Homemade Dog Food - Can I Feed My Dog Table Scraps?

Many pet owners ask the question "Can I feed my pet table scraps?" They confuse a complete homemade dog food diet with table scraps. Although many holistic veterinarians generally favor table scraps they urge you to make sure they are nutritionally wholesome and they are plain. A dog's digestive tract is geared for simpler food than we eat.

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So you can feed your dog table scraps but first try sharing a little of what you are having each day with your pet, along with the food you are already feeding them. This will give them a little variety and help you determine if you want to switch to a totally homemade diet. Always decrease the volume of commercial food you feed by the amount of table scraps you are adding to their diet. Once you determine if you want to switch over to a total homemade diet for your dog then you should learn as much as you can about proper nutritional levels.

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But for now, if you want to start adding some natural food to your pet's diet these are a few things to be aware of:

5 Foods to Avoid:

1.) Onions are toxic to dogs. No onions whatsoever.

2.) Left over fat and remnants. No Bacon or bacon grease. There are high levels of nitrates in bacon and the high heat used to cook bacon creates many other harmful compounds.

3.) Stay away from rich foods like ham, sauces, and limit the cheese you feed your dog.

4.) No spicy, salty or fried foods. No spicy chili, pepperoni or luncheon meats.

5.) NO sweets, cookies or cakes. Definitely NO CHOCOLATE. Certain compounds in chocolate like theobromine and caffeine are toxic to dogs and cause vomiting, excessive urination, hyperactivity, fast breathing, weakness and seizures.

6 Foods You Can Feed Your Dog:

1.) Almost all vegetables are good, especially carrots and anything in the broccoli family, green beans, alfalfa sprouts, and leafy greens. Dogs like to chew on raw carrots and that helps to keep down the tartar on their teeth. Asparagus is also good and sometimes dogs will eat these like they are treats. You can add some potatoes to their diet and lentils and split peas are an excellent choice.

2.) Fruits are very healthy. Try different types and see which ones your pets like. AVOID GRAPES. Although grapes may not be toxic to all dogs there is no definitive information to enable us to tell which dogs will get sick and die after eating grapes.

Vegetables and fruits can be pureed in a blender then let them sit a day or two before feeding.

3.) Pasta is O.K. but WITHOUT the spices and tomato sauces.

4.) A little bit of good olive oil is O.K. It's actually good for your dog's skin.

5.) Low-fat, plain yogurt. You can give 1 tablespoon per twenty-five pounds of weight. You can feed it two to five times a week. Just like for us yogurt has beneficial bacteria known as acidophilis.

6.) Eggs are an excellent source of protein. You can add an egg or egg yolk twice week for each 25 pounds of weight. Dog's seem to like lightly scrambled eggs added to their meal.

Remember that all animals are individuals, with individual tastes and sensitivities. Make sure that what you are feeding your pet is not causing allergic reactions. Always check with your veterinarian before adding table scraps to your pets diet.

Homemade Dog Food - Can I Feed My Dog Table Scraps?

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