Homemade Pet Food

i can't believe what i just read, dogs do not digest grains, cats do not need nor utilize carbs (grains,veggies) cats are obligate carnivoures and need meat only, dairy products for both dogs and cats can cause real problems (lactose intolerant) my cats eat only meat and some eggs and vitamins/minerals, my dog eats raw meat with eggs, overcooked brown rice and oats, i throw in what ever veggies i have (gr beans,carrots,celery,spinach, pumpkin, squash, and always some raw mashed garlic, keeps the fleas away, i don't allow my animals to be vaccinated or treated for fleas, i have a wonderful vet who wholeheartedly support what i do, my sweeties are a picture of health, soft shiny fur , perfect teeth (i brush them 1x p day) full of energy, it's not rocket science but it does take dedication, but for my little ones nothing is to much

Adding to the comment mentioned above, I can only say to each their own, dogs adjust to what they eat slowly, as for eating grains dogs must have grain, brown rice as mentioned above is the best, and veggies with their protein. All protein diets are not bad but could cause kidney failure later in life, studies have proved it. I started feeding my Yorkies homemade dog food right after the dog food contaminations, and mainly because my older Yorkie was getting sick all the time, they have since then became healthier, and more active, I feed them 1/3 protein, 2/3 brown rice, and a bit of only carrots and peas, most other veggies can cause digestive problems, this I can only say for my Yorkies, every dog is different so what works for you may not work for the other. experiment and do your research on homemade dog food. Introduce slowly, is the best way for your dog to adjust to changing any food. Moderate exercize is a big plus of course. If you dont want to give your dog vitamins then add a little meat and veggie baby food to their diet, it helps. Stay away from anything salty. Research is the best way to find what you need to know.

Always contact your veterinarian before starting your pet on a homemade diet. Some pets may need additional vitamin supplements to make up for the lack of added vitamins to their diets. As mentioned before, be careful feeding your dog a diet too high in protein and make sure all meat is cooked properly. Garlic and onions should be avoided as they can cause anemia and they have absolutely no affect on fleas. This is one of many urban myths surrounding pets health. It's best to do your research and find out what diet is best for your pet and always change foods gradually to avoid any gastrointestinal upset.

All the vets in my area are only interested in pimping what ever dog food is at their clinic. Our family's dogs will not even touch the stuff. They will actually starve themselves rather than eat those kinds of dogfoods. Those same vets also say that making your own dogfood is more of a health hazard than the comercial dog foods. We do not believe them. We are all trying to find a better food for our dogs. One may have had pancreatitis for almost two years, the vet diagnosed her with diabetes instead, only because her blood sugar was low, which can be caused by pancreatitis. Another do g seams to have an allergic reaction to the commercial dog food. It only got worse the more he ate it. The vet has run tests, said it's allergies, and still running more tests. They say that if the dog would eat the food they push on us, he wouldn't have allergies. He will not eat that dog food. My research has lead me here. Any help offered would be appreciated. The dogs are: Female Austalian Shepard, Female Chihuahua, Male Shihtzu Poodle mix.

Goodness, reading this article and comments was interesting, dogs and cats do need grains for the fiber they don't need the carbs for energy though. If cats and dogs only ate meat they wouldn't eat grass. I also noticed that is says no garlic for dogs, I give my dogs each a clove of fresh garlic, no skin, mashed through a garlic press. It does not contain the same amount of the chemical that onion does so as long as your dog tolerates it, it is safe. ( My dogs are all over 100lbs) I think anyone who is changing from commercial food to home prepared food should do countless hours of research on ingredients and variations. Not just through the vet. We had a preveious vet who gave my dogs nsaids (ibuprofen)which caused diarrhea, and wanted us to get cat scans and see a neurologist because he had a half second delay on his reflex of one of his back legs. This was after he had gotten out of our yard and spent a good 12 hours running around town. (Worst day of my life!) Opted not to see neurologist and 2 days after some rest and rehydration we went back and he was fine, the point of my story is some vets will reccomend unnecessary "preventative" and other care to line their pockets and while it may help some the overall result is minimal UNLESS it is an ongoing life threatening situation, food is not usually. Most dogs survived just fine on table scraps alone before commercial dog food. Another reason I have chosen to home preapare food is that the pet food companies are not required to notify the public immediately if they change their formula they have 6 months to print new labels and everytime they change their formula my dogs get sick. Please do your research and stick with what works for your dogs.

my shepperd is 16yrs in april and roger the collie is 9 this year and i was mortified to find out what goes into comercial dog food, so i will be slowly changing their diets. last summer i nearly lost the shepperd he was treated with sterroids which i didnt realize at the time. i took him off them and gave him omega 3 which works well and barley grass for his digestion and that works well, he still goes a half hour walk at a steady pace, so with a better diet it will improve the quality of his old age, and he is still alert and very happy.

If some one have a recipe for decorating icing for dog cookies (not too sweet) I will appreciate the ingredients. U can e mail me at mdunia@bellsouth.net Thanks

The best book a dog and cat lover can read is "Food Pets Die For" by Ann N. Martin.....great recipes for all types of health problems.....You will never buy commercial pet food again.

Dunia, You asked about dog cookie icing. I too have been researching that same issue. I finally went into a dog bakery and asked them how they do it. They told me they use yougurt and carob chips in a double-boiler. Well, I researched those and found out that while they are safe for dogs, they contain more sugar than I wanted for my dog. Then a friend told me about this website from an online dog bakery called www.k9cakery.com. They have several dog treat icings with no sugar, including a yogurt icing you just mix with water. I tried a pack and I am hooked. It was so simple and my treats looked better than what I could buy at the bakery. Hope this helps. I will email you too as you asked.

Garlic-the jury is still out on that. I've been giving my dog homemade dogfood for a long time and she is a happier dog. She's old and a wonderful dog. I know we feel better since I've been cooking everything from scratch. Lost weight too. It's nice to see that other's like to feed their dog homemade food too. My dog can't eat anything with fish and refuses to eggs. She's a poodle and they are picky eaters. Have a great day! rauchellestone@hotmail.com

Trudie: brown rice and oats are grains

Home made dog food is the best. Our three dogs would rather starve than eat commercially prepared dog food. They get so excited when they see their bowl of food come out of the fridge. We use whatever meat is on sale, whole grain flax seeds, oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes.They love sweet potatoes. We also use carrots, white potatoes, squash and GARLIC. Cranberries are great for digestion and urinary tract health.We avoid wheat as it can be allergy causing and no corn. Eggs give a luxurious coat. We have three of the happiest, healthiest dogs ever. They have lots of energy.They have healthy teeth with no decay and they never get upset tummies. Their fur is shiny and soft. Even our vet totally supports the diet we feed our dogs because she sees how healthy and vibrant they are. We just feel that our dogs should eat as well as we do and, they do !!

