More and more people today are realizing the benefits of using home made dog food for their pets nutritional requirements. When planned carefully, this alternative is healthier and can be pretty economical for the average dog owner. Read on to find some important points to keep in mind in how to make dog food the proper way.

1. Consult your veterinarian first. There are many canines that have special needs and some food might be particularly harmful to them. Get your dog a thorough check up to find out their present condition and prepare the necessary food and nutrients into their meals.

2. Research about food in relation to canines. There are a lot of food that are dangerous when ingested by animals, many of which are found right under our noses. For example we have chocolates, onions, baby food, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, grapes, raisins and all types of caffeine. There are more so read up on toxic substances for dogs so you can keep these stored and locked away.

3. Some people believe that it is good to feed animal fresh and natural fare. However, it seems a wiser course of action to thoroughly cook the food to avoid any possible infections raw food might give. You can also keep the cooked meals in air tight containers and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Fresh ingredients should be frozen until you decide to use them.

4. Feed your pet a healthy mix of starch, meats and vegetables. You can put in 50% starch, 25% vegetables and 25% meat. Check what ratio works best for your pet and go with that. Rice and potato are great sources of starch and any kind of meat will be good to give as long as you don’t give one particular kind too much (like liver or any kind of organ meat; too much may cause some problems). Use tomatoes, carrots, green beans and peas for his vegetable portions. Also, add chopped small pieces of fruits for the dog to snack on occasionally.

5. Pets have different lifestyles they adhere to. Usually it’s because of breed or as brought upon by their owners own way of life. As such, you will need to determine what the appropriate portion sized meals to give your dogs is. The more active canines would need high protein, frequent meals; and some will have to be monitored carefully because of weight and health issues. Check with your vet regarding this matter.

6. When you are in the process of transitioning the dog from processed food to home made dog food, remember to do so slowly. Introduce the new cuisine gradually by giving him small amounts daily while decreasing the regular store bought pet food in his diet. If there seems to be no harmful physical reaction to it, then increase giving him the home made food until it is his new normal food.

It is good practice to change the meal menu frequently to provide your dog the nutrients and vitamins he needs, as well as keep his interest. Learning how to make dog food is not always easy; but seeing the happy wag of the healthy pet always makes it worth it.

Geraldine Dimarco instructs pet owners on how to make dog food that will make your dog healthy and happy. Visit this website for more excellent articles on Home Made Dog Food today.

Technorati Tags: animals, best dog foods, dog, dog food, dog health, dog recipes, dogs, family, home, home and family, homemade dog food, how to make dog food, pet, pets