HOW TO PREPARE HOMEMADE FOOD FOR PETS
Here in this post I want to discuss about a few home-cooked food options which are very much suitable for your pet and healthy as well.As a responsible dog owner, one should know that not all human food options are suitable for your dog, for example-Chocolate, lemon, grapes, raisins, onions, alcoholic beverages, tomato are poisonous to your dog even in small quantity. Many food items which the human digestive system can handle well may not be suitable for your dog like cow milk which causes frequent loose motion. A homemade diet should include the necessary vitamins and minerals to keep the dog’s joints healthy, promote the growth of a sturdy frame to carry their muscle weight, and nourish their thick, waterproof coat. There are plenty of human foods which the dog can eat to acquire protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
STEP 1
Cook food for your pets that contains a suitable combination of foods. A healthy diet should include approximately 50 percent animal protein, 30 percent complex carbohydrates and 20 percent fruit and vegetables. For example, take 1 pound of lean meat and combine it with approximately 9.5 ounces of carbohydrates and 7.5 ounces of fruits and vegetables to make 2 pounds of food. Mix everything together with just enough water to swell any rice, barley or quinoa included, to avoid discarding excess liquid that contains essential nutrients.
STEP 2
Choose protein such as human quality meat, fish and poultry. Include muscle meat, a small percentage of rich organ meats such as liver, heart and kidneys, and fish that is high in omega 3 oils such as salmon. Suitable dairy products to use include low fat, natural yogurt, cottage cheese and eggs.
STEP 3
Select complex carbohydrates such as brown rice or sweet potato, and include vegetables and fruits such as green beans, carrots, pumpkin, cauliflower, apples and pears. Avoid corn, which is difficult for dogs to digest and contributes to weight gain. For older Labs with conditions such as arthritis or hip dysplasia, avoid grains altogether.
STEP 4
Add vitamins and minerals to the food. Adult Labrador retrievers need between 800 and 1,000 mg of calcium daily to support and maintain bone strength. Make your own calcium supplement using ground eggshells, by drying them overnight in the oven and then grinding them in a coffee grinder.
STEP 5
Ask your veterinarian to evaluate your Lab’s diet regularly to ensure that you are feeding sufficient quantities of essential nutrients. In addition to calcium, young Labs need phosphorous, magnesium, zinc and iron, while adults with joint problems may need a diet that includes glucosamine and chondroitin.
STEP 6
Avoid raisins, grapes and macadamia nuts, which can be harmful to dogs if ingested regularly, according to veterinarian Sarah Abood of the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Also, never feed your dog anything that contains chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, avocados, yeasty dough, onions, garlic, chives, salt or milk products. Cook all meat, eggs or bones before feeding it to your Lab, as raw meat can contain bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella.
STEP 7
Include a spoonful of vegetable, flaxseed or olive oil in each meal for your adult Lab. The oil contains omega 6 fatty acids, which are essential for the healthy condition of the breed’s thick, waterproof coat. Use only fresh oil, as oils kept too long or exposed to air can turn rancid.
Things Needed:
• A pot
• Protein – meat, fish or poultry
• Cottage cheese or yoghurt
• Fruit and vegetables
• Vitamins and minerals
• Vegetable oil
However regardless of your dog age/breed, below listed dog food recipes work wonders for any dog and they like these very much.
Non-veg food options:-
Eggs and Meat
Animal Protein should find a primary place in the diet chart of your dog. Boiled or scrambled egg, chicken, fish, mutton, beef, pork are all commonly eaten at home and are good sources of protein and fats. Chicken is being a popular dish in most non-vegetarian Indian kitchens is often shared with the home grown and stray dogs, pl ensure to avoid any dinner table offering that entails onion, garlic, excess oil and spices.Even cooked chicken bones are not recommended as it is brittle and may cause oral injuries and in some cases even fatal obstructions in the intestines of dogs that will be required to remove surgically.
1)Boiled chicken and rice– Dogs love this food. It isn’t even hard to cook. Buy chicken, clean well, no need to add spices/salt, add potato/carrot if available, boil in a pressure cooker, food is ready. You can even give this every day to your dog without any harm. There are some dogs who don’t like any dry food regardless of which brand you try. You can give them this food or mix dry food with plain boiled chicken. Your dog is likely to love it and if he doesn’t, chances are he has digestive problems resulting in loss of appetite. Ideally you should give full meals to your dog not more than twice a day. In case you are unable to buy dry food and want to give this as a regular diet, you can do so without any harm, just make sure to add a few supplements like beaphar salmon oil . This is because, while chicken has abundant amount of protein, it lacks omega fatty acids otherwise found in fish. For puppies without developed teeth, make sure to avoid hard bones. You can also add a variety of vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cabbage, carrots, beans, apple. Also the chicken broth you get while boiling chicken, be sure to include it in the meal.
