Who Cooks for their dogs?

[Little Monster]

I am finally getting close! I have been at it for months. I am going to toss out the dry and canned dog food and cook for my dogs (and the cats, of course)! I am very excited about this big change! I have done a lot of homework and really thought about this and I am sure this is something I want to do. I would love to have someone who is doing this or has done this in the past as a guide and resource for questions. So if you have cooked for your dogs or are currently cooking for your dogs, respond to this! I don't want anyone to confuse this with the RAW or the BARF diet. That is a bridge I don't want to cross right now. I want to cook meat, carbs and chop veggies, balance it and supplement it to make sure they get all they need. I am in the market for a chest freezer and plan to buy some goats here in the next few weeks. I am trying to only feed "Happy Meat." That is, animals that were happy before they died: free range, pasture raised, happy and healthy. This research has made me reevaluate what I feed me and my husband, too. I am also hoping this will help my poor cooking - my dogs aren't critics by any means, but practice makes perfect I guess!

 

[leelee]

Fantastic! I homecooked for about a year before going to raw. I would use brown rice, or oatmeal (raw soaked overnight) food process veggies and partially cook meat. I also supplemented with bone meal and a mutivitimin and or Kelp (great trace minerals). If you have any bulk food stores around I would use that for the rice or oats. I got mine through my local co-op they would order it for me in 25# bags which saved some money and the constant trips to the store! Once you start homecooking you realize you are feeding your dogs FOOD and you want to kick yourself for feeding kibble all those years! At least that happend to me, not knocking anyone who feeds kibble. But then you go hmmm maybe I'll do somemore research and next thing you know your feeding RAW! YIKES!

 

[Little Monster]

Great idea on the bulk grains!! I did some calculating and I am gonna have to feed my Corso 2400 calories a day! Holy smokes! I need any discount I can get, without, of course, loosing quality. I just ordered my meat scale on Amazon today and still haven't settled on the freezer I want. Because I am not feeding raw, I wont be feeding bones, what did you do for dental health? Right now I brush their teeth twice a day (yes- I am crazy ) Do you think that will be enough to keep their pearly whites pearly and white? Do you supplement probiotics? I am hoping once they are on a wholesome diet I wont need them anymore. What % balance do you use meat/carb/veggie? Thanks!!!!

 

[leelee]

You know honestly, I never measured anything and I have three English mastiffs. I used to do equal parts rice (or grain) to equal parts meat and then give like maybe 25% vegetables. You can always ajust as needed. I have never ever brushed my dogs teeth! I've also had Rottweilers and never have had any problems. They do or did love to eat raw carrots and broccoli stalks maybe that helped? I do know that my newest rescue had horrible brown teeth but since he's been on raw they are white as can be! So you know if brushing works for you keep it up! You may notice a change for the better though once you start cooking for them. As for supplements, I happen to be a big fan. I do supplement with fish oil and kelp. Probiotics are always good as well as digestive enzymes. Over time you will just start slapping stuff together and will know by body condition whether your feeding to much or not enough. It's not as hard as it seems

 

[acoz47]

Yes I have always cooked for my dogs boiled chicken, turkey, salmon, beef with boiled carrots, potatoes, yams', celery, apples etc. Mix and match the ground turkey is very affordable they love it most all the time this is only the last meal of the day. They start the day with Orijen large breed kibble. As far as the mix I try different combinations all the time. They do not like oatmeal they dont like rice they dont like plain yogurt but it is good for them so they get it anyway. They prefer dehydrated fruit better than fresh mostly bannana chips.

 

[Little Monster]

