When it comes to homemade dog food, many people ask, is it balanced?
This is a common question, and I think a reasonable answer is… it depends!
Is homemade dog food balanced?
Just as with any diet, homemade dog food can be healthy or unhealthy, balanced or unbalanced. With a little practice, you can learn to create highly nutritious meals with all their natural nutrients still intact. Such a diet leads to balance and improved nutritional status.
This can be a learning experience, and once you learn a couple tricks of the trade, it becomes second nature.
It is a similar situation as with our own diets. We can eat a range of foods, or subsist on a few items, and the foods we choose can be nutritious or not.
Most people I know who have started feeding a homemade diet are happy they learned how to do it, and haven’t looked back.
Also, a point to consider: is every meal you eat 100% balanced? Generally, we know that in order to have a healthy diet for ourselves, we eat a wide range of nutritious foods. The same can be said for our dogs.
Adding a high quality multivitamin and mineral helps round things out.
Keep the following in mind:
- Strive for variety over time
- Introduce new foods slowly, a little at a time
- There are different schools of thought on balance of protein, carbs and fat
- Make meat / animal protein the base of your dog’s meals; surround with vegetables followed by fruits, oils, starches, eggs, organ meats & more options
- Supplement the diet with finely ground eggshells, omega-3s, whole foods
- Every dog is different, so the path to balance can vary with the individual
- Visit my Services page to choose an option that works for you
About Dog Food Coach
I am on a mission to help you feed your dogs a healthier diet using simple, everyday foods found in most grocery stores, farm stands or elsewhere.
How Can I Help?
My Goals:
- Empower you
- Help you realize you can improve your dog’s diet without too much trouble or confusion
- Guide you toward healthy, easy to make foods
- Support you during your transition
- Suggest healthier options
- Work with you to create a truly supportive, nourishing diet for your dog
- Visit my Services page to choose an option that works for you
Thank you!
Sarah Whitman, MS
Founder, Dog Food Coach & Golden Retriever Diet