Real Food Diet for Dogs
- Real food is not considered just "people food." Meats, vegetables, cereals, grains and fruits are also part of your dog's natural diet. The meals you make for your dog consist of these ingredients but in a different order than humans consume and different portions of each group.
- Whole grains should be used in moderationcereal image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com
In the 1930s, dog food was first manufactured by cereal and grain companies to find a solution to the problem they were facing of waste products that humans could not consume, such as moldy or contaminated cereal or grains. The meat industry was also in a similar dilemma with D4 meat products going to waste. D4 meat is defined as meat that belonged to diseased, dying, disabled or already dead livestock that arrived at the slaughterhouse. These two industries joined together to create and manufacture what we know as commercial dog food today. - Always cook the meat you give your petRaw turkey meat image by kuhar from Fotolia.com
If dogs were left to fend for themselves in the wild they would eat predominantly herbivorous prey which consists of meat, muscle meat and minimal grains (stomach contents). A diet comprised of protein from muscle meat, organs and some grains meets a dog's nutritional needs. - Real food is a healthier alternative for your petdiet image by siloto from Fotolia.com
Many common ingredients or fillers in dog food such as soy, wheat and corn are also common allergens to dogs. You may notice that your pet is biting its paws or repetitively rubbing its face on the carpet. This is due to itchy skin that may be caused from a food allergy. Proper diagnosis from your veterinarian could help determine the actual cause. Jim Dixon, an owner of pugs and author of "Going to the dogs," found after switching from commercial dog food to a real food diet his pugs stopped having allergic reactions. - More prep time is needed to prepare real dog foodcooking image by feferoni from Fotolia.com
By feeding your pet real food instead of processed dog food, there are potentials for your pet to not only be healthier but to also be more energetic. The cost to make your own pet food can also be considerably less expensive compared to the cost of processed dog food.
