Recommendations, Reviews, Recipes and Comparisons – What is the Best Food for Dogs?
It is very confusing when deciding whether to choose to make your own dog food or buy commercial dog food
If you want to buy commercial food, how do you know which formula to choose from? There are hundreds available on the store shelves?
What is the difference between all the types of food, and are some better and/or worse than others?
My little Beagle Susie passed away in 2005 from cancer, before the contamination and recall. Since then consumer’s awareness has been raised.
She was fed a lifetime of grocery store kibble, because that is what I was told to do by my vet, and also the bright, shiny ads about the health and convenience contained in each and every bag, and I, along with most people believed this was the only option we had.
I had absolutely no idea that I was slowly poisoning Susie.
This website is dedicated to SUSIE. Through my research, recommendations, reviews, recipes and comparisons, I have tried to clarify and navigate through this puzzle.
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HOMEMADE DOG FOOD
NOTE: ***Just throwing together meat and some leftovers is not a healthy dog food diet, and could actually be extremely harmful. You must know how much dog food and the proper daily proportions and supplements, according to your dog’s weight, to ensure a nutritious, healthy diet.
- A Homemade Dog Food Diet is definitely the best way to monitor and feed your dog the absolute highest nutritionally complete, daily diet that is chemical free, preservative free, hormone free, additive free and made with human grade ingredients.
- You can even feed a homemade organic diet exclusively, if that is your lifestyle choice.
- A homemade diet is the best dog food for dogs with allergies
- This healthier diet will extend your dog’s life, help reduce dog food allergies, and prevent illnesses, ailments and diseases which are known to be caused by long term feeding of overprocessed, inappropriate, mass produced food, full of harmful cancer causing ingredients.
- Having my dogs on a healthy homemade diet gives them such a variety of foods, that cooking for them has become part of my daily routine. Lady and Lola enjoy a varied, interesting diet that is delicious and healthy.
- You can interchange homemade dog food with a choice of many extremely safe, healthy, commercial dog foods, on those days you are not prepared to cook.
- ** Vitamins And Supplements, essential in homemade dog food diet. **
- My little Beagle Susie passed away in 2005 from cancer, before the dog food recall and consumer’s awareness was raised. She was fed a lifetime of grocery store kibble, because that is what I was told to do by my vet, and also the bright, shiny ads about the health and convenience contained in each and every bag, and I along with most people believed this was the only option we ahd.
Susie’s premature death and the recall both happened the same year, and this motivated me start reading, reviewing and recommending homemade dog food and variety feeding of only premium dog food.
- Don’t fall for what the big commercial companies have brainwashed us into believing – that dogs must eat the same dry chemical filled meal day in and day out for their entire lives – NOT TRUE, NOT NECESSARY AND NOT HEALTHY! Rotation and variety are best!
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COMMERCIAL DOG FOOD
- The main reason most of us feed Commercial dog food is the convenience.
- Commercial brands of dog food range from extremely high quality premium dog food, to very poor quality, with harmful cancer causing ingredients.
- The most expensive choices are the better rated Organic Dog Food, now available.
Any company that goes to the trouble of using “organic ingredients”, will be the best choice when buying a commercially made dog food. The expense balances out over time as you will definitely see reduced visits to your vet. Dogs fed an organic food diet are healthier, just as we are.
- Another recommendation is a high quality “Natural” Food for dogs. Remember to read and check the labels of any food labelled “all natural” as this term is used in a lot of dog food products that still contain chemicals, preservatives and other artificial ingredients.
- Read, Review and Be Aware of what dog food ingredients should and should not be present in today’s commercial dog foods, and making an educated choice is imperative to giving your companion the best chance for a longer, healthier life.
- A dog food without corn is also something you should look for in natural pet food.
- Commercial dog food has many sub specialities available also. Remember to take any special needs into consideration when choosing your dog’s diet, as there are many extremely specific and excellent choices available, such as:
- Natural, Grain Free, Organic, Puppy, Senior, Allergy Formula, Gluten–Free, Weight Control, Low Protein, High Protein, and Vegetarian.
- WHAT IS ORGANIC? and WHY SHOULD I FEED IT TO MY DOG?
- Commercial Food can also be divided into several types. These types are for your personal preference, and also come in a large selection such as:
- Dry, Canned, Dehydrated, Raw, Freeze Dried, Homemade, Pre Mix, and Rolls.
- So basically your choices are varied, and much healthier than before the recall and contamination in 2008.
- Companies with a conscience have now come to the forefront and with so much information available it has become easier to choose better foods for our dogs.
- An ingredient list like the dog food on this page should always be avoided
- I am not a vet or animal nutritionist, so always check with your own authority with any questions or problems. This is just a general starting guide for anyone interested in upgrading their pet’s diet.
