Home Made Meals

[DanteandMolly]

We have just recently opted to try making our dogs food rather than buying tinned dog food. We were noticing that they were having rather runny bowl movements after eating particular tinned brands. So far they are enjoying cooked dinners and are having more solid bowl movements that don't smell as much. We keep on a budget and were wondering what are some of the best things to include are, things to avoid, things that will benefit their health and coat and just stories from your experiences.

I have been reading about raw diets but our two have been brought up on tinned food, the occasional cooked meal and the occasional chicken neck dinner, they also have a dry food breakfast and dry food mixed with whatever's for dinner. They enjoy everything.....

So would love to hear some recipes, experiences and dos and don'ts.

(They are big breeds and are between 18 months and 2 years)

Thanks in advance!

:)

[persephone]

Good news you are enough to make your dogs' food . Tinned food , most of it is water ..so not terribly full of nutrition. :) Dogs mainly need meat - muscle and organ - offal , bone . Some veg /egg/yoghurt/fish, can be added .Dogs do not need the cheap fillers , rice/pasta/bread /bran. cooking food destroys a lot of the enzymes/vitamins in food 9which is why tinned food has it added afterwards ;) hicken necks are not the best for larger dogs - no chewing value ..and there is some danger of chocking . lamb flaps / pelvis & neck /backbones sold by supermarkets might be better :)

[DanteandMolly]

Good news you are enough to make your dogs' food . Tinned food , most of it is water ..so not terribly full of nutrition. :) Dogs mainly need meat - muscle and organ - offal , bone . Some veg /egg/yoghurt/fish, can be added .Dogs do not need the cheap fillers , rice/pasta/bread /bran. cooking food destroys a lot of the enzymes/vitamins in food 9which is why tinned food has it added afterwards ;) hicken necks are not the best for larger dogs - no chewing value ..and there is some danger of chocking . lamb flaps / pelvis & neck /backbones sold by supermarkets might be better :)

Thanks :)

[Kirislin]

I used to cook my dogs food into a loaf that smelt pretty good. I've changed now and feed cooked veggies but the meat is now raw so I do a big cook up of the veggies similar to what I used to do. Freeze it into meal size portions and defrost to add the evenings raw mince and stir it through. They like it but I think they liked it cooked better.

I used to buy what ever veggies were on special if I could, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, leafy greens, celery and a cabbage type veg that was added at the very end so it was almost raw, they love raw cabbage. I also put split peas, rice, garlic and rosemary (from my garden) in.

[Stitch]

Or you could buy frozen/ready made BARF....all you have to do is defrost it.

Brands include...Leading Raw...Big Dog...Dr.Billinghursts.

They are not expensive unless you are feeding a BIG dog, they are balanced and dogs love them.

Benefits include small poos, shiny coats and you don't have to prepare it!

[sas]

2 Books:

Dr. Becker's Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats Cookbook

http://products.mercola.com/healthypets/real-food-for-healthy-dogs-and-cats-cookbook/

CANINE NUTRIGENOMICS - THE NEW SCIENCE OF FEEDING YOUR DOG FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH

by W. Jean Dodds, DVM & Diana Laverdure

http://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DN334