Home Made Dog Food

[Beverley S. LaLonde]

Anyone making their own dog food? Bev & Harlee

[Beverley S. LaLonde]

Well at present Harlee and Chloe are on Canidae for Life Chicken & Rice & Lamb & Rice. I pre cook vegs.,Broccoli,Cauliflower and carrot then I add cooked chicken breast to their kibble. Of course raw Ban, apples, I share pop corn in evening with them. Bev

[Kathy Wilson]

Bananas? How cool! And something I'd never thought of to feed a dog. My late, great cat, Ruby Louise Brown, ate anything but citrus. She LOVED cooked green beans and zuccini!

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

My std poodle, Magic died during the 2007 dog food recalls and I have been home cooking ever since. Below is the way I do it and have shared this on several forums and thought I'd copy it here:
I really don't have a single recipe. When I first started, I got some dog food cookbooks off Amazon.com and downloaded some recipes from a Google search. Since, through trial and error, I've simplified my regimen considerably. A book that really helped was Dr. Pitcairns, Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. Here’s what I do:

I buy the big bag of Frozen Chicken Tenders at Costco and bake them to 3/4 done (they cook more on the pan), then in a big pot I put about a cup of Organic Chicken Broth and cook some red rice with lentils (Royal Blend Texmati Brand is what I use). You could use brown rice, too. When mostly done, I steam different veggies, sometimes blueberries, sometimes crazins (dried cranberry raisin like things, don't feed raisins) sometimes I'll add an apple chopped up, pumpkin or some seeds or nuts. I add plain oatmeal or flax seed and sometimes Ill change to the brown or red rice and lentils. Basically, my recipe changes every week with some similarities.

Usually on a Sunday, I cook dog food (once a week and ziplock bag and freeze). About every other month, I'll cook up some stew beef and salmon or other oily fish added to the chicken or liver. I use ground turkey and some ground beef occasionally. I did pork once, mixed into the chx tenders, lamb is expensive so I only did that one time, what ever is on sale I buy. I always give daily supplement, cod liver or salmon oil every other day and I started adding bone meal, yogurt or cottage cheese a couple days a week. I also bought The Missing Link Superfood Supplement and Solid Gold SeaMeal Supplement that I separately (1/2 tsp) add once a week. They include natural plant enzymes.

It might sound like a lot but it takes me about an hour to cook, cut up and bag each week. The kids even help. When I shop for the family, I shop for the dogs, too. I also split 1, 13oz can of Innova Evo 95% Meat Dog Food, Natures Logic, Merrick Before Grain, Canidae or other premium dog food between 3 dogs every other day or so. I leave Premium Grade dry food out all day and they will pick on that here and there (I use Innova Evo Red Meat Small Bites). I have never had a problem with overeating. I got a dehydrator for Xmas last year so every month or so I use a bag of chx tenders to make jerky. The doods go crazy for them.

I read several articles while I was doing my research that made a lot of sense. They said that before the 1960's or so when dog food was created, dogs ate what the family ate or they hunted their meal. Dogs are carnivores. They ate different things every day. They didn't seek out anything other than meat. The only grains or fruits would be in the stomachs of their preys. And while there is a yuck factor to allowing my dogs to go out hunting, I try to match it to some extent. Dogs don’t do well on large amounts of corn, which is a cheap ingredient the food companies add to keep costs down.

They didn't eat corn or rice or wheat (gluten, drugs, etc) and they lived to 18, 20 or more. If people ate the same thing every day for years on end they would get sick of it and if they ate some of the crap that has been put into dog foods over the years, our life expectancy would be a lot lower. I have taken this to my dog feeding.

Much of the advice I have shared on DoodleKisses has been great advice and many more people are home cooking or feeding raw. I think, and I am really glad to see more pet owners take charge of the food they feed their dogs. I had absolutely no idea there was a problem with what I fed my dog until Magic died. Now, I research everything I buy

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Hi Lynne,
I am so sorry to hear about Magic.
Adrianne

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Thanks Adrianne. The point is, not to point out the loss of my beautiful dog, but to get others to research and think about what they feed their pets. Something I learned in the 2 years since the 2007 recall, is to question everything, regarding my dogs. From food to the forced vaccination schedules, I am to my dogs, now, like I was with my children when they were babies, THEIR VOICE. Just as my vet will do nothing without fully explaining and titering or testing before giving anything to my dogs. I will never trust commercial dog food companies to feed my dogs. There was just another Mars dog food recall, recently. So they have learned nothing. By homecooking or feeding raw, YOU ensure your dogs are fed properly.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

