Why to Add Bone Meal to Homemade Dog Food

Making homemade dog food can be complicated. Animals have different nutritional needs than humans do. Bone meal can provide nutrients that help keep dogs healthy.

Definition

Bone meal is made from ground up bones. Bones and hooves from animals that have been slaughtered for food or industry are placed in a machine called a "bone crusher" and then are ground into smaller and smaller pieces. The coarser pieces are used in some industries, like the manufacturing of adhesives and gelatin. The smaller pieces can be used in dog food and as a plant fertilizer.

History

Bone meal used to be a standard ingredient in animal feed for all sorts of animals, including sheep, cows, pigs, cats and dogs. After the "Mad Cow Disease" outbreak of the 1980s, however, it's no longer included in livestock feed in many countries. Because cats and dogs aren't susceptible to "Mad Cow" disease (technically, bovine spongiform encephalopathy), bone meal is still legal for use in commercial dog foods, and offers nutrients that pets need.

Significance

Bone meal is rich in calcium, phosphorous, protein, and trace minerals. Phosphorous allows other nutrients to absorb into the bloodstream faster, and therefore, bone meal is especially useful for older dogs and dogs that may suffer from digestive disorders. It used to be common practice to sprinkle a little bone meal on a dog's food when it's suffering from diarrhea or "garbage gut" (which is bloating and flatulence when dogs over-indulge in human food or from eating garbage.) If you're making homemade dog food, you can simply sprinkle bone meal on each serving or add it to your mixture.

Making Bone Meal at Home

You can make your own bone meal at home by drying bones thoroughly and then grinding them in a spice grinder. Chicken bones, which are generally agreed to be too splintery for safe consumption, are rich in nutrients and grind up very nicely. You may want to chop the softened raw or cooked bones into small pieces so that they'll fit into your grinder better. Another technique is to boil the bones for a very long time, to render out the nutrients and then dehydrate the remaining liquid, grind that into a powder to use as you would commercially produced bone meal.

Warnings

If you plan to purchase bone meal from the garden department, read the ingredients thoroughly because added fertilizers can kill your dog. Plants can tolerate chemicals and fertilizers that are added to bone meal, and often thrive when those are included, but dogs can become very sick if you feed them bone meal intended for plants. To find bone meal that's safe for animals, check your feed store, pet store, or online vendors that distribute bone meal for dog food.

How to Make A Sick Dog Eat Food

When your dog is sick, she may not feel like eating. This is normally ok, since getting food into her system immediately is not as important as ensuring that she is hydrated with fluids. However, even when your pup is well on her way to recovery, she may not get her appetite back quickly. She will lose considerable weight and strength, and it's important that she regain her appetite as soon as possible. When a dog has been ill for awhile, getting her to eat normally may not be easy. However, there are some tricks that will get her back on the chow wagon.

Instructions

1




Your dog may avoid hard kibble, but find peanut butter irresistable.

Offer your dog her food by hand. Hand feed her, or put some peanut butter or canned dog food on a spoon for her to lick off. If she has been sick for a while, she may not feel like going to her dish. But if you bring the food to her, or make it a game (think of the airplane game played to get toddlers to eat), she may make an attempt to eat, if only just to please you.

2




Your dog may not be hungry enough to eat. When her appetite returns, she will resume her regular eating habits.

Offer baby food. Choose small jars of baby food that you think your dog will enjoy. Generally a couple of meats and two or three different vegetables will get her interest. Put a small amount of each on the tip of the spoon and offer it to your dog. Later, you can top off her kibble with it.

3




A little bread topped with peanut butter usually gets a dog's interest.

Feed your dog in a quiet area. Some dogs do not do well in the midst of chaos and prefer the solitude of a quiet corner. If your dog is the nervous type, or there are other household pets that may be interfering with her eating, try feeding her on the porch outside, in a corner of the kitchen or the laundry room.

