Are you worried whether your dog is getting its required nutrition? Do you want to cook some nutritious homemade food for your dog?
In this post, we will be presenting a complete guide on dog diets and few exciting recipes for your pooch. So let's dive in!
What Makes a Balanced Dog Food Diet?
You can plan your dog diet just like you plan yours! That means feeding your furry friend a diverse diet containing items from different food groups and portion sizes.
You can spread the ingredients across different meals over the course of a week or two to provide a balanced diet. There's no need to balance each and every meal unless you feed your dog the same recipe at all times.
Balanced Dog Food Ingredients and Portions
Keep the following considerations in mind while preparing homemade dog food.
Meat and Animal Products
Meat from poultry or animals should form half of the diet. You should use lean meat and remove separable fat to prevent obesity.
Boneless meat is also fine but remove the skin from poultry unless your dog is really active. You can also give organs like heart and liver to cut down your cost.
Raw Bones
Raw bones are a good source of nutrients and can make up 1/2 to 1/3 of the diet. Never cook the bones and try to feed meatier parts like chicken thighs.
Fish
Fish contains vitamin D so feed your dog canned fish (preserved in water) like pink salmon, sardines, jack mackerel. Remove the bones after cooking and give it daily to your dog or one or two times in a week with large portions.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and veggies provide fibre to your dog and help digestion. You can go for deep-coloured vegetables and cauliflowers, broccolis, potatoes, legumes, apples, bananas, melons and papaya.
Cook the vegetable or puree them in a blender if you are giving it raw to your dog.
Supplements
If you don't feed your dog a variety of foods, then it is better to go for supplements. Some supplements you can give to your dog include-
● Calcium
● Fish and plant oil
● Iodine
● Multivitamin and minerals
Delicious Dog Food Recipes
Now it's time for some mouth-licking recipes for your dog you can prepare easily at home.
Brown Rice, Turkey and Vegetables
Ingredients:
● Ground turkey - 1 lb
● Brown rice- 2 cups
● Dried rosemary- 1 tsp
● Carrots, broccoli and cauliflower- 1/2 frozen pack. (You can also chop two cups of veggies and cook them for 4 minutes until they turn tender)
Preparation:
Take a large pot and add the ground turkey, rice, rosemary and waterStir well to mix the ingredients and turkeyBoil the mixture and simmer for 20 minutesAdd the veggies and cook for 5 minutesRemove the pot and let it cool
Beef Stew
Ingredients:
● Beef stew meat- 1 lb
● Sweet potato- 1 small
● Diced carrots- 1/2 cup
● Diced green beans- 1/2 cup
● Flour- 1/2 cup
● Water- 1/2 cup
● Organic vegetable oil- 1 tbsp
Preparation:
Put the sweet potato in the microwave for 5 to 8 minutes till its tender yet firmChop the beef in small chunksTake a large pan and heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the meat chunks until well done. Take out the beef leaving behind the drippingsChop the sweet potatoHeat the drippings over medium-low heat. Add in the water and flour and stir slowly to make a thick gravy.Add in the green beans, sweet potato, carrots and meat. Coat the ingredients with gravy. Cook the mixture for 10 minutes or till carrots become tender.Let the mixture cool before serving.
You can refrigerate both the recipes up to 5 days and just reheat before giving it to your dog.
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