Rotational Diets and Your Dog

Recent studies have shown that while consistently feeding your dog the same dog food isn’t unhealthy, it isn’t as healthy as it could be. More vets and dog health professionals are getting on board with rotational diets as it adds a level of variety and a spectrum of changing nutrients that your pet will need.

dog_eating_foodWhat is a rotational diet?

Rotational diets are diets where you switch what your dog eats systematically to provide your dog with a variety of nutrients. In most cases, rotational diets will either take on the cycle of kibble, then wet food, then dog food made of things like fresh beef, chicken and rice with some vegetables. Rotational diets change the dog food on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis in most cases. Rotational diets also do not usually include simply changing kibble brands as that does not allow for much different experiences in flavors or textures.

Why should pet parents do rotational diets?

There are a number of benefits to rotational diets with dog food. Some of those benefits include:

Creates a More Complete Nutrition

While most dog food is designed to balance your dog’s diet and give them the nutrients they need to grow, kibble isn’t always as effective as it could be. By rotating the dog food that you use, you offer your dog a more unique nutritional profile that no strict kibble or wet food diet could provide. Your dog will also ingest more good components such as amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that are all natural in the fish, beef, and chicken that your dog will in the rotational diet.

 

Keeps Mealtime Excitement

Some dogs can become picky because of the limits that come with mealtime. This pickiness and boredom may lead to your dog begging for your food while neglecting their own and this can lead to lack of necessary nutrition. Rotational diet changes the dog food, keeps your dog excited because of the changing flavors, and while it seems like spoiling, it maintains nutritional balance. This can all help diminish begging for table scraps.

 

Increases Water Consumption

Changing your dog food can help your dog get the amount of water that he needs to be healthy. Many house pets don’t drink as much water as they should, cats particularly. One way that water consumption is helped is through the moisture in foods like rice, chicken, and frozen foods. Increased water consumption can help prevent health issues like urinary infections, liver disease, and constipation.

 

dog_food

Rotational diets help fight food allergies

Just like humans, dogs can be allergic to certain foods. By changing dog food with rotational diets, you’re able to expose your dog to different ingredients and allergens which can help build resistance to those allergens.

 

When to Rotate Dog Food for a Rotational Diet

Before you change your dog food, check with your vet to make sure you know the right items to use for optimal nutrition. It’s also better to start the rotational diet when the dog is younger as changing a diet can cause stomach issues at first. However with the help of a vet and/or nutritionist, you should have very few problems if any at all.

/by

Healthy Alternatives to Pet Food

Many pet parents are tempted to slip their pets table scraps, but not everything we eat is actually healthy for our pets and some things can actually be extremely dangerous. If you’re looking to spoil your pet with something a little special or you really just want to share your meal, here are some common human foods at make great pet food too.

1.    Cooked Chicken as a Pet Food

Often used as a main ingredient in pet foods, dogs and cats love chicken. However never feed them uncooked chicken. Chicken is high in protein and is a great replacement if you’re ever short on dog food. It’s also a helpful tool when training your dog to allow others near their food dish. Never give your dog chicken with bones in it as they splinter easy and can kill them. Be sure to remove any chicken bones before sharing.

2.    Cheese

Assuming your dog isn’t lactose intolerant, cheese makes excellent pet food. Cottage cheese or cheddar are excellent options. Mozzarella and other fresh cheeses are also a good choice.  Cheese is also high in protein which dogs need plenty of. Go for the lower fat content to help fight against pet obesity.

3.    Yogurt

Another good choice for pet food alternatives is yogurt if your dog loves dairy. Look for those that are unsweetened though. Do not get sugar-free yogurt as fake sure is usually dangerous to dogs and too much sugar can cause stomach ache in your pet. If you want to give your pet a frozen treat, freeze dots of yogurt and give them to your pet (and eat a few yourself).

e0b76e710843ce11a0c6e93dc4d288a8

4.    Salmon

Another treat often used in pet food is salon. Many stores actually sell fresh-salmon or wild-caught salmon treats. Make sure it’s cooked before feeding it to your pet and beware of any bones.

5.    Pumpkin

Whether it’s fall or not, considering slipping your dog some pumpkin with her pet food. It’s a great source of beta-carotene and vitamin A. It can also aid the digestive tract. 

6.    Eggs

If you have extra scrambled eggs in the morning, consider slipping them to your dog with his pet food. Eggs are a great protein source, are easily digestible, and contain selenium. 

7.   Apple Slicesfall19

These make additions to pet food as they clean residue from your dog’s teeth. Apples are also a great source of fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. Make sure to slice the apple up into small pieces to avoid choking hazards. Be sure to remove apple seeds as these are toxic to dogs.

8.    Peanut Butter

A well-known pet treat is peanut butter. Often used when a dog won’t eat her food or medication, most pets go crazy for peanut butter. For an extra special treat, pair the peanut butter with the apple slices.

