Making Your Own Dog Food

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

I'm still at home and not on the road but have been making our dog's food for several months now.  Today I started a video because I had to do a batch so at some point I'll have that.  But basically, once you get used to it the process isn't so bad.  I made 12 cups today using 1-1/3 pound ground beef, a yam, a sweet potato, half a zuchinni, some broccoli, six carrots, one cup Quinoa and 1 cup long grain white rice.  I freeze some of it so it stays fresh.

Sometimes I use peas, rolled oats, beans.  I have a looked up what I could and couldn't feed them.  

My daughter and I watched a video called PetFooled and it inspired us.  I thought about it but she took over and did it.  I finally then learned to do it as well.  At first it's a pain but later it became just something I do.  Since these are all foods that we are likely to have on hand for ourselves that makes it easy as well so I think when we get on the road as long as we have a freezer that is adequate we can continue to do this.

 

[TrainChaser]

Dogs are naturally canivores, rather than omnivores.  The majority of their diet should be meat.  Left on their own, they will eat vegetables (etc) if they're really hungry, but they would rather eat 3-day-old roadkill.  When catching (or finding) meat, their normal ingestation of veggies is only from the creature's stomach.

I'm not against owner-made dog food, esp when well thought-out, like the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) diet, http://barfworld.com/what_is_barf.php  or the Raw Meaty Bones diet, http://www.rawmeatybones.com/diet/exp-diet-guide.pdf

But when many pet owners change to a homemade diet, they're usually changing to save money, and to save money, they shortchange the pets on protein by leaning heavily on vegetables and grains.  The meat they do use is often hamburger, and not the better grade of hamburger; a natural diet for pets is not high in fats.

My vet said years ago:  "People can pay extra money up front to feed quality food to have a healthy pet, or they can pay me later to try to fix the problems that a long-term poor diet caused, but THEY'RE GOING TO PAY."

 

[Free_to_be_me]

Dogs are naturally canivores, rather than omnivores.  The majority of their diet should be meat.  Left on their own, they will eat vegetables (etc) if they're really hungry, but they would rather eat 3-day-old roadkill.  When catching (or finding) meat, their normal ingestation of veggies is only from the creature's stomach.

I'm not against owner-made dog food, esp when well thought-out, like the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) diet, http://barfworld.com/what_is_barf.php  or the Raw Meaty Bones diet, http://www.rawmeatybones.com/diet/exp-diet-guide.pdf

But when many pet owners change to a homemade diet, they're usually changing to save money, and to save money, they shortchange the pets on protein by leaning heavily on vegetables and grains.  The meat they do use is often hamburger, and not the better grade of hamburger; a natural diet for pets is not high in fats.

My vet said years ago:  "People can pay extra money up front to feed quality food to have a healthy pet, or they can pay me later to try to fix the problems that a long-term poor diet caused, but THEY'RE GOING TO PAY."

I feed my dog raw diet. He's been healthier than ever but occasionally his anal glands get impacted. To fix this, once a week I give veggies that have been blended. It's a closer replication of eating an animals stomach contents, easier to digest, and still gives him the healthy fibre he needs for a big poop that releases those anal glands! Otherwise, he eats raw meaty bones (preferably chicken, rabbit, quail, or something else with bones easy to crunch to protect his teeth) and organ meat. 

for anyone considering homemade or raw diet, be sure to thoroughly research different sources and develop a thorough understanding of ratios, weights, and ways to prevent risks of course. 

But I highly recommend it! This is my second dog on the raw diet and Vets are always astounded by their great health!

 

[MrNoodly]

Way back, humans domesticated wolves by letting them eat scraps. Then humans invented the upper-middle class, which not only turned the ancestors of those wolves into lap dogs and other genetically screwed up freaks of nature, they also started worrying about the "right" things to feed them.

 

[highdesertranger]

I will dispute that Train Chaser, every dog we have ever had loves avocados. they will pick them right off the tree or off the ground. highdesertranger

 

[gallica]

I have always made my canine's food. Never did trust the whole dog food corporate/marketing thing.  They get 99% meat, with plenty of organ meats. Once in a while I through in some veggies or cheese.  I have very happy healthy doggies. It is more work to make their food, but totally worth the effort.

 

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

Dogs are naturally canivores, rather than omnivores.  The majority of their diet should be meat.  Left on their own, they will eat vegetables (etc) if they're really hungry, but they would rather eat 3-day-old roadkill.  When catching (or finding) meat, their normal ingestation of veggies is only from the creature's stomach.

I'm not against owner-made dog food, esp when well thought-out, like the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) diet, http://barfworld.com/what_is_barf.php  or the Raw Meaty Bones diet, http://www.rawmeatybones.com/diet/exp-diet-guide.pdf

But when many pet owners change to a homemade diet, they're usually changing to save money, and to save money, they shortchange the pets on protein by leaning heavily on vegetables and grains.  The meat they do use is often hamburger, and not the better grade of hamburger; a natural diet for pets is not high in fats.

My vet said years ago:  "People can pay extra money up front to feed quality food to have a healthy pet, or they can pay me later to try to fix the problems that a long-term poor diet caused, but THEY'RE GOING TO PAY."

We do use quality meats even if some of it is ground round.  Most people cannot afford to feed pets a high meat content and most pet food is not quality nor as high a meat quality as one thinks.  I did squirm about adding the rice but the cost is $1 more per 2 days vs. $6  more per 2 days.  We were feeding Blue Buffalo and then switched to an expensive dry food which is reconstituted with water made by Revel.  That's when I made the switch and use some of the same ingredients except they are fresh instead of dehydrated and almost powdered.

 

[TrainChaser]

HDR: "I will dispute that Train Chaser, every dog we have ever had loves avocados. they will pick them right off the tree or off the ground."

Dogs will eat many things: avocados, grass, old pizza, cat poop, rotting fish guts, socks, poisoned rats, baited fish hooks, rocks, balls, etc. But not as a regular diet. My dog would pull up carrots from the garden and eat them. I didn't say to her, "Well, that's a cheap diet, so I don't need to give you any meat."

 

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

When I changed the dog's diet I started buying a not cheap reconstituted dog food but the consistency sucked. So I started making my own. My one dog had food allergies before and her nose was always inflamed. The prednisone they gave her to cure it nearly killed her in 10 days and the dog food I was buying cured her. She almost lost the ability to walk. So I started using primarily the ingredients Revel puts in their's and went from there. They love it. I guess if I could afford 4 cups of beef only a day that would be one thing but it ain't going to happen. They are for sure better than on Blue or many of the other meaty dry brands I tried. If that changes I will post for sure.

Christine