[Moonskimom]

Been making this for my dogs for years, slight variations of what is on sale in the veggie dept. Vet fine with it b/c they are super healthy!:
BIG POT (I freeze 1/2)
3 lbs ground chicken or turkey or ground pork (or mix)
2 lbs ground beef (total amount 5 lbs of meat)
Organic: dried lentils, split peas, brown rice, barley, apples, squash, spinach, kale.
No salt V-8 juice, tomato paste, organic flaxseed meal, organic virgin coconut oil, cranberries, frozen mixed vegetables, water added as needed but goal is nice thick stew; often add oatmeal if not quite thick enough.When cooling I add a few fish oil pills to pot (same as I take). Served with plain organic yogurt & add powder in caps of pro & prebiotics. Heaviest on the proteins, veggies, & fruits. 2 cups/ 2x’s daily with water added too. CHEAPER than Orijen but use that occasionally- they don’t like it as much. Glucosamine/chondroitin a couple x’s a week, not sure if helpful, mm.
Both dogs rescue lab/hound etc =pure-bred mutts, both approx 55lb. Both 6yo Therapy dogs & both get TONS of exercise in woods & parks. Raw femur bones a couple of x’s a week & I make my own treats too for when they are working. LOVE MY DOGS!

[InkedMarie]

I’m sure there are good treats locally but IMO, not still pet smart. I have better luck still pet co. What about feed stores or boutique pet stores? Look for treats made by the Honest Kitchen, SoJos, if you happen to be in New England, Casey Jones Bones.

[nationalguard88]

Hello, I’ve been learning a lot of good information about dog foods from dogfoodadvisor.com the past few months preparing for my new dobie. Found Dr. Tim’s for a reasonable price and no complaints. I lost my last baby, dobie, to cancer in June after 12 years. My fiancé and I have purchased this pup to raise together. I’ve been educating her on what’s acceptable and not safe. She feels left out, not being able to buy him treats locally. I’ve been doing all shopping online. Aside from making my own treats at home, are there any acceptable treats at petsmart she can buy? Like mentioned above. Zukes??? She just came home with a bag of pet botanicals. I said, you did a good job trying to read the ingredients, but look at the tiny print on the back. Product of china! Any help appreciated. Thanks.

[young101]

Hi PippaY

My 10 year old weimaraner Blu also has PLE. Here in the UK we have Hills Science Plan Prescription Diet – she has a scoop of their “d/d salmon and rice” dry food for lunch. It’s listed as being hypoallergenic and for skin complaints but it’s also used for PLE (vet reccommended we use it)

Breakfast and dinner she has Chappie tinned food which is also fish based. The advice from the vet was to put her on a high protein low fat diet, protein from fish rather than red meats, for treats things like cottage cheese and eggs (I must admit I restrict the amount of eggs she has as you can imagine the side effects!)

Coconut oil is an MCT, dogs find it more palatable than the MCT liquid oil. It comes in a solid form in a jar, I add a tablespoon a day to her food, maybe a teaspoon a day for your yorkie?

Blu is also on steroids to treat the PLE but the diet definitely helped in getting her protein levels back up.

Good luck!

[Akari_32]

I’ll get the dry Pro Plan every now and then. They send out great coupons for it, up to $5 off. And then PetCo usually has $3-5 off coupons on it as well. Combine with a sale, and you get it SUPER cheap! The trick is buying small bags, instead of bigger ones.

Reptiles really are much cheaper and a better quality at shows. I would only buy from shows, but I made a joke about a cute lizard I wanted at PetSmart (Rex) for Christmas, and my parents got him for me LOL Thus, I started into reptiles with one of the worst starter reptiles on the planet XD But I love him and don’t mind dumping all my money on his UV bulbs and crap. Two years after I got him, I got my first leopard gecko, a female Dreamsickle I named Amelia, and then this year, I got my second in my march, a male Snow named Rowen, and another male in September at the FirExpo (where I also got Amelia), a tangerine lavender, Raven. Love my “yizards” to death :3

I just tried to use one of those cricket coupons yesterday LOL I didn’t realize it had expired on the 1st. Whoops! I’ve actually started breeding my own meal worms for my guys staple, and then I’ll still by crickets, supers, roaches and waxworms as a treat. I’m spending so much on feeders that I don’t have money money left at the end of the week for, you know, bills and gas and stuff? LOL

Most companies don’t check if you’ve gotten a coupon before or not, except by tracking your ip address, so you can print multiple coupons on various computers, and then you can also email them and ask for one in the mail. Did you get that BB $5 off any bag, $1 off any can, and $0.50/$1 off any treats thing in the mail? I’ve got some of those I need to use, as they expire at the end of the year….

