It's Puppy Time!

(Chapter #1: Homemade vs. Processed Foods)

It's an exciting time for any household -- the bringing home of a new puppy. Whether the intent is for this to be your prized show dog, a guard dog, a "working" dog, or simply a companion or family pet, it is most certainly a momentous occasion. So many questions come into play, leading up to this big day. What kind of dog will it be? Will it be a purebred or a mongrel? Would a male or female fit your lifestyle better? Are you looking to pay big bucks for your pet, or will you perhaps instead choose to "save" a dog from your neighborhood kennel?

And then, just when you think all the major decisions have been resolved and you've selected your pet and brought him home, you find a hundred more questions await you. From choosing a name to selecting a vet, and a myriad of options in betwixt, the process can be positively dizzying, especially when Rover's best interests are of the essence.

There is one area, though, that might get overlooked or at the very least, under-considered: dog nutrition and feeding. Your dog's strong bones, muscle tone, shiny coat and overall well-being are evidence of his nutritious, well-balanced diet. While you may have thought this decision a no-brainer, ultimately it is important to realize that it goes beyond choosing between canned or dry, premium or economy blends.

It is likely there are no less than a zillion books out there on dog care and nutrition, most of them written by practicing Doctors of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), and the world wide web presents a veritable feast of information about the same. The advice and data offered is overwhelming, to put it mildly, and vigorously contradictory, to put it kindly.

Some vets will tell you that you can provide all the nutrients necessary to satisfy your dog's requirements by choosing from the wide array of prepared foods available from the reputable pet-food manufacturers. Others, most notably holistic-proponents, will go so far as to say that prepared foods cause cancer and other crippling diseases in dogs, and therefore adhering to a scientifically-based anticancer diet is necessary for whole health.

Just as you seek balance in your dog's diet, we sought the balance in the available research, and present it to you here, in the most concise fashion. As a bonus, we have also amassed a collection
of homemade recipes for you to try with your pet. We are not vets, and our areas of expertise include only loving our dogs, and wanting the best for them. Undoubtedly, you desire the same, so you can relate when we opt to err on the side of caution.