Posts Tagged ‘dog food recipes’
Is Nutrition Related to Behavioral Problems in Dogs?
July 20th, 2009 | 
Author: There is evidence that suggests that behavioral problems in dogs are related to their nutrition. According to an article by the Examiner.com, dogs that are hyperactive, out of control or aggressive may have been fed diets that are not appropriate for them. Now, just because a dog has these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s their dog food, but it could be.
So how do you find out? Well, obviously the first thing you could try is to change their dog food. Unfortunately, that’s not a simple process, but is doable nonetheless. If you decide to change your dog food, don’t do it cold turkey. You have to do it gradually. Mix ¼ of the new food with ¾ of the old food to start for one day. Then slowly, maybe a ¼ at a time change it day by day. Watch your dog for any unusual changes like getting sick, runny stool, etc. If so, either try another brand or keep the same ratio for a few days and see what happens. If not, then continue to introduce the new food slowly.
What type of ingredients do you want to stay away from? If your dog is out of control or hyperactive, then it’s a good idea to find a dog food that has a low level of wheat, corn and corn meal. If your dog is aggressive, then look for a dog food that has complete proteins present. When a dog is fed incomplete proteins they don’t digest well which can lead to undesirable behaviors.
Finding the right mix in a commercial dog food is sometimes hard. Many people therefore look for homemade dog food recipes to try their hand at making their own dog food. If you decide to go this route, make sure to consult a vet or dog nutritionist before making the change. When you make your own dog food, you can control the amount of wheat, corn, corn meal and types of proteins found in the dog food.
I hope that you’ll see some great positive behavioral changes with your new dog food soon.
To see the original article check out:
http://www.examiner.com/x-13263-Baltimore-Dog-Training-Examiner~y2009m7d6-Homemade-dog-food-may-help-resolve-behavior-problems
Posted in homemade dog food recipes, make dog food | 
Tags: dog food allergy, dog food recipes, homemade dog food recipes, make dog food | 
3 Comments »
Sugar Free Gum and Candy with Xylitol May be Harmful to Dogs
There are many ingredients that most of you know that are harmful to dogs (including chocolate, garlic, grapes, etc). In some homemade dog food recipes these harmful ingredients could possibly be included inadvertently, but, gum or candy? I do not know of any recipes that call for gum or candy, but some might call for some sort of sweetener. If you come across a recipe that calls for some sort of sweetener, stay away from xylitol. (See below for other alternative sweeteners)
However, there are issues with gum & candy with dog owners because sometimes people leave gum, candy and other foodstuff in their pets reach. Just make sure that any sugar free gum or candy is not placed where your dog can get to it.
So what is up with sugar free gum and candy? Here is what I know.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol found in gum, candy, home baking and some pharmaceuticals such as chewable vitamins and throat lozenges. While xylitol is not a problem in the human body, the problem is how it reacts in a dog’s body. In your dog, it can cause a dangerous insulin surge, which in turn causes a dramatic drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia). It is possible in higher doses to cause liver damage and coagulopathy (blood clotting).
There is some controversy on this, that is, there have been some studies that indicate that when a dog ingested xylitol that it did not suffer any consequences. I am sure that the whole process of what happens in dogs is not completely understood, so these types of results are possible. However, to be on the safe side and since there is no reason that you would have to use xylitol in your homemade dog food, then I would suggest staying away from it. Several leading organizations, including the ASPCA also agree with this.
What about other sweeteners? If you find a need to use a sweetener in your dog food, it appears that other sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol do not have this insulin affect in dogs, however, they may cause diarrhea. Artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame and sucralose appear to be safe as an alternative. Also, do not forget about good ole sugar if indeed you find that your homemade dog food recipes call for a sweetener.
If you have any indications that your pet has eaten xylitol, then I would call a vet immediately, even if no signs of any problems have appeared. If your dog has eaten xylitol, the first sign is probably hypoglycemia, but not necessarily. There is evidence that even if no signs of hypoglycemia were present in dogs that they still might be going through liver failure. Hypoglycemia symptoms usually take 30 to 60 minutes to appear and include, but are not limited to lethargy, collapse and/or seizure.
Make sure that you check with your vet or dog nutritionists before using any recipe and make sure to list any ingredients you plan to use just to make sure that you do not inadvertently give your dog anything that is harmful to your dog. You want to make sure your dog lives a long and happy life.
Additional Information:
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/xylitol.asp
http://www.aspcapro.org/animal-poison-control/documents/xylitol.pdf
Cooking Homemade Dog Food Part 1 of 2Dog Food Comparisons And Homemade Dog Food
http://dogfooddangers.com Our dog food comparison reveals 12 of the best dog foods. Plus tips for homemade dog food and natural dog food.
Duration : 0:3:22
Posted in homemade dog food recipes |
Tags: best-dog-food, danger, dog, dog food, dog food recipes, dog-food-comparison, dog-food-recall, homemade dog food, natural dog food, pets, puppy-dog-food |
3 Comments »
Homemade Dog Food and Dog Treat recipes Cooking demonstration
Find healthy, allergen free homemade dog food and dog treat recipes in the new Bone Appetreat Dog Cook Book. All dog treat recipes are wheat-free, plus there are non-dairy dog treats, corn-free dog food recipes, egg-free dog food recipes, soy-free dog food, and vegetarian dog treat options throughout.
Duration : 0:5:8