How to Get Your Dog to Eat His Food

Dogs make great pets, but sometimes they can be difficult when it comes to their diet. Naturally stubborn dogs will refuse to eat certain dog foods, and other dogs will choose to eat only at a certain time of day. Getting a dog to eat his food when it's given to him may seem impossible when you've dealt with a finicky eater, but it's easier than you might believe. With a little effort, your dog should be eating his food in no time.

Instructions

1

Set a feeding schedule for your dog. He should eat a small bowl of food three times a day instead of one large bowl once a day. The schedule should consist of one morning feeding, one afternoon feeding, and one evening feeding.

2

Avoid giving your dog frequent treats. If a dog becomes full on treats, he will not eat his dog food. You can potentially spoil your dog with treats, and he won't be enthusiastic about eating dry dog food. Make sure that your dog does not have access to the garbage can. Ask everyone in the home to stop feeding table scraps (if they are).

3

Give your dog a quiet area to eat his food. Distractions can sometimes cause dogs to eat less than they normally would, especially if your dog is especially active or has anxiety.

4

Take your dog for a walk or a run before offering him food. When you bring him home, set the food bowl down in front of him. Wait 15 minutes. If your dog does not eat his food, remove the bowl and repeat this step at the next feeding time.

5

Reward your dog with food after he comes in from a bathroom break, after a bath, or after doing anything that deserves praise. Again, if he does not touch the food after 15 minutes, pick it up and try again later.

6

Introduce a new brand or type of dog food into your dog's diet. Bring in new foods gradually. To do this, add about one quarter cup of new dog food to three cups of his original dog food. Add more food each time until he is eating nothing but the new dog food. If your dog seems to enjoy the new food, stick with it.

7

Remain consistent with your feeding schedule and diet. If you allow your dog to get what he wants, for example, feeding him table food because he won't eat his dog food, you're only making it more difficult on yourself when you decide to switch him to strictly dog food.

Can I Feed My Adult Dog Puppy Food?

There are many brands of dog food available. Within each brand, you will find a variety of types, including puppy, adult, weight control and senior. If you are wondering whether you should give your adult dog the puppy food he likes, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other experts say "no."

Dietary Requirements

According to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, a dog's dietary requirements change depending on its stage of life and activity level. A puppy requires high levels of protein and other nutrients to develop its muscles and bones.

Warning

The higher levels of nutrients in puppy food can hurt an older dog. For example, experts say high levels of protein in puppy food can affect organs such as the kidneys and shorten a dog's life. Similarly, adult dog food does not have the proper amounts of nutrients puppies need.

Effects

If you feed your adult dog puppy food, your dog has an increased risk of becoming obese. Just like in humans, obesity can lead to various health problems in dogs. Among other things, obesity stresses your dog's heart, lungs and joints. It also increases the risk of certain types of cancer.

Time Frame

Different size dogs are considered to be ready for adult food at different ages. But some nutritionists worry that giant breed puppies might grow too quickly if they are fed only puppy food. Some recommend mixing adult food with puppy food for large breeds.

Changing Foods

To switch from puppy to adult food, you can mix the types of food over a few days, gradually increasing the proportion of adult food. It is best to consult with your veterinarian before making any changes.

The Best Diet Dry Dog Food

Recent studies indicate that 30 to 40 percent of pets in America are overweight. Like their human counterparts, overweight dogs are at risk for a range of health problems. A dry kibble that is low in fat and high in fiber is the best diet to get your dog to reach a healthy weight. While there are many options available, ranging from commercially-available kibble to cooking your own, these four brands (listed in alphabetical order) are consistently ranked as some of the best diet dry kibble.

Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo's BLUE Weight Control Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe (www.bluebuff.com) is a diet dry food containing a mix of chicken and grains. High in protein (20 percent) and low in fat (6 percent), this food provides a healthy balance of protein, grains and vegetables. Blue Buffalo also claims a specialized blend of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals designed to protect dogs from environmental toxins.

