Hello and welcome to the Home Away from Home blog. This blog was created for you to get to know me and my passion about dogs,a place to get info on keeping your dog happy and healthy, but most of all a place for discussions. Also a place where my customers can come to let me know what they like about HAFH, what they don’t like, (can’t change if one doesn’t know) and maybe something they would like to see me do in my services.
So let’s get started
To me, the most important thing is food.
I am not going to suggest a certain diet. If you do the BARF, just dry, canned and it works for your dogs ….Fantastic. Although I can’t in good faith go along with the vegetarian diet. Get a grip people …..
What I would like to talk about is the quality of the food you are giving your dog. You really need to look at what is on the side of your dog food bag and stop believing the commercials and vet’s that tell you to pick up a bag of Science Diet from the front office.
Most vets have been given a few weeks of nutrition in Vet school, and guess who gives it….Hill’s !!!!
Here are the1st 5 ingredients
- Corn meal,
- chicken by-product meal (including white meat, dark meat, liver and other internal organs)
- animal fat (preserved with BHA, propyl gallate and citric acid)
- dried beet pulp
- vegetable oil
- dried egg product
If you see colors (red, green, yellow) that is food coloring. We try very hard to keep it from our diets, why are you giving it to your dogs. Food coloring will give your dogs liver and kidney cancer.
I know quality food can cost a lot but so can a lot of vet visits when your dog start getting allergies, skin problems, cancers, and on and on.
When customers ask what I feed my dogs I tell them that personally I like Canadae Wellness, or Blue Buffalo. Here are the first 5 ingredients in Canadae
Chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb, potatoes, peas.
And what I also do is cook a little chicken and some veggies and mix then into the food for a little different taste. If I am being lazy I will pick up a can or 2 of Wellness or Evo 95% chicken. I only put a teaspoon in it for a little different taste. I find doing additives like meat and veggies is easier to keep your dog interested in his food than integrating new foods every other month or so.
So here are my thoughts to get us started, let’s hear yours.
Technorati Tags: dog food, commercial food, raw food
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this blog! I think it’s important for pet owners to make sure their pet’s diet is as healthy as can be. Pets are not only best friends, but they are also an investment, and GOOD food has to be in that budget! It may cost a little bit but in the long run, it’s definitely a better investment, and your buddy will be so much happier.
When I used to take care of my mom’s friends dogs, one of them was newly adopted and had to be on a special diet. I can’t remember what kind of dog food she used, but it was mixed with two spoonfuls of pumpkin puree and yogurt, and she LOVED it!
What are you planning on writing about next? I think it would be cool to learn more about safe pet toys and while on the topic of food, food aggression and how to deal with it!
Thanks for the encouragement Christina. Dogs should eat just as healthy as we do (or should) If you can’t feed your dog the best diet out there,but you buy the best you can afford then you should be fine. BUT….before you get a dog one really needs to take the cost into consideration. It isn’t cheap to keep a life long friend happy and healthy.
I have already started my next blog. I am kind of doing a continuation on food. It will be about human food that you shouldn’t be feeding your dog. You will really be surprised by some of it. I was!!
Your topic on toys is a good one and I will take your advice and do it.
On the topic of food aggression, that is a topic for a qualified trainer. Which I am not. Any training we do here is basic and a lot of fun. Aggression of any kind is dangerous and need to be handled properly. T.V. shows like The Dog Whisperer and It’s My Dog are great for tips but listen to what they say….”Don’t try this at home” you can make matters worse and/or get yourself hurt.
Hey Meg,
I have a question somewhat related to your blog topic – someone told me a few months ago that it’s not safe for Snoopy to be drinking from a plastic bowl. Ceramic and metal bowls are more safe. Have you heard this?
Candace
Hi Candace, for the last few months, there has been this big thing about Bisphenol A (BPA), in plastics. Do I think it as a lot to do with the plastic bowl our Snoopy Dawg is drinking out of….hmmm not really. Myself I prefer to use stainless every thing. But then I am using bowls over and over for a multitude of dogs and I feel I can get them much cleaner and germ free by using a little bleach in the dish water. Another reason I don’t like plastic is it take on flavors of the soap you wash it in. The choice is yours when it comes down to it, but if you can….yeah I would get a stainless bowl for his food and water. Ceramic is good but the break. Hugs to Noop Noop