carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Meat can be of any kind that’s easily available, be it beef, pork, poultry, fish, goat, etc. Organ meat, such as liver, is particularly good for dogs. Only be sure to cook the meat before feeding it to your dog – raw meat can contain bacteria and carry diseases such as salmonella. In addition, make sure to take the bone out of the meat. Bones can cause choking in the dog, or may splinter and injure its digestive tract.

Vegetables, like meat, can be of any kind that’s available to you. Freshness and variety is the only special requirement. Carrots, baked beans, and lettuce are good choices.

Starch provides your dog with carbohydrates, its main source of energy. Good starch foods include pasta, brown rice, oatmeal and potatoes.

Foods that may be harmful to your dog’s health

Some foods, however, are not advisable for dog consumption, as these may cause illness and death. When planning a homemade diet for your dog, make sure you do NOT feed him the following: Garlic or onions, grapes and raisins, chocolate, and any artificial sweeteners and fats.

Other tips in making the transition to homemade dog food

When you’re feeding your dog commercial dog food and would like to make the transition to a homemade diet for him, break it to him gradually. On the first day, for instance, give him a bowl of 1/8 homemade food, and the rest as the same commercial dog food he’s eating. Increase the portion of homemade food by 1/8 every day until it’s all he’s eating.

Another thing – it’s best to consult your dog’s veterinarian when you’re planning to move your dog to a homemade diet. The vet may give you helpful advice on homemade dog food diets – provided, of course, the vet isn’t biased towards commercial dog food.

When it comes to feeding dogs, there’s a difference of opinion between groups of dog owners. On one side, owners insist that commercially-made dog food is the only choice for dog diets, as the nutrients in these products have been scientifically researched and optimized for the dog’s needs. On the other side, owners suggest that it’s not right to feed dogs what we humans can’t in conscience take in, and that the best diet for dogs would be tailored after our own – this is what these owners call “natural dog food.”

So is natural dog food worth it?

It depends on many things. Natural dog food includes vegetables, legumes, and fruit into the dog’s diet, which means that dogs on natural dog food diets take in more of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that most commercially made dog food products don’t provide.

On the other hand, if you or anyone else in the household can’t live up to the additional tasks of buying, washing, and cooking natural dog food (tasks that commercial dog food don’t entail), then it might not be worth it. This can be addressed, however, by simply preparing the dog’s meals for the week over the weekend.

The rising popularity of natural dog food diets appears to be well-founded – there have been stories of dogs living past their normal life spans after being subjected to a natural dog food diet. Dogs who normally reach old age by the age of nine, for instance, may still be very healthy at fifteen years of age.

When preparing natural dog food, keep these tips in mind:

Choose fresh produce – organic if possible. These are the best ingredients for a good meal, whether for your dog’s health or your own.

Wash all produce well. Even if the food comes in packs or is undeniably fresh, a few minutes soaking in clean water (and rinsing afterwards) can clean produce even further and bolster its appearance.

Include all the food groups in a meal. A good natural dog food diet consists of a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. It may take a few experiments to know what kinds of natural food your dog likes, as well as how much it can eat in a meal, but it’ll be good eats from there.

Cook all meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. Some foods may be harmful to your dog’s health when uncooked. Also, make sure you take out the bones in meat, poultry and seafood before serving the meal to your dog.

Make sure your dog has enough clean water to drink. A dog needs about 1-2 liters of clean water a day (2-4.5 pints). Change his water at least once a day to make sure it’s clean. Dogs can survive on tap water, but if you can afford the extra mineral water, why not?

Some veterinarians may be biased towards commercial dog food, and unfairly attribute any health problems your dog has to the natural dog food diet. It’s important to find a holistic, open-minded vet – since your dog has a special diet, the chances are higher that such vets will know how to deal with the health of such dogs.

One more thing – always consult a good vet before feeding a weaning puppy natural dog food. For some breeds, it may take a while before their digestive systems can adapt to natural dog food.

Good grooming attends to your dog’s overall hygiene and doesn’t focus merely on any single part of his body. Particular attention should be given to areas that are hard to reach, such as the ears, the armpits, between the toes, and the teeth, since these areas are the most susceptible to infections and fungal growth. Here are some tips to keep your dog as clean and healthy as he can be.

Bathing is perhaps the most important part of your dog’s hygiene regimen. When bathing him, all areas should be thoroughly wet. Avoid dousing water into the ear (only wet the posterior area) and eye areas. After scrubbing him with a good dog shampoo, rinse him thoroughly to avoid having remnants of the shampoo sticking on the dog’s skin and fur. Some products can cause flaky skin and irritation.

