Dog food: what’s best for your Shih Tzu?

I have had dogs my whole life. When I was a kid, my family had dogs that basically belonged to no one in particular, but belonged to the family at large, they were just a part of us. I remember little thought was given to what dogs ate. Whether it was table scraps or whatever commercial dog food was for sale.

My dogs lived long and full lives with no one worrying if they were getting the proper nutrition they needed. But we fast forward to this day and things are very different. We know much more about the nutrition and specific needs of our dogs, and even how that changes at different stages of their lives.

Are dog food promotions correct?

Most dog owners prefer to feed their pets commercial dog food. This method is convenient and most people trust that dog food will meet their pet’s nutritional requirements. These owners are doing what they believe is the best they can to provide a good diet for their dog.

Dog food has been touted as everything your pet needs. Dog owners who choose commercial dog food over feeding their pets human food are confident that they are doing the right thing. In fact, some would argue that owners who cook for their pets are negligent about some of the pet’s nutritional needs. After all, dog food is specially formulated for dogs, right?

Processed foods are not a great option!

Try to convince one of these people that both a dog and a human need similar nutritional foods. It is not that easy. However, no matter how you look at it, or what you think a dog should eat unlike humans, processed foods are still processed foods! Commercial dog food is manufactured, which means it goes through several processing steps and has preservatives included as well as other additives before it is packaged and delivered to merchants. Each step in this process reduces the quality of food and reduces its nutritional value.

I cook for Molly and Ben (my Shih Tzu) every day. For the most part, they eat a mixture of vegetables, rice, beef, and gravy. It’s a kind of beef stew concoction. They appear to be very healthy and I have no plans to change their diet to commercial dog food. However, I supplement his diet with vegetarian dog food by mixing a small amount into the stew mix.

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