What Can I Feed Our Dogs Tonight?

[haylz27]

Our financial situation isn't the best right now. We don't even have a few dollars to buy a can of dog food; it's been horrible lately.

So what's something that I could feed them? We have rice and other bits and pieces in the cupboard.

Any suggestions? We have pasta too... is that good for dogs?

[aj2251]

Pasta is fine for dogs, do you have any plain tuna or sardines in the cupboard? Freezer burnt meat? Cooked rice is ok too. A bag of dog bones from the butcher is usually only $2.

I hope that helps and I hope things turn around for you.

[SchnauzerBoy]

I would stay away from rice and pasta as these tend to be fillers and aren't too good for them. You can feed them small amounts if you have to.

What are breeds are the dogs and how long until your financial situation improves?

You can always go to the local butchers and get cheap offcuts, chicken frames ($1 each), chicken necks ($4 per kg), stuff from supermarkets about to hit useby dates that are reduced (lamb flaps, lamb shanks etc) and you can end up feeding them quite well.

If you are lucky Leonards and other butchers might have cheap chicken mince, or a pet shop might have some :D

I'd get a bag of quality kibble for morning meals and maybe uncocked bone based foods for dinner. Still balanced and away from some of the tinned expensive foods. Occasionally we give ours a mydog, which are about $1 each too :D

[stormie]

Rice is fine for an 'emergency meal' - it's quite digestible and used on dogs with sensitive stomachs for a reason. I'd use the rice over the pasta.

I've occasionally been caught without meat and just cooked up some rice and cracked a couple of eggs into it for a tasty, quick, filling meal. Not something I'd recommend for more than a few days, but if you're looking not spend any money and use what you have, rice is perfect. :D

[Gayle.]

I'd use the rice and do what Stormie suggests and add some eggs, also if you've got some carrots, zucchini or apples, grate them in too.

[haylz27]

I just checked and yes we do have a few cans of tuna in the cupboard. Found it stashed right at the back. That should be enough until tomorrow, they don't eat very much.

Indi is a beagle x and Coco is a Jack Russell.

Thanks guys. :D It's been pretty difficult lately, considering our car rego has just ran out today as well. It's just one thing after another but we will get by. :D

Edit: Gayle, we do have some veggies; I might grate some up like you suggested as well.

Edited June 16, 2010 by haylz27

[Golden Rules]

Yep, rice and any leftovers.

Also porridge goes down a treat especially if it's slightly warm :D

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

If I was really skint, I'd be feeding my dog dry dog food from the supermarket eg she likes supercoat, though I prefer to give her nutro natural choice or maybe artemis...

And I'd supplement that with carrots.

And if you can afford to buy in bulk - eg a 15kg bag from Big W - it's much cheaper per serve. Do read the serving size suggestions. You can feed 1/3 less than recommended if your dog(s) is desexed.

And if I could trust my dog with bones, I'd be feeding those too - from the butcher.

It's not too hard to make your own version of tinned food too, mine has 1kg of meat (the cheapest I can get human grade), 3 carrots and some sweet potato, bran, oats, and 1 cup of cooked brown rice. And it lasts about a week for a 22kg dog - with a half serve of dry food each night. There's loads of recipes out there. Find one to suit your budget.

http://www.2ndchance.info/homemadediets.htm

I bet there are recipes in here somewhere.

[poodlefan]

A few basic meals won't hurt.

Rice with tuna, veggies and a stock cube?

Vegemite on toast? (my dogs would line up for that)

Cereal and milk

Or leftovers from your meal and some rice or pasta.

Edited June 16, 2010 by poodlefan

[persephone]

Rice and tuna is fine - I wouldn't use a stock cube because most tuna is in brine anyway and dogs don't need very much salt .. But that and a few grated cooked veges is fine short term

Do you have a friendly butcher? he may well give you a bag of bones 'on credit'

[Danois]

Maybe try contacting MDBA Pacers for some help? They might be able to help out with some food for them.

[Ons]

yoghurt on kibble

my butcher sells frozen pet mince for $2.00 a kilo, I put it in my saucepan/slow cooker with no brand frozen vegies, water, stock cube if I have one, garlic and dried herbs and used to add pasta/rice but they are all on diets so this now gets left out. This lasts with their kibble 3 nights and they are 2 big dogs and 1 medium dog. Also butchers sell bones cheaply if you ask.

[Odin-Genie]

And if you can afford to buy in bulk - eg a 15kg bag from Big W - it's much cheaper per serve. Do read the serving size suggestions. You can feed 1/3 less than recommended if your dog(s) is desexed.

Do desexed dogs need less nourishment? I haven't heard that before.

[Aziah]

And if you can afford to buy in bulk - eg a 15kg bag from Big W - it's much cheaper per serve. Do read the serving size suggestions. You can feed 1/3 less than recommended if your dog(s) is desexed.

Do desexed dogs need less nourishment? I haven't heard that before.

They tend to put weight on more easily than an entire dog/bitch, I have two desexed girls at home and I'm constantly adjusting their meal size to ensure they remain at a healthy weight; they eat much less than their entire housemates

[sas]

MDBA Pacers would be a great help for you, have you heard of them before?

http://www.mdbapacers.org.au/

[Gayle.]

Just for future reference, there's an excellent kibble called Uncle Albers, which is about $30 for a huge bag. My dogs had it for a while and did really well on it. Dusty has developed a bit of a sensitivity to too much raw (she vomits it straight back up) so I might very well put her back on this.

Also, a lot of breeders feed a kibble called Woofbix from Big W. It's also not expensive but they are feeding their show dogs on it and it's apparently very good.

[haylz27]

Thank you Gayle, I will keep my eyes open. :D

[JulesP]

You ok haylz27?

[Lowenhart]

Aldi sell 4kg of "Julius" dry food for about $8 - $9. They also sell bigger bags of dry food pretty cheap as well. I know the 4kg bags have no colouring/dyes and while not the best out there, it's not bad. I feed it on occasion to my dogs and they don't suffer on it.

[claireybell]

My teo regularly get mackeral in oil for their dinner with some vegies. I buy the home brand tin from safeway and its about $1.80 a can. i have a beagle X and a cocker spaniel.

Out of interest is your beagle and beagle X cocker?