In cleaning the face area, use a damp cloth. Don’t shampoo around the eye area, as this can cause eye irritation. After bathing, dry his coat by using a towel first. You can then choose to dry him further using paper towels or, if your dog doesn’t mind, a blow drier. When his coat is dry, you can then start combing or brushing it – dogs naturally like this part of the bath, since it’s soothing.

Another part of dog hygiene is nail clipping. Use appropriate nail clippers for your dogs – these can be bought at pet stores. You must trim your dog’s nails little by little, avoiding cutting into the quick. When any accidental bleeding occurs, put on a little flour to stop it. Your dog’s veterinarian can show you the proper way of clipping your dog’s nails.

Many dog owners underestimate the importance of maintaining good dental hygiene in their dogs. Dogs are just as susceptible to dental problems as we are. Use appropriate toothpaste for dogs — human toothpaste are designed specifically for spitting, which dogs can’t do. Dog toothbrushes and toothpaste can also be bought at pet stores and veterinarian clinics.

Make it a habit to check your dog’s teeth. Check for any bleeding, inflammation or any hard objects that get stuck between their teeth. If there are hard remnants of food that cannot be cleaned by brushing, remove them manually. Chew toys can help dislodge such objects from between your dog’s teeth.

Vaccination also plays a vital role in your dog’s health. Take him to a vet for vaccinations against lethal dog illnesses, such as rabies and dystemper, as well as other potential threats that your vet may identify.

Wash your dog’s beddings regularly to keep it from infestation. Use flea control products for treatment. Also clean your pet’s feeding bowls regularly since these may carry harmful parasites.
 
Finally, remember that no matter how clean your dog may be, it’s important to always wash your hands thoroughly after handling him. They may have parasites that are too small for the eye to see, and these may be very harmful to children, the elderly, and immuno-suppressed individuals. Keep these things in mind to keep your dog and yourself protected from disease and discomfort.

If you have a dog that spends a lot of time outside, you need a dog house. If you have a little do-it-yourself skill, you may be able to make your own with the help of some free dog house plans.

Making the plans for a dog house is easy.  Decide how large you want the dog house to be. This is going to depend on the size of your dog. You want the dog to be able to move around inside and not be uncomfortable.

We’ll use a medium dog as our example for creating free dog house plans. 

First you will need to make a template for the base of the house. This will be the entire floor space, minus walls, that the house will have. We are going to create a house that is 21 inches wide and 24 inches deep, a good amount of space for a small to medium dog.

Next you need walls and a front.  The side walls are going to be 24 inches long (since that is the size floor you cut out, and 24-27 inches high, depending on if you have a tall or short dog.  The front and back walls will be 21 inches wide and as high as you have decided the side walls should be.  Remember, one of these pieces needs to have a door drawn in it that is large enough for your pet to climb through.

The pieces of the roof need to be created in a width and length to cover while allowing sloping to the roof. In this case we are going to use one piece that is 21 inches x 32 inches and a second piece that is 21 ½ inches by 32 inches. That extra half-inch is not a typo, it is going to be the space you need to attach the two pieces together.

Now you can decide how much wood you need to use for your free dog house plans.  Add up the measurements from the free dog house plans you just made and decide how much wood you need to make it work.

If you want an extra strong house you may want to use 2×4’s to make a frame that fits the shape and attach the pieces of plywood to it.

Put the pieces of the dog house together with decking screws. Make sure to do this carefully. While 5/8 inch wood is a good amount of space to work with, if you tilt a little too much one way or the other you could send a screw end sticking into the dog house, and injuring your pet.

Next put the two roof pieces together. You will attach the pieces at a right angle with the longer piece facing you, as the piece you will put the screws through the top of.

If you want to add a little more strength, you can cut some of the extra plywood into right angle triangles to offer extra support at the angle of the top. You should glue them in first then screw them in place.

You have two ways to put the top on the house. The first is to make it removable, by putting two strips of wood, spaced evenly on both sides, underneath the long sides of the roof. When it is set on the top of the house, those strips of wood will balance the roof on top of the house frame. If you would prefer to have your roof permanent, nail down from the outside of the roof and into the walls of the house to hold it in place.

NOTES:

It is important to select exterior woods, as the dog house will have to put up with the weather.

You may want to put shingles on the roof to offer an extra layer of protection

Don’t use pressure treated woods if your dog is prone to chewing on things. The chemicals used in the wood can be toxic.

Use exterior paint on the outside of the house to offer an extra layer of protection against the elements.

Keep the doghouse off the ground. Either build it on cement blocks or use pressure treated 2×4s to create a rectangular base to hold it off the ground and away from any standing water. Just add this wood to your list of supplies from on your free dog house plans.