One of the most common questions from pet owners is what to feed their pets. With all the recent pet food recalls, more and more pet owners are trying to educate themselves on dog and cat nutrition in order to ensure that their pets receive only the best food. So with all the brands and choices on the market, how can we ensure that our pets are not eating anything harmful to them?

The first step is for a conscientious pet owner to research on how to pick out a commercial food. Many books, internet articles and dog food ratings can give us information about how to select a food with the right combination of vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates. But the best way to ensure that your pet gets a chemical-free and balanced diet is to prepare your own pet food.

A homemade dog food can be made using the freshest chemical ingredients, and still cost a lot less than a commercial food. While it can take some time and planning to prepare, your pet's health will certainly thank you for it, and he will show these benefits in his coat and energy levels in a very short time.

First, brown 1lb of lamb or beef in a frying pan, then add 1-2 medium potatoes, and 3 medium carrots, cubed. Add a few stalks of broccoli, then cover with hot water and bring to a boil. Add pepper to taste, and 1-2 cups of brown rice. For good measure, you can also add a good quality doggy vitamin supplement. Your dog is sure to love this simple recipe.

To get your dog used to a new pet food, begin by mixing a larger and larger amount of it into his old food every mealtime. Don't forget that there are ingredients we use in human meals that are harmful or toxic to dogs, including chocolate, garlic and onions, mushrooms and grapes and raisins. Bones can also get caught in a dog's digestive tract, while too much salt can lead to kidney problems.

More pet food recipes can be researched on the internet and pet nutrition books. Soon both you and your pet will become accustomed to eating healthy, balanced diets, and you will see improvements in his coat and temperament. Cooking for your pet may not be as easy as feeding commercial food, your pet will thank you for his healthy diet, cooked with love.

A writer of dog food ratings for internet publications, Melinda Smith and her several cats and dogs are advocates of educated choice when it comes to pet food and nutrition. Homemade dog food and organic and natural diets are often the best ways to eliminate nutritional problems in our favorite pets and informed choices can help to keep our pets healthy and happy for many years to come.