9.    Oatmeal

This a great source of fiber that most pet foods don’t include. It can be especially helpful for older dogs or pets having irregular bowel movements. However do not add any sugar or sugar alternatives. Mix with honey or peanut butter to add a little bit of sweetness that is also dog safe.

Now that you have the ingredients to make dog-safe pet food, check out some treat recipes you can use them on over here!

 

/by

Healthy Dog Treats You Can Make at Home

Dog treats are a necessary part of every pet parent’s life. There are many options you will find when you go to the pet store, but there are times when you want to whip up something special for your sweet pet. This is why it is helpful to have a few recipes for healthy dog treats.

 

Homemade Frosty Paws

What dog doesn’t like the creamy, cold deliciousness that is Frosty Paws? If you want to make these at home, it can be done quickly and easily. All you need is an empty ice cube tray and the following ingredients:

 

  • 2 cups plain yogurthomemade frozen dog treats in an ice cube tray
  • 1 ripe banana mashed
  • 3 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey

 

Simply combine these ingredients and put into the ice tray. Allow them to sit for a few hours so they can harden and you will have delicious treats your pup will love on a hot day. You can also choose to put the mixture in an icing bag and put small dogs on wax paper to freeze so you have smaller dog treats which are perfect for training.

 

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats

This is the perfect treat for fall but you can use it all year long. You simply need to grab a rolling pin, your favorite cookie cutter and following ingredients:

 

  • 15oz can pureed pumpkinhomemade pumpkin dog biscuits
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons peanut butter

 

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients to form dough and place on a floured surface. Roll the dough to ½ inch thickness and then use cookie cutter to cut out pieces. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. The dog treats will harden as they cool.

 

Baby Food Treats

While this sounds weird it is actually quite easy to make. You just need to find a flavor of pureed baby food that your dog will love. You can choose beef, chicken, blueberries and many others. Just make sure there is no onion in the mix as this is toxic to dogs. Since this recipe calls for two jars you can even mix and match with complimenting flavors. Here are the directions:

  • Combine 2 jars of 4oz baby food with 2 cups of flour after preheating your oven to 350
  • Mix the ingredients to form a stiff dough which you will put on a floured surface
  • Roll the mixture until it is ¼ inch thick
  • Use a pizza cutter or cookie cutter to cut out treats
  • Put these treats on a parchment paper lined baking sheet ½ inch apart
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes and then allow the treats to cool.

Apple Cinnamon Chips

homemade apple chip treats for dogsApples are a delicious and healthy food for your dog. If your dog loves sweets then this can be a great way to give them what they crave. To make these chips simply quarter an apple and remove the core. Then use a paring knife to cut thin pieces of apple. Place these apple pieces on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with a light coat of cinnamon as this is non-toxic for dogs. Bake at 200 until they are dehydrated. Word of warning: These dog treats are just as tasty and addictive for people as they are for dogs. You may want to make a large batch so you have something to snack on yourself!

/by

Understanding the Rotational Diet with Dog Food

We here at Splash and Dash for Dogs want our dogs to lead happy, clean and healthy lives. If our Crappy Picture contest is any indication, we are not just a dog grooming service, we are dog lovers. We care about what comes out of our dogs because we understand that it’s a direct result of what goes inside our dogs.
The conventional pet diet limits our best friends to the same food for each meal. Would you eat a salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Why should our dogs? Feeding the same dog food incessantly raises the risk of saturating our pets with the same nutrients and depriving them of another. It also exposes them to the common toxins found in canned dog food.
This is why we promote a rotational diet that varies proteins, veggies and fruits. The diet rotates from raw, can, fresh and dry dog food with the selections of meat, fish and poultry.

 

The Benefits:

 

With a rotational diet you:Understanding the Rotational Diet blog image-01

  • Reduce risk of food allergies
  • Improve Hydration
  • Reduce Pickiness
  • Improve Behavior
  • May Find It’s Convenient

 

Raw: A diet consisting of raw meat, organ meat, bone, and fat reflects what your pet would eat in its natural habitat. The inclusion of raw food is recommended by veterinary experts as an important source of protein, moisture, and vital nutrients.

Dry: Apart from having proteins, fats, fibers, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, kibble food’s rough surface is an excellent plaque remover and vital to dogs’ oral health.

Canned Food: Canned diets offer complete and balanced nutrition in a form that provides beneficial levels of moisture for optimal pet health.

Fresh: 100% all natural freshly prepared meals of meats & vegetables, also known as table scrap, are minimally processed or cooked and contains high levels of minerals and nutrients. Fresh fruit (apple slices, carrots etc.) and vegetables make great all natural treats.

Feed your dog a little bit of everything! Our locations have all the dog food necessary for your dog’s rotational diet.

 

Reminder: Enter our Crappy Picture contest for a chance to win a year-long Splash and Dash’s Signature Bath membership.

 

/by