I am so glad I found this web site! I have 2 pets, a poodle and a Devon Rex cat, both 13 years old and both with health issues. I just today decided to try feeding my dog home made food to help with some of her issues. Thank you Lola for the tip re the Ann Martin book. I'll buy it. My cat has a severe, genetic inflammation of her colon and multiple food allergies. She lives on canned feline rabbit and peas, and monthly steroid injections. She is thin - 4.5 lbs - but happy and loving. The only problem I have with her commercial diet is the company can stop making it with no warning, which happened last year. The company could not access their "host-product" (Rabbits?! Did they stop breeding? What the hey!)) For 2 months we scrambled around trying to find another company. We did find a dry peas and rabbit brand which Maya loved but which gave her Diabetes within weeks. We finally accessed another source for canned R/P food and, within ~ 3 weeks her diabetes resolved. I hate depending on the whims of a commercial company for my cat's life, but I don't know if I should try to make her rabbit and peas myself. Thoughts?

I have a question. My dog a pomeranian had an operation where they have removed a 5 Lbs. of her kidney. we have to be extremely careful what she eats. She is also diabetic. I've some control on her food she eats it well love to give cookies but what??? We all so going for some tooth remove all too. So you see I am going through a big bind. This dog & my other one who I had to put him done 3 yrs. ago (he was 16 yrs.), has help me too regain some of my health from them. Since 10 yrs., these little creatures have given me lots of pleasure & joy of survival. If you have any suggestions or Ideas please let me know by email 49lenlion2@b2b2c.ca.... Thank you all your help

Hello all,I have to admit working with dogs is totally new to me as I have just become the owner of a lab puppie named Duke. I am a registered nurse who left the medical model for similar reasons mentioned above, pain and suffering for dollars really turned me off. But for the last 5 years I have been praticing functional medicine and that means seeking the cause rather than giving a pill or a bandaid for symptoms and it has helped many people find their way back to their health. When I got Duke, I knew right away that I would approach his health the same way I approach mine and everyone elses around me. I found this blog because I wanted to start making his food to keep him healthy and I am making his food and he is awesome. There is so much to learn about animals but if I can help anyone in any way, I will offer what I can. The girl across the street fosters dogs and most come to her very sick. She takes them to the vet but cannot afford all the fees and most of what they give does not work. She did not know what to do with the sick dogs and so I began to send over food and started making remedies using essential oils and other basics and they have worked very nicely. I have been doing alot of research and I see that there is an increase in dogs getting diabetes like people. The solution may be as simple as changing the diet of your dog, just like it is with people! In regards to the genetic inflammation mentioned above, I have done extensive work with functional genomics and inflammtion is not normally genetic.Sometimes you can have a predisposition to something but inflammation is not normally genetic and that is good news, it means you can improve the situation for your dog. I cannot help but think there must be some kind of link to the diseases dogs are getting to what they are eating. Just like us. OK to contact me directly. jdavenportrn@gmail.com

This site helps you formulate food for your pet and shows nutritional content of your formula. http://balanceit.com/ficalculator/p01_index.php You MUST research ingredients to know if they are acceptable for your pet, some are safe, some are not. Any pet with unknown allergies, should either be tested to find out the exact cause or just avoid the most common allergens - Corn, wheat, beef, ect. Also, remember that allergies are most commonly from the protein source. If you are feeding chicken, try turkey or salmon. You should also feed the same food for about 8 weeks and THEN decide if there is a need to try a different formula. Sometimes, there is a "cleansing" and the pet will excrete more than normal, and it may be watery. This can be solved by a little bit of PLAIN canned pumpkin within a few days. You will most likely need to supplement, as no formula will be 100% nutritionally complete. Also, I HIGHLY recommend working closely with your vet and having blood tests and stool samples done prior to feeding a homemade diet, and then again every few months until the tests show a balanced diet. This way you know what you need to adjust. I hope that this was helpful. I am NOT a veterinarian, or a veterinary nutritionist. But I have nearly 10 years in the pet food industry and study independently. There are some free and low cost courses you can take to further your understanding of canine and feline nutrition, just google it ;o)

Interesting site. WE feed our Belgian Tervurens raw food. Lots of chicken necks and backs pork, beef, lamb, goat, fish when we can get it. Realizing with this site that we need to be more careful about adding some brown rice. They love pumpkin--but as you may have noticed, it is impossible to find. Sweet potatoes and other canned greens do well. I make a "glop" yogurt,egg,apple cider vinegar, garlic cloves--any leftover or aged fruit and veggies-apples, tomatos, and sometimes a big bunch of greens. We freeze that and use by tablespoons. Also they have some additives from our breeder. Anyone know how to cook beef heart and turn it into dried treats> Thanks

I am anxious to find out more about making homemade dog food. I have a bichon that developed allergies to her dog food and is retaining fluid. After vet appts, her food was changed to a hypoallergenic version along with medication. She didn't have any problem at first with the new food and she improved but now seems to be getting sicker again and has no interest in eating the food. I also have a smaller dog and would like to make food for both of them but I'm concerned about providing enough nutrition and I'm not certain the quantity to feed them so they don't get overweight. Is there a website that can give me more direction?

I have 2 doggies - one is adopted, so who knows what he is (I think Lhasa/Shih & the love of my life - Figment) and my 9 yr. old Shih Tzu, Buddy. When my Buddy was failing (I didn't even realize how sick he was & had been to the vet 3 times), I went to the Holistic pet store. The wizard-ess at the store listened (I didn't have the doggie with me) &, based simply on what I described, gave me magic herbs (Herbsmith) & new cookies. I already had been feeding excellent dry food, but couldn't mix the herbs in the dry food as Buddy said 'no way.' I won't use those pill popper things (read the ingredients). So, I started boiling a package of chicken hearts every week. I simply puree them with an immersion blender in the water they're boiled in (low fat, nothing else). I put a glob of that in with the dry food & OMG, within a week, Buddy was already so much better. It's been about 8 months & both of my dogs are like puppies - high energy, beautiful coats, no problem with joints/bones (I also give them magic something with glucosamine), oh, & good shampoo (soapless) - ya wouldn't believe Buddy is the same dog! Ok, not cheap, but go pay a vet instead for sticking your doggie with needles - uh uh. & chicken hearts are so cheap, the dogs love their food & happily eat all their probiotics, herbs, joint stuff & whatever. &, who knew? - their favorite snacks are sliced carrot chips and fresh spinach. I'm always looking for good recipes for treats. Doggies DO get tired of the same old same old, especially treats and toys. Again, read the ingredients and avoid any chemicals.

I have an eight month old newfoundland. She is the joy of my life.She has been suffering from skin allergies since i got her from the breeder at 8 weeks old. She is currentl having allergy testing done. She has also been treated with steriods. she is a normal weight of 71 pounds for her size but she is a bit small for her age. her mom was 140 pounds. I am also wondering what would be a good diet for her. I want something balanced and i dont want her to grow too quickly because she is a large breed. I was also wondering if i should increase her calcium especially since she has been on steriods which i suspect is why she is smaller than normal.any comments will be helpful plz feel free to email me at etsugirl24@yahoo.com

I have a five year old yorkie with past Bladder stone problems. He got them removed a couple of years ago. The vet at the time had told me to put him on a prescription diet which contained eggs & rice. Does anyone have a suggestion of what to feed my dog and what to cook for him? I am out of the country now and would like to start making him homemade meals now that I have the help and time..thanks!!

