Dog lovers! Healthy, natural food!

kdchick99
kdchick99 Posts: 104 Member
edited October 2024 in Chit-Chat
Okay, first I LOVE my two dogs! Gus and Daisy are my husband's and I world. We are not freaks (Not wearing a shirt saying "Gus' Mom" on it) about it just treat them like out kids.

SOOO, I have been working out and eating healthy. Here's the point of my posting....Last night we ran out of dog food, which made me think... I'm eating healthy what about them? So, this morning they were feed pumkin and yogart. Pumkin I know is good for them due to the fiber (Gus had a very expensive anal gland surgery in 2009, pumkin was recommended by the vet). Yogart I know is good for allergies, which I feed to Daisy regular to help her with her issues. Question is......

How can I make a well balanced dog food for my two lovely dogs? Anyone have any recipes, suggestions, ideas??????

Replies

  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    look up RAW diet, it's the healthiest way you can possibly feed your dogs but you do need to do research to make sure you're giving them a balanced diet.
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
    You can Google the BARF diet. Sounds nasty, but it stands for Bones And Raw Food. There's lots of recipes and ideas on how to feed your dogs super healthy for them.
  • fishgirlnola
    fishgirlnola Posts: 30 Member
    I'm not a huge fan of the raw diet as far as it being a strict diet. Obviously it's fine from time to time but so much of our food is imported, treated with chemicals and handled poorly so your not doing your dogs a favor by feeding it to them. And I don't know anybody that can do free range grass fed organic products for themselves all the time much less their dogs. But in concept I like it. Also my dogs like cooked food.

    Having said that I often do crock pot recipes but cook it less time than what the recipe calls for. I have a couple books and there are recipes on line. I use different ingredients that usually include several of these:

    meat (depends on your dogs condition and what you can afford-I use venison, ducks, seafood, hog)
    sweet potato,
    brown rise or quinoa,
    chicken stock (low sodium),
    carrot,
    flax seed oil,
    barley,
    1 can/package of USA albacore tuna (do not feed your dog imported seafood)
    chicken livers,
    whole eggs hard boiled crushed with shell
    pumpkin (if there are loose bowls use additional pumpkin)
    a little peanut butter for the baked foods
    grated cheese if you please


    As you know dogs don't chew 100 times before they swallow right? My border collie doesn't even bite down it just slides down there. The veggies (carbs and fiber) won't be absorbed unless softened by cooking a little of shredded or both.

    Sometimes I lightly cook some brown rice and add that. The best thing is when you are done cooking it you toss in doggy vitamins.

    My hunting dog loves frozen banana treats: organic greek yogurt, peanut butter, bananas, puree and freeze.

    The best and most simple (as well as fun) book for recipes is:



    "The Healthy Dog Cookbook" by Joanna Anne
  • fishgirlnola
    fishgirlnola Posts: 30 Member
    I do feed a commercial brand of dry too. I feed "Wellness". It's insanely expensive for two large working dogs but it's worth it.
  • kdchick99
    kdchick99 Posts: 104 Member
    Thank you everyone for the suggestion and responses!! Keep them coming!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I do feed a commercial brand of dry too. I feed "Wellness". It's insanely expensive for two large working dogs but it's worth it.

    I feed commercial as well but use Natural Balance. It is about $50 for a big bag but it is worth it. I get so many compliments on my dog's shiny black coat! There are many good quality commercial brands if you don't want to go through the work of making your own.
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