Because I tend to buy several months worth of dog food over a week or so period, I only print the coupons out a few times a year, 10 at a time. But I’m pretty sure they are reset monthly. Just try every couple weeks, doesn’t hurt! 🙂

[kms]

Just wanted to update. I’m starting to get more worried. We made the last transition step yesterday and are now at 100% NVI Rabbit. It was a 9 day transition. Still doing digestive enzymes and 1 heaping tblsp pumpkin at each meal – plus a double dose of Probiotics at each meal. Meals are twice per day (1 1/4 c NVI Rabbit per meal) – plus I use 1 c for treats throughout the day – so that’s a total of 3.5 c per day (he’s a 35 lb, 6 mo Weim). Other than the improvement in the quantity/frequency of stool and less fishy smell (which is probably due to the dig enz’s, not the food), it’s the same. The first part comes out nice and formed – and second part comes out like pudding. It has only been 2 days now that he has been on it @ 100%, but shouldn’t I have seen gradual improvement the whole time we were transitioning? or am I not being patient enough? It just seems like most people see a improvement right away. I’m getting worried that it may not be the food. He has now been on 4 foods (Eukanuba Puppy Growth, Chicken & Rice bland diet, Orijen LBP, NVI Rabbit) and all 4 resulted in the same thing. The first 3 were chcken based and the last is rabbit based (although it does use chicken fat as a preservative). His last antibiotic and negative fecal were 40 days ago – so the antibiotics are long gone from his system – and he has been on a double dose of Probiotics for 2 weeks. The really weird thing is…. in all this mess, he HAS had some days with great stools. He had 3 days in a row at one point while on the chicken/rice bland diet – and then he had about 3-4 days in a row when on Orijen – but there was no pattern that I could see.

Should I start looking for another food or give this food more time?
Could the 1 c I’m giving as training treats be messing him up because they aren’t being given with dig enz’s and prob’s?
Is 1 1/4 c (sometimes 1 1/2 c) too much to feed in a meal (ie. should I feed him 3 times/day instead of 2 times/day) I moved to twice per day feedings about 1 month ago at the suggestion of the breeder – she said it would give his GI tract more time to rest.
Should I stay on a double dose of the probiotics?
Do you think I need to see the vet?
I got the Perfect Form – should I try adding that now? I got concerned when I saw that it’s not allowed to be sold in some states. Can you shed some light on that?

I know that’s a lot of questions and I really appreciate any and all advice.

[OhBichonPlease]

Thanks. I will definitely try that. I may have to add it to her water though, or to her frozen treats because she can be a little picky about what is in the food dish
. So the added antacids might not be helping, but they shouldn’t be hurting her either, right?

[OhBichonPlease]

I definitely think you should switch to higher-quality foods… for the picky eater especially – what little he will take down needs to be properly nutritious and high quality since he isn’t eating enough/well. I would transition slowly to minimize upset or selective eating of familiar kibbles and try fasting for a day with no treats or extras [I know it’s hard] before introducing small amounts of a new kibble. You can even try providing 2-4 different kibbles at a time – maybe something in the mix will appeal to your dog especially. You may want to look for a kibble that has a slightly higher fat content or salt as both of those are appealing and will encourage eating and may help get your picky eater to a better state of health. The different ingredients can help your dog adjust to new foods better and will only help/improve nutrient absorption and gut health provided there are no allergies/intolerances. Many local pet shops can provide free samples so you can try adding small amounts of new kibbles without spending much money. Adding some wet food or high quality meat toppers might also entice and encourage better eating habits. You may have to experiment, but tuna, salmon, plain cooked shredded meats, yogurt, canned pumpkin and other pantry items may help establish better habits and digestive health. Warmed peanut butter can also be drizzled over kibble instead of mixing and clumping it up in the bowl. Sometimes piles of food can be intimidating and food may need to be spread out more. Or your dog might not like her food bowl for some reason – try switching to a cereal bowl or a pie tie and see if that helps. Some dogs like to be sneaky eaters so hiding food in several places or the putting the dog bowl in unexpected places or outside might help. Feed your dogs separately [and maybe even at different times of the day], feed well [high quality kibbles and nutritious toppers/extras/treats] and congratulate, encourage and reward with enthusiastic praise every single time your picky eater takes a mouthful of food and actually swallows it.
You may also try making your own dog treats out of the above ingredients or buying canned food and instead of serving it at room temperature or warmed, try freezing it in ice cube trays giving those to your dog on a towel or an easily cleaned floor. Laying down a special mat or picking a quiet corner and acting like a mealtime is very special may also help her your picky dog more excited about dinner. Some dogs really like munching on frozen foods even when they won’t touch them at other temperatures.
When my picky eater isn’t eating I give her a little pepcid [we suspect semi-regular heartburn] and then act really excited about opening a can of high quality wet dog [or occasionally cat or puppy – vet’s recommendation for getting food in when nothing else works.] The smellier the better [canned green tripe works wonders but is best fed outside. I also had amazing luck with small cans of Weruva – it looks/smells like human-grade baby food and is expensive, but the quality is obvious and the food was eagerly consumed both wet and frozen].] I give her a little straight out of the can right off the spoon so she feels like it is human food and a nice treat and then drop some in a dish with kibble. I won’t mix it in anymore because too often she has shunned to food once she discovers the hidden kibbles and I don’t like throwing food out [the neighborhood cats have gotten very friendly since her leftovers get tossed on the pavement for them – I am sure it’s better than whatever they are fishing out of the trash, small birds, squirrels, etc]. But sometimes she will eat up the wet food in one section and then start eating mouthfuls of kibble afterward – progress!
When our girl is especially reticent about eating kibble we move her food into the room where we eat dinner and hang out in the evenings and sometimes have to pretend to eat kibble, hand feed her or toss pieces onto that evening’s dinner plate to get her to start eating. Once she realizes she is indeed hungry she usually goes back to her bowl and only needs encouragement to keep eating [Good girl! What a good dog you are for eating kibble! Good dogs eat their food!] every other bite. She still looks at us for encouragement while eating and I sometimes have to tap to bowl or shake it to remind her there is still food to be had.] I give her a half cup of food at a time and she never eats more than half at night and usually doesn’t empty her bowl entirely until the next afternoon. [She is slightly less than 15lbs and eats approx 300-400 calories a day in food and treats, as far as I can figure.]
I had never met a dog previously who didn’t like and look forward to dinner time, but our rescued Bichon needs to be coaxed and encouraged to eat almost every bite, every day.

