There’s no shortage of information and advice on feeding your dog a healthy diet. Just look at the ads and the descriptions on pet food cans and packages or listen to your vet, friends, family, or other dog owners. Why not go back to the basics and cook up a healthy and tasty meal for your best friend?

First, if you purchase commercial dog food, you should keep some basic guidelines in mind. A ratio of 40% meat, 50% vegetables and 10% grain is ideal. Check the packaging label closely to ensure a similar ratio when purchasing commercial food. While you’re checking the label make sure that a meat protein is listed first on the label - usually chicken, beef or lamb. Keep in mind that buying cheap commercial dog food often results in cheap ingredients. Pay a little more for higher quality and your dog will thank you!

Some pet owners are starting to also examine the preservatives used in commercial dog food. BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin are common preservatives that many consider toxic - ethoxyquin is even classified as a pesticide. While the jury is out on the effect these small amounts of preservatives have on the health of your dog, some owners are turning to more natural alternatives and developing their own dog food recipes.

You can find a dog food recipe on the Internet, but the basic ingredients and ratios should be the same as they are for commercial food - 40% meat, 50% vegetables and 10% grain. Meat should be fully cooked and free of bones. Popular grains are brown rice or cooked oatmeal.

Given the proper ratios you can begin to experiment with your dog as the taste tester. Of course you don’t want to give your pet things that taste good but are bad for it. Most people know that chocolate is not good for dogs. Fewer realize that grapes and raisins, as well as garlic, onions, mushrooms, and avocados can be very harmful. Don’t salt the food for flavor as that isn’t good either. Your goal is to provide a meal that your dog enjoys but also is safe.

Many people consider a vegetarian diet to be the most healthy. That may or may not be true for humans but dogs are carnivores and in their wild state would subsist mainly on a diet of meat. Your dog is apt to grow tired of it’s meals if meat is a low percentage ingredient or absent altogether.

If you don’t have time to cook, there are still options for healthy dog food. Many health food stores and even some mainstream pet stores now offer organic prepared food for your dog. There’s also a wide selection of holistic and organic food available online.

As you can see, there are many options when it comes to providing a healthy diet for your best friend, from checking the label of commercial food to developing your own delicious recipes to going organic. Your dog’s health starts with his diet so it’s worth the extra effort to make sure he’s in top form and will be able to give you many years of love and companionship.