Raising a Natural Dog

We all know that with the constant awareness we get about commercially prepared meals such as those from fast food restaurants, a lot of people are now leaning towards natural, organic food. This is mainly because they do not want to suffer the harmful effects and serious illnesses they bring eventually. Just as you want to steer clear of fast food, it would be a good idea to introduce your dog to an all natural dog food as well. Why? Basically for the same reasons that you want to stay away from commercial stuff yourself.

Now, why is natural dog food more preferable than commercial ones? The answer is really simple - you get to control what you feed your dog. With commercial dog foods, you are not really sure what the ingredients are and how much of each are included in the diet. With natural dog food, you can manipulate the ingredients depending on your dog's needs. If your dog needs more protein in his diet, then all you need to do is increase the amount of meat in his diet. If he needs fiber, a hefty amount of greens cooked together with some chicken will definitely solve the problem.

A lot of people are quite leery about having to spend extra on their dog's food but what they fail to realize is that they will be spending much less in vet fees in the future. Sure, commercially prepared dog food might be cheaper than natural dog food but in the end, when your dog is writhing in pain due to liver problems or maybe a certain type of cancer, then you would wish that you gave him natural dog food when you first learned about it. It is not really the price that matters when rearing your dog because in the end, love does not have a price.

We all know how easy it is to buy Fido's food from the pet shop and feed it to him day by day. If he loves it, it does not take any prodding at all to actually make him finish the servings. However, every kibble that you put into Fido's mouth affects his overall health. If you are buying dog food from the pet shop or the grocery, it is about time to ask yourself this question: what is in that dog food?

Little did you know that most commercial products are not only expensive, they are also harmful for your precious pup. When you look at the back portion of the packaging, you will be seeing a lot of scientific sounding names that you have never heard of before and you might think that they are probably there because they have been scientifically tested. That's where you are wrong.

Most commercially available dog foods contain an array of harmful chemicals and byproducts that are very harmful for your four legged friend. In fact, some of them are staring at use without us even noticing it. For instance, when it was stated that meat is one of the primary ingredients, do you really know how much of it is meat and which meat it is? There have been a lot of talk about animal carcasses making their way into most dog foods and most of these are not even fit for consumption anymore.

That is actually just the beginning. Now what about propylene glycol which is found in a wide variety of dog food brands? You might think that it is generally harmless but the truth is, it is a preservative and you pretty well know what preservatives do. Then, there is also ethoxyquin which, just because it sounds like it was there for a reason, is actually something that causes liver tumor to our dogs.

There are still other types of ingredients that you will find in your dog's food that will make you think about your dog's future. If you want to be more careful about what your dog takes in and if you want to make sure that your dog is in his best health, the best choice is to prepare the food yourself. Natural dog food, when prepared properly, will definitely lengthen the life of your dog and at the same time, prevent him from getting all kinds of illnesses due to chemicals in his dog food. Now, that's the better choice.

It is true that the best diet you could ever give your dog includes natural ingredients prepared at home every meal time. It is also true that the fresher the ingredients, the better it is for your dog. However, there are actually some natural foods that do not contain any harmful chemicals or are not even commercially manufactured that could be dangerous or fatal to your dog. It is important that you, as a dog owner is aware of what these natural foods are.

Yes, even if they are not infused with chemicals, there are still different kinds of food that you cannot feed your dog. It is not only important that you know what they are, it is equally important that you know what they can do. This way, you will be able to look for signs should your dog accidentally take in any of these.

One of the most common fruits you will find in the kitchen is grapes and, as a loving dog owner, you would want Fido to taste this delectable fruit. Don't! Grapes contain an unknown toxin that can be fatal to your dog, causing irreparable kidney damage. Just the same, raisins and prunes should be avoided at all costs.

Like grapes, macadamia nut was also reported to cause severe kidney damage to dogs when taken in large doses so, it would be better if you stay away from this as well.

No matter how much you can't live without coffee or tea, your dog cannot live with it. Spare him from your coffee breaks and ask your daughter to keep him out during tea parties because caffeine in both coffee and tea caused heart failure in dogs.

