Feeding the dog: homemade or prepackaged meal?

Choosing between prepackaged foods or a home-cooked meal is always difficult, but a careful analysis of the pros and cons can certainly help you decide.

The doubt is more widespread than what one might believe, especially if the dog owner is particularly attentive to his diet: better homemade or prepackaged meal?
In principle, we can say that cooking for your dog is particularly difficult and demanding. The reason is obvious: the master cook will have to dose the food with a certain precision, so much so as to put a balanced meal in the bowl, rich in all the elements that the animal actually needs. Therefore, specific knowledge about each food will be necessary, knowledge that is not impossible to acquire, but which requires time and commitment.
However, if you have the rudiments and intend to cook for your four-legged companion, in principle 30 grams of food per day for every kilo of weight of your trusty friend are recommended.

The total must be divided between rice, vegetables and meat and the food must be well cooked to minimize the risk of disease.
The greatest risk is to limit the food variety too much for fear of making a mistake in the proposed food combination. The positive side is certainly represented by the greater affinity that is created between master and animal.

Unlike the case of owners who have very little knowledge of the properties of food, and who have very little time available. In that case, it will be better to use it to play with your dog, rather than spend it in the kitchen. Pre-packaged foods come to the rescue which have the advantage of providing the animal with all the elements, well balanced, they need and in the right quantities. According to the type of animal, its age and its lifestyle, specific lines can be purchased that will allow a considerable saving of time and in some cases even a certain saving in money.
The owner can opt for dry foods, such as flakes and croquettes that guarantee an excellent consumption of water by the dog, or you can prefer wet foods, so to speak the classic canned compound. Even the doses will not be a problem since the packages will clearly indicate the amount of food to be served per day and the rationing methods.
The choice between pre-packaged food and home-cooked food will therefore be made taking into consideration several elements:
- weather;
- money;
- knowledge of the specific properties of each food;
- knowledge of the typical diet that the dog must follow.

Whatever the decision made, it is good to always keep in mind that the dog is an animal of habit, at least as regards its nutrition. Preferably he always eats at the same time and in the same place and does not like, let's face it all, sudden variations within his daily diet, which will have to be changed only in the case in which specific problems (health perhaps) have to be solved.
It is not recommended to allow the dog snacks outside meal times. He will give you an unexpected tail wagging but on the other hand you will give him bad eating habits. The result: more food intake per day which could cause disease.
Long and thin bones, which splinter are to be avoided because they could cause serious discomfort to your dog. Better the bigger ones, great entertainment that will strengthen and clean the teeth of a trust.
Even if it makes you sweet eyes, the rule is that dogs do not consume too sugary foods such as candies, ice cream or sweets in general.
And of course don't forget to abound with water. Get yourself a special bowl and make sure it is always full.