homemade dog food Archives - Maui Dog Remedies

The latest round of dog food recalls left many whirling about what to do as a good dog food choice, considering many premium dog foods were on that list. Most dog owners have come to believe the only thing to feed their dog is kibble.

When one really stops to think about it, dog food recalls aside, feeding only kibble may not be the healthiest diet for dogs. We’ve learned through our own diets that processed food has gotten us to obesity, diabetes, thyroid problems and a host of other unhealthy situations.

Yet, the thought that we feed our dogs an all processed diet and wonder why diabetes, cancer and obesity are on the rise to the tune of nearly 50% of our dogs has seriously been overlooked.

Dogs Need Nourishment Too

Dog nutrition has been sold to us by the media for the last couple of decades as “balanced” through kibble. In fact it has been sold to us so hard that most people actually believe the essential vitamins and minerals dogs need can only be attained through kibble.

It is true that dogs do have vitamin and mineral requirements but surely with a bit of balance in real food the notion that they can’t get the right nutrition without eating kibble is a little crazy really. We have been sold the notion to the point we believe and our dogs are suffering over it.

Time to get a little education on what to feed your dog to get real nutrition. It’s time our dog’s get something healthier than the McDoggie diets they have been existing on, that have actually been detrimental to their long term health.

What Vitamins and Minerals Dogs Need

*vetinfo.com list these essentials

Vitamins

Vitamin A– for maintaining healthy hair, skin, eyes, muscles, nerves and ovaries.

Vitamin C– for maintaining a healthy urinary tract.

Vitamin B- complex– for maintaining normal growth and energy levels.

Vitamin D– for proper nerve and bone formation and muscle function.

Vitamin E– for proper cell respiration, fat metabolism and hormone production.

Vitamin K– for maintaining normal blood functions, like clotting.

Minerals

Calcium and phosphorous– for healthy bone growth, blood coagulation, muscle contraction, and nerve impulse transmission.

Copper–for proper formation of bone, tissue, and cells.

Fatty acids–for proper function of body organs and control of allergies and inflammation.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin– for maintenance of healthy joints.

Iodine– for proper metabolism and thyroid function.

Iron– for proper function of red blood cells which transport oxygen.

Magnesium– for proper vitamin, mineral and enzyme use, bone development, and protein production.

Potassium– for maintaining healthy muscles and nerves, and proper fluid balance.

Selenium– for protection of cells as an antioxidant.

Sodium and chloride– working separately or together, as sodium chloride, for proper fluid balance, transfer of nutrients, elimination of cell waste.

Zinc– for maintaining healthy hair and skin.

Vitamins and minerals are essential for good health and as the trend goes for whole food and juicing for people, it only makes sense that our dogs would be much better off absorbing their vitamins and minerals from real food as well.

Homemade dog food doesn’t have to be a difficult thing. In fact it can not only become quite easy but is pretty much guaranteed to spur you to a better diet for yourself.

Making the Switch to Real Food for Your Dog

If you want to make the switch to better food and better health for your dog do it just like you would any new change for yourself.

Gradually. Studies prove you have a way higher rate of success with gradual change, like 2 or 3 good meals a week instead of none. Don’t try to suddenly switch to all their meals are homemade. You are sure to fail and give up.

You don’t have to take on becoming a doggie gourmet cook overnight. Nor do you have to cook for your dog every single day.

Start by getting an education on the good nutrition for your dog and begin making a few recipes while adding to your knowledge about how to best get the right vitamins and minerals to your dog.

Learning to add the right things to your dog’s diet can come over time as well. *Join My Inbox if you’d like to get easy super food and supplement ideas using the very ingredients you would use while cooking your own food.

Home made Dog Food Tip

Calcium is a much needed mineral in a dog’s diet. The first thing we people think of as a calcium additive is milk. But guess what? It’s certainly not the best way to get calcium and feeding your dog loads of milk is not a good idea. Find out more about why milk is not a good source of calcium here: Healthy Alter Ego Milk

Here are two answers to adding calcium to your dog’s diet.

• Parsley

• Eggshells

Give your dog coconut oil every day! You can find recipes with coconut oil in Pumpkin Dog Food + Treats Recipes

• Anti bacterial

• Anti parasitic

• Anti inflammatory

Build your Dog Food Recipes and Health Dog Food Knowledge Base

If you’d like to get recipes and learn more about how to feed your dog for nourishment and health sign up for my ReVIBE | Dogs + Joy + Vibrance

Expect to get free dog food cooking recipes, notices on my dog food cooking classes, information on natural remedies for healing dogs and other good things for dogs periodically.

