Posts Tagged ‘Grains’
Your Dachshund could be suffering if they’re not eating dog health food. There are more and more stories about dangerous additives finding their way into your dog food. It is really vital to know what is really going into your dog’s food if you want them to live a long and healthy life.
With companies around the world looking for ways to increase their profits, you have to question if they are going to justify the expense of high quality ingredients. With many sources of cheap protein available now, who knows how it was produced, under what conditions and if it even has any real nutritional value for your dog?
With so many cases of profits being put before the health of humans, what is being done to our beloved dogs? By taking waste products from human food production and putting them in to dog food, there has been a huge increase in diet related health problems in recent years.
In 2007 over 100 different brands of dog food were recalled after contaminated ingredients caused the deaths of a number of dogs and made many more very ill. Eventually it was found to be melamine in rice protein and wheat gluten, from a factory in China. This means that there could be anything in your dog food no matter what the standards are in the US factory. Also there is very little nourishment in these grains for dogs. Usually it’s just a filler to add bulk to the food.
Recently there was a case of melamine being found in milk powder that had been produced under the much stricter human food production standards. This leads me to think that it’s only a matter of time before there’s another contaminated batch of dog food released, and I certainly don’t want to have my puppy suffer as a result of not taking action. We now need to be aware of how safe the food we are feeding to our dog is, not just if it has the right nutrition in it.
Now we have to have a look at the actual nutritional value of your dog food. More and more it’s becoming accepted practice to bulk out dog food with rice and corn proteins. These proteins are an unusable by product of the human food industry, until someone realised that they would fall under the definition of protein and could therefore be added to dog food. While plant proteins are fine, there just isn’t a lot of nutrition for a dog. Even if they were whole proteins rather than the highly processed ones that are added, a very small amount would be sufficient for a dogs diet. However, there is all to often more plant protein than animal. This isn’t going to help your Dachshund stay healthy and free of disease.
Lately fish protein is being hailed as a great source of protein, which is true. However, along with that protein comes a toxic preservative that has been linked to severe allergies and cancer. So be wary of fish meal in your dog food
This is just the start of what could be going into the food that your Dachshund is eating every day. By learning about dog health food you could add years of life to your best friend. If you make it yourself you will know exactly what is in your dog’s food, and best of all it’s great fun.
Your Dachshund could be suffering if they’re not eating dog health food. There are more and more stories about dangerous additives finding their way into your dog food. It is really vital to know what is really going into your dog’s food if you want them to live a long and healthy life.
With companies around the world looking for ways to increase their profits, you have to question if they are going to justify the expense of high quality ingredients. With many sources of cheap protein available now, who knows how it was produced, under what conditions and if it even has any real nutritional value for your dog?
With so many cases of profits being put before the health of humans, what is being done to our beloved dogs? By taking waste products from human food production and putting them in to dog food, there has been a huge increase in diet related health problems in recent years.
In 2007 over 100 different brands of dog food were recalled after contaminated ingredients caused the deaths of a number of dogs and made many more very ill. Eventually it was found to be melamine in rice protein and wheat gluten, from a factory in China. This means that there could be anything in your dog food no matter what the standards are in the US factory. Also there is very little nourishment in these grains for dogs. Usually it’s just a filler to add bulk to the food.
Recently there was a case of melamine being found in milk powder that had been produced under the much stricter human food production standards. This leads me to think that it’s only a matter of time before there’s another contaminated batch of dog food released, and I certainly don’t want to have my puppy suffer as a result of not taking action. We now need to be aware of how safe the food we are feeding to our dog is, not just if it has the right nutrition in it.
Now we have to have a look at the actual nutritional value of your dog food. More and more it’s becoming accepted practice to bulk out dog food with rice and corn proteins. These proteins are an unusable by product of the human food industry, until someone realised that they would fall under the definition of protein and could therefore be added to dog food. While plant proteins are fine, there just isn’t a lot of nutrition for a dog. Even if they were whole proteins rather than the highly processed ones that are added, a very small amount would be sufficient for a dogs diet. However, there is all to often more plant protein than animal. This isn’t going to help your Dachshund stay healthy and free of disease.
