Does anybody know how to make puppy food?
While its great that you are interested in doing whats best for your puppy, I honestly think that homemade food is a lot more trouble than it is worth. Homemade dog food is very labor intensive. Also, dogs, especially puppies, have very specific nutritional needs which are extremely important to your puppies health as he grows. While many people talk about the “raw food diet” being better because it is similar to what wolves would eat in the wild, there are some major concerns with this diet including e-coli contamination that can make dogs, especially puppies very sick. It is also important to recognize that in the wild, wolves eat not just the muscle of any animal they kill, they will also eat the organs and some of the stomach contents, which would have important nutrients. My best suggestion would be to talk to your vet about a scientifically tested, balanced dog food, as taking the advice of people on the net who are not certified vets and making “simple puppy food” could be very
There are different thoughts on dog foods and feeding. Most people settle for a dry food. Some people feed dry and canned. Some just canned. Some people like me prepare their dogs food, while other people just throw their dog a meaty bone. Most of the dry dog foods contain corn or other grains. This is a cheap commodity and is abundantly available. Dogs do not need to eat grains at all, and the best foods are grain free. For a good education on food check out: Raw feeding, BARF and dogfoodanalysis for a rating of foods and list of ingredients. The more you know about what goes into your dog, the healthier he will be.
Um, I don’t know about making puppy food (like newborns?) or that you can totally schedule a dog to go at EXACTLY the same time every day. (My dog has certain general times he goes, but not right at 6am and 5pm kind of thing.) You can do homemade or raw diets (google it). Nature’s Variety sells online premade raw. Innova, Wellness, Core, Canidae, Orijens, Holistic Select, Natural Balance, California Naturals: basically any food with duck/lamb/chicken/turkey/fish meal as the first ingredient, with potato/oatmeal/rice/barley as the carb, fruits and veggies, vitamins and minerals, and supplements is good. Nothing with corn, soy, or wheat, as these can cause allergies.
It sounds like you may be new to dog ownership and good for you for trying to do right by your dog. But, there are several top quality commercial dog foods available out there that will provide your dog with everything he needs to grow up healthy and strong without having to make your own. Try any of the following: Innova, Wellness (core), Canidae All Life Stages, Blue Buffalo, Taste of the Wild, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul. Unless you have done a good bit of research, making your own dog food can be a daunting task and is really not necessary. Good luck with the puppies.
First of all, I would seriously doubt any advice you get from this “Amazing” trainer. Beware of internet schemes and be warned that most people out there who talk like they know everything about dog’s behavior are boldface liars. If you want to train your dogs, get some good books from the library or consult a trainer certified by the apdt. As for food, unless you are willing to pay a dog nutritionist to design a menu you can cook for the puppies, I would not feed homemade. Although this may be a great alternative when done right, it is very very easy to go terribly wrong and overfeed some nutrients while underfeeding others. Why don’t you try a high quality puppy food such as Innova, Wellness, Solid Gold, or California Natural? It’s safer for the puppies and easier for you.
