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Homemade diet for dogs: nutritious recipes and recommended supplements
May 16, 2024
Homemade diets for dogs are being talked about more and more
Preparing food for your dog at home? More and more people are seriously considering it! Yes, the trend towards home-cooked food for our four-legged friends is constantly increasing.
More and more dog owners are realizing that they no longer want to settle for the usual dry food full of artificial ingredients. The benefits of this diet?
Complete control over the ingredients
Selection of high-quality products
Nutrition tailored to the specific needs of your dog
A personalized meal, just like for a family member!
What are the benefits of a homemade diet?
A well-planned homemade diet brings numerous essential benefits to the health and well-being of your four-legged friend. First of all, you have the opportunity to carefully select fresh ingredients of the highest quality, avoiding artificial additives, preservatives and low-quality by-products that are often found in commercial foods.
You can create delicious recipes using lean meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, whole grains and healthy sources of fat such as extra virgin olive oil.
Another key benefit is the ability to tailor the diet to your dog's specific nutritional needs, taking into account food intolerances, health conditions or age-related needs. For example, a more moderate protein intake may be preferred for an older dog, while a growing puppy may require more protein and calories.
In particular, many owners report that switching to homemade food has significantly improved their dog's coat quality, breath and even behavior thanks to the intake of high-quality nutrients. A well-balanced homemade diet also provides an optimal amount of fiber and promotes healthy bowel movements.
The emotional benefits should not be underestimated either: lovingly preparing your pet's food strengthens the bond between you and your precious furry friend. Taking care of him by providing him with a healthy and natural diet makes you feel more connected than ever.
And the disadvantages?
Preparing your dog's food at home? A big step, but beware of potential dangers! Yes, cooking for your furry friend requires extreme mindfulness. An improper home-cooked diet can prove to be a nutritional disaster. Deficiency? Excess? An imbalance of essential nutrients such as proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals could seriously endanger your dog's health.
Imagine inadequate protein intake... weakened muscles and loss of lean mass! Or excess calcium? Kidney stones lurk! And with too few antioxidants, the risk of degenerative diseases increases rapidly. One disaster after another!
Without proper knowledge in dog nutrition and feeding, it is easy to cause harm. Each breed, size, age has its specific nutritional needs. Ignoring them would be a crime against the well-being of your precious companion!
The truth? Creating a balanced diet plan is a challenge that not everyone can handle. It requires thorough research, testing and constant adjustments. A task that is considered difficult for the average owner, so it is important to consult with competent professionals before changing your dog's diet.
But are homemade diet and BARF the same thing?
No, homemade diet and BARF are not the same at all! Although they aim to provide a more natural diet, these two types have significant differences that are important to understand.
Barf is the acronym for "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food" and is a fairly extreme nutritional philosophy that aims to faithfully mimic the diet of dogs in the wild. This regimen involves exclusively administering raw foods, completely free from any type of cooking or processing.
The central idea is to feed the dog like a real hunter by offering him a diet of raw meat (muscle, bones, cartilage), fresh offal, raw eggs and a moderate amount of raw vegetables. Nothing should be exposed to the effects of heat as this could alter and reduce the nutritional value of the food.
Proponents of this diet claim that it best suits the dog's physiology and natural development as a carnivore due to the absence of industrial processing and processed ingredients, as high temperatures can destroy enzymes, vitamins and other valuable nutrients in raw foods.
Following a BARF regime requires extreme care in carefully composing and balancing the right portions of red meat, bones, offal and raw vegetables. An incorrect diet composition could easily lead to serious nutritional deficiencies or an excess of certain elements, which could negatively affect the dog's health.
It is crucial to rely on experienced nutritionists to create an appropriate diet plan and avoid risks.
On the other hand, the homemade diet allows the use of cooked foods and a greater variety of ingredients such as cereals, legumes and dairy products. The goal is to compose a balanced meal by skilfully combining animal and vegetable protein sources to meet the dog's specific nutritional needs.
Similarities Both regimes aim to provide a diet free of additives, preservatives and low-quality byproducts often found in commercial feeds. However, while the first prohibits any kind of cooking, the well-planned home-cooked diet can include cooked foods.
A challenging choice Deciding between the two options requires a careful assessment of your capabilities. Barf is extremely challenging and risky if you don't have the skills to balance the diet, but home cooking also requires a thorough analysis to avoid dangerous nutritional deficiencies.
Homemade diet: does it provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals?
Unfortunately, in most cases, a homemade diet cannot fully meet the needs of essential vitamins and minerals for the proper development and maintenance of your four-legged friend. Despite efforts to select high-quality ingredients, it is extremely easy to suffer from basic micronutrient deficiencies.
The Importance of Supplements This is where supplements specifically designed for homemade or BARF diets come into play. These supplements are a valuable backup to fill in any potential nutritional gaps and provide additional coverage of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes that are often lacking in conventional foods.
Choosing to rely on specially formulated supplements from companies specializing in canine nutrition is a minimal investment to guarantee optimal nutrition for your precious companion. Given the critical importance of these supplements, it is important to choose the right ones for your dog.
These are actually the key to filling any nutritional gaps and providing additional coverage of vitamins, minerals and other valuable micronutrients. A small gesture that makes all the difference for a healthy, happy and long life by your dog's side.
3 quick, balanced and nutritious recipes for our dog
Feeding your dog healthy and delicious homemade meals doesn't have to be an epic undertaking. Here are three quick but nutritious recipes, perfect for keeping your four-legged friend satisfied!
Chicken meatballs with vegetables This delicious alternative to the usual boiled chicken combines the noble proteins of the white meat with the fiber and vitamins of spinach, carrots and potatoes. You only need 25 minutes to prepare these delicious and irresistible tasting meatballs.
Salmon fillet with wholegrain rice Salmon is a valuable source of omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality proteins. Accompanied by a wholegrain rice salad, this dish becomes a concentrate of benefits for your dog's skin, coat and cardiovascular system. The best part? Only 15 minutes preparation time!
Beef and Lentil Stew Craving a hearty meal? This lean beef and red lentil stew is rich in iron, as well as protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and zinc. And it only takes 30 minutes to conquer your dog's palate.
No more excuses! You too can become a gourmet chef for your favorite four-legged friend, with quick but 100% nutritious dishes. All you need is a little planning and the willingness to pamper your pet with a healthy and authentic alternative to the usual dry food.