Lately fish protein is being hailed as a great source of protein, which is true. However, along with that protein comes a toxic preservative that has been linked to severe allergies and cancer. So be wary of fish meal in your dog food
This is just the start of what could be going into the food that your Dachshund is eating every day. By learning about dog health food you could add years of life to your best friend. If you make it yourself you will know exactly what is in your dog’s food, and best of all it’s great fun.
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
Our dogs rely on us to provide them with the best possible food and care. To keep your best friend healthy and add years to their life, subscribe to our dog health food newsletter. You’ll find out exactly what goes into commercial dog food and how to make your own at home, cheaply and easily. Click here to subscribe www.dog-health-food.com
Since the first time one of our pre-historic ancestors tossed a scrap of meat at a wolf, dogs have been living off the leftovers from their master’s table. While this is a common practice in many parts of the world, it isn’t the best nutrition for the dog. As with humans, dogs also require a well-balanced meal, be that in the form of fresh foods or packaged, store-bought food. Either way, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what constitutes a healthy diet for your dog.
Water is probably the most vital yet often overlooked part of a dog’s diet. A bowl of clean water should be available to a dog at all times, so that it can drink whenever it gets thirsty. If you’ve been feeding your dog foods that are unusually salty, keep a close eye on their water bowl, as your pet will want more water (and need to pee afterwards) once they’re done with the salty food.
Meat provides many things for the naturally-carnivorous dog (though, ideally, only about half their diet consists of meat), including proteins and fats. Though cooking is good for all meats fed to a dog, only pork and rabbit really need to be cooked. Processed and heavily spiced or salted meats, such as beef jerky, salami, or pork rinds, aren’t as easy on a dog’s digestive system as they are on a human’s digestive system.
Dogs will also gladly eat eggs and fish, though a few words must be said about both first. Fish should be thoroughly deboned, lest a stray fish rib pierce a dog’s windpipe, and it should always be cooked. Dogs love eggs, and they don’t know the difference between brown eggs and blood spots and ordinary eggs, so you can save some money by buying cheaper eggs.
Grains are another good food for a dog, especially since grains offer all the carbohydrates they might need. Breads, rice, and cereals are all good grains, though all grains should be cooked before you feed them to a dog. However, as important as grains are, they shouldn’t be more than half of a dog’s diet.
Vegetables are a perfectly fine addition to a dog’s diet, though foods like peas and beans should be avoided. Carrots, lettuce, celery, potatoes, and potato skins are fine for a dog to eat. Cooking vegetables is purely optional, though the less time spent cooking the better for your dog, at least in terms of nutrition.
Cheese and dairy products are another good bet, as they provide a healthy amount of proteins and a larger dose of calcium for older dogs. However, not all dogs will appreciate cheese, so know if your dog in particular enjoys it. Dogs can also consume cow’s milk in their diet, though newborn pups shouldn’t drink cows milk. Further, too much milk in a dog’s diet (save for newborn pups), will leave them with a case of diarrhea.
Dogs can become fat and out of shape or undernourished just like their owners. When deciding how much food to give your dog, the general formula is an ounce of food for every pound of the dog’s weight. Another factor to take into consideration would be how active your dog is. If he’s working herding cattle or sheep all day, as opposed to lounging around a penthouse apartment with not much to do, you will have to adjust the amounts of food appropriately.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Jeff Clare runs Dog Training News where you can read many more articles on dog training schools. For more general advice on dog food go to Dogs And Dog News.
Prior to marketing plus advertisers took over the world of big economic, what did dog’s eat? We have a tendency to take a appear at how dog’s during the wild gain adequate nutrition. A wolf, for example, survives from a kill. The contents of the animals stomach are eaten first. Doing this, the wolf takes in grains plus vegetables, as well as, enzymes required for brilliant nutrition. Next, the wolf devours the meat and a few bones. Protein plus calcium have currently been added to the diet. This natural diet in the wilderness has been effective in maintaining quality health over the years. Not like the domesticated dogs of nowadays, such animals generally have great immune systems.