While it is true that garlic does keep fleas away if your dog has a steady intake of it, large doses can be fatal to him too. The same goes with onions so make sure that garlic, whether raw, cooked or powdered, are not administered in large doses. Although it does not particularly cause death, it does damage the red blood cells which later on will be the culprit for anemia.

While it is true that natural dog food are much better compared to commercial ones in keeping your dog healthy and satisfied, you also have to know that there are these natural foods that can be harmful to your dogs as well. As much as you can, try not to include them in your dog's diet to ensure a longer and happier life.

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Your dog's health is number one with Mark and Chappell. That is why they created natural dog treats that are concentrated on being 100% natural. These healthy dog treats are rich in antioxidants for a healthy immune system. They are made with only two calories per treat and are wheat gluten free. This healthy snack for your pet comes in a 1.75-ounce pack.   

Mark and Chappell Rice Bites Natural Dog Treats (1.75 oz)

Mark and Chappell's 100% Natural Rice Bites are made with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. These puppy treats will help promote your pet's healthy teeth and bones. They are rich in calcium and gluten free, making a great new treat to add to your pet's supplies. These treats are suitable for puppies age 4 weeks and older. These treats come in a 1.75 oz pack.   

Mark and Chappell Rice Bites Natural Puppy Treats (1.75 oz)

 BONIES Natural Dental Bones Multi-Pack MINI (20 Bones/ 14 oz) is a unique dog bone that uses all-natural ingredients made to be healthy for your dog and freshens their breath at the same time.BONIES uses brown rice as its first ingredient and unlike other edible chew bones, BONIES contains no animal by-products like gelatin or animal glycerin. BONIES contains zero saturated and trans-fat. Each ingredient in BONIES was carefully selected by a board certified animal nutritionist to ensure safety, enjoyment and digestibility with no compromise to your dog's health.BONIES uses a 100% natural chicken flavor concentrate made from antibiotic-free US chicken livers. Once chewing starts, the saliva activates and magnifies the natural chicken flavor, making for a delicious but healthy and functional treat with great benefits.The combination of 100% natural peppermint and parsley create the perfect combination to freshen nasty doggy breath.Mother Nature designed bones to be hard, not soft and chewy. BONIES is uniquely formulated to be hard enough to scrape and polish teeth. While chewing a Bonie, dogs will exercise their jaw muscles and massage their gums. BONIES (dog bones) are highly digestible. BONIES satisfies your dog's chewing needs.

NEW! BONIES Natural Dental Bones Multi-Pack MINI (20 Bones/ 14 oz)

ORGANIC Fresh Snap Bears Dog Cookies - 4 16oz Boxes Organic and All-Natural, Vet-approved, Made in the USA with all USA Ingredients, Promotes fresh breath naturally!There are 4 boxes in a case.Ingredients: Organic Wheat Flour, Oat Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken, Wheat Bran, Molasses, Flaxseed, Eucalyptus Oil, Sea Salt, Dehydrated Parsley Flakes, Vitamin C, Rosemary, Sage Size: 4 16oz Boxes 

 

ORGANIC Grandpaws Papaya & Cranberry Dog Cookies - 4 16oz Boxes  Made with organic and all natural ingredients, our cookies are vet-approved and made with USA and Canadian ingredients only. There are 4 boxes in a case.Ingredients: Organic Whole Wheat, Find Ground Oat Flour, Canola Oil (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols), Papaya, Cranberries, Molasses. Size: 4 - 16oz Boxes 

 

ORGANIC Grandpaws Blueberries & Pom Dog Cookies - 4 16oz Boxes Made with organic and all natural ingredients, our cookies are vet-approved and made with USA and Canadian ingredients only. There are 4 boxes in a case.Ingredients: Organic Whole Wheat, Fine Ground Oat Flour, Canola Oil (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols), Blueberries, Pomegranate, Molasses. Size: 4 16oz Boxes 

 

