Homemade DogFood

The best hypoallergenic dog food is homemade dogfood because you can control and test what goes into the food. If your dog suffers from digestive issues consider probiotics for dogs (in supplement form) and hypoallergenic dog foods. Before you make any changes to your dog’s diet, talk with your veterinarian and make sure the problem is diagnosed correctly.

Dogs get allergies just like people do, which leads their owners to seek out hypoallergenic dog food. Any dog can develop food allergies at any time in their lives. The hard part for humans is figuring out exactly the source of the allergy. Just switching dog foods doesn’t always solve things - in fact, it can make matters worse.

Often with allergies, it’s about testing what causes a reaction and what doesn’t; make sure that you control the changes in your dog’s diet. You can start by buying good quality hypoallergenic dog food to begin giving your canine some relief. If that doesn’t help, consider making your own homemade dogfood, and start with a very bland diet/recipe to see how your dog reacts.

Some of the most common dog allergies include preservatives and chemicals, flavorings, wheat, corn, eggs, soy, dairy, beef, chicken, yeast, and artificial colorings. So if you’re buying hypoallergenic food, read the labels. Try to find organic dog foods: they will not contain the preservatives and chemicals that regular commercial foods do (make sure you check the ‘life’ of all dog foods - even dry dog food can go ‘off’ past its expiry date).

Not all food that seems healthy is truly good for your pet’s diet. In fact, just the difference in carbohydrates and protein levels may cause digestive problems.

When you switch to hypoallergenic dog foods, you want to pay close attention to your dog. For example, some brands include lamb or rice (often felt to be a low level diet risk - but not all dogs can tolerate all foods). If you switch and notice no change in your dog’s condition, then you want to try a food that doesn’t use lamb or rice as an ingredient. The process of trial and error can be a bit time consuming, but it’s worth it for the overall health of your pet. It’s suggested that whenever possible you purchase trial size food bags so you don’t end up with product you cannot use.

There are some common signs of a food allergy in dogs. These signs include on-going stomach problems and very itchy skin.

With skin irritation many owners miss an allergy because they think the problem is flea related. To be sure that you’re dealing with an allergy, look closely for flea dander on your dog’s skin. If you can’t locate any but find irritated skin in more than one location, it’s likely an allergy.

Once you start on a hypoallergenic dog food protocol it can take several weeks to see significant changes. If you don’t notice the dog getting better by then, it would be wise to see a veterinary in case other health problems are the root of the problem.

Once you’ve figured out the exact allergy (or allergies) your dog has, you can try making dog food at home, often at a significant cost saving. It is important, however, to consult with your vet to make sure that your exact recipe meets your dog’s nutritional needs.

The average healthy adult dog needs a diet that consists of 16 percent protein, 10 percent fat, 44 percent carbohydrates, and 20 percent calories from protein, and 10 percent vitamins.

There are many ingredients in and around your house that you can use, but there are also some things that can make your dog very sick including chocolate, garlic, onions, grapes, artificial sweeteners and raw meat. On the 'good' list for canines we find cooked poultry, eggs, cheese, rice, beans, and whole grains.

Beyond the basics, your dog also needs probiotics for on-going health and energy. Probiotics are micro-organisms that live in a dog’s intestines. They help support the immune system and give pets a line of defense against various illnesses.

Unfortunately a lot of situations can cause a dog's level of probiotics to decline. What that means is the dog won’t be able to fight off unhealthy organisms. When this occurs, experts recommend a probiotic supplement to a healthy diet. This, in turn, helps the hypoallergenic dog food work more effectively because the digestive system becomes more stable. Remember that if you want full control of what goes into your dog's mouth, organic and natural homemade dogfood can be the best option.

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