When your dog’s diet consists primarily of unhealthy animals, may you not assume that your dog will become unhealthy, as well? Nowadays, veterinarians have seen added health problems with dogs than ever before.
The natural raw diet feeds the immune system of your pet. Your dog’s diet can contain natural foods which provide the body what it needs to repair itself and perform at its best.
The raw diet is prepared one time a day. It is simply not complicated and well price the season and effort to ensure the excellent health of your dog. Necessarily consult your vet prior to altering your dog’s diet. The raw dog diet has helped several dog’s combat health issues like arthritis, skin problems, plus weight trouble.
Ingredients of the raw diet include meat, veggies, and grains. Approximately half of the diet is meat. Vegetables, fruit, and grain cowl the rest.
When preparing the dog’s diet, feed the dog regarding the identical amount of the raw dog diet as you would kibble. This is a good beginning point. From here, you can modify the diet as necessary to meet your dog’s specific needs.
Contact a native butcher to buy ground turkey, for example. Each day prepare a bowl of fifty% raw ground
Turkey with some wet oats. Juice a few vegetables such as carrots plus swiss chard and add the juice to the mix.
Juicing the vegetables helps to digest the enzymes for your pet. This is analogous to the wolf consuming the contents from a stomach. Your dog’s diet will want a variety of distinctive vegetables daily to maximise the potential for best vitamins plus nutrients.
Carrots should necessarily be the bottom plus alter different veggies daily. The carrots can frequently supply potassium, calcium, vitamin A, B, C, D, plus E. Greens offer vitamin A, C, and chlorophyll. Apples are sensible for vitamin C.
Certain veggies have healing properties. Kale, for instance, helps to remedy digestive disorders. Watercress plus mustard greens facilitate to cleanse the intestines. Parsley helps the metabolism plus thyroid. Celery has many advantages. It helps with chemical imbalances, blood flow, and is that a natural diuretic. Beets are brilliant for the blood. They supply copper plus manganese.
Several foods to avoid include broccoli, cabbage, and turnips. These produce intestinal gas. Cucumbers, onions, and potatoes do not digest well in a dog’s diet.
Flaxseed is a fabulous addition to the raw diet to encourage healthy joints plus coat. The omega 6 and 3 fatty acids facilitate with such conditions.
The raw diet for your dog may combat many health issues. The natural diet permits your dog to eat what nature intended. You are aware what foods are within your dog’s diet. The raw diet is high in quality and healthy for your pet.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
K9 Critical Care specializes in products for dog food and dog health. Our K9 Critical Care Power pack is made from the same pharmaceutical grade immuno-modulating compounds as our human grade Immune Assist but packaged specially for dogs. Pet Mix is a Healthy Dog Food Recipe for making biologically appropriate pet meals. Visit www.K9Critialcare.com to find special offers on our Pet Mix dog food for the health of your dog.
What you feed your dog is really SO important for your dog’s ultimate health, susceptibility to illness, and longevity.
You know, if you really want your dog to be as healthy as s/he can be, you should stop feeding ANY of the widely available commercial dog foods.
I’m talking here about the types of dog food commonly found in supermarkets, and even about most of the supposedly superior brands sold in some supermarkets, pet food shops, and even by many vets.
The cheaper the brand, then generally the more full of garbage it is, but even many of the more expensive brands leave much to be desired.
What do you think is an ideal diet for your dog?
– plump chickens?
– choice cuts of juicy beef and lamb?
– maybe a few healthy fresh grains for variety?
– the odd fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit?
You’d be right.
But how many of the above ingredients do you think go into commercial pet food?
A lot? Only a little? If you said yes to either of these, you’d be dead wrong.
The average commercial dog food bears NO relation to the above list of choice ingredients, despite what pet food manufacturers display in some of their marketing, and despite what the list of ingredients on the pack or can might tend to indicate.