I have been considering home made food for my Silky poo. She has become so picky lately. She does get ground beef about once a week and she does eat carrots and apples and peanut butter on occasion. Can someone give me some simple recipes to try for her. And suggestions? She can not have poultry. She has gotten sick a few times years ago and found out that the common factor each time was chicken or some food that was made with chicken. Thank you!

I have a mix breed dog just diagnosed with bladder stones... AGAIN! She just had surgery 10/09! And they're back! In less than 7 months! The vet put her on Hills Canine c/d after her surgery & now we're back at square one. I've got to find out how to prevent this! I'm thinking - making all her food. Are there supplements for her urinary health? Anyone in a similar situation? This is devastating!

Not sure how I feel about some of this. I do agree with the "Foods to Avoid" list, something every owner should know but I dont know if I trust the recipes. My advice is to ALWAYS consult your vet. Thats what the're paid for! I also recommend www.bestdogfooddiets.com - a site I developed to warn owners about potential harms in popular diets.

I have a seven year old yorkie, the love of my life. She has been diagnosed with Inflammatory bowel disease and micro vascular dysplacia (can not process medicine). On top of this, she is allergies to nine foods. I am trying to locate a website that will allow me to figure out a home made food recipe that she can eat. I have been to (10) different VETS; some holistic some not. They have all but almost killed her. Does anyone know of this web site or have had similar issues and can provide their story and resolution?? Thank you.

I am always searching for new recipes for my dogs. When the scare came out about the dog food I started looking just what went in the food I fed my dogs even the best brands, I was shocked, my vet specializes in nutrition.I started looking for recipes and what wasn't good for your dog I came up with a recipe from several recipes, one of my dogs a toy poodle is getting older also a diabetic so her diet is different, I have a total of 6 beautiful little dogs, the poodle a Pom someone tossed out and 4 tiny chihuahua's 1 short coat 3 long coat all rescues except the poodle. also have fostered many dogs. I ask my vet about the diet I feed them he said it was always much better to cook for your dog than feed them the garbage you bought off the self. To many preservatives and other junk you can't even read. He said if you can't pronounce it you don't want it in your animal, he has helped me tremendously with creating a very well balanced diet for all my dogs and they love it.I remove the skin from a whole chicken stew it remove the chicken when done put a side to cool, use a bag of lentils,barley and brown rice, add green beans a small amount of peas and a whole package of collard greens after everything is cooked shred chicken into small pieces making sure all bones are removed and add back. You can also use turkey sometimes I use a pot roast,this makes a huge amount of food I put in containers and freeze it and take it out as I need it, after it is all done then I add other things like flaxseed oil, flaxseed mill, brewers yeast glucosomine and wheat germ and lowfat plain yogurt which is good for poodles that have eye seepage and yeast infections in the ears most goes in the one I fix for the poodle, and all my dogs are eating good and healthy, the little Chihuahuas have suger drops and seizures once I get them on this diet they don't have them anymore, try to remember if you wouldn't eat it don't feed it to your dogs. My vet has been fantastic about helping me break down human meds and vitamins for my animals he prescribes meds for children for my animals sometimes which is much cheaper...if it comes in a pill form I put it in a coffee mill and grind it to powder then mix it in the food and they never know it is in there. So how fresh is that for feeding your dog a good diet, they turn their noses up at shelf food. even the little dogs next door love my food. I always take them some when I cook it. If anyone has any questions about dog food you can email me at s_belle_48@yahoo.com

I have a very sick dog on my hands. Diagosed 2 1/2 weeks ago with diabetes and low potassium. She is 8 yrs old and has never had a health problem til now. Won't touch dog food. I am making my own and its touch an go with her. Ate chicken at first, now won't touch it. She can go days without eating. Very frustrating. Now giving her 2 shots a day and 10 pills a day for the low potassium. I am looking for recipes to make for her to help her health. Right now, I'm cooking what she will eat. She has lost 10 lbs already. I feel all I do is research on her. We are very afraid she isn't going to make it. Beef is what she is eating. So any beef recipes with brown rice will do. Not sure what else to add to it. I'm just afraid if I add anything else, she won't eat it. Any help will be greatly appreciated. I'm going to ask about giving her human meds instead of dog ones...she already gets human insulin. Can't hurt and hopefully the price is better! 50 pills lasts me 5 days and is $35!. If you have some ideas please email me at jmford96@yahoo.com.

I use a variation of many of these posts. I also add fish oil & vitamin e. My dogs hate store bought food. When I occasionally give it to them, they look at me with disappointed eyes. For many years, dogs lived on people food & I think it's still the best for them. Who knows what really goes into processed dog food?

I have been making homemade dog food for my 2 large dogs (10 yo yellow lab and 5 yo Doberman) for almost 2 years. Their weight is great, their coats are thick and glossy, their eyes are clear and bright. After 3 weeks on this food, we took them to the vet and didn't mention the homemade dog food. He looked both over and said "I don't know what you are doing, but keep doing it". They had both been a little chubby and we weren't able to get their weights down despite watching portions and treats. In only 3 weeks these dogs were so healthy I'll never give them commercial kibble again. I knew almost nothing when I started, I have done tons of research and have many books and research. The best book on the subject is The Whole Pet Diet by Andi Brown who developed Halo brand dog food. She developed the brand before Ellen DeGeneres got involved. Also in the book are holistic, homemade medical treatments. My yellow lab has suffered chronic ear infections her whole life and has been on antibiotics, washes, steroids and nothing worked permanently. A ear wash recipe in this book has been the most help and her ears look better than they have ever. My recipe for food is one that I developed combining several recipes I have accumulated and it works great. I do believe that in order to provide comprehensive nutrients it is best to vary it all the time with different ingredients. It seems to keep them interested as well. They love their food and we are stopped constantly on walks and people tell us what beautiful animals we have. Even the 10 yo lab and people don't believe she is that old. I truly believe it is worth the commitment to make your own dog food.

I have been searching for a balanced reciepe for homemade dog food, with so many links Im not sure exactly where to start. I have a 40 lbs staffshire who has chicken allergies and a 75lbs shephard. Does anyone have any tried and true recipes. Also Im not sure the quantity that I should be feeding them. Ur expertise is appreciated!!

Hi KathleenO, I wonder if you might share your recipe with me? My 15 mo. old yellow lab is having skin problems & ear infections, and his coat isn't as full as it should be. I'm afraid to put him on steroids (again), the vets are pushing 'their' food, the pet stores are pushing theirs. I will read the book you suggested, but would appreciate any advice you could give me. I only hope that at 10yrs old he'll be in as good shape as your lab seems to be! You can email me at bonbonsilver@gmail.com Thanks!