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul

This brand (www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com) offers an Adult Dog Light formula that is high in protein (20 percent) but low in fat (6 percent). In addition, this food provides a high level of fiber. While many high-quality diet dog foods can be expensive, this is reasonably priced, though sometimes difficult to locate.

Innova

Naturapet's Innova EVO Reduced Fat formula (www.naturapet.com) has a very high meat content---the first four ingredients are meat---and the kibble is grain-free. The food is very high in protein (52 percent) and low in fat (15 percent), though the ratio makes this food particularly suited to adult large breed dogs. While this food is low in fat, the formula preserves healthy fatty acids.

Old Mother Hubbard Wellness Core Reduced Fat

Old Mother Hubbard's Wellness Core Reduced Fat (www.wellnesspetfood.com) is another grain-free option. This dry food has a high level of protein (33 percent) delivered through five different meat sources, and it also has a very low level of fat (9 percent). The ingredients that comprise the rest of the formula include good-quality fruits and vegetables including potatoes, sweet potatoes and blueberries.

Royal Canin

Royal Canin (www.royalcanin.us) offers several diet dry dog food options, including formulas specialized for small and large breeds. In addition, Royal Canine has two specialty Calorie Control products, one with High Fiber and one with High Protein, each designed to meet a dog's specific set of health requirements. With the wide array of options, Royal Canin's dry diet dog foods meet any specific health needs.

Considerations

Regardless of which food you choose for your dog, any high protein dry food, especially one with a large quantity of meat, requires a transition period. Begin by feeding your dog her current food with a small amount of the new food to see how she reacts. If she seems to transition without digestive upset, slowly shift the ratio until you've successfully phased out her current food.

What Is a Good High Fiber Dog Food?

Finding a good-quality high-fiber dog food may be a challenging ordeal for many dog owners. Only by knowing what to look for will dog owners have some clues as to the differences between one brand and another.

Identification

Fiber is commonly found in the cell walls of plants and grains. It is an insoluble carbohydrate that resists enzymatic digestion in the small intestinal tract.

Potential

Fiber is commonly recommended by veterinarians to treat a variety of conditions in dogs. Dogs affected by diabetes, anal gland problems and obesity may benefit from a diet rich in fiber.

Sources

Fiber benefits dogs as well

Good sources of fiber are found in dog food containing whole grains such as rice bran, wheat bran or oat bran. Other sources of fiber are beet pulp, corn, corn byproducts, soybean and peanut hulls.

Types

A good fiber dog food therefore should contain sources of fiber listed among the ingredients, while its percentage is found in the guaranteed analysis section under ''crude fiber.'. Normal dog foods generally contain between 2.5% and 4.5% fiber, whereas some special diet foods may contain as much as 9% to 10%.

Considerations

Too much fiber, however, according to Purina, may cause problems such as loose stools, flatulence, and an increase in stool volume or density. Excessive amounts of fiber also may interfere with the absorption of other important nutrients.

Expert Insight

A good dog food containing fiber should therefore be nutritionally balanced while offering moderate and not excessive amounts of fiber. Ideally, it is best to have a veterinarian recommend a high-fiber dog food if dealing with a dog with health problems.

How to Make Chicken & Rice Dog Food

Chicken and rice is a popular combination for dog food because it is high in protein and low in fat. According to the Partnership for Animal Welfare, excessive animal-based fats in a dog's diet can lead to digestive disorders and even pancreatitis. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, brown rice and green beans for a healthy alternative to store-bought dog food. Commercial dog foods contain by-products and chemicals that are often devoid of the nutrients dogs need to thrive.

Instructions

1

Boil chicken breasts in water until cooked and no longer pink.

2

Remove the chicken from the pot and reserve the chicken broth.

3

Chop the chicken into small pieces or process in a food processor for a finer texture.

4

Boil the green beans in the chicken broth until heated through.

5

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl with the olive oil and stir until blended. Add some of the chicken broth for a softer texture.

6

Let cool and serve to your dog.