Dog Food With Fresh Meat & Vegetables
Posted By Nancy Houser on April 11, 2009
Dogs are smarter than humans. Most will willingly eat fresh meat and vegetables without hesitation. Due to a long background of fending for them self, they instinctively knew what was good and what was bad to eat. That is—at least until mankind domesticated them and began pumping commercialized dog food into them with inferior products—a number one reason for food allergies in dogs.
Commercialized pet foods have been manipulated by dog food companies and companies that produce pet products for awhile now. The pet industry is a HUGE business in the United States, more than any other country in the world. It doesn’t make much sense that many (not all) dogs are being fed low quality/low priced non-nutritious foods when obviously the market can easily withstand some health stuff. This cheap type of dog food causes bad teeth, obesity and ill-health–with high vet bills mounting up in the long run (another expense for pet owners).
Yet. Somehow. Dogs in the wild never became seriously obese or died of bad food consumption that we know of…UNLESS the other critter got to them first. Anyone watched “Ice Age?” Ignorant as dogs are said to be, they did pretty well until we stepped into the picture or at least did no worse.
Adding fresh meat and vegetables to the dog diet
Adding fresh meat and vegetables to a dog’s diet can be fed by itself or mixed with a high quality kibble, ensuring health and long age for your beloved pet. Becoming more informed ourselves about food health, it stands to reason if certain things are good for us—-why not our dogs?
Check online and read reviews on the raw food diet, fresh food diets for dogs, or what type of vegetables are good for dogs and see for yourself. Or better yet, talk personally to those who have switched to a raw diet or have added raw food to their dog’s dry dog food diet and see how it went for them! Has their allergies went down and has their dog’s skin and coat improved?
Yams and Sweet Potatoes
As an example, yams or sweet potatoes are considered to be highly nutritious and excellent for a dog’s teeth and health, cooked or chopped up raw.
High in anti-oxidants, it is a natural food with no artificial sweeteners or colors. Besides, it is an excellent filler for our pets and satisfies that sweet tooth we think they have. When cooking some for our supper, mix some with the pet’s food and they think they will be eating with you—something they love to do.
All kinds of raw vegetables are considered nutritious for dogs. In particular, we know that any orange-colored vegetable is filled with beta-carotene for cancer prevention. The only disadvantage I have heard is when a dog eats carrots their fur may develop an orangey’ tint… so try not to feed fresh carrots to your little white ”La Fanny Elssler” the week before the local dog show. It will get attention—but maybe not what you want!
BARF Dog Diet
Those who favor the BARF dog diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) feed their dogs approximately 30% of veggies within a specific designated raw food diet set up. This includes yams, sweet potatoes, green beans, and carrots (to name just a few ingredients).
Vegetables are excellent for dogs, especially when raw. Dogs are animals who were meant to chew—strong jaws, specific digestive system, and teeth—a system made exactly right for chewing and tearing. This is in opposition to the usual excess of sticky filler grains which causes most dogs to develop internal health issues. Many dry dog foods are filled with corn products, which causes allergies and digestive problems in dogs.
Obesity in Dogs
The amount of food a dog should normally eat is 2% of their weight–consumed daily– not just in one meal. A 25-pound dog should get 1/2 pound (not 1/2 cup!) of dog food a day. This total 2% can be split up in one or two or three meals of the day.
Measuring dog food in pounds and cups is not difficult. One measuring cup equals eight ounces, and 16 ounces (2 cups) makes a pound—depending on the weight of the dog food. Many people weigh a cup of their dog food to see what it weighs first to figure out the dog’s consumption. Many commercial foods have measurements on their bags, but raw foods need to be weighed per meal.
As we knowdogs who are overweight require slightly less than this, regardless what the dog’s story is. Personally I feed twice a day, so that 2% amount is cut in half—1% at each meal. I also feed raw bones to my dogs. In the wild this is something that comes natural to them, and they dearly love it. But they cannot eat cooked ones—only raw—as cooking is what makes them brittle with splinters to do some serious internal damage.
