Question for dog-owners

ReenieHJ

I've been researching home-made dog foods/vitamins, etc. for my 2 dogs. I just don't trust any of the hard dry stuff and what they put in it anymore. So I go searching for recipes, books info, and get even more confused by it all. Does anyone have trusted resources for this?
One of my dogs is bothered terribly by allergies, she gets monthly injections. Vet recommended that I feed her Purina Pro Plan sensitive skin and stomach. Maybe a month in and I see no difference. If anything, she's now licking her paws more(could be the season change effects).

I can call my vet again but would probably have to go see her and rack up another high bill for another recommendation that'd be a fail.

Pleading for help.

beagletracks

The owner of this store is very knowledgeable and generous with her knowledge. Her name is Robyn. I highly recommend contacting her for advice.

https://hammershealthyhounds.com/

SLLeask

You could try a grain-free dried mixer with raw food. But if you go down the raw route, introduce slowly otherwise the results may be, erm, explosive!

more4mech

I cook for my 75lb. dog: chicken leg quarters, chicken liver, brown rice (cooked in the chicken broth), sweet potatoes, broccoli, green beans. I feed her twice a day. I include a hard boiled egg with each meal. I also give her an omega-3 vitamin supplement once a day plus sprinkle brewers yeast on her breakfast. She also gets one raw chicken drumstick every day (easy extra calories). She also gets occasional snacks: a variety of fruit (in small amounts) and vegetables (whatever I'm eating that is fine for dogs).

I cook up a big batch once a month and freeze it in smaller containers that last a few days each when thawed out (except the hard boiled eggs I cook weekly). It's a time consuming process I don't enjoy (the once a month cooking - and then taking meat off the bones, etc.) but I do it for my dog's benefit. I buy the meat at an ethnic grocery store that has a better price than chain grocery stores. This took care of a lot of health issues and I don't have to worry about pet food recalls because she is eating human grade food and I know what's in it.

There are a lot of books and websites out there for specific recipes. I agree, it can be confusing- I just took bits out of all I read and adapted it to what I could reasonably afford and it works out costing about the same as a higher quality kibble. But when you consider our pets lived off table scraps before commercial dog food - I know that I'm giving her quality food that's got to be better than commercial dry kibble.

She still gets a seasonal allergy where she gets itchy once a year, but it's made a huge difference in her overall health and previous allergies.

ReenieHJ

Thank you everybody!

@beagletracks I'll give Robyn a call, sounds like she'd be a big help!

@tams_89 I've always been curious about the raw diet but not sure if that's the way I want to go. I don't trust myself to not poison them.

@more4mech What you're doing is what I'd prefer to do but when I read you have to be careful and get all the right vitamins, etc., it feels overwhelming to me. I agree with you about the table scraps; I also remember feeding my childhood dog like that. One of my dogs is allergic to rice so I could probably sub oatmeal? And what brand of supplement do you give your dog? Even that felt overwhelming to me because everybody's trying to sell you their own brand. Geez, I'm pathetic. Do you give her the same amount that you would if you were feeding her dry food?

Thanks for all your help!!

ythannah

My BFF got on this kick where she wanted to make her dogs' food and her vet wasn't super thrilled at the idea because you do need to watch the fat balance and get the proper vitamins in there (and no, I don't know what those are lol). That's the advantage to commercially prepared food.

My vet clinic sells Hill's Veterinary Diet foods for various special dietary needs in dogs and cats. Two of my former dogs were on the weight loss formula for a while and there are probably several allergy ones. I've fed the regular retail line Hill's Science Diet ever since. I just have to avoid anything with chicken in it as my old girl doesn't digest it very well.

Since I don't eat meat, needless to say the only human food they get in this house is mostly veg, sometimes bits of fruit.

ReenieHJ

Thank you everybody

@ButterMeMuffinz I give my dog Apoquel but it's expensive. Plus she has her 1x a month allergy injection. Vet told me the environmental aspect of allergies is harder to pin down than the food ones. And I have noticed since the seasonal changes, she's getting hot spots again, licking her feet a lot, that sort of thing.
I'm wondering if a food change is going to help after all; I think I'll check out the Royal Canin skin care and see if it's very different from what they're getting now. and compare costs.

It's so hard to find something that's perfect for every dog and its condition.

more4mech

@ReenieHJ For the Omega 3 supplement, I just buy the Trader Joe's brand. I take one a day and so does the dog. For the brewer's yeast, I buy "NaturVet Brewer’s Dried Yeast Formula with Garlic Flavoring Plus Vitamins" from Amazon. I just sprinkle a little on her breakfast. And I use a scale when I feed her so I know I'm feeding the same amount in general and I give her 9 oz. of food per meal. That just came from trial and error based on her weight and activity level (we are pretty active so when it looked like she lost weight when our activity level increased, I added a chicken drumstick every day and then also added the hard boiled egg to every meal). I've been feeding her this way for 5 or 6 years now and she looks great, has a very shiny coat and is very healthy. And it's got to be better than dried kibble. Re: rice substitute - You could use whole grain oats, barley, sweet potatoes, potatoes, quinoa, etc.

ReenieHJ

@more4mech Thanks so much!!