There is very, very little (if any) of the above ingredients in the average commercial dog food, and by the time it’s been overcooked at sustained high temperatures, and sprayed with preservative agents, the resultant “food” can be very harmful to your dog’s health and wellbeing indeed.
Suffice to say that if you’re feeding your dog ANY commercially available dog food, you’re exposing your dog to a source of chemically enhanced, overprocessed, garbage, the meat source for which includes diseased carcasses which have been left for up to 5 days before being processed.
Enough to turn you off for life? It was for me. As you know, I’ve always fed my dogs a diet of mainly raw meat and bones. But I like to give them a little treat in the mornings rather than just feed them once a day (which, by the way, IS all a dog NEEDS). I used to give them a handful of dry dog food each morning, sometimes the cheaper supermarket brands, and sometimes the “brand” names which cost 4 or 5 times as much. Now that I know better, I never give my dogs any of that garbage.
I should say that SOME of the expensive pet foods which are readily available ARE better than the cheaper brands. BUT, most are still far from an ideal diet for your dog, so query whether the extra money is money well spent.
If the product says it’s “with real chicken”, did you know that it only needs to contain 3% of chicken? Neither did I.
If the first item listed is meat or chicken, did you know that this doesn’t mean that’s the main ingredient? Neither did I.
Take a close look at the label. It’s likely to list a meat first, and then 2, 3, 4 or 5 types of grains. This is a very misleading tactic used by the commercial pet food manufacturers. Each of the grains individually may be slightly less in quantity than the meat. But added together? They’re probably nearly 2, 3, 4 or 5 times the quantity of the meat ingredient.
After having looked into this issue in a great deal of detail, I’m convinced that the most healthy diet for your dog is mainly fresh meat, with some fresh veges and a little grain thrown in. And this alone is NOT enough. You need to give your dog a vitamin supplement always, for optimal health.
And for the very best health, there ARE some reputable HEALTHY, wholesome, holistic dog food manufacturers, which really DO provide wonderfully healthy food for our dogs.
(c) 2004, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in holistic health for dogs. For your free dog health report, click here. For info on HEALTHY dog foods, click here.
Feeding your pet a high-quality dog or cat food is the best way to assure a long and healthy life. This article will help you make some of the choices involved in deciding on a dog food or cat food
How do you know what dog/cat food is right? For many the choice is a homemade diet. If you have the time and the resources, I agree that this is the preferred way to go. This is usually the best, and occasionally the only choice for animals with multiple food allergies. The choice is yours whether to go cooked or raw, with bones or without.
Basically, a homemade diet should consist of 40-60% meat for dogs, 60%-90% for cats, 20-50% vegetables (dogs, or 10%-40% for cats), and the rest, optionally, grains. The choice within each category is vast, and depends on your budget, availability, and what the dog or cat prefers. Often allergies to certain foods will determine the diet.
Each dog and cat is unique and what is best for one may not work well for another. Feeding a variety of foods is the best way to provide all or most of the nutrients that your pet needs.
A good quality multi-vitamin and calcium supplements will help make sure the diet is complete. Because it can be tricky to get the right balance of calcium and phosphorus when making your own pet food, you will need to add a calcium supplement.
If you like the idea of homemade pet food, but lack the time, there are pre-mixes available, or complete ready-to-serve meals. Pre-mixes come freeze-dried, dehydrated or frozen. Usually they are grain and vegetable mixes, along with some supplements such as calcium, to which you add the meat. Ground meats, sometimes with bone, are also available where pet foods are sold. You can then add your own vegetables and/or grains if you so desire.
Complete raw-foods diets are also sold as frozen, dry or freeze-dried. Some areas may have local entrepreneurs who make and sell these diets fresh. They may also custom make meals to your pets specifications.
If you prefer to feed a commercial product, choose one of the many premium dog foods now available. though the cost may be higher than grocery store brands, what you save in vet bills will more than make up for the difference.