I only read the first 2 comments and gave up. First, for goodness sakes, GRAINS cause allegries! Dogs do not process veggies whole, they do NOT need veggies, their protiens is NOT from veggies, it is from MEAT! Dogs digestive system is not as long as humans so the veggies don't get process the same. My dogs are the RAW diet but do get treats but very little grain unless it is in a homemade treat. Read this link: http://www.thedogbowl.com/PPF/category_ID/0_148/dogbowl.asp

The digestive health of my 2 poodles improved dramatically in just a few weeks after I switched them to a homemade dog food diet. No more diarrohea, no more flatulence and no more chewing at themselves all the time. It is important to use nutritionally balanced homemade dog food recipes though to ensure that your dog is getting all the vitamins and minerals he or she needs to live a long and healthy life.

I too only read the first 2 commets and gave up! I have a cockerspaniel with serious allergies and a pekingese that has epilepsy. I have been cooking for them for 2 years now, vet approved. Dogs do eat grains, most high end pet food the 3rd ingredient is brown rice, barley or oats. Cooking your own dog food is easy, it needs to be 65% lean meat, 20% complex carb (my cocker is allergic so I use a gluten free egg noodle) an 15% veggie or fruit or both. I also add a multi-vitamin and flax or fish oil. I use a crock pot but I make sure I do not over cook the veggies, you can cook all the vitamins right out.

I recently began making my dogs' food. I use 1/3 protein (chicken, beef, fish, + eggs), 1/3 grain (brown rice, WW pasta), and 1/3 veggies (based on vit.min content-info at www.bodybuilders.com). Dogs aren't very good at digesting unprocessed carbs & grains, but do benefit from them if they are minced or cooked. Think of these processes as "predigestion". Rice is much more digestible than wheat or corn. Undigested fiber helps to "keep things moving" through their system. I'm looking into adding vitamin E and bone meal. I use a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time. The longer the ingredients are cooked, the more the nutrients are destroyed. I make 60 lb batches at a time - put half into small containers to freeze and put the other half through a dehydrator to make dry kibble. My dogs love it.

From what I have researched, a raw diet is best along with grains and other nutrients found in the organ tissues and especially bones. I haven't tried the following yet, but I post it here as information I recommend pursuing for learning. It makes sense and I couldn't beleive I had never considered the option. As soon as I can I will be trying out the BARF diet (www.barfworld.com) for my wife's two and a half year old dachshund corgi mix who can't seem to stop gnawing her paws and legs and scrapes her belly on the floor to ease the itching. She has a rash we can't get rid of there. Anyone out there tried or know someone who has used BARF? I'd like to know.

We have 3 beautiful furry children, Toby & Tiffany [Lhasa Apsos]7 years old and our rescue Morky we named Schatzie who is about 2 years old. Toby had surgery for bladder stones and there are many foods he can not have, he is a great eater. Tiffany is our very finicky eater who needs to be begged to eat, Schatzie is another one that loves all her foods. We have gone thru several brands of kibbles suggested by the vet but found none to their likings. A friend suggested a kibble called "Canine Caviar" made in So. California which turned out to be great. I pressure cook boneless/skinless chicken breast with a bit of fresh parsley and mix that with some water to the kibble. Tiffany is starting to give me lots of problems with this mixture. I have added some people gravy to her dish and thats the only way she will eat. Can anybody tell me what I can add to the chicken to make it a bit tastier? Please e-mail me at juniper100@aol.com

i started with just the vet diet for an upset tommy chicken and rice.. started the ground beef rice potatos carrets green beens .. thinking he is missing the dairy i do once a week cut up an apple no seeds or skin heard from vet that part is harmful. now the dairy is 2 scrammbled eggs in the morning cutting it or should i be changing things around? I did see omega 3 good for them are u cooking fish or opening up a pill an adding the oil ? just starting this out and the vet is just like ok .. lol ooo and i did hear to stay away from garic and do see people use it???? lots of ? here sorry . i heard i should mix things up by adding oats and bread insteat of rice then one day wheat germ, and then back to brown rice why dont u use white thats what i have been white rice is also what i give my son during the brat diet when sick?

Ok, a few things on this. First, I'm an animal nutrition specialist, and have done countless hours of research on this. On grains: brown rice, oatmeal, barley are all good. Corn cannot be digested and can leave our longer eared fur babies prone to yeast-type ear infections. Wheat is also bad news. It can dull the coat and can also cause a host of skin problems. Garlic doesn't do anything for fleas, and if not dosed properly can kill your dog. Onions are no good either, in any quantity. On dairy: eggs are ok, so long as they are hard boiled, not scrambled or fried (if following raw food diet, follow appropriate handling instructions). Anything lactose (milk, cheeses, yogurts, etc) should be for treat only, on occasion only. Too much can trigger a lactose intolerance and/or allergy. On proteins: with meats, be as lean as possible. Do not skimp by with fatty cuts. Also, beef is the number 1 meat allergy in dogs. Chicken is great (boneless, of course) but may be too rich for some dogs. Deboned whitefish is a less rich protein choice for dogs with sensitive GI tracts. Fresh salmon (darker meat) is also good. If your dog has allergies to the above, try duck, venison, or bison (which looks a lot like beef, but isn't). Might have to have your hunter friends get it, or have your butcher order it, but these are available. Soy isn't great, because it's hard to digest and it's loaded with phytoestrogens (plant-based estrogen), so it can mess with your pet's endocrine system (same applies to human males and soy, PS). Now if your dog is severely allergic to animal proteins, then soy is a last resort for protein in a vegitarian diet. Quinoa can be eaten by dogs, and is a complete protein, so try that as a suppliment. On veggies/fiber: introduce them SLOWLY, or plan to invest in lots of carpet cleaner. Green beans, peas, tomato (as a treat), apples (seeds removed, on occassion), blueberries, carrots, yams (not white potatoes-there's nothing in them!), dark leafy greens like spinach (proably will have to mask them in something else to get them to eat it....like a little kid!) and pumpkin are all great sources of fiber and micronutrients. Green beans are good for filling the stomach for overweight dogs: extra fiber and very low calories. Mix them with something good, though, or they might get spat out on your floor with indignation! On nuts: tree nuts=NO! some dogs will poison themselves with them. Peanuts, I personally keep peanut products to a minimum because of their high fat content. For those who are afraid of commercial diets, there are many worth avoiding, but there are a few fantastic ones out there. I have zero financial ties to these, but are either what I feed my own dog, or are what I would instead. Blue buffalo: available at most pet stores. Made with no corn, wheat, soy, or biproducts. Only uses human-grade ingredients. Many formulas available for tiny dogs through big guys, wolf-wolf hybrid diets, senior, grain-free high protein for really active/working dogs. I feed my dog blue buffalo large breed whitefish and oatmeal as a base diet, and I got my mom to feed their 12 yr old bichon blue small breed senior. It's great stuff. Merrick's line of foods are also very high quality. They also have a variety of flavors that will keep picky eaters happy, and are very allergy friendly Wellness is still waiting on AFFCO certification, and nobody can figure out why. It's fantastic. Their grainfree "core" has done very well for diabetic/pancriatitis dogs who require high protein low carb diets. Natural Balance sets the standard in food allergy friendly quality foods. They even have a vegitarian formula for those with severe meat allergies. Their foods are also fomulated in such a way that they're ok for pups through adult, making allergy management easier. Solid Gold hundenflocken is another good quality, safe diet.

