Recipes for a Natural Diet for Canines

Wild dogs don't eat overly processed and chemically treated dog food manufactured to exactly calculated calories. Yet this is exactly what most pet owners are expected to feed their domesticated dogs today. To embark on a natural food diet is to embark on a journey through healthier eating, although you can probably expect a lot of remarks from people content to feed their animals manufactured food.

  1. Nutritional Standards

    • There really aren't set nutritional standards for every type of dog. The National Resource Council calls for a minimum of 22 percent protein and 5 percent fat, but other authorities differ. The New York State College of Veterinary Medicine states that their research shows that a dog's need for protein varies with the amount of fat it eats. Dr. Richard Pitcairn subscribes to an average of 22 percent protein, 17 percent fat, 52 percent carbohydrates and 8 percent ash.

    Meats

    • There are two minds when it comes to feeding meat to your dogs. While some choose to feed meat raw, according to Dr. Pitcairn, fish, rabbit and pork require cooking to destroy parasites. Dogs have powerful digestive tracts and can tolerate raw meat that is past its prime for human consumption.

    Bones

    • Dogs have a high calcium requirement, which can be met in the form of bones and/or bone meal supplements. Be careful about feeding poultry, fish or pork bones to your dog because they can splinter and cause internal injury to your dog.

    Dairy and Eggs

    • Wild predators rely on raw eggs as part of their diet. This is something that your dog will love, and if you are willing to grind the eggshells, they are an excellent source of calcium. Your dog can also digest plain yogurt. Feed it to them once or twice a week to help regulate their digestive system.

    Cereal and Legumes

    • Cereal and legumes must be cooked. Dogs have a shorter intestinal tract than other cereal-eating animals, so some form of pre-digestion must be performed. Dogs love oats and rice, and can benefit from the variety of beans available.

    Vegetables and Herbs

    • Dogs are not exclusively meat eaters. Most vegetables can be fed to dogs, with the exception of onions, which are poisonous to dogs. Garlic can be fed to dogs in small amounts. It helps to purify the system and discourage worms and other parasites. Feed your dog a variety of vegetables. Eventually, you will see where their preferences lie.

    Fruit

    • Most dogs have a bit of a sweet tooth. Fruits are a great source of vitamins and minerals. For the best digestion, feed fruit at a different time than meat. You can add bananas and dried fruit when feeding oatmeal to your dogs.

    Supplements

    • Dr. Pitcairn recommends two different supplemental mixes for dogs: a dry powder mix and an oil mix. The powder mix consists of 2 cups nutritional yeast, 1 1/2 cups bone meal, and 1/2 cup kelp powder. The oil mix consists of 1 3/4 cups vegetable oil, 1/4 cup cod liver oil and 50 to 100 IU of vitamin E.