Good luck, keep experimenting with higher-quality foods and ingredients and don’t give up!

[OhBichonPlease]

Our rescued Bichon went from going once usually, sometimes twice a day [sizable pile, lighter brown and a bit floppy sometimes] on a low-quality corn based kibble to pooping 2-3 times a day [mostly dark brown, harder/more solid, slimmer and well-formed] on Wellness Core. We spoiled her a bit at first and she gained three pounds during her first month or two with us. She lost that weight easily when we switched to a high quality grain free kibble and nicer dog treats crumbled into tiny pieces. As far as bowel movements during the transition and continuing now, most of the time it is easy out, but sometimes she squat-walks for a minute or two until she feels like everything has passed. She recently went on a hunger strike [and lost a half pound in about a week] and didn’t eat kibble for a week straight and hardly touched treats, human food or stinky, delicious wet food until after giving her some Pepcids. [I created a topic about doggie heartburn in another section on this forum and am curious about other people’s experiences with food refusal due to heartburn or indigestion.] Things are back to normal and settling down digestion-wise, but we are interested in rotating her food and trying different brands and are starting on Dr Tim’s grain free. I am curious to see what this does to her stool volume [never a sentiment I thought I would have]. I too though stool volume would decrease due to her grain-free kibble, but put down her increased regularity to finally getting proper nutrition with quality fiber sources. During her week of not eating, I started making ice cube treats [out of necessity to preserve what was being laid down, but not consumed] made with Wellness 95% salmon and organic canned pumpkin – she loves these frozen goodies [gets 1-2 cubes most days] and I will probably continue to provide them for her for the benefits to skin & coat and digestion. I may even add a bit of yogurt as I understand that freezing doesn’t affect probiotics and I want her to have as wide a variety of helpful gut flora as possible. [As a note, she was pooping more before we started adding pumpkin to her diet. Since she has been getting her ‘salmon pops’ and eating kibble again more regularly – but never yet enthusiastically – she has continued with going 2-3 times a day and never in the morning anymore, curiously.]
Don’t get me wrong – I am happy to see stuff moving through regardless or quantity or frequency, but I read lots of posts where people discussed decreased stool volume and that has not been my personal experience either, so far.
You might also try adding canned pumpkin or frozen or fresh green beans to your dog’s food – that will provide fiber helping pull stuff through and also contributing to a feeling a fullness. It may make your dog poop even more though.
Dog treats can be a major culprit in weight gain, so you may want to switch to treating with toys/playing, smaller treats with healthier ingredients, carrot slices, bones for chewing or something like the Lickety Stik – a great liquid treat [in multiple flavors] with a roller ball dispenser [perfect for training and keeping pockets clean and smell-free]. There are hundreds of licks per bottle and it is super-low calorie – they claim only 1 calorie every 10 licks so you can still indulge your dog without extra/empty calories.