All of this is new to me - growing up dogs only got commercial food and we haven't had a dog in our home in 7 years.
For dinner, I cook for her what we eat - minus the seasonings. She loves ground lamb burgers and my chicken soup added to her kibble (I have been feeding her Royal Canin Large Breed Puppy since she came home with us). I want to switch her kibble but I am not sure to what. You have any suggestions?
What do you suggest as to NOT cook for them? Is pasta ok mixed in?
How do I know how much to feed her? She must be easily 60+ lbs by now. What supplements?
I feel like I did when when I brought my 1st daughter home from the hospital 27 years ago - totally dopey.
I really appreciate your help. I will do anything to keep Smantha with me for a long and healthy life.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Adrianne, There was a huge discussion here on DK, awhile back on dog food. Check in the discussions or search in discussions "Dog Food." Some amazing information came from many, many people in that discussion. As for me, I use Innova Evo Red Meat bites as my kibble. I free feed it and my three can graze whenever they like. Usually it's a few bites here and there. They have never overgorged after the first day or two when I first started it. For wet food, there are only a few things you should not feed to dogs: raisins, grapes, onions, too much garlic. Everything else is fair game. Two books that really helped me are Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Health for Dogs and Cats; and Dr. Messonnier's, Natural Health Bible for Dogs and Cats.

Another thing is to pay attention to recalls. Royal Canin is made by the Mars Petfood Company. They are the #1 culprits of the 2007 recalls that killed many dogs, including mine. They just had another (and have had several since the big recall) this past week for salmonella.

Cooking what you eat, is a good thing. You can even keep some of the seasonings in. They need some salt in their diet, they love garlic, parsley, mint is good for breath and gas, they like flavor, just like we do. I find it easier to make a big stew once a week then freeze in ziplok bags and defrost as needed.

As for supplements: fish oil is essential, a daily supplement is good, too. I use Taste of the Wild and Missing Link and Solid Gold SeaMeal. These I alternate between. My goal is balance over time rather than "Complete and Balanced" as the dog food companies try to convince us of. This is close to how a dog would eat in the wild. I give raw frozen marrow bones once a week so they get those nutrients (do it outside, it's messy).

Feeding pasta is fine, just not at every meal. A big dog does need carbs. But too much make us and them, fat. I use brown or red rice, lentils, oats and even some pasta at different times. Think of it like this. You wouldn't want to eat the same thing day after day, year after year. You would get sick of it and probably get sick, too.

And you HAVE TO view this as you did when you brought your children home from the hospital. It is a baby that is totally dependent on you to be his voice. Saying "trust no-one" is hard, but maybe "question everything" is better. Why does the vet recommend vaccination cocktails? They are just as dangerous to dogs as they are to kids. Do one at a time, why not? They are more cost effective for the vet, but are they better for our dogs? Titer before doing set schedules.

Food is the life link. Did you only give your baby formula for its whole life. No. You started adding rice cereal, apple sauce, this and that until now they eat everything and are weaned off the formula.

Sorry to get so long winded. This is a touchy subject for me since Magic died. Trust your instincts and you can't go wrong.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

You can never be too long winded for me. Isn't what this site is about - sharing? Stories, pictures, ideas, advice??

I really appreciate your advice. I just read your reply but already started working on it after I read your discussio this morning. I purchased for Samantha today Solid Gold - Wolf Cub (for large breed puppies) and already started weening her off the Royal Canine. I bought a small bag and if she tolerates it, I will stay with it. If not, I will find something she does.

I also made for her chicken, carrot and string bean soup. I gave it to her with the kibble which needless to say the kibble was last to be eaten.

Now I just have to figure out how much is the right amount. Trail and error is not the way to go - I am afraid of her getting fat. I think she has the lab tendency to get round. Do you have any idea how much you give your pups of cooked food? I will check into the books you recommneded.
Again, many, many thank you for your time.
Adrianne

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Jack is about 80 lbs and I give him about 1 1/2 cups of my homemade.
Ginger is about 45 lbs and I give her a little less than 1 cup.
Cody is about 25 lbs and I give him about 3/4 of a cup.

I think it all depends on wether you are free feeding dry or not. If you are, you can keep it to one meal a day. If not, then you should feed 2x a day. Like breakfast and dinner. Even then, I will sometimes give an egg for breakfast and some yogurt and fruit for lunch, then my stew for dinner.

The free feeding is really nice because after the first couple of days they settle down and only eat when hungry. I put about 2 cups of food out a day for the 3 dogs and there is still some left at the end of the day. The myth of a dog gorging is false and I have 3 dogs to prove it. To some extent it is about trial and error, because you need to figure out what works for you and your dog.

I have been feeding like this for almost two years now and have had no issues with weight, just watch that your not adding too much carbs and add more meat and you shouldn't have any problems. Those books will really help. Let me know how it goes.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

THANK YOU!!! Lots of research to do. See you later this morning????

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Hi Lynne,
Yesterday at the beach Samantha's stomach was pretty bad. Seems she didn't digest the carrots very well I cooked for her. I think I introduced too much too soon for her. So, I am on the right page but will take it slow. I am doing lots of reading and will incorporate this info into Samantha's well being.
Thanks again,
Adrianne

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Adrienne, carrots are high in natural sugar, try less veggies and more meat. Introduce new things like fruit, veggies and starches slowly. But meat should be highest %age ingredient. Samantha should be fine if you go slow.

It was fun at the beach yesterday. I am so glad we all got to meet. Sorry we couldn't talk more. If you need any further help, ask.