No doubt, these are just a few of the doubts that beset us when we decide to start in home-made dog feeding or hybrid feeding, in which the animal is offered as much "industrial" food as we have developed.
However, if you are one of those who opt for the latter option, be aware that it is not recommended to mix industrial foods with natural foods in the same dish, it is necessary to offer them separately and at different times of the day. This is because these products follow completely different digestive processes and, therefore, feeding the dog both diets at the same time could develop serious health problems, such as gastric torsion.
If you want answers to all your questions and have as a bonus some recipes for dogfish, read the following and discover at Puppysho.com
1-Can we give fish to a dog?.
2-What types of fish are good for dogs?
3-The potential benefits of fish for my dog
4-How do I include fish in the dog's diet?
5-How - how much to give my dog?
6-What can I replace the fish if I want to give another product to my dog to eat?
7-The potential risks of fish to my dog
1-Can we give fish to a dog?
Indeed, fish is good for dogs and, despite popular beliefs about the consumption of this product, none of the dogs usually shows signs of toxicity, except cases of fish allergy. Thus, we can offer our dogs any type of fish, both white and blue, because each offers different advantages and interesting properties for the good development of dogs, such as cod, salmon, or sardines. However, knowing that oily fish contain a higher caloric intake than white fish, if for example, your dog needs to lose weight, it is much more recommended to opt for white fish rather than oily fish. This higher caloric intake also translates into a higher percentage of omega-3 fatty acids, making it more suitable for oily fish to improve dog hair, protect their immune systems, and prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease.
2-What types of fish are good for dogs?
As dogs are carnivorous animals, in which protein intake must occupy the highest percentage of their total diet, it is recommended both the consumption of meat and fish. The important thing when we decide to venture into the development of a home-made diet for our animals is to cover all their nutritional needs, to maintain a proper balance between phosphorus and calcium, and to work with quality products, eco-friendly products.
Now, although all fish are good for dogs, it is true that some of them are distinguished from others by the benefits they offer our dogs. Thus, the most recommended fish for dogs are:
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Sardines
- Mackerel
- Herring
- Hake
Dog: raw or cooked fish?
Now that you know that dogs can eat fish and what the benefits are, it's time to talk about the different ways to offer them this product and include it in their daily diet. In this sense, the ideal and most recommendable is to cook the fish in advance and remove all stops, because in this way we manage to eliminate any type of bacteria. To do this, it is best to boil or grill the fish, never fried or breaded. However, to keep all its properties intact, it is necessary to cook the fish at low temperature, without exceeding 70 degrees, and leave it half cooked, so that it is sealed on the outside and slightly raw on the inside. If you follow the BARF dog menu diet and want to offer raw fish to an animal, it will be necessary to asstain its origin to confirm its quality.
Once the fish is cooked, wait for it to cool down before crumbling it and serve with a spray of olive oil, the first cold pressure being the most beneficial for dogs. For more information, don't miss our article on the benefits of olive oil for dogs.
You can also offer organic canned tuna (without salt, chemicals and fat) from time to time.
Dog cod
We now offer some recipes with dog fish. We start with cod, a white or lean fish ideal especially for overweight dogs. It is recommended for dogs of all ages, also helps reduce the risk of heart disease and helps keep the cognitive system in shape, ideal for older dogs:
- 300 grams of salmon
- 150 grams of mussels
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons crushed bone for dogs
- 1 whole plain yoghurt (about 125 grams)
- 1 medium zucchini (about 100 grams)
- 50 grams of green peas
- 1 medium papaya (about 140 grams)
Giving salmon to the dog
As mentioned earlier, salmon is an oily fish rich in omega 3 excellent for dogs. Here's our recipe for dog salmon rice:
The salmon rice recipe is very rich in good fats and omega 6, which are essential for your dog. It will also provide him with the hydrates he needs. To make this recipe you need to:
- 30 grams of wholemeal rice
- 150 grams of fresh and natural salmon (you can also use sardines)
- 1 raw cow femur
- 20 grams of cauliflower
- 1 pinch of parsley
- Sunflower oil
Preparing salmon rice:
Clean the rice and immerse it in a large volume of boiling water.
Cook it as shown on the package.
Dice the salmon and cut the cauliflower into pieces.
Pan-fry or bake salmon and vegetables and sprinkle over parsley.
Mix the raw bones. Remember, you should never leather them as they could break when the dog eats them.
Once the rice is cooked and the salmon and vegetables have come back slightly, mix the raw cow's femur with the rice and prepare.
Add a drop of vegetable oil, mix and let cool.
It's ready!