To continue...organix is another great food, and as the name implies, it's organic and available at most petstores. Also, Halo is great, and they make a bunch of homeopathic suppliments and remedies for common pet ailments. For suppliments: ground flaxseed will make for a shiny coat and will support circulatory health. I actually use a commercially available food suppliment called Missing Link. It's a flaxseed based suppliment that also provides essential nutrients that some commercial and homemade diets miss. There's even a joint support version available. For commercial suppliment besides link, I love the vetsbest brand. They make natural suppliments and remedies. If you have flea and tick issues, instead of risking poisoning with garlic (which won't work), try their Rosemary and clove extract spray. You just spray it on, and the fleas abs ticks are gone plus your dog will smell like potpourri (just don't go up their nose with it). Need a flea dip?original dawn dish soap (not the scented or super concentrated stuff) is the best dip there is for minor flea problems. And when picking natural flea dips, AVOID CEDAR OIL. Anyway, back to food stuff. On one last note, remember that 90% of vets know very little about nutrition, as it's not really part of their training. Just like there are people nutrition specialists, there are nutrition specialists for pets, too. Before switching to homemade food, I strongly recommend talking to either an animal nutrition expert, or a holistic vet. It's very easy to over or under feed your pet on homemade if you don't know what your doing. It's also very easy to accidentally poison your pet in an effort to make home remedies or provide variety. Can't find a nutritionist? Ask your vet for a referral. None available where you live? Try a phone consult or talk to the employees of pet stores. Some are clueless, but some are highly skilled experts trained by their company to know about this stuff. Many will be very helpful in either advising you or pointing you towards a customer or colleague who has the info you need. People in the know generally aren't afraid to share what they know about animal wellness.

@ Drew: My chihuahua did the same thing.. it took us a long time to get him healed. We tried shots at the Vet, changing his food, home made diets etc.. We have concluded.. it was red dye in his food. He is healed. At first we thought it was the cat food he would sneak into, and it did play a part.. but, once we removed all red colored food - after a while it went away. Hope this helps.

I have 2 min Schnauzers . Both a little over 12 YEARS OLD. For about a month I've noticed them drinking a lot more and going to the bathroom a lot. I changed their diet from dry dog food to one part skinless chicken breast, one part oats, one part broccoli. The first day no accidents, and no drinking crazy Amounts of water. Second day the same. They love it. I am shocked at how fast they changed. I don't know if they have diabetes or if its like humans and they have pre diabetes. I will investigate this more. So glad I found this site.

Animals and people can get all the fiber and carbs they need from fruits and veggies. Ive never seen a documentary on a wild dog ever eating grains EVER! Nor should we unless they are spouted first. Un-sprouted grains are too hard for us to digest so why would we expect animals to be able too. Even the birds who eat seeds poop them out whole giving them a chance to be grow and multiply. no un-spouted grains or seeds sprouting turns them into a plant allowing us to digest them like a veggie

hi,Kathleen O i also have a black and white lab which is the love of my life, she has had problems with her ears also could you please share with me the recipe for ear wash.you can email me at hazel234@comcast.net thanks much

We have 2 dogs we rescued; one had Parvo when we got him, and has recovered. He, unfortunately won't eat very much and we are always trying to find something he will eat. Our other dog will eat anything. We decided to start making our own dog food for our puppers. Question I have I quantity? How much to feed them? One is a Great Pyranees (100+ pounds) and the other a Laonberger (he's only 80 pounds ... our parvo pup). They are both about 2 years old. Have not been able to find any info on food proportion. Thanks!

Hi Kathleen O I also have a Lab. He´s 5 years old, can you please share your food recipe and ear wash recipe? I've just decided to star making his food at home, I'm not able to control his weight even though I only give him the proportion said in the bag or even less. Any way he never eats everything. If it is possible send it t my email address monica-silva@netcabo.pt and also the proportion to give him diary. Thanks

I noticed several people mention the difficulty finding canned pumpkin. I find it regularly, all year long at WalMart, Kroger, and KMart groceries in the pie filling section. Just be certain you get the 100% PURE Pumpkin. NOT the pie filling. I've been making my 4 dogs food for the last year and a half. The one who had severe pancreatitis, has NO symptoms now. One older dachshund I was told would only make it 4-6 more weeks, lived happily and actively for another 6 months. I make my food with ground turkey, lamb, chicken, or occasionally beef. They prefer turkey or lamb. To this I add brown rice, brocolli, frozen peas and carrots, blueberries, parsley, chili powder,(They love it in small doses) occasionally cinnamon, and lentils and an egg. They are all healthy, happy, shiny, and active ranging from 15 months to 13 years.

I always get a little chuckle when I read comments about what wild dogs ate because dogs have been domesticated for hundreds of years and are only like distant cousins to their ancestors. It is like comparing us to the caveman! The digestive tract of modern dogs has adapted and changed due to the food they have been fed by man. In saying that, any processed, packaged, additive, colorant, flavored or aroma and chemical added type food is not life sustaining for animals or humans. For many hundreds of years, dogs were fed scraps from the table until the more recent times when dog food became a money making business along with the fast food business. Foods that come from the earth are life sustaining and it is more about learning what our dogs can tolerate. Sadly due to over breeding and being fed processed foods many dogs are having problems that didn't exist in the past. There are lots of great suggestions on this site and it goes to show that there isn't one prescriptive diet that suits every dog. I have known dogs that can eat pretty much anything and then those who are incredibly sensitive. Dogs can tolerate more protein and animal food than humans as their digestive tract is different and their teeth designed for meat tearing. A combination of meat, beans, grains, sea vegetables and vegetables does provide a good balance - either raw meat or cooked. Many thanks and blessings.

