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FYI, You Can Make Dog Food In A Slow Cooker

You just need a little guidance, and your vet's approval.
Hispanic businesswoman feeding dog
Hill Street Studios via Getty Images
Hispanic businesswoman feeding dog

Any reader of Michael Pollan knows this to be true: "If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't." Eating fresh, home-cooked meals isn't only better for your health, it's better for your life.

And the same applies to your dog.

Why should you feed your pet unknown ingredients in canned dog food when you can make something delicious yourself? You'd have more control over the nutrients, with the same emotional benefits of sharing a meal with your pet that you'd have with a human.

The following infographic from Breeder Retriever shows some basic guidelines for using your slow cooker to make dog food, one layer at a time.

But we have to urge you to use caution: this is a formula, not a recipe. A 2013 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that most homemade dog food -- even recipes created by veterinarians -- rarely provided dogs with a complete set of the essential nutrients that meet established canine health standards.

"Homemade food is a great option for many pets, but we recommend that owners avoid general recipes from books and the Internet and instead consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist,” said Jennifer Larsen, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at UC Davis and lead author on the study. “These specialists have advanced training in nutrition to help formulate customized and nutritionally appropriate recipes.”

So use this infographic as a guide (click here to enlarge) -- and then show it to a veterinary nutritionist to get their thoughts about which ingredients are best for your pet. Then let your dog feast like a king.

Breeder Retriever