Does anyone make their own dog food?

dahat

jap gt wrote: »

should the veg be un cooked aswell or does it matter

If you feel you needed to feed veg,puree it in its raw form to break down the cellulose as dogs cannot digest veg in its whole form.

ToniTuddle

Whispered wrote: »

And your little green light is STILL on. Go to bed, you appear to be loosing your mind.

I think I got to bed about 5am or 6....I've no idea really

RoastBeefDinner wrote: »

I think the egg shells are to prevent the dog eating it's own poop hence it prevents re-infection of worms not so much that it kills them off in the animals digestive system.

I will still have the image of the little eggshell soldiers killing the worms! \o/

TooManyDogs wrote: »

I have a massive soup pot that I prepare my veggie 'gloop' in, I roughly chop the starch vegs, and the minimum amount of water I can, boil them for 10 mins, add all the other veggies, fruit and eggs and then blend the whole lot, seperate it out into daily portions and then freeze the lot.

Are there certain types of veg/fruit or even the uncooked eggs themselves that don't freeze properly? Or is it ok for dogs that way and just not humans?


Someone was saying the veggies sometimes come out looking the same as they went in so I mean do the dogs absorb actual nutrients from these veggies?

TooManyDogs

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Are there certain types of veg/fruit or even the uncooked eggs themselves that don't freeze properly? Or is it ok for dogs that way and just not humans?

Someone was saying the veggies sometimes come out looking the same as they went in so I mean do the dogs absorb actual nutrients from these veggies?

Mine always seem to freeze grand, eggs and all. I blend the eggshells into it too. Again my lot seem to be able to digest the veggies well so nothing seems to come out the other end undigested. But then my lot are knackers so eat and digest anything seemingly!

ISDW

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Someone was saying the veggies sometimes come out looking the same as they went in so I mean do the dogs absorb actual nutrients from these veggies?

That was me, I was just explaining why they need to be pureed, I don't feed raw, but I do sometimes throw the dogs a bit of carrot to munch on, but it always comes back out as carrot:D However, if it was pureed and mixed in with their other food, itwould be digested.

ToniTuddle

ISDW wrote: »

That was me, I was just explaining why they need to be pureed, I don't feed raw, but I do sometimes throw the dogs a bit of carrot to munch on, but it always comes back out as carrot:D However, if it was pureed and mixed in with their other food, itwould be digested.

Ahhhhhh I get ye now

TooManyDogs wrote: »

Mine always seem to freeze grand, eggs and all. I blend the eggshells into it too. Again my lot seem to be able to digest the veggies well so nothing seems to come out the other end undigested. But then my lot are knackers so eat and digest anything seemingly!

And all your food is completely raw?

Was just wondering about it all as from regular cookbooks it tells you certain foods won't freeze right but maybe when all blended up it does.

Kiva.D

Hi, I am very new to the boards and so glad to have found this thread! I've been wondering about my dogs food for awhile. I can't wait to read the entire thread of everyones ideas!

dahat

Kiva.D wrote: »

Hi, I am very new to the boards and so glad to have found this thread! I've been wondering about my dogs food for awhile. I can't wait to read the entire thread of everyones ideas!

What food do you currently feed?

anything is better than kibble!!

TooManyDogs

ToniTuddle wrote: »

And all your food is completely raw?

Was just wondering about it all as from regular cookbooks it tells you certain foods won't freeze right but maybe when all blended up it does.

As far as I'm aware its food that's heavy in oil that sometimes has problems freezing, so oily fish can be problematic. Mine always freezes solid! Which is a pain if I forget to take it out of the freezer the night before!

I got a great book that explains feeding raw food to dogs, it's by Carina MacDonald - Raw Dog Food. I got it off Amazon and it was easy to read. I was really apprehensive before I started but her book broke it down well. She is american so some of it isn't relevant to here but the general principles are universal.

ToniTuddle

Kiva.D wrote: »

Hi, I am very new to the boards and so glad to have found this thread! I've been wondering about my dogs food for awhile. I can't wait to read the entire thread of everyones ideas!

