Homemade Dog Food
Healthy & Safe Dog Food
There are many different recommendations on what diet is best for dogs. Some people argue that commercial dog foods contain additives or poor-quality (or even dangerous) meat or ingredients that dogs should not ingest or that certain commercial foods are not nutritionally sufficient for their dogs. Different homemade diets are recommended by various experts, from "natural dog food" diets consisting primarily of raw meat, to vegetarian diets consisting only of nutritionally balanced vegetarian ingredients, to mixtures consisting of ingredients such as brown rice, brown pasta, meats, eggs, and vegetables.Most dogs willingly eat vegetables, particularly if they are cooked, and many kinds of fruit, although grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs.
See our free Dog Food Recipes cookbook to search for healthy and safe homemade natural dog food recipes.
Commercial Dog Food
By its water content, commercial dog food can be categorized into following types:
Dried
Semi-moist
Moist
The Making Of Dog Food
Veterinarian Recommended Dog Food
Dried pellet dog food, called kibble, is made in two different ways: extruding and baking. During extruding, a mixture of raw materials is fed into an expander while pressurized steam or hot water is added. When removed from the pressure, the pellets puff like popcorn. The pellets are allowed to dry, then sprayed with vitamins, grease, or any other ingredients that are not heat-tolerant. The down side of extruding is that the fats added after cooking often turn rancid and the vitamins may be destroyed by heat during storage or shipping.Dog treats are usually higher in grease or fats. These are usually designed to be held in a person's hand without being messy, and are often designed in fanciful shapes and colors.