[OhBichonPlease]

I would also suggest [when your dog has settled a bit] taking her to a smaller pet store [Petco and Petsmart might be a bit overstimulating, especially during the holiday season] and showing her several different toys. She may enjoying browsing the aisles with you and may even pick out her own toy that appeals to her. We pull things off the rack for our girl to inspect; when she tries to take it from us or looks excited, we tend to get it because we want her to play.
There is also a toy that may bring your dog some comfort – I think it was designed for weaning puppies, dogs with separation anxiety or mourning pets, but it is a plush toy with a warming pack and a “beating heart” powered by a battery. There is a popular brand available at online retailers and Amazon called SnugglePuppy from Snuggle Pet Products. It is kind of expensive [you may be able to find another brand/model for less] for an experiment, but it may comfort her and help her transition her to her new environment and to liking toys/playing.
I would also recommend wrapping a plush toy in an old tshirt or stuffing it inside a sock that has your scent on it – you’re her pack/people now and she wants to smell like you so she won’t have to be alone again. [Our girl likes to jump in our dirty laundry and thrash under our bedcovers after her bath, probably thinking we won’t recognize her. She also takes off her Doggles whenever my fiance reenters the car]. Making the toy smell like you by putting it in the dirty clothes hamper will help reinforce that this toy belongs in the household, toys are fun and playing with you is a nice thing to do. Some non-plush toys can also have food smeared on them or treats stuffed inside to help get entice her to interact with them.
Playing is a great way to bond with your dog and give her a chance to exercise and feel comfortable inside in her new surroundings. Keep trying to teach her to play – no dog is too old to learn to have fun.
The most important thing to remember is to go slow and have a really positive attitude when dealing with toys – even if your dog’s behavior is upsetting – don’t get upset! Dogs read our emotions and getting worried and stressed over her reactions might be causing more of an issue. If you feel like crying over her reactions, take a break, take her for a walk and then just try to cuddle with her and her toy quietly. Rub her and pet her with the toy if she doesn’t act scared. If she wants it in her crate, let her have it there. Maybe she wants a toy to cuddle and protect and you could get her another toy for tossing, pulling and playing with you in the living room.

[theBCnut]

Hi Blue Eyed Girl
RDM gave you some great advice. Any treat that is just meat will be low in calcium, but just make sure you keep treats to under 20% of the diet, then you don’t have to worry. Rotation of foods helps to keep the intestines healthy and support a wider range of probiotics. If you have agreed to keep her on the SD for 2 months, I would still go ahead and get the next food and after she is settled in your house start adding in 25% of the new food. That way you can start getting some of the better quality in to her and she can have a really long transition to the new food, just in case she does have a sensitive stomach. BTW, rotational feeding cured my sensitive stomach girl. I can feed her any thing, any time I want now with no upsets.

[OhBichonPlease]

I recently adopted an older female Bichon Frise from the local shelter. She has been doing great and made the switch to a higher-quality kibble with no major issues. I recently finished her first bag of Wellness Core and now we are trying Dr Tim’s grain free. She has been getting Cloud Star’s sweet potato Buddy Biscuits crumbled for treats. We had an issue lately that prompted a trip to the vet… For a Halloween treat, I gave my girl a dehydrated rabbit foot from a local pet store. Their products come from a reputable company that sources and processes all of its ingredients in the US. After eating this rabbit foot [complete with fur], my girl stopped eating [and subsequently pooping] for a week straight. There was one incidence of some stuff moving through after the first night, but not really anything else. She wasn’t struggling and didn’t seem in pain. For the first few days she was a bit lethargic and wasn’t interested in toys, but after day 3 or so she seemed like her energy was back and she was drinking normally. I tried everything to get her to eat – moistened dry food, peanut butter, yogurt, warmed wet food, pumpkin, baby food, pedialyte, tuna, etc and she was barely even eating her favorite treats and would sometimes refuse her favorite human morsels outright. We were worried, so we went to the vet. Nothing obviously wrong during the physical and we didn’t want to spring for an xray because I doubted a blockage [and the vet seemed to want to see the rabbit’s foot even though I told him she chomped it up well]… So the vet recommended famotidine, the main ingredient in Pepcid. We were told to give a quarter every 12 hours for a week. Within an hour of her first dose she was eating kibble again [and she is not an enthusiastic eater, especially not for kibble]. We were so relieved – it appears our dog just has a problem with indigestion and/or heartburn. Her diet, eating habits and relieving are all back to normal now… but I find myself giving her a quarter of the acid controller [we bought the store brand] in the evening when she hasn’t eaten. It is pretty obvious that it works because she will start eating soon after that.
I am wondering if anyone else has this issue? Is it safe to give my dog the occasional Pepcid on a semi-regular basis? The acid controller we have at the moment includes the antacids calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide – are we over-supplementing her? Are those safe enough for dogs to have several times a month?
Are there some triggers or dietary changes that I may be able to implement to prevent my girl from developing heartburn in the future? Is her physiology responsible or perhaps the way she eats?
If anyone has any experience with doggie heartburn or some comments or suggestions, please respond. I’m so curious about this!

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi BlueEyedGirl-

First, if you want to upload a picture as your avatar you need to go to gravatar.com. You can also add a picture to a post using photobucket. Copy and paste the image link into your post and it should show up.

