Natural food for dogs: what is it?

Natural dog food is nothing more than the preparation of homemade food. It consists of using fresh ingredients, combining them and cooking them according to the nutritional needs of the animal.

Contrary to popular belief,  a dog used to eating industrial food can change its eating habits.

The first step towards a natural diet is to visit a specialist. Thanks to a visit, the veterinarian will be able to formulate an adequate diet for the animal, based on its current condition and its needs.

After starting this type of diet,  the dog should be weighed once a month to see how his body reacts. In this way we will see the evolution and effects of this type of diet.

If the animal is losing weight , it is possible that it is ingesting fewer calories than indicated for its weight and size. On the other hand, if your weight has increased a lot, it means that you are ingesting more calories than normal.

What are the benefits of natural dog food?

  1. Helps to control the dog’s weight. Although it is a targeted diet, it can be kept under control.

The important thing is to respect the quantities of food. Overfeeding can lead to obesity in the pet, as well as diseases such as diabetes or kidney problems.

2.  Improve your physical and mental condition. When a dog starts eating homemade food,  the changes are noticeable right away.

On the second or third day, the animal will already be more active and lively. At the same time, his coat will also become softer and shinier.

This type of feeding will improve the dog’s digestion . You will notice it from his breath. Also, your stools will be less smelly and smaller. The smell of the animal itself will also be less penetrating.

3.  A diet without additives or preservatives. As these are fresh products, they will be free of additives and preservatives, found in commercial foods.

However,  the foods must be properly balanced with each other. In this way the right nutritional charge will be guaranteed to the dog.

4.  There is no additional cost. Contrary to popular belief,  natural food is no more expensive than industrial food and,  moreover, benefits the dog’s life.

The BARF diet

The BARF diet, in English Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, means biologically controlled raw food. BARF is to feed the dog based on a percentage of its current weight. That is, if it is a sedentary animal, it must receive 2% of its weight in food, while if it is an active dog, 3%.

According to the natural diet in dogs,  proteins must come from meat, be it beef, chicken or fish. In addition, you can also administer entrails, such as liver, kidneys, etc.

On the other hand,  vegetables are a source of minerals and vitamins,  just as oil is a supplier of fatty acids.

Here are some recommendations when choosing to cook foods based on the BARF diet:

  1. To avoid any kind of contamination,  the meat can stay in the freezer no more than 3 days. In addition, it must be well cooked, to eliminate any existing parasites.
  2. The bones must not be cooked. They must be given to the animal raw. Use only those permitted by specialists.
  3. In case of constipation, you have to increase the consumption of vegetables. If the problem does not improve, see a vet.
  4. The foods natural can not be combined with those treaties. They can alternate, but not mix.

Each species or breed is different,  so it requires nutritional values ​​that adapt to its characteristics. Hence the importance of going to a specialist before starting a diet based on natural foods.

Nowadays  there are many shops or brands that deal with preparing natural dog food. This facilitates the process of preparing food for the owners.

Each food is duly packaged and refrigerated. In this case, the advantage is the possibility of storage for the necessary time.

Finally, it should be noted that the nutritional values ​​of these products, which are essential for this type of diet, must  be indicated.

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