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Mira

(22,380 posts)
Tue Apr 2, 2019, 11:58 PM Apr 2019

First time posting in this forum - it's about home made dog food

My friends, you've not seen me here, but maybe elsewhere (photography is my main hangout)

Rather than dig through and search it's a lot easier for me to ask if there is anyone here who cooks for their dog?
The post about the rubber contaminated cat food prompted it.

I've been cooking for my 2 year old Jack Russell dog for about 6 months or more. I add supplements by Dinovite Company. My dog is thriving, and the vet is approving. I just wonder who else is doing this? I make up food in a concentrated streamlined way - it takes about 3 hours - and then I have 2 months worth of food. The cost is tolerable. The dog is happy.

Thoughts?

10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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First time posting in this forum - it's about home made dog food (Original Post) Mira Apr 2019 OP
What's your recipe? mahina Apr 2019 #1
seriously? Mira Apr 2019 #2
Thank you. mahina Apr 2019 #4
I see you're using brown rice - you might want to consider switching to white. phylny Apr 2019 #7
Funny - I read the exact opposite is true - and yes, they move through food very quickly - Mira Apr 2019 #8
Well, I think you may be right about the rice! I think I was confusing phylny Apr 2019 #10
We cook for our dogs Bayard Apr 2019 #3
For those of you who are interested in commercial dog foods, Stonepounder Apr 2019 #5
I have been making my dogs' food for several years now. phylny Apr 2019 #6
Just wrote up my chicken version Mira Apr 2019 #9

Mira

(22,380 posts)
2. seriously?
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 12:16 AM
Apr 2019

I'll be happy to post it - my dog likes chicken better than ground beef which is the alternative - and it's chicken, brown rice, eggs, and the supplements. But the amounts for the feeding in my case are a little over a cup a day, so the time involved in making two months worth depends on the size of the dog. Also, I suggest you go to "dinovite" and see about the supplements and the cost.
What I like so much about feeding her that way is that I know what's in it, I know it's OK to feed her my leftovers if I sprinkle on some of the supplement powder and a few drops of the oils that contain omega acids and vitamins and she is good to go.
Just need a list of what's not good for her, and that's on my fridge.

Once I read what is in dogfood, even the more expensive ones, I switched over.
I see my friend's dogs getting illnesses and cancer.

If you want, let's talk about amounts and production in a pm?

mahina

(17,710 posts)
4. Thank you.
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 01:29 AM
Apr 2019

The last time I tried o was making her 1/3 pumpkin (canned, no sugar) 1/3 cooked barley and 1/3 pork loin and s bag of costco spinach. She loved it. She was doing fine. Poops were smaller.

Then I got on a raw thing with her and bought Raw Dog dog food which was made here. I followed the instructions exactly and she lost too much weight. I went back to Merrick’s kibble. She’s fine but I don’t know really whet I’m feeding her. The ingredients list is the Barr Report of canine nutrition- you know?

phylny

(8,390 posts)
7. I see you're using brown rice - you might want to consider switching to white.
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 08:33 AM
Apr 2019

I read that dogs digest very quickly and do not get the benefit of brown rice. White rice is more easily digestible. I'm interested, though, to hear if you have different information

Mira

(22,380 posts)
8. Funny - I read the exact opposite is true - and yes, they move through food very quickly -
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 08:49 AM
Apr 2019

so I switched to brown rice after that. Must dig out where I got that info. The eggs, by the way, are added hard boiled, unpeeled, and are squished by hand til the shell is as little as possible. My reading said that the calcium is important and that they can digest the eggshell just fine.
Ultimately it is a 10 pound sack of chicken - unseasoned of course - leg quarters. Baked for 1 hour at 350, then carefully stripped and chopped. Then the same mound of rice, into which I mix chicken livers, cooked. And then 18 hardboiled eggs. I think the additives from the Dinovite Company are important, sometimes I also put in small amounts of coconut oil, if I'm out of their oils. I package the daily amount in flat small ziplock bags which I stack in the freezer.

phylny

(8,390 posts)
10. Well, I think you may be right about the rice! I think I was confusing
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 09:20 AM
Apr 2019

using it for an upset stomach, in which case white is better

Yes, I put 18 hard-boiled eggs in the food processor and obliterate it.

Bayard

(22,172 posts)
3. We cook for our dogs
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 12:57 AM
Apr 2019

Three Great Pyrenees and a Miniature Dachshund. Pretty sad when you go thru the grocery, and there's more in the cart for your dogs than you!

Mostly stewed chicken, livers, giblets, and sometimes turkey, with brown rice and veges. I do admit though that I've found a kibble that everybody likes, is reasonable, and high rating. 4-Health. So I have been feeding that more lately, with the chicken and veges on top. Depending on how the hens and ducks are laying, they also get eggs. I only give vitamins if they aren't getting the kibble.

I do not cook for the cats. Just too many.

Stonepounder

(4,033 posts)
5. For those of you who are interested in commercial dog foods,
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 01:36 AM
Apr 2019

check out Dog Food Advisor. https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

They know how to read dog food labels and rate the foods and tell you why they rate as they do. It is an excellent source to see where the calories and nutrition come from in both dry and wet food.

phylny

(8,390 posts)
6. I have been making my dogs' food for several years now.
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 08:31 AM
Apr 2019

I started when three (THREE!) good-quality dog foods were recalled and one made one of the dogs sick. I use Dinovite plus ground beef, hard-boiled eggs (with the shell), and Dinovite's fish oil. I make enough for close to two months, and I do leave it raw and freeze many batches. My dogs get one quarter cup patty in the morning, and split a half in the evening, otherwise they pack on weight. I will say I have two small dogs, so it doesn't bankrupt us They love it, and their coats are gorgeous. Bloodwork comes back great.

Mira

(22,380 posts)
9. Just wrote up my chicken version
Wed Apr 3, 2019, 08:54 AM
Apr 2019

before I read yours. My attempts at ground beef did not turn out so well - but mine was cooked like large meatloaves. She did not like it as much as chicken. Will experiment again, and though I read it is OK raw - it makes me a bit nervous. My dog's coat is also beautiful, and the bloodwork was great 2 weeks ago at a checkup. I told the vet, and he checked her out really well, and said she was beautiful, just a little bit too heavy. So I am giving her a bit less food now.

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