2)Boiled eggs- Although every breed of dog doesn’t like eggs, they are completely beneficial for your dog and you can give him/her boiled egg . Do not give chapatis/bread/human biscuits to your dog as they are rich in gluten.
3)Peanut butter/cheese– Dogs like peanut butter. It is rich in protein, you can give it to your dog although it’s not so much popular in India. Also, make sure the brand you are using is free from hydrogenated oils, excessive salt and harmful sweeteners like xylitol. Cheese too works well as treats in small quantity. Be sure to not feed too much cow milk cheese as it may cause loose motion. Also, cheese is rich in fat and some dogs may be lactose intolerant. Curd and yogurt in small quantities are acceptable.
4)Fish-Salmon, tuna, rohu or tilapia can also be given provided your dog likes them as some dogs hate the smell first time. Fish can be an excellent source of omega fatty acids but don’t make fish a daily meal.
Turkey is also harmless for dogs.
Veg food options:-
Grains and Pulses
Whole grains (like brown rice, wheat, oats, barley, millet and quinoa) and pulses supply various important nutrients to the dog. A blend of brown rice and mashed boiled vegetables constitutes an easy and good healthy meal for your furry friend. Some of the dogs can be allergic to wheat; for rest of the doggie population it can be safely eaten in the form of chapatti (Indian wheat bread) and whole wheat pasta (without salt, sugar and acidic sauces).
Soybeans also go well with dogs, provided your dog is not sensitive to it. Whole wheat or brown breads can be fed in small quantities.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are nature’s precious gifts of superior nutrition, taste, texture and colour. Storehouse of important vitamins, minerals and fibres, fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories. They not only make one healthy and energized but also cut the risks of several diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers. Though low in calories, any fruit or vegetable carry the risk of upsetting the stomach in case of excessive intake.
Fruits
Fruits are a great power snack to quench in-between meal time hunger. Banana, oranges (without rinds), watermelon, muskmelon, berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries), mango are great fruits for dogs. Serving a blend of fruits to the dog, cut into chewable pieces, mixing various flavours, will make fruits more interesting for the dogs. While feeding an apple, just take a very good care to remove all the seeds as they are poisonous for the dog.
Certain seeds, (like apple seeds) contain cyanide which may not be harmful for us because of the small dose of toxins. But the same dose can prove poisonous to our dogs. Seeds/pits might also cause choking or bowel or intestinal obstruction, thus it should be removed from fruits and vegetables, wherever possible. Grapes and raisins are a complete No-No for the dogs; they can cause irreversible kidney damage – just keep the dogs away from them.
Vegetables
Boiled, cooked, peeled, raw or as scraps – vegetables are good for your dog. The fresh and crunchy vegetables like carrots, broccoli, cucumbers and spinach are good for health and do a lot of good to the teeth of the dog as well. Sweet potatoes, green beans, pumpkin, bottle guard, peas, tomatoes (compulsorily ripe) and potatoes (boiled or mashed) are also much loved veggies.
While feeding tomatoes, take care that the dog doesn’t get to eat leaves and stems of the tomato plant; the green areas which a potato might develop are harmful too. Onions are not be ingested by the dogs in any form (raw, cooked, dried, powered) as it can damage the red blood cells of the canine. Garlic is also capable of harming the red blood cells of the dog; some people argue that garlic in small quantities act as natural antibiotic.
Raw veggies can be eaten by dog but when it comes to relatively greater quantity, the vegetables should be boiled and then mashed or cut into chewable pieces.
Treats
In small amounts, our canine partners can enjoy cottage cheese, peanut butter, popcorns (sans salt and butter), sunflower seeds (shelled) and plain white yogurt. More natural and plain a treat is – minimum sugar, salts, preservatives – more will they suit the health of your dog.
BUT do remember that chocolate, coffee, macadamia nuts, raisins are toxic for your pet. Be very careful with them.
Milk and Other Dairy Products
Pasteurised and homogenized carton milk or boiled milk can be given to the dog. Certain dogs, just like humans, can be lactose intolerant; apart from them, milk, in moderate quantities, can be safely digested by all dogs. Cottage cheese is loved by most dogs. Curd and buttermilk are also good sources of prebiotics and calcium.
It is recommended that before you offer a new food item to your pet you should consult your vet. Allergies and reactions to particular food stuffs would vary from dog to dog, so it is a good habit to observe your dog each time you feed it a new eatable. Care should be taken to avoid artificial sugar and have minimal salts (pinch of salt a day would suffice).
The amount of any fruit, veggie, grain or milk should also be carefully managed to avoid stomach upsets and other health issues in dogs and please note that sugar sweets and candies, tea/coffee, cooked bones, chocolates are a strict no-no when sharing your food with your beloved dogs and puppies.
Dr.Ajeet kumar Singh, Gorakhpur
Reference:On request
