It is entirely acceptable to feed your dog a pure kibble diet. Or you can mix their diet up with some cooked or raw meat, fish, vegetables and rice. Many owners like to feed a raw meat diet to their dogs, and while this can suit some dogs very well, there are some important considerations you need to be aware of.
For decades, dry dog food was the only commercially available dog food on the market, so that is another good indication that dogs can live perfectly healthy lives on just dry dog food alone.
This means that if a human were to eat dog food, they would be consuming a greater amount of saturated fats. As a result, the risk of elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease and atherosclerosis would increase if a human were to eat dog food long term.
The optimum diet for most pets will be a combination of wet and dry foods. That said, so long as your dog drinks enough water, a solely dry food diet is fine.
People have survived on dog food for as long as 30 days without obvious ill effects, however it is worth noting that 30 days is just about when nutritional deficiency diseases start to really kick in.
Sometimes, vets will recommend specific dog foods, or sometimes people food, to help your dog get healthy or stay in shape. That being said, there's no evidence to support that your dog will live longer if you forgo the dry kibble and opt in for just human foods.
Drs. Lippert and Sapy, the authors showed statistically that dogs fed a homemade diet, consisting of high quality foods (not fatty table scraps) versus dogs fed an industrial commercial pet food diet had a life expectancy of 32 months longer – that's almost 3 years!
Longer Life
That's right; studies have shown that dogs who eat a raw diet live as much as 3 years longer than their kibble-fed counterparts.
Cooked beef can be given as meal toppers or treats. However, you cannot feed your dog only cooked beef every day. Dogs need a complete and balanced diet with the correct proportions of nutrients. Even though dogs can eat different types of meat including pork and chicken, meat-only diets do not qualify.
Bodybuilders are utilizing a new way to get an ample amount of protein in their diet–dog food (and yes, you read that right!).
While it's true that dogs need a protein-heavy diet and that they are carnivores by nature, living on a meat-only diet can really damage your dog's health. With just meat, your dog could be missing out on lots of vitamins and supplemental nutrients. If your dog's diet isn't right for him, look out for bowel issues.
If your dog will eat anything, know you aren't alone in this. Even though your pup's habit can make you feel nauseous, remember it's a natural scavenging behavior dogs have. Puppies, in particular, can be more prone to eating everything they find such as trash, leaves, rocks, and even dead animals.
Common meats to avoid are any processed meats like sausage, bologna, hot dogs etc. Also avoid giving your dog any rib bones as they are extremely brittle and can damage your dog's stomach and throat.
The most balanced meat is chicken, which is high in protein and low in fat at the same time. To prepare a healthy meal for your pup, cook it plain, without salt and spices. Cooking fresh meat for your dog is always better than offering them processed options like sausages, ham, or bacon.
Dogs fed once a day are less likely to be diagnosed with age-related conditions than dogs fed more often, according to an analysis of surveys completed by 24,000 owners of pet dogs.
Homemade meals may even make it possible to feed your dog well for less. Even when you add the cost of a vitamin/mineral supplement and calcium, it can still cost less than commercial food (like, as little as $3 a day).
One of the primary benefits of cooking your dog's food is that you can give them healthy foods that you won't find in store-bought dog foods. For example, ginger and pumpkin both offer great health benefits that can strengthen your dog's long-term health. You can gradually incorporate those foods into your dog's diet.
Commoner's dogs would be fed meager diets of bread crusts, bare-bones, potatoes, cabbage, or whatever the dog could scrounge on its own. By the 18th century, farm and hunting dogs were being fed mixed grains and lard. These useful dogs had to be healthy to do their jobs.
Scientists from the University of Guelph found that dogs on plant-based diets had a mean lifespan of 14.1 years, compared to a mean 12.6 years for those on meat-based diets. Dogs fed plant-based diets could live up to 18 months longer than those on meat-based alternatives, a new study from North America has suggested.
Green leafy vegetables or high-quality freeze-dried food are great examples of dog food that makes dogs live longer. Here, the nutrients have not been destroyed in the cooking process.
Is Fresh Food Better Than Kibble? In theory, yes. Fresh food is more wholesome, and you have complete control over what ingredients you add to the recipe. If you consult a veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist, you will be able to provide your dog with the best possible diet as per their own needs.
Some dogs become bored with the smell, flavor, and texture of their food. Change out one ingredient, such as swapping any chicken-based food for fish or lamb. You can also add fresh ingredients to the dog's kibble. Both steps may awaken those sensitive noses and make an old dish more exciting.
The simple explanation: you give them food
There is a scientific basis for this: domestic dogs are descended from wolves, which man once took in and tamed with shelter and food in return for them acting as guard dogs. This reciprocal relationship remains in your dog's genes and their loyalty is a by-product of it.