I am currently feeding Orijen 6 Fish and canned Wellness Core, Evangers canned meats and occasionally some canned Evo. They love it! I am trying to do a food trial for my Corso to see if he has food allergies. They aren't that bad, he mostly just has some runny eyes and is itchy. So I decided to start with Goat, relatively inexpensive (compared to feeding Venison, Goose, or Rabbit at almost 3 pounds of meat a day!!) and he's never had it. I used to cook for them and add it into their food, like a kibble topper. I tried to balance it but didn't supplement it. They pretty much like everything, but the canned fish gave my pitty the runs. They seem to really like Quinoa and sweet potatoes. I was thinking of going with the Orijen theme of 80% meat 20% carbs and veggies. What ratio are you using acoz47? I didn't always boil everything, I like to bake food, slow cook food, simmer it in my Dutch Oven, and sometimes boil it. It just depends on my mood! The Crock Pot works out well if I cook the meat with the grain so the grain tastes like the meat, then they extra love it. As far as supplements go, leelee, I am pretty sure I am going to do the kelp, fish oil and probiotics. I really haven't looked into the digestive enzymes... maybe I should! Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[DancertheMastiff]

okay some one has to teach me this new way of feeding..im game to learn as i just got my mastiff and right now im feeding nutra nuggets,its chicken and rice and lamb kibble.. no corn no wheat... dancer seems to like it but my friend who owns Blue feeds him Royal Canin and raw buffalo burger..1 cup a night of burger...

so whats your guys idea too feed my mastiff..

 

[Little Monster]

I haven't yet entered the world of cooking for my dogs yet, but am very excited! Being that I am a sciencey nerd, I am looking at cooking from that point of view and am taking the balancing, supplementing and preparation seriously. I have some books I can recommend if you wanted to read up on it. The way I look at feeding dogs is there are 3 main categories: feeding dry or canned dog food, cooked food or raw food. Some people to combinations of all of them or two of them. In each of those categories there are sub categories. For example: Some people that feed raw feed raw meat with bones, raw meat without bones, raw meat only, raw meat with vegetables and carbs etc. In my personal opinion (granted - not from experience) if someone isn't interested in balance and supplements, they should probably stick with a super premium dog food, a dog can get into trouble if not fed correctly and it doesn't get all the nutrition it needs.

 

[acoz47]

40/60 MEAT / VEGETABLES I cut the vegies small or they get pushed to the side.

I am currently feeding Orijen 6 Fish and canned Wellness Core, Evangers canned meats and occasionally some canned Evo. They love it! I am trying to do a food trial for my Corso to see if he has food allergies. They aren't that bad, he mostly just has some runny eyes and is itchy. So I decided to start with Goat, relatively inexpensive (compared to feeding Venison, Goose, or Rabbit at almost 3 pounds of meat a day!!) and he's never had it. I used to cook for them and add it into their food, like a kibble topper. I tried to balance it but didn't supplement it. They pretty much like everything, but the canned fish gave my pitty the runs. They seem to really like Quinoa and sweet potatoes. I was thinking of going with the Orijen theme of 80% meat 20% carbs and veggies. What ratio are you using acoz47? I didn't always boil everything, I like to bake food, slow cook food, simmer it in my Dutch Oven, and sometimes boil it. It just depends on my mood! The Crock Pot works out well if I cook the meat with the grain so the grain tastes like the meat, then they extra love it. As far as supplements go, leelee, I am pretty sure I am going to do the kelp, fish oil and probiotics. I really haven't looked into the digestive enzymes... maybe I should! Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[DancertheMastiff]

okay thank you.. i use to raise purebred horses and other breeds of dogs.. but i know Blues owner feed him royal canin and buffalo meat [raw] and he is shiny and healthy.. all dogs have different needs so i was just wondering as my EM well i want to make sure she gets all her nurtional needs... since it works for my friends dog blue then i will probably try it on dancer.. thank you for the advice...P.S ive always wanted a english Mastiff and i waited along time to get one and i was given her last week so ii want to make sure she iis and stays healthy.. anyways thank you again

 

[mia]

Great book: Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, I got some recipes from it for my old MinPin that just passed, the thought of cooking for a mastiff overwhelms me but I would do it of course if needed.

 

[Little Monster]

I love that book! I own it and have all the recipes!!

 

[J-Varns]

Are you worried about feeding them raw meat? I know there are tapeworm eggs in right around 82% of store bought meat.

 

[monkeys23]

The beef I feed (raw) we raised and it was wormed several times during its life. No hormones or antibiotics. And treated right.

Obviously I don't cook their food, but I just discovered that my PP trainer cooks for his dogs. They are the most drop dead gorgeous, well bred Malinois... He said mostly chicken, brown rice, and veggies, etc. Sometimes beef, but he likes the chicken better.