There is a wide variety of dog food brands on the market, each promising optimum health for your dog. However, the reality of this is far from the truth with most pre-packaged dog food consisting of ‘meat deretives’ and large amounts of corn and wheat, ingredients that have been linked to skin conditions and ear infections. While these ingredients won’t do any harm to your dog in the short-term, for long-term health and optimum nutrition for your dog, it can’t hurt to look into healthier options.
The two main problems when making your dog’s food is the cost and commitment. Buying the best quality meat for your dog regularly may not be realistic, especially if you have more than one furry mouth to feed or a large dog breed.
Here are some budget friendly tips on how to make your own dog food:
Leftovers
An excellent way to reduce the cost of meat is to feed your dog leftovers of the family meal; so if you have a Sunday roast then scrape the leftover chicken or beef into your dogs bowl, add some vegetables and voila! A protein rich, nutrient packed meal for your pooch.
Reduced Meat
Supermarkets often reduce things at the end of the day so check for reduced meat/fish. If you go to the meat and fish counters around supermarket closing hours you may be able to grab yourself a bargain.
Cut Offs
Ask your local butcher for meat cut offs. It helps if you are a loyal customer already but most butchers will happily give away cut offs as they’re only going to be wasted anyway.
Human food Friday
If you’re unsure about making your own dog food, introduce it slowly into their existing diet. Choose one or two nights a week that your dog has “human food”, and the rest of the week feed him his normal dog food. One night a week might not sound like much but it still makes a difference and will certainly have a positive impact on your pets health.
Cook in Bulk and Freeze
Just like you might do for your family, making homemade dog food doesn’t mean slaving over a second meal every night. Cooking up a large pan of mincemeat, vegetables and pasta to freeze will keep you organised and save time each night.
Buy Better Quality Dog Food
If you don’t have the time to cook for your dog then the next best thing is to by the best quality dog food available. Obviously this is going to cost more than standard dog food but if you buy in bulk or only buy the high quality food stuff a percentage of the time then you can reduce the cost. Plus, you get the peace of mind that comes from knowing your dog is eating the healthiest option available.
