Home Diet For Dogs: The Most Recommended Foods

It is important that the home diet chosen for your dog is complete and balanced, i.e. that it meets all the nutritional needs of your pets. Below we share some tips to ensure that your dog’s diet contains all the necessary nutrients.

What foods should be included in the home diet?

Homemade diets include a wide variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables and meat. The portion of each of these foods will depend on the needs of your pet: the puppy’s diet is different than that of an adult dog.

Remember that puppies are often more prone to problems caused by nutritional deficiencies and those who belong to large breeds are often at risk of excess calcium before puberty.

The foods used in a dog’s diet can be raw or cooked. You can also add leftovers from the table, but only if they are healthy, fat-free products.

At least half of the nutrients included in the diet must come from meat and other animal protein products. Many raw food programs are excessively high in fat and can lead to obesity.

Another potential danger of diets that are too high in fat is the fact that the dog may be suffering from nutrient deficiencies.

Unless your dog engages in regular, vigorous physical activity, it is very important to use lean meats (no more than 10 percent fat), get rid of poultry skin and fat.

Chicken heart is a good choice for a pet’s home diet because it is leaner and less expensive than other meats containing muscle fiber.

You can feed your pet every day even with small quantities of fish, a source of vitamin D. You can choose between sardines (packaged in water, not in oil), tracuro and pink salmon. Remember to remove the bones and never feed your little friend raw Pacific salmon, trout or other related species. 

Chicken or beef liver is particularly nutritious. You can include it in your pet’s home diet every two days.
Even l and eggs are rich in nutrients. Did you know that dogs weighing around 8 kilos can eat one egg a day?

Natural yogurt is well tolerated by most dogs. Cottage cheese and cottage cheese are also a good choice. Other types of cheeses are not recommended, as they contain a high percentage of fat.

Is it advisable to include fruits and vegetables?

Fruits and vegetables provide your pet with large amounts of fiber, which improves digestive health. They also provide beneficial nutrients that contribute to your little friend’s health and longevity. Do not forget that dark-colored vegetables contain more beneficial substances.

Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and legumes (beans), provide carbohydrates, which can be beneficial for weight maintenance in very lean and active dogs. It is therefore necessary to limit the quantities in order not to cause overweight. Remember that starchy foods must be cooked so that animals can digest them.

Leafy greens and other non-starchy vegetables are low in calories and can be included in your pet’s diet in small amounts. But be careful, if they are too hard, they can cause intestinal gas in animals. Broccoli and cauliflower can suppress thyroid function.

As for fruit, bananas, apples, strawberries, cantaloupe and papaya are good choices. Avoid grapes and raisins, as they can cause kidney failure in dogs.

Pay close attention to grains, which can cause inflammation, allergies, arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as seizures and other problems. Some gluten-containing grains can cause digestive upset in some animals.

Starchy grains and vegetables should make up over 50 percent of your pet’s diet. Oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa and barley are recommended. White rice can be used to relieve some stomach ailments, especially if cooked with plenty of water, but it has a low nutrient content and, therefore, should not form the basis of the diet. All cereals must be well cooked.