Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Making my own dog food was something I'd learned years ago, shortly after adopting my first Rottweiler, a rescue dog in very poor health. I was working both at a veterinary hospital and a large chain pet superstore and had the benefit of being exposed to many different types of dog foods on one hand and on the other seeing the results of poor diets every day at the hospital. Poor skin and coat condition, dull eyes, flea investation and general overall health can be linked to a dog's diet.
I began making my own dog food in the early 90's after becoming involved in rescue and generally being dissatisfied with most of the dog foods on the market at the time. It was incredibly daunting in the beginning, as there were not as many websites devoted to canine nutrition as there are now. I studied a lot of pet food bags, spoke to a lot of seasoned dog people who were knowledgeable in this area, read a lot of articles, consulted veterinarians and experimented a lot. But even now, in a sea of websites on the subject, it can still be daunting. With many improvements having been made in the dog foods available today, we have many more choices than just a few years ago. Due to the more recent pet food recalls, however, many people are choosing to make their own dog food.
I have been asked many times what I feed my own dogs. In the next few articles I will outline the diet I have used with great success and hopefully make the prospect of making one's own dog food a little less daunting for those who'd like to try it. Stay tuned!