Welcome to boards *waves*
There is tonnes of information in this forum so just have a look through other threads too.

TooManyDogs wrote: »

As far as I'm aware its food that's heavy in oil that sometimes has problems freezing, so oily fish can be problematic. Mine always freezes solid! Which is a pain if I forget to take it out of the freezer the night before!

I got a great book that explains feeding raw food to dogs, it's by Carina MacDonald - Raw Dog Food. I got it off Amazon and it was easy to read. I was really apprehensive before I started but her book broke it down well. She is american so some of it isn't relevant to here but the general principles are universal.

Suppose you could just skin the oily fish and give it to the dog while you freeze the fish itself....or is the insides of the fish quite oily too?

That's another book to add to my list. I'm gonna have a mini library by time I get all these different books

jap gt

dahat wrote: »

If you feel you needed to feed veg,puree it in its raw form to break down the cellulose as dogs cannot digest veg in its whole form.

how do your dogs do on all raw meat, do you feed nothing else, a diet like that would suit me even more as i work as a butcher

RoastBeefDinner

jap gt your gonna have one happy dog if you work as a butcher;)

My little one is doing great with a raw diet. Less odour, solid stools and very happy with her meals and she shows it:D
As other posters have noted read up on it and just jump in when your ready.
I find if I train my own train of thought to imagine my dog is in the wild and what would she be eating if she was, then making the diet for her is straight forward. They dont have microwaves,cookers etc in the wild:)

dahat

jap gt wrote: »

how do your dogs do on all raw meat, do you feed nothing else, a diet like that would suit me even more as i work as a butcher

Yes i do,i use different meats and vary them.

They are fine and healthy,shiny coats etc......
Use different suppliers for different meats,a bit bloody at times but im ok with that.

Meats i use......

Lamb hearts,pork hearts,beef hearts,all sourced from butchers,pretty cheap

Chicken,all parts,Cappaquinn chickens sell 15 kilo slabs of pet food chicken for 15 euro ish,well worth it.

Lamb shanks,pork hocks,butchers.

Lamb and beef liver,butchers..........get a whole beef liver for 5 euro

Any cheap meat except mince when on sale in supermarket.........
I also get a variety of boney meat for free from my butcher,chicken necks,pork spines etc

Groom!

This is a really good topic and very informative. I might look into changing my own dogs over.

Thanks for all the great info:)

Kiva.D

dahat wrote: »

What food do you currently feed?

anything is better than kibble!!

...sadly, kibble it is... Wellness is the best brand I could find.

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Welcome to boards *waves*
There is tonnes of information in this forum so just have a look through other threads too.

Thanks ! I will search through the threads and catch-up on proper canine nutrition.

ToniTuddle

dahat wrote: »

Any cheap meat except mince when on sale in supermarket

Sorry another question!

Why not give mince?

Kiva.D wrote: »

Thanks ! I will search through the threads and catch-up on proper canine nutrition.

Oh there are plenty of funny and fun threads too.
It aint all serious business

dahat

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Sorry another question!

Why not give mince?

Just by choice,mince is no test or enjoyment for a dog,just wolf it down whereas a hunk of meat gives the dog enjoyment of pulling and tearing the meat off.
Provides exercise for jaw muscles.

Chicken thighs are cheap and in an emergency i will buy them.

Whispered

I've got a dog here who never ever seems satisified. Food is wolfed and then more is begged for. Do you think changing one of his meals to raw meat, while keeping him having one meal of his regular food, would help satisify him?

How would I judge size of portion. He's 12 kg, and is on approx 120g dry food a day (It doubles in size when you steep it). He also gets treats like cheese, small amounts of peanut butter on a spoon, raw veggies and some bikkies. There is usually a raw bone lying around for chewing, replaced every few days with a fresh meaty one. It's important for me to keep the treats part of his diet for training purposes, and his food is for sensitive digestive systems and to try build up his immune system, so any advice on how to introduce raw meals while keeping his usual food too.