Now onto the food…Wellness Core Puppy is a great food, but it is a BIG step up from Hill’s. To play it safe, you might want to gradually step up the quality food. You could start with Nutrisource Large Breed Puppy. Nutrisource has a reputation of being an easy food to switch to. Then you could transition to Wellness Core. 3-4 foods in a rotation is good. That would be my minimum. If your dog doesn’t have intolerances or allergies then you could find many foods to keep switching through.

Because you don’t know if she is a large breed or not, I would play it safe and feed large breed puppy appropriate food. Feeding lower calcium won’t hurt a small/medium breed dog. In my opinion, it’d be better to err on the side of caution.

I think that the amount of calcium that they get from treats is pretty negligible. However, if you are very concerned, I think dehydrated/freeze-dried tripe would be a good choice. Tripe has balanced Ca/P and I believe it is lower in calcium than some other treats. Freeze-dried liver may also be good.

There are more knowledgeable members on here that can give you more feedback and correct me if I’m wrong. I hope this was helpful to you. Have fun getting ready for your pup. It’s so exciting getting ready to bring a new dog home. 🙂

[BlueEyedGirl]

Hello –

Thank you all for the wonderfully intelligent conversations and to HDM for curating the list of LB Puppy Dry Foods. I have tried to read as much as I could, but with over 50 pages, it is quite overwhelming. I apologize in advance if my questions are redundant.

We are hoping to adopt a Boxer/ Great Dane (?) (Maybe Catahoula Cross?) mix from a local rescue this weekend. (I was hoping to be able to add her picture to my profile to show off her blue eyes, but I can’t seem to figure it out right now).

The food she is currently on is Hills Healthy Advantage Large Breed which appears to be borderline for Calcium, but it rates quite low for quality (Two Stars. oh – the irony that it is considered a vet exclusive product).

She was placed on this food as she had as her foster mom says “a wicked case of diarrea” when she came into her foster home. According to her foster mom, she seems to be doing quite well on this food and she has requested we keep her on it for the next couple of months.

After reading all of the information here, I am wanting to transition her to a higher quality food for the remainder of her puppyhood. (She is currently 38.3 pounds and leggy with pretty marled markings at just four months, thus I am leaning to the Great Dane mix).

I have a few questions –

1) I am considering the Wellness Core Puppy as the beginning food to transition her to. Although we transitioned our previous dogs with foods for interest, is there another medical reason to switch out the foods? Is a 3-4 food rotation sufficient?

2) If it turns out that she is NOT a large breed mix (maybe Catahoula), is there any danger or adverse results from feeding a medium calcium food?

3) Are there any training treats that are recommended for large breeds that follow suit with the calcium content?

Thank you so much for your help. There is so much to collect in time for her arrival on Saturday! I want to be prepared. Any advice you can offer is appreciated!

D

[OhBichonPlease]

You don’t have to give grain-free treats unless there is a food intolerance or other reason. I feed my dog grain-free kibble, but don’t mind giving her grain-inclusive treats sometimes – they are treats, after all, and should only be given in small quantities for good behaviour, etc.
That being said, I know Cloud Star makes grain-free treats in both crunchy and chewy varieties and this is a brand that can be found at both Petco and Petsmart and in many small, independent stores. This is a nice, ethical company that uses some human-grade ingredients [I know the grain-inclusive sweet potato Buddy Biscuits are safe for human consumption]. Zuke’s is another wonderful company with good business practices and high standards. They also have several varieties of grain-free treats.
I am sure some one will suggest at some point small, cooked pieces of chicken or even fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables!

[OhBichonPlease]

My doggie LOVES “salmon pops” that I make with a can of Wellness 95% salmon mixed with a can of organic pumpkin. It’s a pretty easy consistency for spooning into ice cube trays and they pop out smoothly for rebagging after a minute on the counter. I give her one or two a most days for the benefits to both skin & coat and digestion. She dances all the way from the kitchen to her special mat that she has to eat them on because a] they smell pretty bad on the fingers [so don’t want it on my carpet] and b] because they could be messy [if they lasted long enough to thaw]. I honestly don’t know how she doesn’t get a brain freeze from holding and chewing a whole cube down to nothing in less than a minute. They get an amazing response from my generally picky eater. It would probably be pretty easy to hide supplements or liquid meds in them as well. I think they may even help her teeth a bit since she chomps and gnaws with her back teeth more than she licks at them.
I have also thrown a few to the neighborhood cats who are starting to look a bit skinny this autumn. They definitely lick at it, but it is usually gone within a few minutes.

[theBCnut]

I have some things that came in 3 or 5 pound chunks and that’s what I do. I thaw just enough to be able to portion it out, then refreeze. Each day I pull out what I need for the next day.

