The Common Leopard Gecko Problems

Written By:Madeleine Innocent
The pros and cons of making your own dog food are time vs. health. Is there more? Of course. Here's the difference between home made and commercial dog foods along with some insider tricks if you lack time or hate cooking.

Dog Food Manufacturers want your money. There is no law that says their commercials must be truthful. Amazing huh? Let's use some common sense. How can a little dried brown nugget be better than table scraps of meat, veggies and salad? They can't but we buy into it hook, line and sinker don't we? We are much better off with homemade food or a very expensive trustworthy brand.

Commercial dog food is cooked and processed so much, there's rarely any nutritional value in it. There are some exceptions, but you need to pay for them and you won't find them at any grocery or discount stores.

By making your own dog food not only do you know what's in it, but you can incorporate many leftovers. By using different kinds of meats, vegetables, grains and even beans over time gives our dogs a variety of nutrients, which adds up to good things.

Those good things mean better health and less trips to the vet.

There are many good books to read on the subject, and lots of free homemade dog food recipes on the internet. A little education can go a long way. You will find conflicting information but common sense and a little homework will make a world of difference in your dog's overall health.

If you'd love to try raw dog food recipes, you can find those too. Possibilities abound. Many people who feed raw meat to their dogs discourage grains as being unnatural. That is not entirely true. Grains must be cooked whole grains. In the wild, dogs would travel great distances and use much energy in search of their next meal. Our dogs don't need as much meat because they tend to travel from the sofa to the food bowl or from the house to the dog park via the family car.

If you don't cook or don't want to cook there are companies that make a variety of nutritious mixes you can add to meat you buy at the grocery store. This takes only a few seconds more than pouring dog kibble into a bowl and you don't have to worry about adding vitamins, minerals and supplements. Easy.

You may even find a dog deli where you live and order fresh ground meat mixtures.

Keep in mind the most negative part of making your own dog food is the time spent deciding on the right recipes for you and your lifestyle.

For me, after serving a combination of raw and cooked dog foods to my crew of five for the past two years, the effort has been well worth it. Especially with 'the old man'.The sight of a ten-year-old dog acting and playing like a puppy again is absolutely magical.