Easy Way to Happiness

There’s no shortage of information and advice on feeding your dog a healthy diet. Just look at the ads and the descriptions on pet food cans and packages or listen to your vet, friends, family, or other dog owners. Why not go back to the basics and cook up a healthy and tasty meal for your best friend?

When buying dog food you want a product that breaks down to a ratio of 40% meat, 50% vegetables, and 10% grain, or something close to that. The meat component should be listed first and is commonly chicken, beef, or lamb. If you buy a cheaper product that doesn’t have these ratios or ingredients you’re not doing your pet any favor. Go after the best quality you can afford and you’ll have a happier companion as a result.

Some pet owners are starting to also examine the preservatives used in commercial dog food. BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin are common preservatives that many consider toxic – ethoxyquin is even classified as a pesticide. While the jury is out on the effect these small amounts of preservatives have on the health of your dog, some owners are turning to more natural alternatives and developing their own dog food recipes.

The Internet is a good source for dog food recipes but you’ll find both good and not-so-good recipes. If you follow the 50-40-10 ratio described above you should be OK. Make sure the meat is cooked well and free of bones. The best choice for grain is usually considered to be brown rice or cooked oatmeal.

Given the proper ratios you can begin to experiment with your dog as the taste tester. Of course you don’t want to give your pet things that taste good but are bad for it. Most people know that chocolate is not good for dogs. Fewer realize that grapes and raisins, as well as garlic, onions, mushrooms, and avocados can be very harmful. Don’t salt the food for flavor as that isn’t good either. Your goal is to provide a meal that your dog enjoys but also is safe.

What’s good for humans isn’t necessarily best for dogs. A vegetarian diet is generally considered to be a healthy one but a dog, being a carnivore, is used to meat in it’s diet and is apt to become bored with food containing no meat or a portion significantly less than the 50% ratio.

If you don’t have time to cook, there are still options for healthy dog food. Many health food stores and even some mainstream pet stores now offer organic prepared food for your dog. There’s also a wide selection of holistic and organic food available online.

Your dog’s health is primarily determined by it’s diet so make an effort to insure that diet is a proper one. There are many options ranging from checking labels to ensure a proper mix of good ingredients to preparing your own or looking to your vet or health food store. This extra effort on your part will pay big dividends to both you and your best friend.