Posts Tagged ‘Raw Foods’
It used to be simple to feed your dog. You would buy some kind of dry dog chow and throw in some table scraps. As veterinary science became more advanced, veterinarians began to study nutrition. They realized that, just as for people, diet has a big impact on overall health. It became clear that grain based, processed dog food was not adequate to support a dogs health. There are now many high quality, meat based dog foods available with no artificial colors or fillers.
Now, another type of diet is becoming more popular. It is the BARF diet. This refers to bones and raw foods, or biologically appropriate raw food. The person behind this trend is Dr. Ian Billinghurst. Proponents of the BARF diet believe that, as dogs are descendants of the wolf, dogs will benefit from eating the way wolves eat in the wild. They believe that wild animals thrive because they do not eat processed food.
The BARF diet consists of 60% raw, meaty bones, 25% meat from organs, such as kidney, liver, tripe and brains. They also include fish and chicken carcasses. 15% of the diet is made up of vegetables and grains. In order to make sure the dogs get all the nutrients they need, proponents of the BARF diet supplement this raw food with oils, such as cod liver and flax seed oil, as well as vitamins, kelp powder and yogurt. I do not quite understand why, if this diet is so superior to high quality, commercial dog foods, there should be a need to add supplements. I doubt the healthy wolves in the wild supplement their diet.
Pet owners and breeders, and even veterinarians that feed their dogs BARF, claim the diet is what dogs were designed to eat, long before they became domesticated. Feeding this diet is believed to improve digestion, stop chronic diarrhea, improve coat and skin and strengthen the immune system. This feeding plan is a lot of work and is also expensive, which makes it impractical for many of us.
It should be noted that there are no scientific studies that show the BARF diet is better for dogs. There is always a chance of the dog getting sick from bacteria, like E. Coli and salmonella. Another problem is the risk of a shard of bone perforating the intestine. This can be fatal.
Fortunately, their are now many dog food brands that provide quality, meat based foods that include the vegetables, grains and all the other nutrients required for a healthy dog. If you choose one of these commercially prepared dog foods, that contain no artificial colors or fillers, and add a human grade, all natural pet vitamin, your dog will enjoy all the benefits of the BARF diet with less work, expense, and risk.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
It used to be simple to feed your dog. You would buy some kind of dry dog chow and throw in some table scraps. As veterinary science became more advanced, veterinarians began to study nutrition. They realized that, just as for people, diet has a big impact on overall health. It became clear that grain based, processed dog food was not adequate to support a dogs health. There are now many high quality, meat based dog foods available with no artificial colors or fillers.
Now, another type of diet is becoming more popular. It is the BARF diet. This refers to bones and raw foods, or biologically appropriate raw food. The person behind this trend is Dr. Ian Billinghurst. Proponents of the BARF diet believe that, as dogs are descendants of the wolf, dogs will benefit from eating the way wolves eat in the wild. They believe that wild animals thrive because they do not eat processed food.
The BARF diet consists of 60% raw, meaty bones, 25% meat from organs, such as kidney, liver, tripe and brains. They also include fish and chicken carcasses. 15% of the diet is made up of vegetables and grains. In order to make sure the dogs get all the nutrients they need, proponents of the BARF diet supplement this raw food with oils, such as cod liver and flax seed oil, as well as vitamins, kelp powder and yogurt. I do not quite understand why, if this diet is so superior to high quality, commercial dog foods, there should be a need to add supplements. I doubt the healthy wolves in the wild supplement their diet.
Pet owners and breeders, and even veterinarians that feed their dogs BARF, claim the diet is what dogs were designed to eat, long before they became domesticated. Feeding this diet is believed to improve digestion, stop chronic diarrhea, improve coat and skin and strengthen the immune system. This feeding plan is a lot of work and is also expensive, which makes it impractical for many of us.
It should be noted that there are no scientific studies that show the BARF diet is better for dogs. There is always a chance of the dog getting sick from bacteria, like E. Coli and salmonella. Another problem is the risk of a shard of bone perforating the intestine. This can be fatal.
Fortunately, their are now many dog food brands that provide quality, meat based foods that include the vegetables, grains and all the other nutrients required for a healthy dog. If you choose one of these commercially prepared dog foods, that contain no artificial colors or fillers, and add a human grade, all natural pet vitamin, your dog will enjoy all the benefits of the BARF diet with less work, expense, and risk.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_M_Sabol
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
Joseph M. Sabol is a world class Doberman breeder. Please go to petvitamins4u.com or to theroadhousedobes.com for further information.
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