If you are like many other pet owners across the United States, you may have been really frightened by the pet food recalls that happened this past year. The last thing you want to happen to your pet is food poisoning. Of course it is important that your dog does eat well, but if you are afraid to give your dog pet food from the stores anymore, there are some other options. You may want to consider finding some dog food recipes and making dinner for your dog by yourself. Many people actually believe that a home made diet is better for dogs anyway; however, there are a few things to keep in mind when you are looking for these recipes for dog food.

Tip #1 – Never Ever Give Bones to Dogs – First of all, when you are looking for recipes for your dog and making them up, it is important that you never give them bones, especially if they have been cooked. If you are dealing with meat in the recipes, make sure that you have totally removed all the bones. Bone fragments can actually get lodged in the throat or digestive tract of the dog and cause injury or even death.

Tip #2 – Learn What Foods Can be Dangerous to Dogs – When you are looking for dog food recipes it is also important that you take the time to learn what foods can be dangerous to dogs so that you can avoid giving these foods to your dog. Some of the foods that you should avoid giving dogs include garlic, grapes, mushrooms, chocolate, onions, avocados, macadamias, and raisins.

Tip #3 – Look for the Easy Ones – The last thing you want to do is to get involved in making a recipe for your dog that ends up taking hours, so you may want to look for the easier recipes. Sure, you want to provide your dog with some great food, but you don’t have time to get involved with complicated recipes. Before you start the recipe, read it over to make sure it won’t be too difficult or complicated to make.

Tip #4 – Check with Your Vet – Since your dog has definite requirements nutritionally, it is important that you check with your vet if you plan on making dog food recipes on a regular basis for your dog. They can let you know what your dog should have in his food and give you a good idea of how to get your dog used to a new diet. So, before you get too carried away with these recipes, take the time to talk with your dog’s vet.

Tip #5 – What Should Be in the Recipes – You should know what types of things should be in these recipes as well to make sure that your dog has a good, healthy, balanced diet. Usually it is best to make sure that about 1/3 of the food has protein in it, from diary products, meat, or eggs. Then, the other 2/3 of the food should include vegetables or grain to make sure that you dog gets a balanced diet.

There are a variety of great places where you can find these dog food recipes. You may want to take the time to check at a bookstore for a doggie cookbook full of excellent recipes for your dog. Of course one of the best places you can look for these recipes for free is the internet. There are many great sites that offer free recipes for dog food and they are very easy to find. So, when you do go searching for dog food recipes for your dog, whether in a book or on the web, just keep these simple tips in mind and you’ll be sure to come up with food your dog will enjoy.

Dr. Alfonso

These days many people are looking for natural products, whether it is for skin care, food, or dog food. Many people are beginning to realize that their dogs deserve to have natural foods as well, instead of eating foods that are full of chemicals that can cause them problems.

There are several different types of natural dog foods to choose from as well, so there is quite a selection available. If you are not sure whether or not you want to go with dog food that is natural, keep reading. The following are several benefits of feeding your dog natural dog food that may change your mind.

Benefit #1 – Fewer Incidents of Allergies and Skin Problems – One of the great benefits of feeding your dog natural dog food is that there are fewer incidents of allergies and skin problems to worry about with your dog. If you have a dog that deals with skin problems or with allergies, you may have tried a variety of different products to help provide your dog with some relief from the problem. Well, giving your dog natural food may actually do the job for you. It does not have all the toxic pesticides, artificial colors, and chemicals in it that can cause problems, so your dog is less likely to deal with these types of problems.

Benefit #2 – Maintain a Healthy Weight – Another benefit of going with the natural route when it comes to dog food is because it can help your dog to maintain a weight that is healthy. Sure, pudgy puppies are very cute, but you don’t want your dog to develop problems like diabetes, back problems, or organ problems because they are overweight. Natural dog food is more nutritional and will provide all the nutrition without the bulk fillers that can make your dog overweight.

Benefit #3 – More Energy for Your Dog –You’ll also find that food that is natural for your dog will also provide them with more energy. This will enable them to exercise more, which can also help with the weight control issue as well. Since your dog will be getting more nutrients and better nutrition, no doubt he will feel like he has a lot more energy.

Benefit #4 – Few Problems with Digestive Disorders – There are many dogs that have digestive disorders and foods that have artificial substances and chemicals in them can make these problems worse and even cause these problems. When you give your dog natural dog food instead you’ll find that they have an easier time digesting it. This means that they won’t have as many problems with various digestive orders.

Benefit #5 – Stronger Immune Systems and Great Health – No doubt you want your dog to be in the best health possible, and when you feed them dog food that is natural, you can provide your dog with the best possible health. Not only will they be healthier, but this type of food will help them to build up their immune system as well. All the great nutrients in the food will help your dog build and maintain an immune system that is very healthy, which will save you on expensive vet bills in the future.

