Read time: 4 mins
21 Dec 2019
It's true that cooking for ourselves is healthier than living on ready meals or takeaways, because it lets us see exactly what’s gone into our food. Which raises the question, is home cooked dog food the best option for your pooch?
You might be making your pup’s meals from scratch because they’re fussy eaters, or have an illness that means they need a special diet. Or you may just want them to have the best nutrition possible – without funny ingredients that don't sound much like foodstuffs. We get it. Butternut Box started that way, with co-founder Dave Nolan and his family carefully cooking meals to nurse their flatulent rescue dog, Rudie, back to health.
The Nolans were a dedicated bunch (Dave's family, that is, not the '70s girl group), but not everyone has the time for dog-food gastronomy or the talents of Pawl Hollywood (oh, good grief) in the kitchen. Plus, there's a lot of nutritional know-how to catch up on.
By choosing Butternut Box, you can have the best of all worlds. Healthy food cooked as you would at home, a balanced diet and reliably clean bowls. How come?
Home-made dog food sounds like a great idea for loving pet parents who want the highest-quality chow for their four-legged family members. However, pooches can't eat the same stuff we do and their nutritional needs are very different. Certain human food can be really bad for them. Fatty products like bacon or meat trimmings, for example, can cause painfully upset tummies and farts fit to clear a room. So you can't just dish out a dollop of whatever you're having for your dog.
You need to make sure whatever you feed your pup delivers the balance they need for pricked ears and waggy tails. This includes both soluble and insoluble fibre to maintain bowel health and keep poos popping out perfectly.
Butternut Box is an ideal alternative to DIY dog meals, as they're cooked gently from scratch (just as you'd like to at home), using quality ingredients your pooch can digest. No nasties get anywhere near it. Each recipe is packed with tasty things including high-fibre lentils, 60% meat and plenty of delicious veg. Our expert team of vets and animal nutritionists have looked beyond taste, though. They've delved into all the complexities of nutrition to create meals that are freshly cooked and perfectly complete (going above and beyond European Pet Food Industry – FEDIAF – requirements). Managing this, if you were cooking for your dog at home, would be a tough call.
So we know human food isn’t always right for pups and can knock your dog's diet off kilter. The Kennel Club recognizes that getting the balance right is one of the trickiest challenges a pet parent faces. It's recommended that you pick a trusted, complete dog food so that your four-legged family member is getting all the vital nutrients. The approval of a qualified, expert nutritionist is vital.
At Butternut Box we have a team of nutritionists who do all the science stuff to create recipes that are totally balanced. They have all the vitamins and good stuff that your four-legged family member needs to flourish. Plus, our in-house team has (quite literally) tried and tested every meal, so deliciousness is assured too. Forget about your dog eating your meals, you could eat theirs. Not that they want to share.
While you know what goes into dog food cooked at home, it's hard to be sure that you're delivering the perfect calorie count. Unknowingly using high-calorie ingredients might result in chubbiness.
Butternut Box meals start with your dog in mind. Our nifty algorithm crunches your pup’s information (not as painful as it sounds) including their age, breed, body condition and activity level. Then, with a bit of computer whizz-bangery, it works out the correct calories for their needs. This helps us create perfectly portioned pouches for your furry friend to savour.
So if you’re looking for dog's dinners as good as you'd cook at home, give Butternut Box a go. Just remember to make any changes gradually and always stand back from the bowl. There might be a stampede.