Cooking dog food at home (terrier, vet, stomach, skin)
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Last year during the dreaded pet food poisoning outbreak, I feed my dogs (2 Yellow Lab) some of the contaminated food. Yes, I poisoned my dogs! I swore from that point on that I would never let this happen again. I have been cooking for our boys for almost a year and a half now. They love it!
It seems to me that they think they are receiving people food (they watch me cook their food in the same manner as I cook our food) which makes them think I am sharing people food with them.
I brown ground chuck and then drain and rinse the meat. While the meat is browning, I prepare brown rice (as this is the main ingredient). Then I steam some veggies for them (typically, I will use carrots, green beans, peas, spinach). Next I cut apples into tiny little squares. I add a bit of EVOO to the drained and rinsed meat and mix well.
I take all the ingredients and mix them all together. Then I store the finished product in the frige within large tupperware containers. They LOVE it!
However, just to be sure that they are receiving all of the nutrients they require, I pick up vitiams for them at the vet. They are inexpensive (about $6 for a one month supply for one dog) and I know that they are healthy and happy. When I give them their vitiams every morning (along with GC & Fish Oil) they think they are receiving treats, not suppliments.
I find myself preparing their food a couple times a week which only takes an hour total. It is worth it to me to know what it is that they are eating. Never again will I allow CHINA to harm my babies.
Does anyone have any other receipes to pass along? For cookies maybe?
Location: The Frenchie Farm, Where We Grow 'em Big!
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I dry out chicken. I cut into little strips. Place them in a non-stick tray. And place the oven at 200. About 2 1/2 hours later, let it cool, and then TA-DA...chicken strip treats. They go CRAZY!
I use liver, chicken, beef. They go crazy for chicken the most.
My dogs get special home cooked meals pretty often too! They love brown rice and chicken with steamed string beans and carrots. I do not mix in any fruits. But when I cut up fruit for myself they all get there share. Most of them eat pineapple, cantelope, apple, peaches occasionally and pears. My one dog even loves a small dish of salad...minus the dressing!
If you search Sam I Am's post, she has a very good raw diet. I try to learn from her. At this point, all the vegetables and fruits are blended raw together with a food processor (just like her). All the chicken, beef meat and liver are boiled at this point and will gradually reduce the time of cooking to achieve raw. I am totally lost regarding all sorts of supplements. Here what I am using. Since I am only feeding her meat (no bone), I add some steamed bone meal as Calcium supplement. Our holistic vet has suggested some other supplement like Kelp for minerals. He also has given me something to boost her immunosystem since she is sick right now. I am doing everything very slowly since my GSD has a very sensitive stomach.
I almost lost my dog a few years ago due to tainted dog food. I didn't ever realize it as I thought I was buying the best. Then I watched a vet on tv who said that most commercial dog food is poison. I then began to prepare my dogs food at home and he recovered nicely. Now, two years later he is fourteen and unfortunately has kidney insufficiency but is still doing OK. As I got involved with kidney failure groups I was amazed to see how many dogs of all ages, especially young dogs, have kidney failure. I believe this kidney failure epidemic is caused by commercial foods. If you really care about your pet I suggest you look into the product/s you are feeding your pet.
It only takes me a half hour to make his food that lasts 3-4 days and costs a little less than a quality dog food.
Don
I began cooking for my dogs during that big dog food scare too. I have two Wire Fox Terriers (8 years) with itchy skin and pancreatic problems, a Jack Russell Terrier and a new puppy who’s 11 weeks (mutt). I make a large batch of food every Sunday and it lasts the whole week. I do give the puppy some Royal Canin puppy kibble too and they all get vitamin supplements and Salmon oil.[/font]
Ever since I have been cooking for the Terriers, they have had no itchy skin and no tummy problems at all. I have cut back on the rice though because Magnus, the JRT is a little chunky...
I vary the meat in my recipe depending on what’s on sale of if I happen to get a salmon from a relative (they love fish)
1 large chicken or 4-5 lbs of chicken parts
1 pound chicken or beef liver
2 cups brown rice
½ C oats
2 eggs beaten
½ cup powdered milk
3 cups mixed vegetables like carrots, zucchini, green beans
¼ cup chopped parsley
9 cups water
Method:
Bring to boil and simmer chicken or turkey in a large pot for 3 to 4 hours until the meat falls off the bones. Remove chicken bones when cool, leave the skin and gristle.
Chop up the chicken, chop the liver and add both meats back to the water.
Add the rice, oats, eggs, powdered milk, veggies and parsley and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes. I then let it cool and pack into one large container for the first few days and freeze the rest in smaller containers that can be thawed out later in the week. I sprinkle a half teaspoon of the supplement mix below on their food in the morning and a squirt of salmon oil at night. I feed my small dogs ½ cup of this morning and night (less for the puppy) and they maintain their weight, have shiny coats and LOVE their food. I also make my own doggie treats, have many fun recipes for these as well if anyone is interested. This saves us a lot of money and I know exactly what they are eating. Supplement Mix
1 cup brewer's yeast
1 cup wheat germ
1/8 cup powdered kelp
Phoebe123, I would love to hear some more of your receipes. Please list a few as I promise to try them all!
Don, You are absolutely correct. I even heard somewhere that the big dog food companies used parts of other dogs in their dog food products! I am not sure if this is a fact or not but I am not taking any chances when it is so easy to cook at home and know for certain what it is they are consuming.
We went to homemade food after one of our past GSDs came down with Degenerative Myelopathy. The general recipe consists of the following:
Ground turkey and/or whole chicken
Pinto beans
Brown rice
Mixed vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans
The turkey is cooked and the chicken is usually boiled and deboned. The pinto beans are an added source of protein. I start with dry, soak them and usually cook them in a chicken broth. The veggies are added raw and are shredded or chopped up with the food processor. The mixture is roughly 50% protein, 25% rice and 25% veggies. I usually make a big batch and freeze meal sized portions. I supplement with Missing Link, a digestive aid and bone meal. Everything is human grade, so you could eat it with them.
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Cooking dog food at home