I have a 14 y/o Rhodesian/Pit mix. She is overweight (one day she was a mass of muscle and the next she was a creampuff, I swear). Can anyone recommend a good recipe that has the nutrients an older dog needs? Thanks! ~T

Everyone, listen to Le Gourmet Hautbois, he is very right in all he's written. My family has been raising Irish Wolfhounds and Labs for years and we follow almost all that he wrote and recommend both Blue Buffalo and wild game to those who buy pups. I'm an avid hunter and feed more Elk, Buffal, Goose and Venison to my dogs than I eat myself. They are so active and healthy it's unreal, I have an 11 year old Black Lab that jumps higher than many of the 1 years olds at dinner time. The vet is still in awe at her activity and health. She never has to be lifted into the truck or the vets exam table, she jumps up and wants to play immeadiatly. On the subject of garlic, how the HELL did a home recipe for flea treatment that is supposed to be applied EXTERNALLY(!) turn into one that you feed them! I asked my great grandmother (yes GREAT Grandmother) about it, who was raised on a farm and has far more experience with dogs than anyone on this forum about it and she looked at me as if I was crazy for asking how much to feed the dogs! She nearly slapped me! She explained it's an old cheap way to rid a dog of fleas in early spring, like anyone else the fleas can't stand the "smell" and avoid the dog, the fleas never lay enough eggs to become an infestation issue, then she told me to wash the dogs in lye soap come summer (plain dove dishwashing soap, NO perfumes), fleas and ticks are killed by it and the dogs love the cooling effect of water on hot day just like you do. Duh! Trudie, and anyone else, not vaccinating your pet in my region of the US (rocky mountains) is a death sentence for any outdoor animal, especially dogs, indoor animals are effectivly kept in a bubble protected from natural parsites and many diseases they carry. I take my dogs out regularly, sometimes to dog parks and sometimes to the high desert, if I spot a pet owner with a dog with no rabies tags I pack up my dogs and move on, they are a walking death sentence. Parvo, Rabies, Rockie Moutain tick fever are deadly, to humans just as much to dogs it's NOT a joking matter, be responsible with your pet, if you are outdoors a lot and associate with other animals get the shots. Your pets may show no symptoms but that $3000 dollar hunting dog my not have a happy owner after meeting you. Tootsiepop254, both breeds your dog is mixed with require a TON of excercise to stay fit, both breeds were created for rough and dangerous work. The Rhodesian Ridgeback was bred to hunt and KILL full grown lions in africa (as a pack not individually), they are all alpha dominant when born, they all want to be in charge, but only one is "king of the hill", that may be a problem with excercise for him/her. If you just play a little and let them "win" tug of war all the time.... well "you ain't the boss". They become lazy and just sit around and eat junk food and watch the boob tube. Oh wait that's me, any way you get the idea, when it's excercise time, he/she goes OUT and does something, walk, run, jump LOSE at tug of war etc. The Pit half (American Bull Terrier) was actually, originally bred to control cattle in cattle yards at slaughter houses, where understandably the cattle can, and will, "freak" out sometimes. They were released into the pens to take down 100 times heavier than them by locking onto a leg and breaking it, really no joke. This of course isn't the case anymore, not since the early 1900's anyway. Back then feed yards and stockyards were in close proximity to slaughter houses, not so anymore, not humane. Definately not humane. So the breed use was repurposed into dog fighting, which they excelled at, an in-humane activity. Pit Bulls are hard, tough hard working breed, extremly loyal to the point of reacting without command to defend/ protect it's "pack", family, you the wife kids etc. Be careful on that point. Anyway, it's a dog that needs/craves lots of activity. Think wrestle mania and you've got the right idea, stay in charge. Or they will sit around and get F-A-T.

Thank you munkyfst & LeGourmetHautbois for your informative entries!

I have a Westie-poo that was having joint pain at 5 yrs. At 6 she was itching and licking constantly, excessive shedding, chewing her paws, and she began looking for (and eating) soap that had fallen in the shower! I had always fed her a supposedly good 'organic' dog food, but the soap eating alarmed me. I did a bit of research & decided to make my own food. After all, dogs have only been eating processed kibble for less than 100 years. After a few short days of making my own food, all of my dogs problems disappeared. The joint problems, the itching, licking and the soap eating. The excessive shedding took a few months to subside. While canines may not eat grains, veggies, fruits, etc.. in the wild, they DO eat the stomach content of animals that do eat these things. I make several different recipes for my dog for variety. I'll make a large batch, about 1-3 months worth at a time, and freeze it in a serving size 'puck'. I usually use raw meat, each recipe contains about 40-50% meat, fairly lean chicken/turkey/beef/heart-liver-gizzard, or salmon (with bones). The next ingredient in volume, about 20-30%, would be an orange cooked vegetable, pumpkin/yams/carrots/or a winter-type squash. Then about 20% is cooked oats/beans/barley/brown rice/quinoa or red potato with skin. Next in volume would be apple/banana or pear. Sometimes a bit of blueberry or cranberry too. Then hard boiled eggs & ground egg shell. Also a green veggie.. cooked and minced; kale, spinach, peas, green beans, broccoli, parsley, or asparagus. Sometimes I'll add PLAIN cooked, diced beets. Then trace amounts (relatively small amount in the entire batch) plain yogurt, a bit of cheese, garlic, flaxseed, Flaxseed or Fish oil, &/or apple cider vinegar. A few times a week I give her a raw bone, mostly poultry bones because she is a small dog and has a bad overbite & cannot handle larger beef bones. I've been making her food for about a year now. She's lost weight and at 7 1/2 she's like a puppy. The vet is very happy with how she's doing. We are too! :D

corn is harmful for dogs cause of kidney failure beware, use rice base dog food better

We ran out of kibble and we were financially tight. So, I made my first batch of homemade food from many of the comments and suggestions here, with ingredients I had on hand. I cooked ground pork in chicken broth, added canned yams and two eggs, meanwhile I cooked Brown rice till a little overdone, cooked up some frozed greenbeans, and fresh carrots. I put about a third of the veggies, a third pork and yam mixture, and a third rice in the food processor, and blended so the rice would be easier to digest. My Aussie wont touch a vegie or fruit usually, but she loves the food. I am starting with small quantities this week (about the size of a palm) for my Aussie and a little less for my Sheltie. They love it, and I think I will continue to do this. I made 5 cups rice, and with the other ingredients, it made a batch that I split into three plastic containers, 2 to freeze. There is enough to feed them for several weeks! I was surprised how easy it was and will see how they do with it. Any

What about homemade cat food. I have one male long haired cat and two fish and my mom has one short haired cat, a ten yrold shepord, huskey, beagle mix and a male chahuahua and her boyfriends beagle.

