Although traditionally we associate that the diet of dogs has to consist of feed, the truth is that there are many other eating patterns for our best four-legged friends. Such as cross feeding –mix feed with wet food–, the BARF diet –give it raw food– or the prey diet –offer it a whole dead prey–. In addition, there is also the homemade diet, which consists of cooking specific foods to meet their nutritional needs.
It is important to emphasize that the homemade diet is not the same as giving our leftover food to the dog, but rather consists of designing a specific menu according to the protein, carbohydrate, vitamin and mineral requirements for the animal’s health. Among its advantages, it stands out that it is healthier than most processed feed that we find on the market, as it offers natural foods. In addition, it gives us more control over what our pet eats and it tends to be tastier and more appetizing.
However, among its cons are the economic factor and the time it takes to cook your food. In addition, we must make sure that we plan our dog’s homemade diet very well if we want to make sure that we are doing it correctly.
From the Vetropia Nutrition blog they point out that for dogs of medium and large breeds, the dose should correspond to 3% of their weight; while for small breeds the percentage will be 4 or 5% of their weight. However, it is important to control their weight and adjust the amounts to the particular needs of the dog, since their breed, age, physical activity and certain pathologies also influence.
As for what foods should be included in the dog’s homemade diet, the same blog compiles the percentages of each group that should be present in your pet’s diet.
In any case, if you are going to offer a homemade diet to your pets, it is essential to do so with the monitoring and advice of the veterinarian. Each dog is different and may have different nutritional deficiencies or needs, so it is necessary to carry out routine checks on his weight, as well as tests to verify his good health.
