One of the biggest fears for any dog owner as of late is that their four-legged friend will become the victim of tainted dog food. In recent months many brands of dog food have been recalled and sadly many pets have lost their lives. There is no way of knowing for certain whether the dog food brand you choose is safe. More and more pet owners are seeing not only the value, but the virtue, in deciding to make their own dog food. It's easy and on top of keeping your pet healthier for longer, it also will save you money.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to making your own dog food is to keep it as healthy as possible. Table scraps aren't good for any canine and can in fact, lead to more health problems. Just as you take time to plan meals for yourself and your family, do the same for your dog.

A few key ingredients that work well in the diet of dogs are lean meats. Liver is especially good because it's not only nutritious and low in fat, but it's also very affordable. Another great protein choice when you make your own dog food is tuna. If you do want to use beef ensure that it's lean and stay away from ground meat if at all possible.

Many well-known brands of dog food are made with rice. This is because rice is a great filler product and it also offers many nutritional benefits for your pup. Just as brown or whole grain rice is better for us the same holds true for dogs. You can even cook a bit extra while you are preparing dinner for your family and feed it to the family pet.

You may never have considered giving fido a carrot stick, but they are actually beneficial to dogs. The important thing to remember if you do decide to feed your dog vegetables like carrots or spinach is to run them through the blender or the food processor first. If you've ever watched your dog eating you already know that they don't always chew their food as well as they should. Feeding the dog something like a large piece of carrot does pose a choking hazard.

Once you adopt the practice of preparing your own dog food you'll find that you're saving a nice bit of money on food each month. Just be sure that when you make your own dog food that you choose foods that are appropriate for his or her digestive system.

About the Author

Susie Jones-Barroni is a life-long animal lover and invites everyone to learn how to prolong the life of their dog. del.icio.us | Furl | Technorati |