Healthy Alternatives to Commercial Dog Food

What alternatives are there to feeding our dogs the commercial dog food available in our supermarkets.We can give them balanced cooked homemade dog foods, raw dog food or organic canned dog food.
Organic dog food is all natural ,free from preservatives, pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. The manufacturers of these organic dog food have to maintain high level of standards in the preparation and handling of these foods.These foods are considered healthy,but lately we have had some of these organic natural food on recall.

Another alternative is to prepare good old homemade dog food whereby you know exactly what goes into the food.Most of what you include will be found in your kitchen like meat, ground turkey, brown rice, oatmeal

and vegetables like carrots, corn, peas and nuts.Dogs tolerate most nuts except macadamia nuts which are toxic to them.
When cooking at home avoid onions, garlic, sugary food, salt and macadamia nuts.

Raw dog food would normally have different meats mixed with other food like raw vegetables. One of the popular diet is the BARF diet known also as "bones and raw food".In this diet the ingredients are meaty bones from chicken or lamb, raw eggs,raw vegetables,cooked cereals,yogurt and supplements.

In case you decide to change the type of food you are feeding your dog do so gradually adding the new portions on to the old until you have switched to the new food.Yogurt helps the dog adjust to a new diet especially if you are changing to a raw dog food diet.

For more information on what to feed your dog visit this website with lots of testimonies and over 240 recipes of homemade dog foods.

Raw Dog Food and Homemade Dog Food are here to Stay!

Dog lovers are going back to feeding their dogs natural food like meat-based foods and even giving them the table scraps. This is an improvement from the grain-based cheap commercial pet food available in our supermarket shelves.
Most commercial pet food have very highly processed ingredients that have unquestionable nutritional values. Secondly there are harmful chemical preservatives that are included in these commercial pet products to preserve them for a longer shelf-life.
The trend now is towards raw dog food diet and homemade dog food diets which are getting more popular because dog owners are seeing the excellent results that these natural foods achieve.
A dog's health will depend on the good nutrition that you give him.
Recently dog owners have found remarkable change in the health of their pets and the appearance of their skin and coat after feeding them high quality meat based foods.
Dogs can survive on diet of either plant or animal origin if balanced but they definitely thrive on meat-based diets. But that doesn't mean that you should feed your dog a home-made ALL MEAT diet. Their diets must be balanced with other carbohydrates and nutrients.

Visit this site which has over 240 recipes of healthy homemade dog food which are easy and affordable to prepare.

Dealing with Dog Allergies

Dog allergies are very similar to human allergies and also produce the same symptoms as human allergies. There are 5 types of dog allergies:dog food allergy, flea allergy, bacteria allergy, contact allergy and atopy. Here are some basic facts about each of these allergies.

Food Allergies

The most common symptom of food allergies is scratching, due to skin irritation. Dog foods contain a host of ingredients which can cause an allergic reaction to your dog. Some of these ingredients are:

Meats: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Fish, Eggs
Diary products (Milk)
Grains (Wheat, Whey) Corn

Most dog owners often scold their dog for scratching too much. Any obsessive behavior your dog demonstrates, such as constant scratching, chewing, licking, requires immediate attention. Never assume that this is just a new habit your dog picked up. Dog allergies can make your dog very uncomfortable.

Aside from scratching, some of the other symptoms dogs can experience are:

sneezing
coughing
eye and nose discharge
Itching around the anus
hair loss
loss of appetite
pawing at their ears or head shaking
vomiting
diarrhea
breathing problems

Isolating the allergen which causes the allergy is not easy because the dog is usually allergic to one specific ingredient in the food. Therefore, it is a matter of isolating that ingredient. You can try doing this with an elimination diet, which most people don't have the time or energy for. The elimination diet requires preparing specially-cooked meals consisting of a more exotic meat, like rabbit or venison, mixed with rice or potato, which wouldn't normally be found in dog food.

An easier and more modern approach to test for the presence of a food allergy is to try a dog food which contains hydrolyzed proteins, such as Purinas HA or Hills z/d. Hydrolyzed proteins are broken down into molecules so small, they can't affect the immune system, which is what causes the allergy. If the allergy goes away while your dog is on this diet (which would take about 8 weeks), then he most likely is suffering from a food allergy. At this point, you would start to re-introduce the possible allergens one by one (individual meats, wheat, corn, milk, etc.) for a period of two weeks each. If the symptoms return, it is most likely due to the ingredient being introduced at that time. You should look out for that ingredient on dog food labels in future purchases.