I’m in the same boat as Melissa. I just got 1/4 of a steer and nobody else wanted the liver so I got the whole thing. Some of it goes mixed in with raw meals, but some of it is going to be cooked into training treats.

[Melissaandcrew]

I am new to the home made raw route so there may be a better method.. I buy in bulk thaw, portion it out and then freeze until needed. Right now I have way too much beef liver so its thawing to become treats.

[pugmomsandy]

There’s really not enough freeze dried pieces in the raw boost! You can buy some other brand of freeze dried like Stella & Chewy’s and break up a freeze dried patty into the kibble. I supplement with freeze dried Vital Essentials. I use it as treats throughout the day too.

[Naturella]

Dog Oatmeal Cookies

This is my very first endeavor at homemade dog treats, so the measurements may not be totally exact…

Ingredients:
1/2 – 2/3 cup cooked (baked/boiled/microwaved) sweet potato (with or without skin)
1 medium carrot (or 3-4 baby carrots), raw – shredded
1/2 cup chunky “raw” peanut butter (ground up plain roasted peanuts. If you can’t find any, peanut butter with no or little added salt/sugar will do)
3/4 cup unbleached flour (or whole wheat one, or brown rice one)
1/2 cup plain oatmeal
1 medium/large egg
1 tsp brown sugar
dash of honey
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until a homogenous mixture forms (if mixture is too wet, add some more flour or oatmeal gradually until mixture is sticky but not at all runny)
3. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
4. Using a small ice-cream scoop, scoop balls from the mixture and place about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. You can press them down and shape up in whatever shape you like
5. Bake for about 20-30 min, or until golden brown-ish.
6. Let cool down and feed to beloved pooches.

These can also be refrigerated for about a week or frozen for 4-5 months.

[Naturella]

Healthy Doggie Pizza Treats

Ingredients:

1/2 Best Bully Sticks Chicken Sausage
1/2 Best Bully Sticks Bacon Sausage
1 Best Bully Sticks Beef Sausage
1 Dried Fish Skin (optional)
3 strips Duck Jerky (optional)
1 medium carrot
1 radish
2 celery stalks
1 egg
2/3 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used Colby Jack)
1 small low sodium beef bouillon cube dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup tomato paste or tomato puree (made of tomatoes and water only, no sugar or other added ingredients)
1 teaspoon olive oil or bacon fat
2/3 cup unbleached flour (whole wheat or brown rice flour would work too)
1 tablespoon dry parsley leaves
1 tablespoon dry rosemary
1 tablespoon turmeric powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a food processor or blender, grind up beef, bacon, and chicken sausages as well as the duck jerky and fish skin to fine powder/tiny crumbs. Fish skin and jerky may remain a bit stringy, but that is okay.

3. Pour dry meat flour mix in a mixing bowl.

4. In a food processor or blender grind until finely chopped the carrot, radish, and celery.

5. Pour in the mixing bowl with the meat crumbs.

6. Add all remaining ingredients.

7. Using a spatula or your hands, mix until a homogenous wet mix forms.

8. Pour mix on a cookie sheet or pizza pan lined with parchment paper and even out until about 1/4 inch thick.

9. Bake for 30 minutes.

10. Take out, let cool down just a bit then cut up in desired treat sizes.

11. Serve to beloved pooch(es).

P.S. This is where I got my dry sausages for the “meat flour” from: http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/search?keywords=sausage&submit.x=-959&submit.y=-93

[Naturella]

Hello, guys! I have made homemade doggie treats a couple of times, so I decided to share my recipes in case anyone wants to try them on their pets!

Most recent, “Fall’s Abundance” frozen treats:
1 small fuji apple, without the seeds and stem
1/2 – 2/3 cup cooked (baked/boiled/microwaved) sweet potato (with or without skin)
1/2 – 2/3 cup cooked (baked/boiled/microwaved) butternut squash
1 medium carrot (or 3-4 baby carrots), cooked (boiled/roasted/grilled) or raw.
1/2 cup plain pumpkin (baked/boiled/microwaved/from a can)
1/2 cup plain/greek yoghurt
1/2 cup chunky “raw” peanut butter (ground up plain roasted peanuts. If you can’t find any, peanut butter with no or little added salt/sugar will do)
2 Tbs tahini (ground sesame seed paste/liquid)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a large food processor or blender (or do it batches), and process until smooth or partially chunky. Place in freezer bag and cut corner off. On a piece of foil placed on a flat surface in the freezer, pipe little morsel shapes close to each other. Let them freeze for about 30min or so. Peel off of the foil and put in a plastic container (or another freezer bag) and store in freezer. My Bruno and his “roommate” (our roommate’s dog Casey) loved them!

P.S. I think that if oat/brown rice/whole wheat/any flour is added (and/or oatmeal), these could be baked into cookie treats, in which case I would recommend refrigerating them for up to a week tops, and freeze the excess to be used when desired in up to 4-5 months.

