How to Cook Your Own Basic Dog Food

The canned, dry and kibble-quality foods you are feeding your dog from commercial stores all contain preservatives that can harm their health. These eatables are called ‘dead food’ for a reason – they generally lack any real nutritional value. For pet parents, there are so many better options to choose from. One, of course, is buying fresh pet food that is made with love and care for your dog. Another is that parents take the time to learn how to cook basic dog food at home.

Most dogs will do great with a diet consisting of cooked, raw or barely cooked foods (provided that all of these are chemical-free, hygienic and sourced from trusted vendors). For instance, with meat, going human-grade is the safest – this is the meat humans consume without innards, skins or wastes.

Easy enough? Remember, with dogs, homemade food isn’t such a task since you can conveniently use ingredients from your kitchen. Along with yoursite.com and minerals, this food will also contain all that love you’re personally putting in for your pet. Think of it as another way to bond with your dog.

Here are some easy-to-prepare dog food ideas:

· Well-cooked meats (chicken, fish, lamb) without bones
· Boiled rice paired with chicken/veggies 
· Healthy vegetables and fruits – carrots, peas, beans, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, seedless apples, bananas, watermelon, mango
· Boiled eggs (not more than 10% of daily calories)

When you cook for your dog, you should know that they can be allergic to some ingredients. For example, a large number of canines are lactose intolerant. Finding out what suits your dog and what they like to eat can be a process – but be patient. This is a problem more or less solvable.

Begin with small portions at a time, experiment with different meat bases, and prepare food with dependable ingredients as the ones mentioned above. If you cook for your dog you will want to avoid using any “people food” brands that are on display at your nearby store. For dogs, think only fresh natural, organic ingredients.

Another important factor is keeping away from certain foodstuffs found in human kitchens – like chocolate, alcohol, salt, grapes, garlic, onion, avocado. Never feed your dog these foods toxic to them.

When you cook for your dog, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you are giving them the best, safest diet possible. What more does a pet parent want?