Cooking up dog food

[judy]

I'm cooking up a huge pot of food for the dogs. I'm using a new recipe - about 5 pounds of chopped turkey, boiled, 2 packages off frozen peas and carrots and 1 package of frozen spinach in the same pot , bring to a boil, add a box of brown rice
and leave it until the water is absorbed by the rice.

It can't be easier! I also ordered fish oil treats and chondroitin treats on eBay.

I wish I could make healthy, low fat food for myself so easily. I could always eat the dog's food too.

I don't think so!!!

[goofywife]

Katy wants to come to your house for dinner!

[Janet]

I didn't know you cooked food for your babies! Sometimes I feel guilty because I don't, but heck...I don't cook that often for us..LOL. I just don't think it would be something I could do, and like it.

[DianaB]

It would be my luck that I'd make all that food and Reuger would turn up his nose. He is sooo very picky!!! I guess that Mollee, our airdale, would be happy. She always gets what ever Reuger won't eat!

[judy]

I didn't actually want to cook for them Janet! Opening up a can is so easy, but Gracie Leigh had giardia and then the vet said she probably had some kind of worms too. Mandy started me on cooking for them and I find that it's easy on Gracie's stomach.

I also found that it's so much easier than I thought it would be, or I'd be trying canned food again.

Don't think Max didn't try to turn his nose up at this new recipe this morning! He did eat it though finally.

[Marilyn]

I cook for our dogs, but I kinda cheat. I cook up a big pot of rice using chicken and/or beef broth instead of water. I put this in the refrigerator and when time to feed, combine it with leftover scraps of chicken/turkey, whatever we have to make about 1/3 cup, warm it in the microwave and mix in about 1/4 cup of Diamond Lamb and Rice kibble. I divide it about 1/3 for Zoe, 2/3 for Chase. I don't know if it's totally nutritionally balanced, but I started doing this to transition them back to kibble when they all got sick this summer and we had them on chicken and rice per the vet. We never finished transitioning them. They love it, and seem to be doing very well, so I figure they are okay.

[judy]

It probably is very balanced. I was thinking of adding kibble because that's a complete, balanced diet for dogs on it's own.

[Marilyn]

Judy, are you still cooking for your dogs? Mine started turning their nose up at the mixture I've been making. They don't want the kibble any more and were picking it out. Last night I made a big pot of chicken and dumplings using boneless chicken breasts and thigh fillets, for us and the dogs to eat. I always thicken the broth in my chicken and dumplings with flour, so last night and today, they got cooked white rice with chopped chicken and the gravy from the chicken and dumplings mixed in. They loved this, but I know it's not balanced. Do you have any problems getting them to eat the mixture with the vegetables? I had thought of checking on YorkieTalk about recipes for dog food, but there is so much on there and I have so little time to do very much research. I trust what you are doing. Please let me know if it is still working. Do you chop up the peas and carrots or mix them in right out of the bag?

[Gina]

I wish I could cook for Gucci, poor thing is on the L/D diet and I see that somedays she doesn't want to eat. I guess its the same boring nibbles over and over. But it keeps her healthy.

[Janet]

I think she still is cooking for her babies. I hate cooking so much that the only way I would cook for mine is if I HAD to. I hope that never happens, but if they needed it, I sure would cook.

[Marilyn]

Zoe just refuses the kibble. Chase will eat it, but I gave him some Diamond Lamb and Rice with his rice and broth one day this week instead of meat and when I got up the next morning I had vomit and runny poo to clean up. They seem to do much better with my concoctions, but I know mine aren't balanced. No veggies, just rice, broth and meat.

Growing up on the farm, the dogs lived on corn mush cooked with bacon grease and were healthy with nice shiny coats. However, they did catch wild rabbits and other varments to supplement their diets. I know this is not what I want for these little yorkies.

I may just try to make Judy's recipe or go to YT and see what others over there are doing. I just don't do so well in big crowds and that's how I feel over there.

[Tink]

It always makes me giggle when I read about you all cooking for your dogs.
I'm sure mine would love if I did a bit of that too, but when I consider cooking enough for as many big dogs as I have, it stops me dead in my tracks. I go through about 50+ lbs of dog food plus treats per week. Can you imagine how much cooking that would be?

So please don't tell my dogs what you're doing for yours... I can't afford to get on their "list". lol

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by Tink

It always makes me giggle when I read about you all cooking for your dogs.
I'm sure mine would love if I did a bit of that too, but when I consider cooking enough for as many big dogs as I have, it stops me dead in my tracks. I go through about 50+ lbs of dog food plus treats per week. Can you imagine how much cooking that would be?

So please don't tell my dogs what you're doing for yours... I can't afford to get on their "list". lol

Tink, you made me chuckle. No way would I consider every cooking for your crew, not even one dog that large unless there was no other option. I can cook 2 cups of rice and 3 large chicken breasts or 6 thighs and they will last almost a week. I cook the chicken in chicken broth in my pressure pot and it only takes 15 minutes or so. Rice cooks in 20 minutes and I'm set!! I did buy the ingredients to make Judy's recipe, but will wait until next week to make it.

[judy]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Judy, are you still cooking for your dogs? Mine started turning their nose up at the mixture I've been making. They don't want the kibble any more and were picking it out. Last night I made a big pot of chicken and dumplings using boneless chicken breasts and thigh fillets, for us and the dogs to eat. I always thicken the broth in my chicken and dumplings with flour, so last night and today, they got cooked white rice with chopped chicken and the gravy from the chicken and dumplings mixed in. They loved this, but I know it's not balanced. Do you have any problems getting them to eat the mixture with the vegetables? I had thought of checking on YorkieTalk about recipes for dog food, but there is so much on there and I have so little time to do very much research. I trust what you are doing. Please let me know if it is still working. Do you chop up the peas and carrots or mix them in right out of the bag?

Sorry I didn't answer this sooner Marilyn. I wasn't home yesterday.

I actually just stopped cooking for mine. Gracie Leigh's stomach seems to be much stronger and I'd love to get them on kibble soon. She's 10 months old, and won't need wet food anymore after her first year. Of course,they won't eat the canned food mixed with kibble that I'm giving them now. I figure that if they get hungry enough, they'll eat it. I left a bowl of kibble out all day yesterday and somebody ate about 1/4 of it.

I think your recipe is fine as long as you add some veggies to it. I just take 2 packages of frozen peas and carrots and one package of frozen, chopped spinach and throw them into the pot. I mix it once they soften a bit and cook it until the water reaches a boil again. I don't cut the veggies.

Another way I get them to eat veggies is that they are all they get from what is on my plate when they come begging. They never get my meat, only a little bit of potato or pasta and my steamed veggies. They think people food is asparagus and green beans.

I also mix flax seed oil (made for dogs) into their food. I think you're supposed to add some other supplements, but I never did.
This is Mandy's recipe, and I trust her. If you go on YT, you get too much info. I just ended up confused.