Whether to feed canned or dry pet food will depend on you and your dog or cat. Canned food is usually more expensive, kibble is more convenient. Pets usually prefer canned foods and some need the softer, wetter consistency. Canned pet foods generally contain higher quality proteins than dry pet food, and a higher percentage of protein and fat. The higher moisture content of canned foods can be beneficial to dogs and cats with kidney or urinary tract problems. Dry pet foods contain more preservatives. Some people choose to use both.
The most important criteria in choosing a pet food is the list of ingredients. Whole meats are always better then meat meals, and meat meals are preferable to by-products. Single source meals, such as “beef meal” or “chicken meal” are more wholesome than those marked simple “meat” or “poultry” meals. Single source meals contain the muscle meat from that animal, along with accompanying tissues, such as nerves, blood vessels and skin. Generic meals may contain other organ tissues and fatty tissue. By-product meal is a catch-all term for anything that doesn’t fit the other meal definitions – avoid these at all costs!
Look for the meat source (or sources) to be listed first on the label. If grains are included (which they always are in kibbles), they should be whole grains, rather than fractions, such as wheat bran, brewer’s rice, etc. Watch out for multiple listings of grains, they may add up to be more than the meat portion!
Avoid artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. Colors are added for your benefit, not to appeal to dogs. Artificial flavors are added to enhance palatability or cover up off tastes of poorer quality ingredients. Most natural foods stores and holistic pet supply stores will carry premium brands of pet food. If you are unable to find a satisfactory dog food in stores near you, many of them can be found on the internet.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Elyse Grau founded The Original Dog Biscuit Company, a natural dog biscuit producer. She is a herbalist, preferring to treat her animals holistically. She has made it a point to learn as much about animal nutrition as possible. You can read more of her articles at: www.pethealthresource.com
If your pet dog has large, smelly stool, is gaseous, burps often, sheds constantly, is prone to ear and skin infections, has either no energy or is hyperactive and if his immune system is weak, something may be wrong with your pet’s diet. Although any or a combination of these symptoms may occur occasionally, having them recur often is a cause for concern and reviewing your pet’s diet is one of the first things you should look into.
First of all, your dog needs 45 nutrients to function properly. Major groups for these nutrients are protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals, as well as water. These nutrients have to be in the right amounts so that they are properly digested and absorbed by the body.
Remember that your dog, or any dog for that matter, is a carnivore, meaning his body mainly uses meat. That also means that vegetables and grains are not supposed to have a major contribution to your pet’s diet.
On dog food packages how much protein is in the food is indicated. But finding out how much protein is in the food is not as important as knowing what source the protein came from.
Dog food makers have a wide choice of protein sources to choose from. Aside from meats (beef, chicken, lamb, etc.), plants and grains like corn, wheat and soy are used as sources.
To find out what sources have been used most in the package you’re buying, look at the ingredients list. By law, the largest amount of ingredient used is listed first and others follow in decreasing amounts. You should see 3 meat sources on the first 5 items mentioned. Any less than that and you may not be giving your dog the proper protein for his diet.
Your dog will also need carbohydrates primarily for energy. But unlike their masters, dogs do not need a lot of carbohydrates to be healthy. A diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates is ideal for your pet.
Since dogs are meat-eaters, diets high in carbohydrates will take a long time for your pet to digest, not to mention resulting to large and smelly stool and gas. The gums can also grow sore due to excessive chewing and his breath can develop a bad smell. So only use a small amount of a carbohydrate source (such as grains) in your pet’s diet.
Two kinds of fat exist. One is saturated (animal fat) and the other is polyunsaturated (vegetable fat). Your dog will need both and taken together supply essential fatty acids (EFA) needed to maintain good health.
Not enough fat in the diet can cause low energy levels, heart problems and dry skin. However, too much fat can cause obesity. Tumors and cancers can also develop. In reading the label, look for a product that has a good balance between animal and vegetable fat in it.
Vitamins are necessary to release nutrients from the food that the body can use. There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Both types are needed by your dog. Vitamins B and C are water-soluble. Too much of these will not harm the body much since it is urinated out in 4 to 8 hours. This is the reason they need to be in each meal. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble. They are stored in fatty tissues of the body and the liver.