I will post my other 2 recipes soon!

[theBCnut]

I use small amounts of liver for training treats. Too much can cause loose stools.

[theBCnut]

I don’t have a recommendation for treats, but I’m boosting this up where others will see it. I make treats from meats at home or I use Vital Essentials freeze dried dog food for treats. You might find a freeze dried dog food in a small bag that would work for your dog at Petco.

[Amanda Newcomb]

I feed my 6mo puppy acana regionals grain free, so I’m assuming this means his treats should be grain free as well? If so, can anyone recommend a brand that I can buy a petco or petsmart? I purchase his acana from a woman who runs a cat rescue and sells premium pet food out of her home, but she doesn’t sell treats.

Any feedback would be awesome!

[RescueDaneMom]

I have a Great Dane and my mom is taking care of my brother’s rottie. We used to have both of them on Dasuquin with MSM for large breed dogs made by Nutramax. http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/dog/dog-joint-bone-health/dasuquin-for-dogs It worked very well but was very pricey. Last time I bought it on Amazon it was $80 for the 150ct bottle. They come in beef flavored chewable tablets which makes it easy to give. The rottie ate them like treats but my Dane was picky and I had to crush them up in his food. Now, I buy the same components (glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and ASU) from swansonsvitamins.com and give them to my dog crushed in his food. It costs me about $25/month now instead of $64 (I was giving 4 tabs per day so the 150ct lasted about 5 weeks).

[pugmomsandy]

It’s healthier to have a varied diet and to not become dependent on just one food. Recipes change and then dogs have trouble adjusting to the new formulation when only given one food long term. After your dog has been switching often, he shouldn’t have a problem with it. Give him probiotics with each meal. Why would you want him to only eat one food every day of his life? Different meats have different amino acid profiles to offer. I can’t leave food out at my house because a have pet vacuum cleaners. It sounds like he is not interested in his dry food or his treats. Time for a change. Mine LOVE to eat! Any food, any form, any time.

http://urbanpawsmagazine.com/archives/59

[Mahaghaith]

Thanks for that advice…

One question though I keep reading that it’s important to switch food types around and not have a consistent diet. Is that true? I always thought consistency was better for dogs digestion/stomach issues.

Also my dog is a very picky eater, even with treats he only eats his favorites when teased. So I keep his food/kibbles out all day and he barely goes through a small bowl in a day or two even.

Would you suggest I don’t keep food out? Should I change between dry and canned food? He’s got a sensitive tummy, the times I feed him cooked meat or chicken, he might get diarrhea the next day.

Sorry for my endless questions.

If money was no issue what would you say is my best bet to experiment.
Thanks a bunch.

[Mahaghaith]

Hi, I am at the stage where am obsessing about the health and longevity of my dog.
He’s a short haired Russian Toy Terrier. Almost 8 years old. Not neutered. He has always been healthy with very few issues. The occasional constipation/diarrhea followed by anal gland infections when he’s fed fatty fresh chicken. However recently I’ve noticed his skin/ coat changing. He has more bald spots and white hairs and has finer hair especially around his ears, neck and feet. He doesn’t itch nor seem bothered by them. His energy levels are great and his weight has always been stable(5.5 lbs). He’s been eating Royal Canine for chihuahuas and the occasional greenies and Macs&buddy treats. Not taking any supplements.

Now I’m wondering if I’m doing enough for his health. Was thinking of switching his food to Life’s abundance. Any advice/recommendations?

This is my first forum convo. All advice would be much appreciated especially since it’s from others who love their pets as their children like I do.

Thanks a bunch.

[Naturella]

I don’t know too much about this issue, but here is some info that may help:
http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/page_45_6/benefits_of_glucosamine_and_chondroitin_for_dogs.html

And here are links of where you can get your girl nice affordable treats that naturally contain glucosamine and chondroitin:
http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/search?keywords=trachea&submit.x=0&submit.y=0
http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/search?keywords=stuffed+gullet&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

This way you can see how your dog does with good diet, good exercise, much love, and a bit of those yummy treats/chews for a little glucosamine and chondroitin boost – shouldn’t hurt, I don’t think… 🙂

[Timmy1963]

Hello- I have a 6 year old Doberman. A little over a week ago he started throwing up for unknown reasons. I put him on chicken and rice only. I have always feed him IAMS. For treats he gets human turkey dogs (not a lot). I kept him on rice and chicken for a week or so (we got comfortable!). I wanted to give him a healthy diet, I research raw food diet. I just can’t do that. So I got him Taste of the Wild. Saturday night I mixed just a little of the kibble in with his chicken and rice. He only eats once a day. He was fine. Sunday night I doubled the amount of kibble in his chicken and rice. The amount was double, but it still wasn’t a large amount. He woke me up at 5am with diaherra. He has had it several times today and he threw up once. Yellowish bile stuff. When he goes outside he acts fine but inside he is a little lazier than usual. He is a big baby when he is sick he wants me to stay right by his side. Any ideas? Did I increase food too fast? Should I take him to the vet?
A few things to mention- my Llasa eats the same thing the Doberman does and he is fine. My Dobie is big. He is tall and weighs 113 lbs. My son has two pit puppies. They visit every weekend. One or both of them had diaherra this weekend. But I think it is because they gave them a different kind of food. The puppies have been dewormed and had had the first of two series of the puppy shots (5 in one). The last series of 3 is this weekend. Thank you in advance for your help.

