Exotic Birds Blog

Make Your Own Puppy Chow

Dog Food for Life

Dog Food for Life Website

Caring for a puppy can be an overwhelming experience in the beginning. You are probably wondering how you’re ever going to make it through the house-breaking stage! You may also be concerned about the nutritional needs of your puppy. Like children, puppies have precise needs when it comes to food.

There are many dog foods available on the market that are supposed to cater to the needs of a puppy, but many of them are not nearly as healthy as they appear. That’s why we’ve put together this article to encourage you to give homemade puppy chow/treats a try. By making your dog’s food yourself, you can rest assured knowing that your dog is only eating healthy, natural foods.

The following recipes are for puppy formulas, which will then be followed by everyday meal recipes for when your pup gets a bit older. Don’t worry—they’re easy to read and follow, and most of them can be thrown together in a snap!

Formula Recipe 1:
2/3 cup goat milk canned (or just regular canned milk)
1/3 cup water or Pedialyte
1 teaspoon Karo Syrup
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dyne or pediatric vitamin

Strain a couple of times to make sure there is no albumin in the mixture, although it has been used successfully without egg at all.

Variation: 1 can of Condensed Milk rather than goat’s milk (it may be too high in protein and put a strain on the puppy’s kidneys) and 1 envelope of Knox unflavored gelatin in addition to other ingredients (helps keep stools solid).

Formula Recipe 2:
2 cups hot water
1 can Evaporated milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Karo syrup
2 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin

Mix thoroughly to get the gelatin working.

Meat and Potato Meal:
12 ½ cups of potatoes, chunked
3 pounds beef heart, cut into chunks
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup zucchini, squash, carrots or peas
6 tablespoons dog powder
4 teaspoons bone meal (Check the label, it should have 1300-1500 mg of calcium per tablespoon. If it doesn’t, adjust the amount you use accordingly.)

In a large pot, boil the potatoes until they become soft. If you choose to cook the meat, pour out half the water and add the beef heart chunks. Then simmer until they are no longer pink. Add the remaining ingredients. If you are feeding raw, pour off all of the water after you cook the potatoes, and just add the beef heart with the remaining ingredients.

Servings: Toy dogs: 1-2 cups, Small dogs: 3-4 cups, Medium dogs: 6-7 cups, Large dogs: 8-9 cups per day, Giant dogs: 9 cups per day

Chicken and Barley Delight:
2 ½  cups barley
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup dog oil supplement
1 cup peas, cooked celery, or squash
6 tablespoons dog powder
4 teaspoons bone meal (Check the label; it should have 1300-1500 mg of calcium per tablespoon. If it doesn’t, adjust the amount you use accordingly.)

Heat 7 ½ cups of water in a large pot until it comes to a boil. Add the barley and cook until it softens. If you choose to cook the meat, add it now and boil it just until the pink color disappears. Then, take the pot off the heat and add the remaining ingredients.

Servings: Toy dogs: 1-2 cups, Small dogs: 3-4 cups, Medium dogs: 6-7 cups, Large dogs: 8-9 cups per day, Giant dogs: 9 cups per day

The Dog Food for Life eBook has plenty of other great recipes, as well as vital information regarding diet, health, and hygiene that are a must-know for any dog owner. Visit Dog Food for Life Here

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How Healthy Is Your Dog’s Food?

Dog Food for Life

Click here to visit Dog Food for Life

If your dog hasn’t been in the pinnacle of health lately, you might consider taking a look at his diet. Have you switched dog food brands lately? You might be surprised to learn that many commercial dog food brands are not supplying the nutrients that your dog needs to function in top health.

Even if your dog appears to be healthy, it is worthwhile to educate yourself on the nutrients that every dog’s diet should include, as well as the common dog food ingredients that can cause a decline in your pet’s health. Read on to learn about the items that should be in a well-balanced dog food, as well as items that you should avoid at all costs.

A dog’s diet requires 6 basic nutrients to provide optimum health. These items are protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. It is very important that the food your dog eats contains each of these nutrients in the proper amounts. For instance, protein is the main nutrient your dog requires, therefore meat (such as chicken, beef, lamb, etc.) should be the main ingredient in your dog’s food. Meat is not the only source that companies can gain protein from. Some dog food companies choose to supply additional protein from plants and grains such as soy, corn, and wheat. Foods that contain too many vegetables or grains are not very beneficial to your dog, since his primary need as a carnivore is meat. Just make sure that any food you purchase or make yourself is high in protein.

The Dog Food for Life eBook contains tons of great DIY recipes for treats, everyday food, and even desserts for your dog!

If you were to look on your dog food label to find that it simply states “meat,” you may not think much about it. However, you should be wary of any product which does not specify the source of the “meat.” Unfortunately, some companies find it much cheaper to produce dog food in which the meat is derived from road kill or pets that have been put down in shelters or veterinary offices. While dogs in the wild may get by on a diet of road kill, we certainly don’t want to feed it to our pets, whom many of us consider to be a member of the family. You’ll want to keep your eye out for the following harmful ingredients and steer clear of any foods that contain them: Unidentified fats, BHA and BHT, artificial colors, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate, Propylene Glycol, Brewers Rice, Cellulose, Ethoxyquin, Propyl Gallate, and Gluten.

To get a good grasp on which items make up the bulk of your dog’s food, remember that ingredients are always listed from largest percentage to smallest . If your dog’s food is primarily made up of chicken and lamb, those ingredients will be listed first, followed by the next item of significant quantity, and so on.

Now that you know what your dog’s food should consist of, take a look at the package to determine whether your dog’s diet is in need of change. If you are afraid your pet may be in poor health due to his/her diet, consult with a veterinarian immediately.

If you would like to learn more about dog food ingredients and which brands to avoid/pursue, go to Dog Food for Life.

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