Dog Food: The Mix And Match Option

Dog Food: The Mix And Match Option


Dog food is meant as a source of nourishment for dogs. This food is generally made of plant or animal material. Sometimes dogs are rewarded with some special dog foods, this type of a food is called a dog treat. Those who feed dogs are divided into two groups. The first group of people feed their dogs with food made of things that they purchase from a grocery store i.e. homemade food, while the other group of people feed their dogs with commercial dog foods. Lets understand what each category entails.

Homemade Dog Foods

Different experts recommend different types of dog foods. Some of them recommend natural diets that mainly consist of raw meats, nutritional vegetables, a mixture of brown rice, brown pasta with vegetables, meat and eggs.

Dogs usually enjoy eating vegetables, particularly the cooked ones, and different types of fruits. A word of caution; chocolate, coffee, onions and bread dough are said to be poisonous for dogs. Raisins and grapes can also be poisonous. In some cases, avocados have been known to cause heart failure in dogs.

The most common problem cited with homemade dogs by veterinarians, is that of providing the dog with a complete and balanced diet, consistently. Due to this fact, commercial dog foods present in the market are gaining popularity.

Commercial Dog Food

Commercial dog food is categorized into two parts:

Dry dog food: This is known to prevent tartar buildup, and does not to spoil as easily an open can. Dry food cant be opened whenever it is needed because it comes in a packet which can be opened only once.

Wet dog food: This type of food often has more protein or fat than a dry dog food. It is sterilized before packing.

The disturbing thing about dog food is that different manufacturers make different claims. There are some serious myths related with dog foods; such as some of the commercial dog foods which advertise their content as antibiotic and hormone free chicken, lamb etc. There is nothing like hormone free chicken so that is a little misleading. Some manufacturers advertise that they use molasses as a nutrient not as a sugar. This too is not true because molasses contain 60% sugars by weight and 20% water.

Some manufacturers claim that their dog food is made with only 100% human grade ingredients. This is a farce because there is nothing like a human grade chicken meal or lamb meal. Some companies use meals in their dog foods and then they list it a meat to boost the sales.

Whatever claims manufacturers make, it is your dog that is affected so always check what food you opt for your dog. The best option, in fact, would be to feed your dog on a mix of home made and commercial dog foods, to keep it healthy and agile.