It's chow time, and our dogs are ready, excited and waiting patiently for me to set their bowls down. Do you know what your dog is eating? We do now, since we took an active participation in reading the ingredients because if you're feeding him or her commercial dog food, the answer to that just might come as a very big surprise.

That "Chicken Flavor" dog food you've selected may have some chicken in it. Then again, it just as well may not. It's not required to, pursuant to the FDA guidelines concerning dog food ingredient listings. That "Lamb & Rice Formula" for dogs certainly has some lamb and rice in it -- but the total combined could be as little as 25% of the total packaged product, and still conform to regulations. What comprises the remaining 75%?

Is that 75% all goodness? No!

What about all those fillers and by-products and chemical preservatives listed? Do you know what BHA and BHT are, and why they are banned for human use? Are you familiar with ethoxyquin? Rolls right off the tongue doesn't it?

Is meat the first (and thereby most prevalent) ingredient listed, or does corn or grain lead the way? Do you suppose all those artificial colors and flavors are there for your dog's benefit, or for yours? Does your dog food supply the complete and balanced daily dietary provisions for your dog? And, with the loose regulations on dog food labeling leaving us somewhat in the dark as to what exactly we are feeding our pets, how can you be sure?

To check your Doggy Food, go to end of this article...

There is really only one way to be sure.

Give your dog some good home cooking. Homemade dog food allows for flexibility and purity. It also gives us total control over our dog's nutritional needs. We can be assured that all ingredients are of the highest quality, and add up to a balanced, toxin-free diet. We can also maintain complete caloric discretion, modifying as necessary to accommodate our dog's ever-changing demands.

But if you don't know how, you may as well go back to commercial dog food because it can be just as dangerous.

Making the decision to feed your pet fresh food does not mean you need to overcomplicate matters. You do want to make sure that you provide him with all the nutritional building blocks he needs to maintain a healthy body. Animal protein should be combined with vegetables, pasta, rice, cereals and other foods to provide all the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals needed.

Doggy Food Recipe located at end of this article. 

It's not quite as simple as it sounds, entirely, but it's not exactly rocket science either.

Achieving the sought-after balance is a daunting proposition, to be sure. I admit when my wife and I began our research, we were literally bombarded with facts and figures, both real and imaginary, and found that the websites delivering disinformation and misinformation abound.

In our pursuit of balance in our dogs' diets, we discovered the balance in the available research. It is our wish now to share our study with you here, in the most concise fashion. As a bonus, we have an easy, healthful and delicious homemade recipe for you to try with your pet.

We are not vets, and our areas of expertise comprise only loving our dogs, and wanting the best for them. You have come this far with us, so we are certain that you want that, too.

Rating Your Doggy Food: READ HERE

Homemade Doggy Food Recipe: READ HERE