Homemade Dog Food"A diet of fresh, quality dog foods will help to maintain a shining coat, healthy skin, clear eyes, strong bones and teeth, and lean muscle, but don't take our word for it - try it for yourself!"More and more Cocker Spaniel owners are choosing homemade dog food over commercial dog food and, whilst it may be a little more time consuming than opening a packet or a tin, the additional benefits your dog will recieve make it well worth the extra effort.
If you've never looked at the dog food ingredients listed on commercial dog food packaging you may be shocked to learn how much 'filler' such as corn is used and how many artificial chemicals, colourings, and preservatives the food contains. In the past, there have been many recalls in the world of manufactured dog foods; for some dogs these recalls came too late. In 2007, many pets became sick, and many died. Eventually, it was discovered that some pet foods were contaminated with melamine which was causing kidney failure and killing our pets. Dr Renate Reimschuessel of the Food and Drug Administration in America explains more about the melamine contamination and how the discovery was made. Fortunately, many dog food manufacturers have learned from such mishaps and are continually improving the quality of their ingredients and manufacturing processes; however, many have yet to get it right - which is one of the reasons why the homemade dog food diet has increased in popularity. By making your own homemade dog food you know exactly what goes into it - nothing but fresh, good quality ingredients to help your dog maintain a shining coat, healthy skin and clear eyes, strong bones and teeth, and lean muscle. Homemade dog food, made with fresh, good quality ingredients, will help your Cocker to live a happier and healthier life - it can also help him to live longer too! Share your favourite homemade recipes with us!
What Goes Into Homemade Dog Food?The short answer is - the best quality ingredients you can afford!Basically, a homemade dog food diet is made up of proteins, in the form of human grade meat or fish as the main ingredient, a small selection of fresh vegetables for vitamins and minerals, and oatmeal, pasta, rice or potatoes for carbohydrates.
Proteins can be found in meat and fish such as, lamb, beef, rabbit, turkey, chicken, pork, salmon, sardines, and tuna. Eggs are also packed full of protein. Max, our Cocker Spaniel, an occasional egg or two in his diet, mixed with a little white or brown rice - he's not interested in the nutritional value; to him, it simply tastes good! Essential fats and oils can be found in oily fish, nuts, grains, vegetables, and most meats. However, too much fat in the diet can lead to overweight dogs so if you are to keep your Cocker Spaniel trim, it's important to monitor his intake of fats closely. Fresh, healthy vegetables such as potatoes (peeled), carrots, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, spinach, parsnips, peas, asparagus, celery, and broccoli will provide your dog with essential vitamins and minerals. The meat, or fish, and vegetables can be mixed with whole grains or oatmeal to provide a satisfying, well-balanced, nutritional meal. Don't be tempted to add salt to your Cocker Spaniel's diet - he doesn't need it; too much salt in his diet is not good. At the beginning of the week, make up a batch of homemade dog food and keep it in the refrigerator - it should last for up to 4 days. Alternatively, you could freeze portion-sized batches and defrost each day as needed. Find a selection of tasty homemade dog food recipes here. Share your favourite homemade recipes with us!
Types Of Homemade Dog FoodsIf you want to make your own dog food, there are many types to choose from.There's the organic dog food diet where the ingredients used are natural, and food is processed in an environmentally friendly way. Livestock is farmed responsibly, usually free-range and without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Vegetables are grown without using artificial pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers. The natural dog food diet is similar to the organic diet, except the ingredients are not necessarily organic. It's made from ingredients derived from plant or animal sources, preferably in their unprocessed state or prepared with the minimum of processing, and without the use of chemicals, to enable the food to retain all its natural goodness. Then there's the raw dog food diet, which is sometimes also known as the 'BARF' diet. It consists mainly of raw meat and bones, such as beef, lamb, chicken, duck and rabbit, and offal. The diet can include a small amount of raw fruit and vegetables. Eggs, including the shells, cottage cheese and plain yoghurt, may be included in a raw food diet as they are excellent sources of calcium. The word 'holistic' in holistic dog food relates to taking care of the entire body. One of the ways we can do this is by feeding our dogs good quality ingredients that will 'feed' the entire body. That well known phrase, 'You are what you eat' is a great example of a holistic diet. Holistic dog foods contain high quality ingredients - foods that are natural and don't contain chemicals, artificial preservatives, colourings or flavours. Natural dog food is another term for holistic dog food and is often used interchangeably.
Tips For Preparing Homemade Dog FoodBefore making your own homemade dog food, it's important to understand that there are many everyday foods that can be poisonious to dogs and should not be included in your dog's diet.Additionally, cooked bones should never be fed to your dog as the cooking process makes them brittle and prone to splintering, which could choke your dog or damage his digestive system. If you'd like to feed your dog a juicy bone, make sure it's uncooked. When preparing your dog's food ensure all work surfaces and kitchen utensils are kept scrupulously clean - use anti-bacterial spray if you can. Before you change over fully to homemade dog food, begin by mixing his existing diet with a little of the new food that you've prepared. Gradually increase the homemade food and decrease the commercial dog food until the transition has been made. Share your favourite homemade recipes with us! Not all dogs are the same, so if you plan to make any changes to your dog's diet you need to understand that different breeds and sizes often have differing nutritional needs. No matter what size of dog or breed you own, simply tossing together scraps of meat and leftover dinner from family meals will not necessarily constitute a healthy and nutritious diet. We strongly recommend you visit your vet for advice before making any changes to your dog's diet. Your veterinary practice may be able to help you plan your Cocker's meals - they may even have homemade dog food recipes for you to try - just make sure you rotate the recipes to help you give your dog a variety of foods and a well-balanced diet. More Titles In The Healthy Dog Food Series Feeding your puppy organic dog food has many benefits, including adding years to your cocker spaniel's life - learn more here! Natural dog food contains high quality ingredients. You won't find harmful chemicals or artificial preservatives and processing is kept to a minimum so that the dog food retains its natural goodness. If your dog has recently been ill, or is suffering from a health problem, your vet may advise a prescription dog food diet for your cocker spaniel to replace his normal food. Feed your pet a raw dog food diet of fresh meat, bones, fruit and vegetables, with a few vitamin and mineral supplements thrown in, and see a marked improvement in your dog's health! A raw dog food diet (the BARF diet) can greatly improve your pet's health and appearance and can help him to live a longer life too! Try our raw dog food recipes and see the difference for yourself! The word 'holistic' in holistic dog food relates to taking care of the entire body. One of the ways we can do this is by feeding our dogs good quality ingredients that then will 'feed' the entire body! There are many vegetarian owners who choose to feed their dogs a vegetarian dog food diet, and whose dogs appear to thrive on it; however, it's not suited to all dogs. Learn more... Hypoallergenic Dog Food Dog food allergies are more common than you think and, in many cases, vets are recommending owners change their dogs onto a diet of hypoallergenic dog food to combat the allergy. We've some tempting homemade dog food recipies here for your Cocker Spaniel to try. Why not try one - I'm sure he'll love you for it! Dog food allergies often present many symptoms, making an allergy difficult to identify. Learn how to diagnose, treat, and eliminate a dog food allergy or intolerance. Learn how to prevent accidental dog poisoning from innocent everyday foods such as chocolate, onions, grapes and raisins. Also lists toxic household chemicals and poisonous plants.
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