Hi there, I'm looking for help with moving my dogs to a homemade healthy diet. We have 3 large dogs, one being a newfoundlander that has been diagnosed with kidney problems. She was very ill and we almost lost her and are not out of the woods yet. Vet said she can't process protein. As per the vet we are on low protein dog food that is about $100 per bag that our girl hates. She has also started passing out when she exerts herself or gets excited. Really no energy to speak of. Could someone send me a recipe to try as I start to research things and see what is best for her. Any suggestion would be appreciated. We are scared and confused and certainly cant spend that much on a food she hates. dnrhawley@kos.net

Hi there Donna - I have been feeding an all organic homemade diet for 6 years. It is the best thing you can do for your dog. Check with your University of Vet hospital - they have nutritionist on staff that would be glad to formulate a diet for you that has all the componets for a healthy dog. I make mine for 14 days ahead and freeze it. Good Luck

We've made our dog food for over 17 years, so many years that our first dog family of 4 has passed on. They must have been fine with the food since they lived 15-19 yrs. The recipe is basically a chicken casserole w/lots of veggies/herbs, maybe I'll post it. A key to success I believe is adding variety during the week: My husband asks if I've "Snacked" the dogs today. They get an extra nutritious something every day: Cottage cheese, canned tuna or mackerel, scrambled eggs, some cheese, yogurt, etc. Also, a multivitamin supplement daily. They take the pill easily if wrapped in a little glob of cream cheese. For fun, they love the unspiced chicharones, homemade unsweetened peanut butter cookies, etc. The time it takes to make the food decreases as you get used to doing it. Yes, some dogs eat around black beans, or applesauce. One dog seemed to be allergic to green beans, cuz he'd eat a bowl of home cooked food and all he'd ralph would be the green beans. So we ditched the gr

We recently changed our dogs diets from a lower grade commercial dog food to a very high end brand and all three of our babies (a Pug, a Lab/Terrier mix and a Bassett/Golden Retriever mix) experienced digestive issues. We contacted our amazing vet and she recommended we try a bland homemade diet to clean them out. After changing to this diet, they all recovered quickly. We made the decision to start making all of our dog food from scratch. Our normally very picky puppies race to their bowls now!!!! I feel good knowing that my furry kids are eating a healthy diet and they are more playful and energetic than they have ever been!!!! I've used recipes from this site and they are very happy!!!!!

Thank you pattic54 for the info on to much protein.

For everyone talking about how cats and dogs are obligatory carnivores and such, I would just like to say that all animals are as different as humans, and that I have a VEGETARIAN CAT. You think I'm joking?! This cat refuses to eat anything that is pure meat, does not come running when a can of moist food or tuna is opened, and will sniff at the salad or side dishes of veggies on your plate rather than the main meat course. He loves pasta, oatmeal, the milk left in a cereal bowl, and will eat everything out of a pot pie or soup and leave the meat. The only exception that he makes is with Hot Wings. I don't know, maybe he's the 1/million odd ball. I've tried getting the "better" and "lower cost" foods for my animals, and for the most part they are not picky, as long as there's something in the bowl and are able to enjoy a "human food" treat once in a while, but right now for various reasons, I have decided to try to find a homemade food that will work for all the animals, whether

Hello all, Does anyone have a dog food recipe that works well with Pugs? Any help would be appreciated......My email address is........jacqueline45s@aol.com I wish you all a blessed holiday season

ok referring to the first comment by trudy. Being a diabetic, I count my carbs everyday. Along with me, and at least 10 percent of the rest of the world, (obviously more) know that the lowest source of carb comes from grains( i guess you were confusing this with bread) and vegetables. Also "overcooking" anything means there is hardly any nutrition left in the food when you get done with it.As soon as you grab the vegetable fo choice from your local supermarket, it has already lost at least 10% of the nutrition it had to begin with, which isn't much if it came from a farm that used hormones and pesticides to ensure that it grows fast , instead of correctly. You wouldn't believe how much nutrition is lost when food is frozen, canned, cooked past a particular temperature, "nuked" in the microwave, fried, and even steamed, which takes the lightest toll on food. Replace your overcooked rice and oats with just raw oats , and you have just increased the nutrition of his meal by 1000%. N

Hi, the only pet food my dog gets is good quality buscuits, different flavour every time i buy them. and pigs ears etc. otherwise she gets whatever we are having. might be steak and vegies, or spaghetti bog or hungry jacks. doesnt matter, she eats it and loves it. whatever she doesnt want she leaves in her bowl. plus she gets a raw bone every day after her walk. Why waste time on making dog food when you can just cook for 1 extra. I have a doberman at the moment and she will even pick through a salad leaving the bad bits behind! Never had a problem with any of my dogs in the past, and they have lived out their full lives. They love chiken bones, even cooked. Choking on them is a myth. Well, for big dogs anyway! they are dogs, they are made to eat bones. Kudos to you if you do take the time to make your own dog food, dont trust that canned you buy in the shops, plus they deserve better.

Hello, I am glad to see more pet families are choosing to use homemade feeding methods. I have a year old Pomeranian; I had tried several brands of food; she would not eat them, now she only eats food I prepare for her. I continually explore sites like this one to get new ideas and information on homemade feeding and natural care and healing. My Pom is healthy and full of energy, I also keep her Vet informed about her diet, exercise, sleep and bodily functions. The more the Vet knows about her the better to help keep her healthy and identify concerns. Our Vet was not a big fan of homemade feeding at first but I keep her informed about exacting what I use and the amounts so we can adjust if necessary, I also give her a multi-vitamin.

My super simple, quick, inexpensive and healthy method for making food for my blue heelers once weekly. I have a restaurant size stockpot and approximately once a week I put into it 3-5 lbs of whatever chicken or pork is on sale. I top it off with a couple gallons of water and simmer it for 12 or more hours. Both types of meat will automatically "disentegrate" into little bits over that time so it's easy to remove the bones. Then I add a 5lb bag of rice. During the course of the week. if there are a lot of human leftovers I mix them into the pot. The process takes about an hour of my time, costs less than $10/week and the dogs love it. When we've been traveling and I can't make their food, it takes them 2 days to find dry food edible (I have a friend who drives a truck for Alpo and after hearing his stories, I wont buy can food). Anyway, it's cheap and simple - the only problem is that folks with large families might have a hard time storing the stockpot in the fridge. Does the

was wondering if anyone could help me out. i have an american/old english bulldog mix. she has major allergies and i haven't had much luck with dog foods, i tried the wellness duck/potato but it didn't agree with her. i've just switched her over to blue buffalo fish/potato which she hasnt been on for more then a couple of wks. i havent had much luck with my vet. can anyone suggest what diet i may try her on? some tell me to try a raw diet but i would much rather cook her food then give it raw. i also have no idea what types of food or how much to feed her on a daily basis. thanks for your time. feel free to email me at diane_couto1968@hotmail.com

When making your own dog food you need to ensure that your dog food has 60% meat and the other 40% is vegetable and grain. Dogs also need calcium so raw bones can provide this. Raw chicken wings are excellent for small dogs while larger dogs can have whatever bones they are capable of eating. Bones also are excellent for cleaning tartar off dogs teeth. When choosing meat ensure it has a certain amount of fat in it as dogs require fat in their diet. Cheap fatty mince is excellent. All vegetables and grains need to be cooked well as dogs have small intestines which prevent them from breaking down carbohydrates easily. If you want to cook your own cat food ensure that you use 80% meat and 20% vegetables and grains. Cats love raw chicken wings so this will provide their calcium. If your dog is unwell and not eating very much buy a vitamin supplement from your vet and add it to the food. Do not use any salt or flavor enhancers such as packet gravies. Any changes in pets diets need to be int

