Just because your pet food says “Natural” on the label does not mean you’re buying healthy products or from a company with integrity. On May 5th, the Natura line of pet products was purchased by Proctor & Gamble, the company who owns Iams and Eukanuba.

From P&G’s official press release:

“This acquisition gives us a strong position in the holistic and natural pet food segment.”

I feel like that quote really sums a lot of things up. The word “Natural” is so often just a marketing tool and the “Green” movement has sadly only made it more difficult to distinguish truly natural products.

Definitely read the labels on the dog food you buy, especially if you don’t supplement your pet’s diet with meat and veggies each day. Meat (not by-product) should be the first ingredient and ideally there shouldn’t be any ingredients you don’t recognize. If you can afford it, I definitely recommend making your own dog food.

Source: Breaking News: Proctor & Gamble Purchases Natura Pet Products

When I twittered about cooking meals for my dog recently, Maria inquired about how I make food for Rufio.

I started preparing Ruf his own small meals when I began researching what most dog food is really made of.  There are lots of good reasons to feed homemade dog food, but for me, a large part of it is that I enjoy preparing it!

There is no set recipe for what is served to Rufio. Typically, my husband or I cook up a batch of meat and vegetables in a large pan in the morning. This can be reheated and rationed throughout the day. The mix may be thickened up with rice, pasta, bits of bread, or egg. Meat can be purchased on the cheap a day or two before expiration – Use immediately or separate and freeze in small zip bags for later use. For veggies and other items, I just throw in a bit of whatever I’m making for myself that day.

The most common foods we cook up for Ruf:

• Ground beef
• Cheap steak
• Green beans
• Egg (chopped up hard boiled, or scrambled in with meat)
• Small amounts of organic non-fat yogurt
• Frozen blueberries (as a treat)

It is recommended that meats are cooked, but I routinely feed bits of raw or seared beef and fish. Basically, if I would eat it rare, that’s how I feed it. I always cook chicken and pork thoroughly. As in a human diet, less heat generally results in more nutrients. If you think about what dogs eat in the wild, it is only logical to feed meat and vegetables instead of “dog food”.

Some other foods that are great for dogs: (more…)