It is important to remember that vitamins are easily lost in the making of manufactured dog food. And they break down as soon as you open the package and expose the food to light and air. Vitamins B and C are particularly sensitive.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Information on beagle training can be found at the About Beagles site.
Preparation for home cooked meals for your dog is simple and need not be a pain at all. I have switched from commercialized pet food to home cooked meals after my family two lovely dogs died of cancer suddenly. They were on premium dried pet food all their life but still, both of them died at a young age at 6 and 7 of cancer. This was way before the pet food recall event.
I knew at that time that their commercial pet food must have contributed somewhat to their condition as both were rather young when passed on. Putting aside my initial struggle with thoughts about how difficult to cook home cooked meals for my dogs and just got started with it.
I do not even cook for myself! How can I cook nutritious meals for my pets! I started reading loads of books on home cooked food and came out with this simple and easy to prepare recipe for dog food. It can be done even for busy people like you and me. If I can do it, so can you! So let us step up and commit to making the lives of our pet a long, happy and healthy one.
Take note that we cannot change our dog diet overnight as it may cause stomach upset. Start gradually and mixing their feed gradually until she is completed switched to home cooked food.
Preparation
Purchase the following ingredients, all the ingredients below in equal proportions, supplements should be added separately. The amount to cook depends on your pet size.
Use your own judgment when it comes to quantity to feed. The suggestion below is meant for a week supply for a 1 medium sized dog, healthy dog with normal weight range.
Please change the quantity for your pet needs (This suggestion provides 1 week food for a 10kg dog):
1) Grains choice: Brown rice, provide for 2-3 cups cooked rice (less if your dog is obese or require some weight loss)
2) Vegetables (Add 3 varieties): Broccoli, cauliflower, any green leafy vegetables and beans. Make about 4 cups of pulp vegetables for easy absorption.
3) Meats 500gms: Choice of Chicken, Lamb, Beef or Kangaroo (rotate weekly).
4) 2 Eggs
Avoid night shade vegetables, onions and cabbage for your pets. Some dogs experience more gas when fed with cabbage.
Quick Easy Cooking Steps
Step 1: Put some olive oil in your pot and cook meats
Step 2: Cook rice (or any grain choice, I personally prefer brown rice)
Step 3: Pulp or chop finely the vegetables
Step 4: When meats are almost cook, add the pulp vegetables into the pot
Step 5: Do not overcook the vegetables. Keep them half raw for the enzymes.
Step 6: Add eggs and cook the vegetables in the pot to make the vegetables palatable.
Storage
For convenience, cook your pet homemade meals up to one week supply. Freeze them in daily portions separately for convenience.
Just remember to place next day food supply from the freezer to chiller compartment of your refrigerator. Place a note at your fridge to remind you to do so everyday if not, your poor pet has not food to eat.
Feeding Preparation
Step 1: Place chilled food in your pet bowl
Step 2: Boil some hot water
Step 3: Warm up the food to room temperature with some hot water.
Step 4: Add necessary supplements such as Vitamin C, Flaxseed oil, Egg shell
meals for calcium.
Step 5: Mix and serve!
Using boiled water to warm up food is a recommended. If you prefer microwaving to warm up food, note that this method may destroy some nutrients.
Emergency meals
In case you have forgotten to defreeze your pet food. Here is a simple guide to a quick no hassle wholesome meal in just 5 minutes!
Ensure you home has these at all times in case you need to whip out a wholesome meal in 5 minutes!
All you need are:
Step 1) Oats (get those quick to cook kind or just add hot boiling water)
Step 2) Eggs (Break an egg for a small/medium sized dog)
Step 3) Supplements (Add your regular supplement)
That is all you need for the emergency meal! To ensure not to upset the digestive system from sudden change in diet, feed this option once a while so she is well adjusted to this diet when the need arises.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Veronica Eng researched on dog care from various sources for many years and summarized many effective yet simple guides to dog lovers. Her techniques have made her dogs healthy, vibrant and gorgeous coat that many envy. Natural pet health is her passion! More tips at www.dogcarezone.com