Graces7

RoastBeefDinner wrote: »

Yep thats what my collie is on at the moment. Takes 5 minutes to prepare and chicken these days is very cheap.

I should say that of the 3 brands of Kibble I tried with the dog the Real Nature was the easiest on the little un:D If I had more than 3 dogs though it would be kibble day and night regardless.

Collie used to get chunks of raw meat; we have a butcher who gives high quality scraps) but of late these... reappear... later even though she loves them. She had such a bad start in life and it is good to see her at a chicken leg. She takes it to a corner, lies on her front elbows, bottom in the air .

So now it is chicken and stew/soup. The slow cooker is great and thus we share our food.

I think it is important to be alert and ready to adapt the diet as a dog ages. Needs change then.

We are feeding two cats and two dogs and it is easy when you get into the routine.. as others have said, anything but kibble.

Ailishcrehan

Whispered wrote: »

I've got a dog here who never ever seems satisified. Food is wolfed and then more is begged for. Do you think changing one of his meals to raw meat, while keeping him having one meal of his regular food, would help satisify him?

How would I judge size of portion. He's 12 kg, and is on approx 120g dry food a day (It doubles in size when you steep it). He also gets treats like cheese, small amounts of peanut butter on a spoon, raw veggies and some bikkies. There is usually a raw bone lying around for chewing, replaced every few days with a fresh meaty one. It's important for me to keep the treats part of his diet for training purposes, and his food is for sensitive digestive systems and to try build up his immune system, so any advice on how to introduce raw meals while keeping his usual food too.

I think you would have to do some research in to how the combination would affect his digestive system as processed food and raw food are digested at different rates. RAW food diets are not meant to be put in place if processed food is also given, I think it defeats the purpose, but research or speak to someone who knows more about the dietary side of things

RoastBeefDinner

Whispered wrote: »

I've got a dog here who never ever seems satisified. Food is wolfed and then more is begged for. Do you think changing one of his meals to raw meat, while keeping him having one meal of his regular food, would help satisify him?

How would I judge size of portion. He's 12 kg, and is on approx 120g dry food a day (It doubles in size when you steep it). He also gets treats like cheese, small amounts of peanut butter on a spoon, raw veggies and some bikkies. There is usually a raw bone lying around for chewing, replaced every few days with a fresh meaty one. It's important for me to keep the treats part of his diet for training purposes, and his food is for sensitive digestive systems and to try build up his immune system, so any advice on how to introduce raw meals while keeping his usual food too.

My dog behaves like I dont feed her BUT in all honesty I cannot tell you whether she is more hungry now on raw or before when on kibble. I could ask her but chances are she would just reply "feed me whatever youve got":D

If your feeding him raw veg, some bikkies and the odd meaty bone (a real one that is) then your half way there. My girl is 4 months and weighs approx 15kg. Average consumption of raw meat per day is in the region of 500/600gramms (4% weight of dog)

Remember though feeding the raw diet needs to suit your own lifestyle. ie what you eat yourself determines what you buy in the supermarket or butcher. Being a vegetarian somehow I dont think will suit your dog:D Also you need to watch him/her carefully during the initial phase of introducing the meals.

mprop

Just as an update - I've had the Husky on Chicken and Rice for the last 2 weeks, he was starting to look healthier and his poos were mostly solid. I received my deliver of "Best for my dog" last night and on opening the bag, it smelt nice! Kind of like bisto.... The three dogs wolfed it down and started looking for more.

This morning I was looking out and the husky started in the poo position, I was at the window almopst glued to it with excitement. I haven't been that tense since the penalty shoot out in Italia 90. A big solid healthy looking poo came out. The husky turned around in surprise (while still in the crouch position) and looked and sniffed at what he had just done and did another one. He repeated the turn and sniff as I cheered inside.

Hopefully it continues! Will start him on Zinc to try and cure the scratching and sores.

Whispered

All you dog people are MAD.

mprop

Whispered wrote: »

All you dog people are MAD.

Barking mad you might say.