Atopy (inhalant allergy)

Atopy is the most common of all dog allergies, which is caused by environmental factors, such as dust mites, molds, house dust, human dander, feathers or pollen.

Signs of atopy include excessive chewing, licking and scratching at the face, paws, abdomen, armpits and genital area. Evidence of this behavior can be found in examining your dog's paws, armpits and genital area. Reddish-brown stains develop in these areas due to excessive licking. This may not be evident in dogs with dark coats.

Atopy is not easy to diagnose due to other dog allergies having the same symptoms. Once these other dog allergies (food, flea and contact) have been ruled out, your vet can proceed with testing for the root cause of the atopy. The most accurate method of testing for atopy is Intradermal Skin Testing.

There are many different treatment options for atopy. The best treatment would be avoiding the allergen altogether. If this is not feasible, other treatments include cool water baths with medicated shampoo, antihistamines, allergy shots, corticosteriods or a diet rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Flea Allergies

Dog allergies to fleas are not caused by the flea itself, but rather the flea's saliva. A common symptom of flea allergies is scratching at the tail area which causes hair loss, scabs and sores. Your vet can easily diagnose a flea allergy by checking for the presence of fleas in the coat. Fleas can be seen by the naked eye. Intradermal Skin Testing can also be used to test for this type of allergy. The most effective products for eliminating fleas are:

Advantage - Flea control for your Dog & CatFrontLine - Flea & Tick
Medication for your Dog & Cat
Capstar- Flea infestation on Dog and Cat
K9 Advantix Flea and Tick Medication (based on dog's weight)

Bacterial Allergies

A dog's skin normally harbors Staph bacteria. Usually, this bacteria does not have any affect on your dog but some dogs develop a sensitivity to it causing an allergic reaction. Your dog may develop crusts on the skin and patches of hair loss due to scratching, similar to ring worm. If these patches become infected, your dog will need to be treated with antibiotics.

Contact Allergies

Contact allergies are the least common of all dog allergies. This type of allergy produces swelling, redness, itching and hair loss. Common contact allergens include flea collars, plastic food bowls, pet sweaters, plants, grass or wool bedding. The best way to diagnose this allergy is if the symptoms continue after ruling out all other allergies. If this is the case, then you must pinpoint the allergen and remove it from your dog's environment.

This information is NOT intended to replace the advice of a veterinarian, dog trainer or pet care professional.

Nancy Settecasi, Owner of Happy K-9 Dog Care Proud Owner of Cookie and Skippy, Cocker Spaniels, Dog Lover http://www.happyk-9.com.

Prepare healthy homemade dog food recipes and avoid dog food allergies.With over 240 recipes you have lots of ingredients to choose from.

Is Homemade Dog Food the Way to Go?

With the pet food recall crisis worrying a lot of pet owners some have even started making their own pet food.But we have to be careful that we give our pets nutritionally balanced diet.As more pet owners prepare homemade dog food whether raw or cooked it is important to watch that you feed your dog with a balanced diet.

A few pointers if you intend to make your own dog food:

* If you give your pet raw pet food be careful about the handling and cleanliness to avoid bacteria.

* Nutritional supplements are recommended as part of the raw food diet.Dogs require 38 nutrients daily.Consult a nutritional expert.

* Be sure that if bone is part of the raw pet food then finely grind it to avoid jagged pieces.
* If you are not sure of the raw pet food then cook the food.

* Homemade dog food is a good way to feed your dog.But make sure the recipes are tailored for your dog's age,food sensitivity and health.
* Avoid certain foods such as onion,garlic,chocolate and grapes which are toxic to dogs.
This guide "Healthy Food for Dogs: Homemade Recipes" will provide you with over 240 balanced homemade dog food recipes.

Dog Food Tips and Lies!

This has touched me on a personal level because I have a friend as well and I wanted to do some research in order to help out his friends who are suffering because of ignorance and human error. I can not imagine what it must be like for the owners of the pets who consumed these dog foods.

Now it is our responsibility to control our dog's nutrition, just like it's our responsibility to control our own and that of our children if you have any.

But when it comes to our dogs, we have no habit of finding out what is best for them and conveniently rely on the messages we see in advertising.

Unfortunately, those ads are bold-faced lies! The amount and types here is a article from Andrew Lewis the author of the incredible book Dog Food Secrets.

Taking Control Of Your Dog's Nutrition It's dinnertime. Do you know what your dog is eating? If you're feeding him or her commercial dog food, the answer to that just might come as a very big surprise.

Dog Nutrition or Russian Roulette?

That "Chicken Flavor" dog food you've selected may have some chicken in it. Then again, it just as well may not. It's not required to, pursuant to the FDA guidelines concerning dog food ingredient listings. That "Lamb & Rice Formula" for dogs certainly has some lamb and rice in it -- but the total combined could be as little as 25% of the total packaged product, and still conform to regulations. What comprises the remaining 75%?

Is that 75% all goodness? No!

What about all those fillers and by-products and chemical preservatives listed? Do you know what BHA and BHT are, and why they are banned for human use? Are you familiar with ethoxyquin? Rolls right off the tongue doesn't it?

Is meat the first (and thereby most prevalent) ingredient listed, or does corn or grain lead the way? Do you suppose all those artificial colors and flavors are there for your dog's benefit, or for yours? Does your dog food supply the complete and balanced daily dietary provisions for your dog? And, with the loose regulations on dog food labeling leaving us somewhat in the dark as to what exactly we are feeding our pets, how can you be sure?

There is really only one way to be sure.

Give your dog some good home cooking. Homemade dog food allows for flexibility and purity. It also gives us total control over our dog's nutritional needs. We can be assured that all ingredients are of the highest quality, and add up to a balanced, toxin-free diet. We can also maintain complete caloric discretion, modifying as necessary to accommodate our dog's ever-changing demands.

But if you don't know how, you may as well go back to commercial dog food because it can be just as dangerous.

Making the decision to feed your pet fresh food does not mean you need to overcomplicate matters. You do want to make sure that you provide him with all the nutritional building blocks he needs to maintain a healthy body. Animal protein should be combined with vegetables, pasta, rice, cereals and other foods to provide all the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals needed.

It's not quite as simple as it sounds, entirely, but it's not exactly rocket science either.

Achieving the sought-after balance is a daunting proposition, to be sure. We admit when we began our research, we were literally bombarded with facts and figures, both real and imaginary, and found that the websites delivering disinformation and misinformation abound.

In our pursuit of balance in our dogs' diets, we discovered the balance in the available research. It is our wish now to share our study with you here, in the most concise fashion. As a bonus with Dog Food SECRETS;, we have also compiled a host of easy, healthful and delicious homemade recipes for you to try with your pet.

We are not vets, and our areas of expertise comprise only loving our dogs, and wanting the best for them. You have come this far with us, so we are certain that you want that, too.

Dog Food SECRETS; shows you eactly how to decide on a diet for your dog, according to its age, weight, level of daily activity, even time of the year and more.

A dog can look healthy on the outside even when its insides are being contaminated, don't wait for the point where it's organs can no longer withstand the daily barrage of toxins.... that day is surely coming and only you can stop it.

Be the master your dog deserves and find out how to feed it properly.

May your dog have a long and happy life,

To learn more dog food tips and helping your friend then visit

http://www.squidoo.com/dog-food-tips/

George Zuwala has been in Business online and offline for over a decade he is commited to finding out what works and doesn't work for more information you can visit him at http://www.forumreviews.org

You could be feeding your dog with euthanized animals from zoos, animal control and putrid, decaying road kills.
If you continue to feed your dog exclusively on commercial pet food, you are dooming them to a painful, traumatic death.
If you want to save your dog from the horrific death suffered by hundreds of other dogs in your local area, probably in the last year alone, then you MUST follow these 3 steps:
Step 1 - Stop using commercial dog food.
Step 2 - Learn how to read commercial dog food labels
Step 3 - Get some healthy, well-balanced dog food recipes and start feeding your dog homemade food. I have a huge collection I'm happy to share with you.

Keep yourself informed and read more on the pet food recall crisis.