Does Your Dog Eat Homemade Dog Food?

Yes, my dog does eat homemade dog food. I ensure that the meals are balanced and contain all necessary nutrients for their well-being. Making dog food at home allows me to control the ingredients and cater to my dogs' specific dietary needs. However, it is crucial to research and consult a veterinarian to verify that the homemade meals are indeed healthy for dogs. For more in-depth insights, you can check out my Quora profile!

Recipe for Organic Turkey and Vegetable Soup

I have made them an organic turkey and vegetable soup that I serve with their regular kibble. They absolutely love it.

Our holistic vet recommended turkey as an excellent protein source, especially for my double-coated Samoyeds, as it is a "cooling" meat. He also suggested giving them raw turkey necks 1-2 times a week as a treat. They go wild over those! Raw bones are fine for them to consume, but not cooked bones since they can be brittle.

Ingredients and Preparation

Organic cubed turkey breast Low sodium turkey broth Green beans Carrots Corn Peas Low sodium turkey broth

In the soup, I don't add tomatoes, as they are a nightshade vegetable which can cause inflammation. I freeze up 3-4 containers of the soup to thaw and serve every few days.

Feeding Whole Grains and Fish

We did not feed them whole grains and fish every day, but we did it once a week. I would cook chicken thighs and veggies into a chicken stew, removing the bones and adding a handful of rice. We served it with a bit of mixer if necessary. Another special treat once a week was whole grain pasta with a tin of pilchards. We called it their "junk food" night. Despite the occasional deviation from their regular diet, our dogs all lived well into their teens, indicating that we may have done something right!

Homemade Recipes and Nutritional Balance

No, homemade recipes cannot be trusted to be fully balanced without professional guidance. Often, dogs may appear perfectly fine eating a homemade diet until they suddenly develop serious health conditions due to nutritional imbalances or deficiencies.

Professional Considerations

While cooking meals at home allows for customization and control over ingredients, it is essential to balance the nutrients correctly. A trip to the vet can help in identifying the right combination of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that should be included in the homemade diet.

The Argument Against Homemade Diets

Absolutely not! Dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats; while they need a high proportion of meat in their diet, they still require a precise balance of nutrients in ratios that are not always easily replicated at home. Domestic dogs are a unique species not found in the wild, and their dietary needs differ from those of their wild predecessors.

I have seen countless cases of dogs and cats becoming critically ill from raw, BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), or homemade diets. Unless your pet has a specific allergy or needs limited ingredients, there is no compelling reason to adopt these raw or homemade feeding practices.

Commercial Diets and Expertise

Commercial dog foods available today are the result of decades of research and expertise in canine nutrition. Companies that focus on pet food have a thorough understanding of the precise nutritional requirements of dogs. Instead of feeding them like humans, or relying on flawed homemade diets, it is safer to opt for high-quality commercial dog foods that are regulated, tested, and proven to meet a dog's needs.

Anthropomorphism, or treating dogs as miniature humans, is unfortunately detrimental to their health both physically and psychologically. For decades, hundreds of millions of pets have thrived, living long and healthy lives on Purina foods, among others. The idea that all big brand name pet food companies are "poisoning" pets is simply unwarranted and goes against common sense.