The food your dog eats can have a lasting effect on his health, so it’s important that you feed your pet a healthy and nutritious diet. The best diet is homemade dog food as opposed to commercial food or dry food as these may contain preservatives and non-nutritional fillers.
Whole Dog Food
In the wild, dogs ate raw unprocessed food. This is considered the best food for their systems. A BARF, or Bones and Raw Food, diet consists of muscle meat, bone, organ meats, vegetables and fruits. The food you feed your pet should be raw, natural, fresh and unprocessed so that it’s full of the nutrients and digestive enzymes that are required by him.
It should consist of high-quality animal proteins and not by-products of meat and poultry. Kibble or commercial dog food can give rise to problems such as allergies, teeth problems, degenerative diseases and hot spots, and should thus be avoided.
Benefits of Whole Dog Food:
- Feeding whole dog food to your pet ensures that he has strong teeth and minimal tartar deposits on the teeth. Such food also ensures that your pet doesn’t have foul breath.
- The digestive process of a pet who’s fed whole food is improved and his stools are consistent with reduced volume and foul odor.
- Your pet will shed any excess weight when he is fed a whole food diet. This will help him maintain a leaner profile.
- An arthritic pet will suffer from less discomfort and pain when he’s fed a diet that consists of whole food.
- Skin allergies are resolved and the condition of the coat is improved when the dog eats a whole food diet.
- A pet suffering from chronic diarrhea can be treated if he is given whole food meals instead of commercial diets.
- A pet on a whole food diet shows marked improvement in his overall health.
Dos and Don’ts of a Whole Food Diet for Your Pet
The raw meat in your pet’s diet should be rich in proteins and low in fat content. You should include raw meaty bones in your pet’s diet and they should make up at least 30 percent of his meal. Since there is concern about raw meat containing parasites, it is safe to cook the food before feeding your dog, but it’s best not to add spices or preservatives to the meal. Raw vegetables should be chopped and added to the food in order to ensure that the pet’s mineral requirements are met.
Onions, macadamia nuts, grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs and should not be fed to your pet. Grains and foods rich in carbohydrates are difficult to digest and should be avoided. You should ensure that you feed your pet small meals at regular intervals. The amount of food your pet eats daily should be equivalent to percent of his body weight daily.
Since different breeds of dogs have different dietary requirements, you should discuss your pet’s diet with the vet before switching your dog’s meals to whole foods. A nutritious diet and plenty of exercise will help your pet live a healthy and active life for several years.