Sardine for dog
Sardine is one of the fatty fish rich in omega 3 good for dogs. Here is a recipe for sardine risotto for dogs:
This recipe is very rich in protein, fats, hydrates and calcium. As it is a very tasty recipe, dogs love it very much. Here are all the ingredients you need:
- 150 grams of sardines
- 30 grams of white rice
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 yoghurt
- 20 grams of asparagus
- Vegetable corn oil
Preparing sardine risotto for dogs and puppies:
Put the eggs to boil in a saucepan and remove from the heat when they are fully cooked.
Grate eggs with a cheese grater.
Crush the eggshells
Cut the cooked sardine into small dice (without bones)
Put boiling water in another saucepan.
Pan-fry the asparagus and add the rice and a little boiling water.
Stir asparagus and rice constantly to prevent them from attaching.
Add water each time the rice absorbs it
When it is almost ready, add the pieces of sardines and the grated egg.
Finally, don't forget to add the half yoghurt and crushed egg shells.
3-The potential benefits of fish for my dog
Fish provide excellent nutrients for all animals, including dogs. For example, inflammation can be reduced by the fatty acids that fish contains. Excellent nutrients are then brought to the dog. Besides, if your pet is having trouble eating white or red meat properly, the fish can ideally replace it.
This food is also composed of protides, which are recommended during growth periods. The fish brings everything the dog needs, provided not to abuse on the quantities.
The consumption of fish has a positive impact on the dog's body. Whether it is growing or relieving digestion, the nutrients included in this food have positive results. Here are some examples:
Strengthening the dog's immunity.
The fatty acids that dogs ingest by eating fish or fish oil enhance the animal's immunity and thus reduce inflammation due to certain infections or allergies. Omega 3 fatty acids can also prevent cardiovascular disease in dogs by significantly reducing plaque formation in blood vessels. Fish also have important anti-inflammatory properties. For example, if your dog sometimes suffers from joint pain or canine arthritis, you can give him fish to eat most often. Omega 3 fatty acids also have effects on the animal's hair and improve the quality, softness and radiance of its coat.
Relieving the digestive system
Your dog may have difficulty digesting his red meat rations. What to do in this case? Don't worry, you can add fish or fish-based croquettes to your rations to help relieve your metabolism. Fish or derived foods will replace white or red meat.
Improving growth and helping to develop organs
Puppies or young dogs that continue to grow need proteins that are the essential proteins for their growth. These protides are contained in the fish and if consumed by the dog, the growth of the dog is strengthened. Also, because of the vitamins B3, B9 and B12 in white fish such as cod or hake, older dogs that consume it regain some energy with high levels of calcium and phosphorus. Let's not forget that because of age, the bones of dogs can take a hit, and if the dog receives a calcium supplement it will allow his body to avoid deficiencies and pathologies such as osteoporosis, arthritis or osteoarthritis. Similarly, omega 3s can protect the animal from possible cardiovascular diseases that can develop with age.
Benefits of fish for dogs
As we have seen, white and oily fish have great benefits for dogs, so it is more than recommended to include them in their diet. But what exactly are these benefits? Undoubtedly, the first of these, common in both types of fish, is the high protein intake. As we have already indicated, dogs are carnivorous by nature and need animal proteins to stay healthy and strong, because without them, its body would not be able to produce the enzymes, hormones, tissues and cells necessary for its proper functioning. For the rest of the fish's properties for dogs, we will detail them according to the type of fish:
Benefits of white fish for the dog (cod, hake, ...)
White fish, also called lean fish, differs from blue fish, mainly by the percentage of fat and therefore fatty acids of its composition, much lower for white fish. In general, 100 grams of white fish provide about 110 kcal, so it is very beneficial for overweight or obese dogs, who need a special diet to lose weight. Similarly, white or lean fish is also a recommended product for older dogs, both for its protein content and its low caloric intake and other benefits mentioned below.
White fish is also an excellent natural source of B vitamins, with vitamins B3, B9 and B12 being the most important, and vitamin A. Besides, it provides dogs with a considerable amount of minerals essential for their proper development, such as calcium and phosphorus, mentioned above. As we have indicated, maintaining the balance between these minerals is essential to avoid a deficiency of one of them, because if the body of the dog detects that, for example, it needs more calcium, it will tend to extract it from its bones, something counterproductive and dangerous for the health of the dog. Thus, by offering this food to our dog, we not only avoid this situation, but we also promote his bone system and help him prevent the development of related pathologies such as osteoporosis, arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Although in the previous section we have pointed out hake as the most recommended white fish for dogs, we can offer any other type of lean fish, such as cod, sea bream, etc.
Benefits of blue or fatty fish for the dog (sardine, salmon, tuna, ...)