Please feel free to e-mail me with your questions and I’d love to hear if you have problems with itching, scratching and licking with your dog. Answer these three questions and I’ll be sure to get you the remedy report I’m working on right now.

As always, Mahalo for being a Maui Dog Remedies reader and take some time to have fun with your dog today!

Jt Clough lives in Maui, Hawaii and practices health, happiness, natural remedies and training for dogs and their people. Her uncanny way of communication with both dogs and people is healing and her training is effective physically and emotionally. Her work at ReVIBE | Dogs + Joy + Vibrance is for people looking to live healthier and happier lives through their dogs and her passion for it has helped so many to find and do that thing they’ve been talking about or wishing to happen for so long. She is a dog whisperer for our best friends and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication. Her latest publications are Treading for Dogs DVD, Pumpkin Dog Food + Treats Recipes and 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs.

The dog food industry is one that dog owners are understanding as part of the reason more cancer, scratching, itching, licking skin problems and obesity are happening in their beloved dogs. It has more people turning to alternative homemade dog food diets to keep their dogs healthy happy and living longer lives.

The True Horrors of Pet Food Revealed will most likely send you over the edge to find a diet that you can feel good about feeding your dog. Besides the fact that the ingredients aren’t what you thought they were, there is the fact that an all kibble diet is also an all processed diet.

All Processed Food is A Problem

Eating or feeding all processed food leads to all sorts of problems in humans and as it turns out, it is affecting our dogs’ health as well. Thus, the reason many have turned to making their own dog food. Before you go off and start making your own dog’s food though, make sure to know a few things that need to be added to all dog’s diet to keep it balanced and your dog in the best health.

The right vitamins and minerals are essential to your dog’s health. In fact you dog could develop health problems with the lack of these essential vitamins and minerals.

Essential Vitamins and Minerals for Homemade Dog Food Diets

Dogs need calcium, oil and fat and vitamins A, B, C & E

Calcium

Dogs and most certainly growing puppies need calcium in their diet. Calcium is not only found in bones and teeth, but it is also circulating in the blood.

Calcium in the blood is essential for several important functions. Blood clotting, hormones, nerve function and muscle contraction, which includes the heart cover the major needs for calcium absorption in a dogs body.

Homemade Dog Food Diet Calcium Supplementation

As with many commercial dog food, certain supplements can include ingredients such as a “natural source of minerals derived entirely from imported cattle bones”, and other sources that may or may not be something you really want to feed your dog.

If you are feeding your dog a balanced homemade dog diet include making your own bonemeal out of egg shells.

Making eggshell powder is easy.

Get in the habit of saving your egg shells.
A minimum of 12 usually makes this process easier.
Make sure the egg shells are completely dry before you create the powder.
Make sure your food processor is dry. Not only will it be difficult to make the powder but it can cause the ground eggshell to mold as well.
Put the eggshells in a food processor and grind to a fine powder.
Store in a dry sealed container.

To make a homemade diet of meat and vegetables work for your dog it is important to balance it with calcium. The above recipe was carefully calculated and tested by a veterinarian, Dr.Pitcairn, in his book, The Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. If you cannot make eggshell powder because you do not have a food processor, you can purchase pharmaceutical bonemeal for calcium. Do not buy agricultural bonemeal, it includes harmful agricultural chemicals. According to Pitcairn, the correct ratio is 2 slightly rounded teaspoons of bonemeal per 1/2 lb. or 1 cup meat.

The importance of bones or bonemeal into the diet and other sources of calcium should always be discussed when feeding a homemade dog food diet. If you want to go the natural route, and feed bones instead of eggshell powder or pharmaceutical bonemeal, according to The BARF Diet, chicken necks and backs are usually the only way to purchase soft, chewable bones in order for your dog to get enough calcium. Large marrow bones are too hard for your dog to chew off what they need. *Make note that these bones need to be fed raw and NOT cooked.

In weeks to come Big Island Dog will publish more on vitamins, minerals and other essential things you should add to your dog’s diet for optimal health. Please subscribe to Big Island Dog to stay updated on healthy habits for you and for your dog too whether it be things you do or what you and your dog eat.

Jt Clough lives on the Big Island, Hawaii, and practices health, happiness and natural remedies, while working as a Habits Coach for people looking to live healthier and happier lives. She is a dog whisperer for our best friends; and studies natural dog remedies, nutrition and communication. Her latest e-book is 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs.