I Love My Mailo

A good recipe for dog food is one that includes meat, healthy grains and vegetables. Chicken and beef are good meat selections. Barley and rice are healthy grains. All vegetables, other than onions and fresh garlic, are suitable.

The goal is to meet the dog's nutritional and caloric requirements. Nutrients keep our dogs healthy and calories give them the energy they need to be active.

A dog's caloric needs vary with their age, weight and their level of physical activity. For example, a full-grown working 32 pound Border collie needs approximately 1450 calories per day. If the collie eats twice a day, then each meal should provide 725 calories.

More calories are needed during the colder months of the year. Dogs that are kept in a kennel outdoors need more calories than those that are kept inside.

Studies and surveys have shown that most dogs and cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese. The animals are typically fed commercial brands of foods, which are grain-based. The high carbohydrate load increases the animal's risk of type II diabetes, just as a high carb diet would increase a person's risk of the disease.

Overweight and obese animals have an increased risk of other diseases, as well. So, when you are comparing recipes for homemade dog food, be sure to consider the calorie count.

If the calories are too low, your dogs will not have the energy they need to be active. If the calories are too high, your dogs have an increased risk of becoming overweight, which is bad for their health.

Nutrients essential for your dog's health include amino acids, which are found in protein rich foods. The Border collie in the example above needs 25 grams of protein per day, according to the US National Academy of Sciences. Recipes for homemade dog food that include 4 ounces of ground beef or 3 ounces of chicken breast would meet the dog's protein requirements.

The Academy recommends 14 grams of fat per day for the adult dog weighing 32 pounds. Fish oil is a good source of fat because it is rich in heart healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Olive or flax seed oils are also good choices. Remember to count the amount of fat in the meat or protein before adding extra fat.

Vegetables provide antioxidants and other essential nutrients. Many dogs like mashed carrots. A mixture of ground beef, mashed carrots, cooked barley and a few grams of fish oil is a simple recipe for dog food that your four-legged friends are sure to enjoy.

Help keep your dog happy and healthy by feeding your pet recipes for homemade dog food and there are a lot of guides to help you find a healthy recipe for dog food.

info@25foodrecipesfordogs.com