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I am new to homemade dog food but i was wondering is it a problem to give my chihuahua garlic pwder or vanilla extract in the food and treats
Hi, my shichi had to have an emergency operation to remove crsytalized bladder stones. Our vet told us we have to put her on a low ash diet. We are looking at all of our option, but can’t find any homemade recipes for low ash diets. I don’t really know what to look for in the ingredients and our vet is just pushing a couple of brands. I want more options. Can you please help?
Hi Karen:
I am definitely not qualified to advise about any medical issues, and would suggest following your vet’s advice pertaining to any health problems.
Here is a great reference about Low Ash Commercial Dog Food. All the foods here are higher end grain free dog foods, with a low or negligible ash count.
The Dog Food Project
Jane
Thank you for such a wonderful website, . We are thankful for this information and I am very sorry for your loss.
Thank you for visiting and I appreciate your sentiments.
My 7 yr old chow chow, Moon Bear has mega esophagus, he has a feeding tube for water and food. I’m looking for recipes to make healthy, vitamin enriched, caloric filled food for him. The Royal Canin diet, Recovery, is what I feed him now, mixed in the blender with equal amounts of water so it will go through the tube. Moon Bear is a precious little guy with a terrible disease. I am devoted to giving him time for the esophagus to heal and go back to its original size, hopefully. The Royal Canin diet cost 60.00 a week, that is 3 cans per day. Eventually I hope he can hold more food, but now two months into tube feedings, three cans a day is what he can hold. Anyone have any idea’s? He has lost three lbs. since the diagnosis in June, today we go in for a check up to see if he is holding on to 30lbs. Thank you, jan mosher and moon bear
Jan
I am not qualified to answer medical of health issues, but will leave this comment open for others.
I am so sorry for your poor Moon Bear and hope all works out.
Jane
I think the verdict on garlic needs to be reexamined and overturned. My small breed dogs moved with us to Mexico. They had been on a monthly regimen of Frontline and/or Advantix for some years. After a few months here the ticks came fast and furious, seemingly impervious to the meds. I researched flea and tick remedies and started to put 1 clove of fresh garlic into their “wet” food (1/2 breast cooked chicken, 1 small cooked fish fillet. 1/2 carrot, fresh raw spinach, broccoli stalk pieces, enough chicken broth to process), and mix 2 tblsps. with 1/2 cup kibble at feeding time. One batch of the wet food lasts 4 days, divided among 4 small (12-16 lbs.) dogs. Within 3 days the ticks had disappeared and have not returned. It has been 6 weeks since the last Frontline treatment; no ticks, no fleas, and I’ll bet mosquitoes don’t like garlic either. I have read that some people give and have been giving for years 1/2 to 1 clove a day. I found that I don’t need to give that much. My dogs love the taste, it is a natural preservative, and it surely beats giving my dogs all of the insecticide we had been poisoning them with, which compromises their livers and eventually kills them, at best shortens their lifespans.
I agree with you 100% about using pesticides, insecticides and poisons for flea control. It is not something I do either.
As for using fresh garlic read This article from the ASPCA, Is Garlic Toxic to Pets?
It is not known what amount constitutes “too much”, and I know it is promoted for all you have mentioned above. Seems like you have found the right amount for your dogs. As long as they are tolerating it without the nasty gastrointestinal side effects, I would also concur this is a much better method of flea control.
Jane
The choices between natural pet foods and natural pet remedies has quadrupled in the past years! It is wonderful to be able to have the choice in my hands as the consumer and pet owner.
New to homemade pet food…Searched and searched all over internet for weeks! Finally found this site. The information I have learned here is simple to understand. The the recipes provided have ingredients that can be found at any grocery store. I so am excited to start!
Hello! I came across your comment and thougt that you may be able to help me! I am über new to the homemade dog food and was wondering what recipes you have found to be the best?! I have 2 dogs that refuse to eat dog food and so I’ve been giving them human food and now I have an overweight Maltese and a Chorkie who refuses to eat a thing unless there’s cheese.. I want my fur babies to eat happily but health is far more important to me.. Any help is appreciated! Searching I have found recipes that sound good but I’m not sure of the nutrition they will be getting and or lacking..
Wonderful site and blogs. I don’t believe owners understand completely what they are feeding their pets when their buying the “commercial” food at discount stores. Read what is in the bag. It’s disgusting at times. Do your homework and research and find the best you can afford. Dog food is linked to various canine health issues.
Thank you.
Great information regarding dogs with food allergies. Love your site! Thank you for all the time you’ve invested in getting this info out to people such as ourselves. Best wishes (and loved seeing/reading about your sweet pets)!