Oily fish, unlike white fish, are high in fat. However, the fats found in this type of fish are what are called "polyunsaturated" ordrogates, i.e. omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish. Thus, we see how the products that are part of this food group represent one of the best natural sources of omega 3, a substance very beneficial to dogs. These fatty acids improve the health of the animal's hair, enhance its shine, increase its softness and restore vitality to its coat. Similarly, omega 3s can protect the animal from possible cardiovascular diseases that can develop, as they significantly reduce plaque formation in blood vessels. On the other hand, it also has important anti-inflammatory properties, indicated for dogs suffering from joint pain such as canine arthritis.
In addition to its omega 3 content, oily fish is good for dogs for the variety of vitamins that make it up, being the most important vitamins D, A, B12, B3, B2 and B1.
The ideal is to offer salmon, as it is the oily fish that promotes the health of dogs the most, but mackerel, sardines, tuna and herring are also recommended.
4-How do I include fish in the dog's diet?
Pay attention to stops
A dog has no idea to remove fish stops when eating. For him, everything in his bowl is consumable. Then, he will gladly take all the stops in his mouth and will not hesitate to try to grind them or swallow them. However, by having them in the mouth, the dog can injure his gums and, if these stops are swallowed, they can puncture some of his organs during the intestinal transit or clog his esophagus. Experts recommend that fish that do not stop should be preferred to avoid any risk.
Pay attention to the amount of fish
When you want to feed the dog with the fish, we must not forget that he remains a carnivore and that we must limit his consumption of fish to the risk of poisoning him with mercury. So, offering fish once a week is enough to provide him with all the nutrients essential for his growth and well-being.
Be careful to balance rations
If the dog is fed industrial foods, it is possible to mix its croquettes with fish. However, it is important to cook it before mixing it with the dog's diet to aid digestion.
Be careful to choose the type of fish based on the dog's health
Most dogs are comfortable with all types of fish, be it oily fish or fish that have poor fat levels. However, it is important to know that oily fish have a higher caloric intake than white fish. So if your dog needs to gain weight, you can give it to him. But if he leaves dogs that fight obesity, it is better to make him avoid oily fish and prefer fish with a low caloric rate.
To balance your dog's household diet by adding fish, it is advisable to favour sardines, mackerel, tuna or salmon.
Pay attention to cooking fish
To avoid any bacteria that may be contained in the fish, it is advisable to cook it. However, cooking should be done at a low temperature without exceeding 70 degrees and stop halfway through cooking to keep all the properties of the product. After cooking, it is important to allow the fish to cool before giving to the animal to prevent the animal from burning its tongue while eating it. But, if you want to give raw fish to the animal, make sure that this fish has been well preserved.
Can I mix fish with other foods?
Of course, as long as you keep the proportions indicated. This way, you can combine the fish with pieces of boiled vegetables like carrots or pumpkin, or with a little boiled rice. But if you're wondering if you can mix fish with dog food, the answer is a clear and clear NO. As noted above, natural foods and so-called industrial foods require different times and digestive processes, so offering them at the same time could cause serious health problems and damage the animal's digestive system.
5-How - how much to give my dog?
There is some controversy as to the exact amount of protein a dog should consume per day, as some professionals say it should be about 80% while others suggest that the ideal is 70%. We recommend you try both percentages and determine for yourself what is best for your dog. In any case, the remaining 30% or 20% should be occupied with fruits and vegetables recommended for dogs, and even cereals such as rice or oats one day a week.
However, if you are looking for an approximate amount in grams, we can say that for every 10 kilos of weight, the dog must have between 120 and 150 grams of fish per day. Also, it is not advisable to give fish to the dog every day, remember that eating meat, such as chicken or turkey, is essential to maintain their health in perfect condition, except for dogs allergic to certain meats. So you can book two days a week, for example, for preparing recipes with fish.
6-What can I replace the fish if I want to give another product to my dog to eat?
If you are angry with the fish and prefer to give it another food as a reward, we advise you to bring your choice to the egg, turf or ice cubes for the original side, but always in an exceptional way! These ingredients are safe for the dog and also offer good nutrients, allowing it to grow well.
Of course, if you are more vegetables and fruits, you will have the opportunity to reward it with lentils, beans, watermelon, pear, strawberries or raspberries. Rich in vitamins and iron for some, they are generally low in calories, which allows your companion to avoid gaining weight, unlike industrial delicacies. A wise choice you make by feeding it healthily.
7-The potential risks of fish to my dog
The greatest risk of eating fish is found in raw fish. Indeed, the flesh of raw fish contains thiaminase which is an anti vitamin B1. This element degrades vitamin B1 and may be the cause of certain deficiencies in animals. It is found in fish flesh and viscera. The fish that contain the most are mackerel, anchovies, sardines or herring. This is why it is recommended to do half a cooking before giving it to the dog or freezing the product at less than 20oC.
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