@ Patty~ commented on ~Jan. 7, 2012 7:13 pm... My 2 toy pomeranians did the same thing..once I started them with homemade food they refuse to eat anything else. I started when they were 6 or 7 months old & they are now 9 yrs old. Still as healthy & hyper as day one!! at Pharm Hand...thanks for the recipe! I have two almost 3 yr old rescues (boxer/mastiff mix) who would LOVE that recipe!! very similar to what they get now. @ plb good job on the bone talk, I do that for mine as well! However mines have had both onions & garlic before..I had no clue they were toxic, THANK GOD nothing's ever happened to them! I guess each dog is different. I saw a lot of lfea talk..I'm in Florida & between the heat & humidity it's a flea & tick paradise out here from like now till september (sometimes longer) I've always used Dawn dish soap & I've rubbed garlic on them too..does the trick!!Now..My Bella (Boxer mix) is very hyper w/a high metabolism (she burns that food asap!) & I want to bulk her up some

I have been feeding my beagle mix mutts, 25 lb &40 lb, homemade food for several years- make a big pot of chicken soup with veggies and a grain. Added garlic recently as flea prevention but doesn't work. May be off topic, but what do you guys do about fleas? We have two dogs, two cats, and one dog and cat seem immune while the other two are tortured. Checked out Earthclinic and people claim oils, garlic, acv all work for them- nothing works for us. We resorted to poison but not continuing- one flea or millions are all the same for my poor animals. Any ideas? Short of moving to frozen tundra?

i have a question regarding with my pet...ok lang po ba kapag ang isang alagang hayop ay kumain ng hilaw na isda kasi yung pet namin ayaw niya kumain ng luto..gusto niya hilaw

I adoptive a 10 wk old one eyed pug from my vet office. The breeder wanted him put down because she could not make money off of him. He is now 2 1/2 and the joy of my life. His problem was his weight. He continusly gained weight from the moment I got him. Every appointment.He gained weight. He was given Prescription dog food. He had every test in the world done. I had him down to a quarter cup of food in the morning and one at night. He cried all the time because he was hungry. He was up to a whopping 34lbs. I just kept hearing that I was over feeding my dog and I knew I wasn't. I adore him and did not want to see him with health problems. Two months ago I decided that's it. I have tried everything.I started making his own food. Boiled chicken. Steamed vegtables, whole grain rice and some canned pumpkin. The difference is astounding. You can actually see a result and I am so excited. I have not told my vet because he does not agree with home made foods AND he is a close friend of mine.

Jeri...I have found that if you treat your yard it helps a great deal in keeping the flea problem under control. I use a pet safe treatment for my area. It also helps with other pests that can affect you and your pet. Diane...for your dogs food allergies I hope she is better now. Chicken, brown Rice, peas and sweet potatoes may help, also you might ask your vet about allergy medication. Kg99...I am a big fan of home cooking for your pet.

I've had several dogs over the years and cooked for them most of the time. Nothing special, but I always use the veggie peelings and scraps from potatoes, carrots, gr. beans, onions, plus meat broths and drippings. I also make sure that they get some sort of raw food several times a week... meat, eggs,veggies, etc. They have all been long-lived...most into their late teens. Right now I have a 20lb.+ terrier mix who is 23. Yep! 23 human years old, and I have always fed her like this. She now gets a senior vitamin, bran, yogurt for digestion and glucosamine for her joints. I must admit, she has a cast iron constitution and has only had stomach issues a couple of times in all these years, when she found a way into the garbage and ate the blood-soaking material in the meat trays (I thought for sure it would kill her, but the next day out it went at the other end!). She has not shown any allergies to grains or grain products so I know I'm lucky there. She is almost blind, almost deaf, but h

"I started making his own food. Boiled chicken. Steamed vegtables, whole grain rice and some canned pumpkin." Our 8 year old Beagle has had pancreatitus and we have settled in on 1oz boiled chicken breast, 1/4 cup white rice (easier to digest than brown), 1/2 boiled egg & 1cup of EVO (low carb)Red Meat formula per day. Treats are Cherrios only. The cost of EVO has risen to over $4 a lb & our thoughts are moving to 100% prepared food. We are open to suggestions.

My 8 year old chihuaua has been diagnosed with heart disease and her heart is double the size it should be. She has to be on a low sodium diet. My vet is apprehensive about putting her on a homemade dog food diet. What commercial dog food would be good for her and also, what book would be good for beginning to cook her own food. Since this should be a slower process?? Thanks!

I have to disagree with feeding dogs grains. Quite a few dogs are allergic to grains plus it provides extra calories with very little nutritional benefit per my vet. I feed my dogs a mixture of quality organic dry kibble and make them a "canned" food of boiled chicken (no skin and white meat only), greens beans and very little carrots and peas. They seem to do very well on it and I add water to their kibble and "canned" food so they get the additional water. If you let it sit for a few minutes before giving it to your dog, you have a "gravy". My cats on the other hand get nothing but a quality organic kibble. My oldest cat who has early renal failure is on a low protein prescription diet. I just feel that making a homemade cat food is a bit more difficult/trickier for cats since they really don't need/eat veggies or grains.

I've been giving my pets homemade food since forever, and their always happy and full of energy. I really try to avoid commercial food since it can be like a poison to your animals. They love their veggies cooked with either some chicken, mutton or beef and a lovely *long* sauce. I add it to rice or mealiepap with a little water and they eat like kings and queens. And above all, they're very healthy. It's actually a family tradition, my grandma gave her animals homemade food, my mom does it and now I do it. And they tend to live long, happy and healthy lives.

Any suggestions for feeding CATs? I would love to hear info on different cat foods/treats, etc. To buy or make. I'm new w/ kittys... it's probably not good to have them vacinated or on meds for fleas, etc, right? I'm open to ALL helpfull suggestions/ideals & so forth. Any helpful web sites too would be greatly appreciated! :-) Thanks. Please feel free to e-mail me also it's: OhhhSandy@att.net

1 can tuna .5 cup raw oats and one egg beat, grill and cool makes 2 patties, 1 for me one for pupster

OhhSan: a home made diet is wonderful for cats, mine have been on it for over a year now, as well as a slightly different diet for my dog. I have a recipe that's relatively easy to prepare and, from what my research has told me, provides them with all the calcium, taurine, and vitamin A, along with other nutrients, that they need. Email me at lemontreestudios@gmail.com if you'd like to take a look at it, it's too long to post here, but with that said, the best website I've found for cat food information is http://www.catinfo.org/ I will say that I don't feed a raw diet as Dr. Pierson does, for several reasons, but otherwise my recipe is very similar.

I have been cooking foru Doha since February due to one of my dogs having cancer. I use brown rice with lentils and boiled chicken and carrots and beets with sweet potato and I also make my own calcium and they are very healthy. Brown rice is very good for dogs. I did a lot of research on this and I also use sunflower oil on their food. Their hair is very shiney. Hope this helps.

I have many comments on alot of these comments. Many give great information. Maybe i will post later for but for right now in reading a post about calcium. When feeding eggs, and making homemade treats and food, mix in the egg shell, ground up of course. Natural source of calcium