Is your pet's health important to you? I would hope the answer to that question is yes, it is important. It might surprise you to read that many studies indicate that commercially prepared dog food is not entirely healthy for your dog, and can even contribute to health issues. To avoid these problems, some people are turning their own homemade dog food. While this might seem like a much unnecessary work, it is a small price to pay to keep your beloved pet healthy.

Baking Basics for Your Dog

If you want to make your own homemade dog food, there are a few basic issues to bear in mind. There are some specific guidelines for homemade dog food that should be followed when you are determing the base products required. These guidelines ensure that the end result will in fact be a healthy alternative for your dog.

The primary elements that make up commercial brands of dog food are protein, fats, fibre and moisture.

To satisfy nutritional requirements, about one third of the components of homemade dog food should be high in protein. This protein can come from eggs, dairy products, or any type of meat. The remaining two thirds of the homemade dog food should consist of grains and vegetables.

It equally as important to know what ingredients you should avoid when preparing homemade dog food. We sometimes have a tendency to think that a dog can eat nearly anything but in fact there are certain ingredients that upset a dog's digestive system. To assure that will not occur, there some products you should never include in a homemade dog food recipe. These include chocolate, onions and onion powder, mouldy foods, garlic, grapes and raisins, mustard seeds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol. These products have all proven to be intolerable to your canine's digestive system.

A Sample Homemade Dog Food recipe

Although a number of common household food products are suitable for your own dog food a simple list of ingredients could include the following.

Mix together 6 cups water, 1 pound ground turkey, 2 cups brown rice, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, and a combination of carrots and cauliflower. You can prepare these ingredients for use as your own custom homemade dog food by simply placing them in a large Dutch oven and cooking them for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Let the mixture cool and package in quantities suitable for to satisfy single serving requirements. Be sure to package your servings in a manner that will dispel surrounding air.

Vacuum sealing is a great way to package portions that will remain safe for use for extended periods of time. When preparing large batches, these portions can be frozen until required.

If you want to be sure that your dog is receiving high grade, healthy food products, try making your own. You might be surprised at the satisfaction you feel when cooking up a meal for your dog exactly as you would for any other member of the family.