Pet owners who want to offer their dogs a healthy natural way of living should start with good nutrition. Nutrition is the foundation of good health and a well fed pet is usually a healthy pet.
The best diet for a dog is very much like a diet that nutritionists recommend for us humans. It consists of a variety of fresh whole foods rich in vitamins and minerals. This diet alone can promote optimal health in your pet.
If you want to feed your dog right, you need to start with fresh natural ingredients that are full of life. Fresh foods have very little processing; the less processing, the healthier the food is because fewer nutrients such as vitamins and minerals are lost. This type of diet might include home made dog food, a raw diet or dehydrated food. Dr Richard Pitcairn, a veterinarian who has done extensive research in natural pet care, advocates feeding pets a healthy diet of homemade foods prepared to the specific needs of the animals.
Raw food is becoming popular among pet owners and breeders and although there is a lot of controversy on the subject, many pet-owners are discovering the health benefits of the raw food diet because it has helped clear many conditions such as chronic allergies and other degenerative diseases. The good news is that rather than feeding Fido a raw bone from your butcher, there are specialty stores that carry frozen raw foods that are balanced and safe. Raw foods are also available in freeze dried form where the dog food is freeze -dried or “cold processed”, a process whereby enzymes, amino acids, and probiotics remain intact.
Another source of natural dog food is the dehydrated diet. This type of food is preserved by a process of low temperature drying, just like those healthy soup mixes we buy at the health food store. Since the process uses less heat, the activity of enzymes in the food is suspended until the food is re-hydrated. The dehydration process only loses about 3% to 5% of the nutrients as opposed to other processes such as canning and the making of kibble which may cause the food to lose of up to 60% of its nutritional value.
Homemade meals are another alternative to a healthy diet but this isn’t always easy since dogs need a specific balance and ratio of meat versus vegetable products. Be glad to know that there are premixes that take the guesswork out of making homemade dog food and all a pet owner needs to do is add some water and fresh meat to make a tasty treat for their four legged friend.
A good meal is a pleasurable experience for humans and it should be the same for our animal companions. By sticking to fresh ingredients, variety and attention to what our pets eat we can achieve balance and good health for our best friend.