Lean, low starch, grain-free homemade raw food recipe for dogs (revised)

Low starch, grain-free homemade raw food

Introductory comment: I have fed my Bull Terrier this recipe and she started to show signs of being hungry all the time. Raising the amount of food did not resolve the situation, as she was super active at that time. I would recommend this recipe predominantly for dogs who do not get lots of exercise or dog who are a little overweight, because it uses lean meat. Dogs who are very active should eat more fat and get more calories. For those dogs I recommend to choose meat with a higher fat content.
You will find a lot of comments in my recipe because over time I have gathered some experience and want to share all new information. You will see that this recipe is pretty flexible and can be adjusted to different activity levels and situations of a dog.

Here comes my basic recipe for lean, low starch, grain-free raw food, if you want to make your own raw dog food for your Bull Terrier or any other dog. It took us three batches to get to this recipe and figure out the tips and tricks. It will be subject to further evaluation with every new batch we make. This is how we produce it right now. The calculated amounts deliver enough food for up to 45 days for a 45-50 lb dog.

I have tried to describe everything as detailed as possible for you.

Enjoy raw “cooking” for your dog.

As Mila has some problems with yeast, I only chose low starch veggies in this batch in order to avoid feeding my dog AND her yeast.
If you don’t have such problems with your Bull Terrier or other dog, feel free to substitute some of the veggies by others.
Possible substitutes are sweet potato, pumpkin and lentils, only to name a few. This will also bring variation into the food.

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Some thoughts on a homemade over a manufactured diet for dogs with kidney problems

Our last Bull Terrier eventually died of kidney failure at the age of 14. This is something, some people connect to aging and count as inevitable. I am not so sure. However, we will never know, if it was a birth defect or the consequence of all the medication she had been taking over the years for her various issues.
Her kidneys had not been monitored for a long time, only during the last one or two years or so.
That was when we also learned about limited ingredient diets.
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Supplements for dogs – Keep your pooch healthy and energetic

Bullterrierfun - Supplements for dogs - Keep your pooch healthy and energeticWhy add supplements for dogs when feeding an already balanced manufactured food, such as kibble or canned dog food, you may be asking yourself.

While many manufacturers promise “balanced” and “complete” on the package, the truth is that many processed pet foods have a very general and basic formula. As a result it is simply not possible to really meet ALL of your dog’s needs by just feeding this food.
Some processed foods can even cause deficiencies, if fed solely over years and not alternated with other foods or supplemented with nutrients.
Compared to humans some of those dog foods have the same level of quality as if you were eating nothing but fast food all your life.

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Choosing the right dog food

Bullterrierfun - Choosing the right dog foodEvery owner wants his dog to be healthy. Choosing the right dog food plays a huge role in the health of your dog. When looking for the right dog food, there are some things to consider.

Ideally the nutrition of a dog is a close as possible to the natural nutrition of carnivores. Meaning based on fresh, raw sources of animal protein, such as meats and eggs, plus bones.

However the ideal way is not always practicable under every circumstance. Some owners consider raw food messy. Feeding raw is also very expensive.
In general there is nothing wrong with feeding processed pet food (kibble or can), especially because those foods are already formulated to meet a lot of the basic needs of your pet regarding nutrients, minerals and vitamins.
And luckily the pet food industry holds a whole lot of alternatives ready to choose from today. Actually so many alternatives that it is hard to find the right stuff at a glance.

However, with convenience and great prices, there always comes a catch.

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