Natural food for dogs is simply when you make their food at home. It consists of using fresh ingredients, combining them and cooking them according to the animal’s nutritional needs. Contrary to popular belief , a dog accustomed to processed foods can get used to a more varied diet.
The first step to natural dog food is to go to a specialist. Based on an evaluation, the veterinarian can design a suitable diet for your dog according to its current condition and diet.
After starting a diet based on natural foods , the dog should be weighed once a month to see how his body reacts. This way, you can monitor any changes in your dog and the effects of this type of food.
If the animal loses weight, it may eat fewer calories than recommended for its size. If, on the other hand, it gains weight, on the contrary, it gets more calories than it needs.
1. It helps control your dog’s weight. Because it is a controlled diet, you have more control over and can take better care of your dog’s diet.
The most important thing here is to be aware of the amounts of food. Giving too much food can cause your dog to become overweight, which can lead to other health problems, such as diabetes or kidney problems. The same applies if you give too little food. If the dog does not get the recommended amount, it will not develop normally or it can impair the body’s normal functions.
2. Improve their physical and emotional state. When you start a diet based on natural foods with your dog, you can see changes almost immediately.
On the second or third day, your dog may be more active or lively. Its fur will also be shinier and softer.
Natural foods are better for a dog’s digestion. This can be felt on your dog’s breath as well as on the fact that it leaves less stool that smells less bad. This is because your dog’s digestion takes advantage of more nutrients. Its body odor can also be improved.
Food without additives and preservatives. As all food consists of fresh products, it does not contain all the additives and preservatives that are common in processed foods.
However, you need to be careful so that you really maintain a good balance in the diet you give your dog. It is important that you make sure that you meet all of your dog’s nutritional requirements.
4. It does not cost more. Contrary to popular belief , natural food does not actually cost more than processed dog food, and it also has so many more benefits for your dog’s health and thus quality of life.
BARF stands for Bio-Adapted Raw Food . The BARF diet consists of feeding the dog a percentage of its current weight. So if your dog is essentially sedentary, you should give it 2% of its weight in food, while an active dog should get 3%.
According to dogs’ natural nutritional intake , the protein should come from meat, whether it is beef, chicken or fish. In addition, they should have intestines, such as liver, kidney and heart. Vegetables are the main source of minerals and vitamins and oil is the source of the fatty acids that the dog needs.
The BARF diet has some recommendations that should be considered when it comes to cooked food:
- To avoid infection , the meat must be frozen for at least 3 days. In addition, it must be well prepared to kill any possible parasites.
- The bones should not be boiled. These should always be given raw to the animal. You should check if it is okay for your pet to eat bones with your veterinarian.
- In cases of constipation, the intake of vegetables should be increased. If your condition worsens, you should consult your veterinarian.
- Natural foods should not be combined with processed foods. You can alternate the two types of food but you should not mix them.
Each breed and variety is different, so they have nutritional requirements depending on their characteristics. Because of this, it is important to evaluate together with your veterinarian before introducing natural nutrition to your dog.
Today, there are many companies and brands that make natural food for dogs. These companies can help you with the composition of your meals. Each target is properly packaged and frozen. This way you can store them for as long as you need.
Finally, you need to make sure that the meals you buy for your dog have the right nutritional components for your dog so that it ingests what is necessary.