Indeed, the statistical study showed that dogs fed with industrially processed food live an average of 10.4 years, while dogs fed with home-made food can reach an average age of 13.1 years. Increased lifespan is just one advantage of feeding your dog a raw food diet.
Home-cooked meals absolutely can be nutritionally balanced and complete. While it's true that dogs require a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, this can all easily be included at home. And despite the common belief, changing a dog's diet does not have to be hazardous.
“Homemade food is a great option for many pets, but we recommend that owners avoid general recipes from books and the Internet and instead consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist,” Larsen said.
Unprocessed grains and veggies are important, because unprocessed food has a better chance of having its nutrients and enzymes intact. Avoid meat by-products. Once you have reached that level of dog food, you are not talking about a product of any quality.
Commercial dog food contains fillers and preservatives that can affect your dog's health over time, whereas a fresh, human-grade diet produces increased energy and improved long term health.
It Can Cause Digestive Problems
A dog's digestive system is different from a human's. Typical human food is much too rich and fatty for a dog to properly digest; eating it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and even more severe conditions like pancreatitis.
Pathogens in Homemade Dog Food
Human goods do have issues with pathogen contamination as well – 25% of raw chicken on the market will be contaminated with Salmonella, and raw vegetables like Spinach and Lettuce have frequent recalls for pathogens like E.
Recommended serving amounts for homemade dog food
As a general rule, dogs will eat around 2 to 3 percent of their ideal body weight in fresh food daily. Larger breeds may need as little as 1 1/2 percent, and smaller breeds may need as much as 4 percent.
While popular, vets generally don't recommend making your own raw dog food because of the risk of bacterial contamination or possible public health risks. If your dog has any medical issues, consult with a vet or veterinary nutritionist to make sure the homemade diet works for your pet.
A balanced, home-cooked diet for a 30-pound dog would cost $3.52 per day; $5.58 if you go organic. That's two to four times the price of commercial dry dog foods of similar qualities, he says, but up to half the cost of commercial wet foods.
While there are no scientifically-supported benefits to homemade diets, whole ingredient-based diets are better in the long term. Commercial foods are made to be complete and balanced, adds Dr. Bartges, albeit not the most exciting of meals.
When compared to the fresh processed brand, feeding the real whole food resulted in 1.5 to 1.7 times (up to 41%) less feces. This latest research demonstrates that by feeding pets fresh ingredients, less waste goes in and less waste goes out.
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.
Vitamins dogs require include A (carrots, pumpkin), B vitamins (liver, green vegetables, whole grains), C (fruits and vegetables, organ meat), D (liver, fish, beef), E (leafy green vegetables, liver, bran, plant oils), K (fish, leafy green vegetables, fish), and choline (liver, fish, meats, egg yolks).
Dogs actually have fewer taste receptors compared to humans. That means they have less of an urge to eat something different every day. So your dog will not get bored of eating the same food every day. However, that doesn't mean that dogs won't appreciate another recipe now and then.
The answer is simply, No. There are many ways to create the best diet for your dog. In general, it is better not to give your dog any variety, which could cause havoc with its digestion, and not leave food down (so throw away any uneaten food after 15-20 minutes).
Considering how many dog foods contain chicken as an ingredient, it's a safe bet that you can feed your dog chicken. In fact, it's a good source of protein, and cooked chicken can even be substituted for or added to his regular meal.
Switching your dog's food abruptly can cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite. Any time you decide to change your dog's food, you should transition to the new diet gradually in order to give your dog's system time to adjust to the change.
Dry diets are by far the most economical and healthy way of feeding your doggo and saving some coin.
Unless you're feeding bones, all homemade diets must be supplemented with calcium. Oils should be added, like fish oil for fatty acids, or cod liver oil for fatty acids and vitamins A & D. Homemade diets are typically short on Vitamin E – added as a supplement.
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.
Is Meat Required? Dogs can thrive without meat, but only if they are fed a properly balanced vegetarian diet. As is true with people who prefer vegetarian diets, protein or vitamin deficiency can occur in dogs who eat strictly vegetarian diets if they are not properly supplemented.