Benefit #6 – Longer and More Quality Life – All owners want their dogs to live as long as possible, but they want a quality life for their dogs as well. When you give them the quality diet of natural dog food, it will improve their quality of life. It will also aid them in living a long life as well, so you’ll have your dog around longer. Since this food helps to maintain their immune system and ward off problems, they will be more likely to live a long time.

Now that you see all the great benefits that can come along with giving your dog food that is natural, you may want to consider purchasing this type of food for your dog from now on. No doubt you want to have a healthy dog that is well cared for and in the best of shape. With natural dog food, you can keep your dog feeling great, looking great, and around for a long time.

Dr. Alfonso

If you own a pet, more than likely you remember the dog food recall that first occurred last March. The food that was recalled was more than just a slight problem, but it was potentially deadly food, which definitely put fear in the hearts of pet owners all across the Nation. There were more than 16 deaths that were associated with this tainted food and thousands of worried pet owners were flooding veterinarians’ offices fearing the worst about their pets. While it appears that the initial crisis is over, pet owners still find themselves on edge, so let’s take a closer look at the latest news on the dog food recall.

Brands that were Recalled
If you have a dog of your own, then you’ll definitely want to know more about which dog foods were recalled during this dog food crisis. There were a variety of different brands and types of foods that were recalled during this time and some may still not be safe for your dog, though you probably won’t find them on the store shelves anyway. The following are a few of the different dog foods that were a part of the dog food recall.

- ALPO
- Champion Breed Large Buiscuits
- Blue Buffalo
- Diamond Pet Food
- Food Lion dog food
- Gravy Train
- Hannaford
- Iams Can Chunky Formula
- Mighty Dog
- Nutriplan
- Ol’ Roy
- Pet Essentials
- Publix
- Springfield Prize
- Winn Dixie
- Weis Total Pet

Where Did the Problem Come From
One of the big questions that surrounded the dog food recall is where the problem actually came from. In the end it appeared that the FDA had actually traced the gluten that was responsible for much of the problem all the way back to China. The gluten was actually tainted with melamine, which ended up causing the problem with the food in the first place. The FDA is fairly sure that this is where the problem really did come from and that other types of pet foods should still be safe for pets. Although the FDA believes that the problem gluten came from China, the officials in China still maintain that they don’t believe they are actually responsible for these foods that have been tainted.

Many Lawsuits Have Been Filed
Since the dog food recall occurred, there have been quite a few different law suits filed against the companies that made the dog food that was contaminated. Those who have filed these suits have alleged that their dogs either became sick or died when they ate the food that has been recalled. Pet owners who lost a pet or had to pay extensive bills due to a sick pet because of the dog food recall definitely feel that they should be compensated and that these dog food companies should be held accountable for what they have done.

It is still important today that you take a close look at what your dog is eating. Although the food now seems to be okay, many pet owners are still shying away from foods that were recalled in the past. Even though these foods seem to be okay now, if your dog ever does develop any suspicious symptoms it is important that you call your vet as soon as possible. So, for now the danger of the dog food recall seems to be behind us; however, you never know when there could be a problem again, so it is important that you always keep an eye on your dog and what he eats.

Dr. Alfonso

Bad Dry Dog Food killing dogs is a serious problem in today’s busy world. People are so busy in their life they do not necessarily pay enough attention to the dog food they buy. Dry dog food ingredients such as beef from sick or dying cows as well as other animals are long known to be unsafe for dogs.

Additionally, some bad dog food may not contain the vitamins and minerals dogs need for health, and animals at different stages of their growth need different supplements and even if made with healthy ingredients it may be bad dog food if it does not have what your dog needs. There are certain things the dog will need for its health, but there are also certain foods that are healthy for humans, but can be deadly for dogs.

Fruits such as apples are considered a health food for people, but for dogs apple seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can result in cyanide poisoning in canines. The same thing can happen with apricots and cherries making these fruits extremely bad dog foods.

Everyone knows that smoking is hazardous for a human’s health, but nicotine can also be deadly for dogs. Cigarette butts, cigars and pipe tobacco if ingested by the family pet can cause nicotine poisoning, with the symptoms including hyperactivity, vomiting and diarrhea which can lead to rapid heartbeat and cardiac arrest. Nicotine patches and gum can be just as deadly to the pet so caution those in the house that use these products to keep them out of the dog’s reach as they make bad dog food.

Dogs are also susceptible to stomach problems and pancreatic diseases from ingesting too much salt, whether in their diet or accidentally ingested. They have been known to drink way too much water after the salt, which can cause the stomach to fill with gas and become twisted, resulting in a potentially painful death.

Also on the bad dog food list is raw bread dough, although not poisonous, if ingested the heat from the dog’s stomach can cause the bread to raise, causing extreme discomfort. Additionally, during the raising process bread dough creates alcohol which can cause health problems for canines.