Being pet parents of such adorable little beings, one of the crucial decisions of our lives revolves around the food requirements of our bubs. There is no way we would settle for anything less than the best and most nutritious diet plan for our pets. Depending on our resources, requirements, notion of health benefits, and time on our hands to spare for our pets, we choose between homemade and store-bought foods and treats.
While we try our best to offer food that we believe is the best in terms of required nutrients and make an informed decision after learning about the ingredients and nutrients the food offers, we often get stuck when it comes to choosing between homemade food and treats and store-bought ones. Each of these choices has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. In this blog, we have tried to compile all the information that you need to be aware of before carefully choosing your cherished companion as per your suitability.
The Case for Homemade Dog Foods, Cat Foods, and Treats
Cooking food for the pet seems like a better idea to some pet parents, as they are convinced that these are filled with more nutrition as compared to packaged store food. Plus, this enables you to offer fresh food to your pets and you can also give them more variety of food with different tastes. This ensures that your pet is not bored of eating food of the same flavour. Given below are some of the benefits and complications related to homemade pet foods.
Pros of Homemade Dog Foods and Treats
- Gives You a Choice of Ingredients:
One of the most significant plus points of offering homemade dog food or cat food is that it gives you control over what ingredients to use and the quality you incorporate. You can handpick high-quality, organic, and locally sourced components, ensuring your pet’s dietary needs are met.
- Ability to Customize:
Preparing homemade food or treats for your pet offers the flexibility to tailor recipes to suit your dog’s preferences and dietary restrictions, if any. You can personally customize the food or treat such that it is what your pet loves and at the same time, is safe for them, devoid of any ingredient that they might be allergic to.
- Goodness of Fresh Food:
Now it’s not a point we need to make a case for, is it? We all know that if it is homemade, it would be fresh, and devoid of additives or preservatives. If you have a pet with food sensitivity or a sensitive appetite or stomach, homemade food is the best idea.
- Gives that Precious Bonding Time
Did you know that preparing food for your little bubs at home can be a fun and rewarding activity that would help you further strengthen your bond with your pet? You can involve your furball during the activity, and with them having a slight idea that they are soon to be fed, it would serve as a great way to get you closer and spend quality time with your four-legged friend.
Cons of Homemade Dog Foods and Treats
- Needs Fair Share of Time From Your Daily Schedule:
If you are preparing food or treats at home, it can undoubtedly be pretty time-consuming, even more so if you have a busy schedule. It is not always possible to have enough hours to dedicate to cooking or baking food and treats for your pet regularly. Offering homemade food requires ample dedication, time, and discipline. Before you decide on opting for homemade food for your pet, make sure you can commit to it.
- Storage:
Homemade food being free from additives and preservatives is a plus point, but at the same time, it results in shorter shelf time of the food as compared to store-bought pet treats and food. Thus, in the case of homemade food, proper storage is essential to prevent spoilage and maintain freshness.
Homemade Cat Treats and Foods
Homemade cat treats and foods offer similar benefits to those for dog treats. If you prepare food for your kitty at home, it would allow you to control ingredients, their quality and quantity- to ensure that they align with your cat’s specific requirements. You can carefully select the ingredients to create hypoallergenic treats and food for your cat that wouldn’t trigger adverse reactions in your pet.
The Convenience of Store-Bought Pet Treats
While homemade dog foods might offer the goodness of fresh ingredients, store-bought foods are so much more commodious, and if purchased carefully, offer just the right amount of nutrients as per the age, breed, weight, and category of your pet.
As per the price and ingredients used, different store-bought dog foods might offer nutrients in varied amounts. However, with proper research and knowledge of your pet’s requirements, you can ensure that you conveniently add all the nutrients to your pet’s diet.
Pros of Store-Bought Dog Food or Cat Food
- The Factor of Convenience:
One of the major factors behind pet parents preferring store-bought pet treats and food over homemade dog foods and treats is that the former is readily available at their disposal. These are extremely convenient and all you have to do is pick them up during your regular grocery shopping and serve them to your pet without additional cooking or preparation. The portion recommendations on the packages also make it easier for you to manage your pet’s calorie intake.
- Presence of Variety:
When it comes to dog treats or cat treats offered by commercial manufacturers, you would come across a wide range of flavours, sizes, and textures, catering to various pet preferences. Whether your pet prefers crunchy biscuits or chewy treats, getting options as per their preference is one less thing that you’d have to worry about.
- Lasts Longer:
One of the plus points of using pet treats from the store is that you wouldn’t have to worry about them going bad within a day or two. These are designed to have a longer shelf-life due to the presence of preservatives, which makes them convenient for storage.
Cons of Store-Bought Pet Treats
- Lack of Transparency in Terms of Ingredients:
One of the significant concerns with store-bought pet treats is the lack of transparency regarding ingredients. Some treats may contain fillers, artificial additives, or low-quality proteins that may not be ideal for your pet’s health.
- Allergies and Sensitivities:
Store-bought treats may not cater to specific dietary restrictions or allergies your pet may have. This could lead to adverse reactions or digestive issues.
Choose What’s Best for Your Pet
While there are several people who would choose one or the other, and the debate would never end when it comes to which one of the two is better, there is no hard and fast rule. You have to analyze what suits best for you and your pet’s needs and choose accordingly. The best choice depends on your pet’s specific needs, your schedule, and your willingness to invest time and effort into preparing treats. Regardless of your decision, the most important thing is to shower your furry friend with love, care, and the occasional tasty treat.