ORGANIC Grandpaws Turkey & Potatoes Dog Cookies - 4 16oz Boxes  Made with organic and all natural ingredients, our cookies are vet-approved and made with USA and Canadian ingredients only. There are 4 boxes in a case.Ingredients: Organic Whole Wheat, Fine Ground Oat Flour, Turkey, Canola Oil (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols), Ground Potatoes, Molasses. Size: 4 16oz Boxes     

Diabetes is one of the leading illnesses found in humans today. Whether hereditary or acquired, diabetes will certainly make life a little more burdensome. There are a lot of different types of food that you cannot eat, no matter how enticing they are. If not dealt with properly, diabetes can result to complications in other parts of the body and worse, even death. If you think that only humans are prone to diabetes, you are wrong. A large number of dogs are actually suffering from this disease, and sometimes, the owner has no idea at all.

As soon as you find out that your dog has diabetes, it will take a lot of effort to provide him with the care that he needs. If you cherish your dog a lot and would not risk feeding him commercial dog foods even if they are labeled as for diabetics, it would be best to provide him with natural diabetic dog food that you prepare right from your kitchen.

Diabetic dog food consists of lesser sugar and carbohydrates and more fibers. In preparing your dog his diabetic dog food, you must note that he needs to have a balanced diet that includes grains, meat, and vegetables.

The first thing that you need to look for would be organic whole grains. This may be quite expensive than the regular but it will surely benefit your dog in the long run. Cook it according to package instructions and use only pure water.

After which, boil meat of beef or poultry until thoroughly cooked and dice or grind it, depending on how big your dog is. Larger dogs would prefer some chunk so you might want to slice it up a little bit larger while smaller ones might have a hard time with larger chunks so it would be best to chop them off real good.

Then, steam diced vegetables such as carrots and green peas. Try not to cook the vegetables too much and leave them crisp and chewy. This way, the vegetables still retain their nutrients.

Mix all three in equal portions and feed your dog according to his needs.

This is a really simple recipe for diabetic dogs that has a lot of flavor, while being low in sugar and carbohydrates. In the end, you would find that feeding him this all natural diabetic dog food will help in keeping him active, alert and alive.

Do you remember the last time your dog gave you big sloppy kisses? As much as you love the affection your dog is giving you, a distracting and interesting smell coming from his mouth can be just plain unbearable. You might blame your dog for having bad breath but actually, it is your responsibility as a pet owner.

Just like humans, dogs require regular brushing to keep their teeth strong and healthy and to eliminate odors from their breath. If you do not want to use the commercially produced toothpaste for dogs found in most pet shops, here is a very easy yet very powerful recipe that will clean up Fido's pearly whites in no time.

For your Natural Toothpaste for Dogs mix, here are the ingredients that you will need:

12 teaspoons of baking soda
2/3 teaspoon of salt
8 teaspoons glycerin (you can also use glycerin from plants)
4 teaspoons of low sodium beef broth or peppermint extract

All you need to do is mix all these ingredients together in an airtight container until it reaches the consistency of a toothpaste. Baking soda is known for its cleaning power and its ability to remove stubborn stains from almost anything. In fact, you can even use baking soda for your teeth to bring out the shine of your pearly whites.

The salt included in the toothpaste mix aids in cleaning and absorbing bad odors from your dog's mouth. Just like baking soda, salt is also known for keeping things fresh and aid in cleaning up stubborn dirt and stains. This characteristic helps in cleaning your dog's teeth without using any chemical ingredients.

Glycerin and beef broth or peppermint actually function the same way, to add a bit of flavor to your dog's natural toothpaste. It could quite hard to get Fido to open his mouth wide if the toothpaste does not entice him. Adding these ingredients will help him get more excited in getting his teeth brushed. On top of that, you also get fresh smelling breath every time you bow down for a kiss if you are using peppermint extract.

Just like humans, a dog's teeth are very important to raising a healthy dog. If you have a way to take care of it without using chemicals that could be harmful for him in the long run, then there is no reason why you should not. Your dog will forever be thankful to you for providing him the best of care and besides, it does feel better to get sloppy kisses from a dog with a fresh breath, right?

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