Homemade Pet Food

by Melissa Simmonds

There are a variety of pet foods available in pet stores. You can choose from any of them to meet the daily diet requirements of your pet. However, some of these commercial pet foods may contain ingredients that can be harmful to your pet’s health. This possibility was even confirmed when recently, a number of known pet food brands have been recalled and taken out of the pet stores’ shelves.

You must be one of those many pet owners who have become wary of giving their pets commercial pet foods. Perhaps you want to try making homemade pet food recipes for your pet instead of buying commercial pet foods that are available in pet stores. If so, then you are on the right track.

Since you are going to make them yourself, you can be sure that the ingredients for your pet’s food are non-contaminated and therefore safe for your pet. You need not worry of pet food poisoning and other health problems that can result from their diet. However, there are also ingredients that, although natural, can cause health problems to your pet especially when taken in large amounts. That is why you should be careful in choosing the right homemade pet food recipes.

Homemade pet food can be made using the natural ingredients that can be found in your own kitchen. You can secure homemade pet food recipes from the Internet or from friends who have also been giving their pets homemade foods.

Making your own homemade pet food is relatively easy. All you need to do is know which ingredients are good for your pet and which should not be included in its diet. You may ask the advice of a veterinarian if you are not sure which ingredients are good or bad for your pet.

Most pet foods that are cooked and made at home can include ingredients such as rice, meat, oatmeal, potatoes, and vegetables. Often, brown rice is preferred because they contain more nutrients compared to the ordinary variety of rice. Potatoes, on the other hand, are good sources of starch that are needed in your pet’s diet. It is also advisable to put a little amount of garlic in the homemade food. Garlic has properties that can help repel fleas.

It is beneficial if you can alternate the menu for your pet’s meals everyday. Doing so can help take out the monotony routines of meals. In addition, it is advisable not to keep homemade pet food for more than three days in the refrigerator. If in case you have made more than what the dog can take for the day, you can give it again the next day or mix it with the new recipe for the day.

While homemade food may be a good alternative to commercial pet food, veterinarians strongly advise not to change the commercial pet food abruptly into homemade food. The sudden change of feeding may have a negative effect on the pet. Vets advise to mix commercial food with homemade food on the first few days of giving the pet homemade pet food. Because of this, you might want to check with your veterinarian first before ultimately changing your pet’s diet.

Try Homemade Pet Food Recipes for your dog – click here!