Feeding your dog

Beef, liver, apple, sweet potato and egg in the bowl.  This is a small fraction of what I feed.  Variety is the spice of life.   The more variety the better. 

Scary isn't it?  Walking down the isles of the pet store, your brain is on overload; what food is the best for your dog?  You've asked your Veterinarian, your best friend, your neighbor, the store owner and your groomer; they all have a different answer, so who's right?  

What do you eat?  Is it exactly like that of your doctor, best friend, neighbor or hairdresser?  I can almost guarantee it's not.  The range of what we eat is as vastly different as what is out there for our dogs.  Some people have a diet that pretty much consists of empty calories; opting for the prepackaged foods that contain very little that could be called nutrition.  Others choose a nutrient rich diet.  There are so many different ways for us to eat; there are calorie counting diets, high fat, low fat, carb free, vegetarian, vegan, light meat, heavy meat etc etc.  

So it is no surprise that people have differing ideas on nutrition for our dogs.  Nutrition?  Have you ever considered nutrition when feeding your dog?  Or is it simply the act of feeding?  Nutrition is what we should be considering but often we feed our dogs just to feed.  Can their body utilize any of the food that is in their bowl?  Or does it just check off the "feed the dog" box?  

Dog food is changing but many canine guardians are not.  They still reach for the biggest, cheapest bag of "dog food" when it comes time to feed.  Over the years I have gone from feeding kibble to real food.  It has been a nutritional evolution; one of great learning, growing, making mistakes and research.  Life is a never ending education; so what we know today will be much less than what we know in a year from now.  That is if we are open to learning; not everyone wants to learn about feeding their dog.  Many humans quite happy opening up that huge bag of empty calories and pouring it into their dogs bowl.  Dog fed! Done.

We have been brainwashed into thinking that we can't do it.  How could we possibly make food for our dog on our own?  We've been made to feed scared, unsure and insecure about feeding our dogs.  It is much easier to rely on the dog food makers right?  Well, that is most definitely want us to think.  Even some Veterinarians will tell you that the food they sell; the bags that fill the waiting room is the way to go when many of them have no idea about canine nutrition.  There are some wonderful Veterinarians out there that know a great deal about nutrition; those are the ones to follow and learn from.  

After feeding real food for so many years now; I look at the huge bowls of kibble that go into dogs and am shocked.  I witness the water consumption of kibble fed dogs and am astounded.  Making the decision to feed our dogs more nutrition is a process.  If you are just thinking about it, do it.  It is not something you do overnight; but a development of learning.  The more you learn the better you get at it.  

I am not telling you that you have to feed your dog anything in particular.  Your dog, your decisions about feeding and everything else in their life.  I just want people to know that they can feed their dog.  I want to break open the idea that you can't.  The big dog food companies want you to feel scared; they rely on your apprehension so that you will just keep reaching for that bag.  

If you opt to feed kibble, then do your research and buy the best food for your dog.  Your dog deserves it.  You decide, don't let the dog food companies decide for you.