Natural Dog Food - Why It Matters

The advantages of feeding your dog a natural dog food diet are many. You will be able to build the overall health of your dog. Pet owners who have switched to a natural dog food diet have reported improvements in coat, breath, temperament, the look of their pet's eyes, energy levels, vitality etc.

According to the tips for natural dog food diet, a person should use human quality food. The left over food should not be fed to the dog and its food should not be according to the person's taste and nutritional requirements. The pet dogs also are capable of liking junk food like human beings. Their diet should consist of food that will make them healthy and not those that will lead them in getting degenerative diseases or diabetes.

Most manufactured dog foods are a combination of both animal and plant proteins. They most probably do this because it is less expensive to produce, however, because meat is the most likely ingredient to become chemically contaminated, a good option is to balance the meat portion of protein with plant sources of protein, like legumes.

Most vets do not recommend a diet of only raw foods, due to the possibility of salmonella and listeria contamination. While many pet owners have reported health benefits for their pets coming from a raw food diet, a natural dog food diet provides all of the same benefits with a much lower level of risk.

Some terrific sources of protein to incorporate into your dog's regular diet include eggs, dairy products and meat. However, dairy does not provide enough calcium in a natural dog food diet. Dogs need a lot of calcium, and it is important to not only provide dogs with enough calcium, by using bone meal and calcium supplements blended with their food, but also to monitor and deliver to them the proper ratio of phosphorus to calcium. Such supplements may not be needed for adult dogs if you give your dog raw meat and bones, but maintaining the correct ratio of phosphorus to calcium is a necessity to allow the dog's body to use to the calcium that you provide.

Carbohydrates supply over half the diet for dogs when taken by dry weight, according to commercial standards. Grains are carbohydrates that need to be cooked. Sources of carbohydrate can include cornmeal, polenta, millet, oatmeal, and bulger. Dogs can also be fed legumes like lentils, split peas etc. Vegetables are also great sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for dogs. They can be mixed with other ingredients in the dog food diet.

These days lots of people have started giving their animal companions organic dog food which they buy online or from specialty shops. This has become a major area of the pet food industry, and is the nutrition of choice for many dog owners. Others have begun to prepare food items themselves in their own kitchens. While it requires a greater expenditure of time and effort, it does offer certain important nutritive advantages. Check the world wide web for all sorts of delicious homemade dog food recipes.

Dog owners who have changed to a natural dog food diet have listed numerous positive differences in their pet, including improved coat appearance, breath, temperament, energy, and longevity. You can choose to use homemade dog food recipes. Don't substitute your nutritional needs and tastes for your dog's, because pets can also develop an addiction to junk food. Make sure that what you feed you dog keeps him healthy, and that it doesn't lead to diabetes or other diseases. Many people have also switched to organic dog food that is frequently found only at specialty stores or via the internet.

-Melinda Smith