10 reasons of why home made rations are not for pets

[josephine]

health care

[chazhound]

I wouldn't feed my dogs an all meat diet...

Chazhound

[Renee750il]

The real problem with that advice, at least for those of us in the U.S., is that most vets don't really have much knowledge about pet nutrition other than what's been passed on to them by two major pet food manufacturers - that make severely under-quality and unhealthy products. Asking your typical veterinarian about your dog or cat's nutrition just isn't going to get any substantially helpful advice.

[Doberluv]

Well then...what is all the whoop-lah about raw food diets? I know it's suppose to be "natural," but I am skeptical still. Many of those raw, meaty diets have no supplimentation of veggies, grains etc. The idea is that when a dog kills a rabbit or whatever, there's all that stuff in them anyhow, so they are getting meat, digested veggies and perhaps grain of some sort. What is your opinion on that?

Personally, I like a premium kibble. I can't see having raw, bloody bones drug around my house. Call me a neat freak. LOL.

[Renee750il]

Oh, there's no doubt that a properly administered BARF diet is superlative. But the key is properly administered; that can be a staggering proposition, especially if you have to earn a living and live with another human being and have to sleep once in awhile. It probably wouldn't be that strenuous with small dogs, but with a bunch like mine???? I've read about some Fila breeders that feed only raw, but they obviously have plenty of time and a superior source of income. And I'll be honest, one of them is a breeder that I and several others consider to be a dangerous liability to the breed and its reputation - but that's another thread for another day.

There is a product, Sojourn (www.sojos.com) that has really impressed me with its quality and practicality. It is a 'formula' that you add to the raw food, I think it's available in varieties that contain grain and do not contain grain. It balances out the nutrients so you know your dog is getting the full spectrum.

Truthfully, though, I don't see myself changing from the Innova, especially since they are now eating the EVO formula.

[DogCrazy]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I have 2 dogs... Frisky, 2.5 year old black male lab and Maggie, 1.5 year old brown female collie mix. They are both healthy and in great shape. But we do feed them home-made rations; in fact they have very little of their "dog food" in a day. It's usually either mixed with some wet canned food or some milk or they get some rice with yogurt or bread.

Is this bad for them? They eat twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. They don't like their dry dog food very much, especially if that's all there is on their plates. It should at least be mixed with something. If they aren't showing any signs of stomach upsets or loss of weight, should I be concerned?

Thanks!

[josephine]

Originally Posted by DogCrazy

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I have 2 dogs... Frisky, 2.5 year old black male lab and Maggie, 1.5 year old brown female collie mix. They are both healthy and in great shape. But we do feed them home-made rations; in fact they have very little of their "dog food" in a day. It's usually either mixed with some wet canned food or some milk or they get some rice with yogurt or bread.

Is this bad for them? They eat twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. They don't like their dry dog food very much, especially if that's all there is on their plates. It should at least be mixed with something. If they aren't showing any signs of stomach upsets or loss of weight, should I be concerned?

Thanks!

Milk is not good for adult dogs as they are lactose intolerant,milk is good for the puppies.Milk can cause diarrhea.
If you want to give to your dogs milk,give only small amounts of it.
As far as i know yogurt is good,the plain yogurt though not the yogurts that have sugar in them.
Cheese is good too!
I've noticed that dogs eat dry food when they are hungry,they don't eat it when they are being fed with other "better" stuff.

You have to be careful with home made food,watch out the toxic stuff that can harm your dogs,for example onions are a BIG NO NO for dogs

read this :
http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2035

[Renee750il]

The yoghurt is a great addition. Just make sure it has active cultures so your dog is getting the full benefit of the enzymes.

Some dogs don't like the sourness of plain yoghurt, but really love the vanilla. Just make sure you're not giving them the stuff that's sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Or you can take the plain yoghurt and put a spoonful of honey in it, preferably raw. Raw honey is a great addition to a dog's diet. Just remember, moderation is the key to everything.

If your dogs really like the milk, you can try them on calf milk replacer. You get it at farm supply stores and co-ops. It's different because all the fat has been removed. We supplement our pups with it, especially since they have such large frames. It's also much, much less expensive than using canned milk.

Another thing you can put on their food for a treat is unsalted chicken or beef broth. They love it. For a treat, I buy beef hearts and simmer them in a pot of water with a clove or two of garlic. It's the leanest meat you can find; just good solid protein, and you can freeze the broth in portion sized containers and thaw it out later to put over their dry food.

[josephine]

Originally Posted by Renee750il

The yoghurt is a great addition. Just make sure it has active cultures so your dog is getting the full benefit of the enzymes.

Some dogs don't like the sourness of plain yoghurt, but really love the vanilla. Just make sure you're not giving them the stuff that's sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Or you can take the plain yoghurt and put a spoonful of honey in it, preferably raw. Raw honey is a great addition to a dog's diet. Just remember, moderation is the key to everything.

If your dogs really like the milk, you can try them on calf milk replacer. You get it at farm supply stores and co-ops. It's different because all the fat has been removed. We supplement our pups with it, especially since they have such large frames. It's also much, much less expensive than using canned milk.

Another thing you can put on their food for a treat is unsalted chicken or beef broth. They love it. For a treat, I buy beef hearts and simmer them in a pot of water with a clove or two of garlic. It's the leanest meat you can find; just good solid protein, and you can freeze the broth in portion sized containers and thaw it out later to put over their dry food.

wow cool information there renee,thanks!

[Saje]

Do you eat a raw diet yourself, Serena? Just curious since many people believe that this is a very healthy way for people to eat too as well as being the most natural way to eat.