VEGETABLE DOG FOOD RECIPE:
Cut up some yams and carrots, then place them into a blender with raw spinach and squash. If desired, add a few cloves of garlic (antibiotic), fresh basil/cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil, and a couple Vitamin C tablets. Blend this up and mix with some fresh meat, raw eggs, or plain. I mix with some high quality dry food and fresh meat. Many people leave out the garlic as the phrase “passing gas” will take on a whole new meaning with Fido! But it is healthy….:):)
Meat is something that should be fed every day to a dog. so it is an option to add fresh tuna with Omega-3 or chopped up chicken, hamburger, etc. My dogs will run out, toilet, and almost beat themselves up trying to get back inside because they know they will be getting daily fresh meat in their morning breakfast. I feed dry kibble for the evening meal , but in the morning they get the “Breakfast Fit for a King” and they wait impatiently for it. Their eyes sparkle and they can hardly stand still. They do not do that with the bowl of dry dog food at night, believe me. If eyes can show sheer disappointment, your heart would break at the sight. Sigh…
SOME SHOPPING NOTES FOR FEEDING RAW VEGETABLES and MEATS
• Chicken quarters are usually for sale for next to nothing in large bags from the local Walmart stores, purchased for under $5 a bag. They are very fresh and provide the perfect balance of meat and bone. This makes up the majority of my dog’s diet. I also boil a few chicken quarters with wild rice which they love mixed in with some of their favorite kibble.
• Purchase a large turkey on sale. A 20-pound bird makes 13 meals for my dogs, one that they love when finely chopped up like hamburger. I also bake it or boil it whole, or debone it raw first and then give bones to the dogs while saving the meat for raw or boiling.
• Hamburger can be purchased in large ten-pound rolls. My vet advises me to boil it with rice and either feed it alone or with kibble. I mix it with kibble alternatively with chicken.
• Dogs love fresh kidney or liver which is more than cheap. Stock up when on sale!
• Veggies from every small town’s dream—the old farmer’s market. All vegetables can be purchased cheaper but with higher quality once a week or daily. I do not buy tomatoes, corn or onions for their diet..that belongs to me!
• Canned veggies from the neighborhood grocery story are typically on sale every week. Most dog owners say their dogs love the green beans best while I’ve had dogs spit the peas clear across the floor—they are individuals and will tell you what they DO or DO NOT like. In the winter or when you cannot go to the farmer’s markets, canned will work in a pinch—green beans, carrots, spinach, or yams.
• Neck bones or oxtail bones can usually be found in butcher shops. Lots of meat is shipped in without the bones to local grocery stores, so find a butcher where farmers take their cattle or pigs for butchering, and you will have your answer.
If you’re not sold yet on fresh and/or meats, then keep reading:
1. Teeth brighten and lose plaque, eliminating the need for cleaning.
2. Breath becomes almost odorless indicating a healthy start to the digestive process.
3. Skin becomes healthy and vibrant and creates a hostile environment to most parasites.
4. Coat shines brightly and sheds minimally. Raw Feeding is very popular among show dog owners and judges, yielding many awards to raw feeders.
5. The stool is less in volume and much less offensive even in the litter box.
6. Optimal body weight is easily obtained and maintained. As a result, the vascular system is much less stressed, allowing the best function of the heart, liver and thyroid.
7. Large breed puppies have much less chance of growing too fast. Their joints can grow without undue stress and their long-term quality of life is optimized.
8. Arthritic conditions are minimized and many geriatric companions have a chance at A Second Childhood. This is greatly attributed to the natural Essential Fatty Acids as well as the overall PH balance becoming normalized, reducing inflammation. Glucosamine, chondroitin and collagen are a natural component in raw meat.
9. Quicker recoveries from infections or infestations as well as over-all healing occur. The strength of the immune system is revitalized, like it was before we treated every cut or flea with drug therapies.
10. The ravages of a degenerative disease seem to be decreasing and overall chances for full recovery are optimized.
Related posts:
- Are Vegetarian Diets Healthier for Dogs than Meat Diets?
- Food allergies in dogs
- Tips about low-cost healthy dog food
- Vegetarian Diets for Dogs
- PRODUCT REVIEW: “Wellness Pet Food”
Great posting, thanks so much!