Recipes for Furpeople?

Personally, I think it silly to cook just for my pets. But many other people feel differently.

There is a thread on making your own petfoods over at epicurious.com that might give you some insights. And, while I don't have the URL, I know there is at least one web site that deals with this topic. If you google for it I'm sure it will turn up.

re: table scraps, you say "for obvious reasons." Care to expand on that? I have no idea what those reasons might be, obvious or not. I've fed pets table scraps since my first dog when I was 8. And other then when I was in the service, I've never been without at least one dog since.

I only feed homemade dog food every since 1st recall

Dear Yoyo,

I am an avid animal lover and I own a miniature pinscher that is about 4 yrs. old. Approx. 10 months ago I became concerned as to his pet food, he never ate very well, was constipated all the time, had horrible breathe, and a low energy level. I only fed Iams dry. As soon as I began the homemade diet, he loves meal time, eats all his am & pm food I put in his bowl, we walk 1 mile daily to keep him (And me) from becoming overweight, and he is just a transformed creature.

After deciding to go with homemade dog food I did an in-depth on-line search and eventually found the recipe I now use exclusively. It is basically 1/3 meat, 1/3 vegetables, & 1/3 starches. I now make it by memory and I keep copies of the recipe at work (I share it with my customers whenever someone asks for it) I will post it here on Wed 1/2/08 when I return to work.

Table scraps are in fact not healthy for our beloved little ones, the concern here is mainly salt, sugar, and certain ingredients that are not healthy for our furry friends. It can lead to health problems. I worked at a veterinary office for 2 years and am grateful for the knowledge I gleaned during that time.

My sister also went to this recipe with her Weimereimer, and her German Shepard guide dog (he had allergies) she has had remarkable results. I freeze mine in containers and a batch lasts approx. 2 weeks. I do not mind preparing this pot of food for my "Little Man". The cost is minimal as it is kind of just worked into our grocery bill.

My fiance always makes comments like..."that looks good enough to eat, or hey the dog eats better than us"! I use frozen peas, broccoli, fresh carrots, pumpkin, oat meal, brown rice, chicken, beef etc. I know the food is fresh and prepared in a clean environment. My dog has better breath, every aspect of his health has improved. The only concern is that I need to keep up with his annual dental a little more consistentley as he is not eating dry food to help de-plaque his teeth.

I think you are wise to consider this prospect, especially if you do not mind being in the kitchen whipping up this & that! I will get the recipe to you as soon as I get back to work!

Happy New Year!
CCCathy

P.S. I am excited to see if the quality and longevity of an animals life is improved by taking his diet needs into my own hands!

Thank you for your replies.

A diet of table scraps exclusively leads to obesity, dangers of allergies and toxicity (there are many people foods that can cause lack of energy, diarrhea, pancreatitis, stomach upsets and even death in animals just to name a few). I have come to distrust the claims that the dog/cat food manufacturers make about their given brands as they are in the business to sell their products and their claims of

low fat

Click to expand...

,

natural

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, and

healthy

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are not necessarily what a vet would call those terms. My animals are my family and I want to treat them as such.

Yoyo, I'm not looking to pick a fight. Honestly. But

"A diet of table scraps exclusively "

is not the same thing as

"I don't want to give them table scraps for obvious reasons"

There is nothing wrong with giving table scraps as a supplement to a balanced, healthy diet. And that's the key. If a dog is otherwise fed properly, table scraps are an extra treat.

basic homemade dog food recipe

Hi Yoyo,

Here's MY FAVORITE RECIPE:

8 C. BROWN RICE
1 C. PASTA
25 C. WATER
2-3 LBS. FROZEN MEAT (BEEF, LAMB, OR CHICKEN)
2 CUPS VEGGIES (PEAS, CARROTS, SQUASH, BROCCOLI, CELERY, APPLES, BLUEBERRIES)
1 C. OATMEAL
1/2 C. CANOLA OIL
1/2 C. BUTTERMILK POWDER
3 EGGS
1/4 C. HEALTH SUPPLEMENT (RECIPE BELOW)

USING A LARGE DUTCH OVEN; BRING WATER WITH FROZEN MEAT TO A BOIL, ADD BROWN RICE LET SIMMER 25 MIN'S. REMOVE MEAT, COOL AND CHOP FINE; I USE MY BLENDER AND PULSE UNTIL MEAT IS CONSISTENCY OF BABY FOOD. RETURN MEAT TO POT, AT THIS TIME ADD TOTAL REMINING INGREDIENTS, EXCEPT THE HEALTH FOOD SUPPLEMENT. COOK JUST UNTIL PASTA IS DONE. I ALSO USE MY EGGS WITH THE SHELL AND ALL, I JUST PUT THEM IN THE BLENDER AND BLEND UNTIL FROTHY BEFORE ADDING TO THE POT.

ALLOW TO COOL A LITTLE WHILE, STIR IN HEALTH FOOD SUPPLEMENT AND MIX WELL. THEN PUT INTO FREEZER CONTAINERS AND FREEZE.

***NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT***
(THESE INGREDIENTS CAN BE FOUND AT A HEALTH FOOD STORE)

2 C. NUTRITIONAL YEAST (***NOT FLEISHMAN'S BAKING TYPE***)
1 C. SOY LECITIN GRANULES
1/4 C. HUMAN GRADE BONE MEAL
1/4 C. DRIED KELP
1/4 C. DRIED PARSLEY
1/4 C. FLAX SEED

MIX TOGETHER ALL INGREDIENTS AND KEEP STORED IN A COVERED CONTAINER IN THE REFRIGERATOR. ADD 1/4 C. TO EVERY BATCH OF DOG FOOD YOU MAKE.

FEED 1 CUP PER EVERY 10 LB BODY WEIGHT A DAY.

DO NOT FEED ONION, GARLIC, CHOCOLATE, AVACADO'S OR SUGAR TO DOGS

I Also Agree With Kyh That You Do An In-depth On-line Search To Study Up On The Subject As Much As Possible. I Don't Have A Cat And So I Only Know About The Dog Food, I Do Know That Cats Require More Protein In Their Diet Than Dogs.
I Use The Egg Shell Because It Adds Calcium And I Omit The Buttermilk Sometimes, And Sometimes I Even Omit The Supplement. But Mostly I Follow Recipe As Closely As Possible. One Time I Forgot The Eggs And My "little Man" Really Let Me Know About That Flub-up! He Just Nibbled Until I Added A Little Scrambled Egg To His Food, Then He Was A Happy Chow-hound And Gobbled It Up.

Let Me Know If You Decide To Go This Route And What You Think. Believe Me It Gets Easier With Each Time You Make It!

I Use Whatever Extra Vegetables I Need To Use Up, Like After Christmas They Had Sweet Potatoes At 10 Cents A Pound I Scarfed Up On Them At That Price, And The Entire Family Even "little Man" Got To Enjoy! Extra Celery, Pumpkin From Our Halloween Jack-o-lantern (we Don't Carve It We Paint It) Gets Baked And The Pulp Mashed And Frozen For Pies, And I Even Use It For His Dogfood! Be Creative, But Be Cautious Not To Add Anything Potentially Unhealthy Or Harmful For Your Pet. That Is Why I Recommend You Study Up!