[kritterkuts]

Safe Pet Treats…..
Look at this site:
Kritter Kuts all natural pet jerky treats
http://www.kritterkutswyo.com

[DogsAreMyLife]

Hi, I was wondering about other peoples opinion on this product. I emailed Best Bully Stick, and they said the Beef Trachea treats are sourced from their grass fed Brazilian cattle. I prefer to only give my dogs food and treats sourced and made in the USA. Thank you for any input.

[kms]

Pattyvaughn –

Thank you so much! The rotation I’m thinking about is ….Nature’s Variety Instinct Rabbit, Earthborn Wholistic Catch, Wellness Core Puppy, and I’ll look for one more that is beef or turkey based to maintain the variety.

I do, however, have a big bag of Orijen Large Breed Puppy Left (more than I would need to get through the transition). Should I use the Orijen as treats and/or Kong stuffing? Or can I finish off the Orijen bag before I start the transition by feeding something like half Orijen and half balanced canned food that is low in calcium (to offset the Orijen)? I would have to kinda transition to that mixture though. He seems to have a sensitive stomach/GI tract. He has been pooping a lot since on Orijen (4-5 times per day – some firm, some runny) – might be due to the higher fiber content (6%) of Orijen? Also, he has gas and breath that smell like “fish” (weird, cause Orijen is mostly chicken – herring is 4th on the list). Do you know what this means? Thanks again for all the help.

[InkedMarie]

I can only tell you that I am as careful with my dogs treats as I am with their food.

For the most part, they only get The Honest Kitchen treats & chews.

[kms]

Duke the Boxer, RescueDaneMom and PattyVaughn –

Thanks for responding so quick. I started to try to learn about the various probiotics and enzymes on the supplements thread and just got totally overwhelmed at all the choices (think my brain is full). So I ordered Mercola Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes, since that is what I’ve seen recommended the most here. But I’m going to try the Biostareq Terra Biota K9 and Dr. Langer’s also – sounds like supplements can be just as trial and error as the kibble.

PattyVaughn –

When I cut “back to a couple times a week” – do you mean cut back the probiotics AND the digestives enzymes or cut back probiotics only?

I saw on Mercola’s website where they recommend that you feed the Digestive Enzymes a couple hours after each meal, not at each meal. Is that what I should do or just give it with the meal?

As far as the pumpkin, I will up the dose. He’s 32 lbs now, so that’s 3 tsp pumpkin – is that 3 tsp per meal or per day?

As far as the 20%…. He eats 3 c kibble per day, so adding a 20% topper would mean a little under ¾ cup, right? And that means I should decrease his kibble by 20% to account for the topper, right? (I feel like I’m asking stupid questions, but I need to make sure).

Should the meat be raw or cooked? I use chopped cooked chicken for training treats, but he has never eaten anything raw – I’m worried it will upset his stomach.

Thanks so much to everyone – I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere!!!

[gsdmommy89]

RescueDaneMom:

You’re right. I completely forgot about the NV Large Breed. I didn’t know that about NutriSource. I know I’d have to try different foods to see which one he does best with, but in your opinion should I go with something grain inclusive then? He seems like the type with a sensitive stomach. Although with treats he does very well, no matter what type they are.

If I go stick with grain inclusive, should I try the NutriSource or NV Large Breed?

[kaylee1989]

I know there are a couple questions already about Red Barn products, but I am looking for more answers. I have been giving my dachshund their products on occasion. Yesterday, I just bought about 4 of their products, because his birthday is Friday. I wanted to surpise him, since he LOVES chewing on bones and things like that. Well the place I bought them from had a sign saying “Made in USA” but he told me that they had chicken treats from China. Kind of gave me a red flag. So I call them, they discontinued those chicken treats (they weren’t associated with the recent recall). They do however have treats made in USA, Paraguay, and Canada. A big question I forgot to ask is if they have any ingredients sourced from China or another country. I also decided to throw away the product from Paraguay although my dog has had it once in the past :/.

Does anyone else give their dogs these products? Is there anything good or bad anyone has to say about them? (I currently have peanut butter barn bagel, barky bark, knuckle bones, pig ear, and have given him femur bones etc in the past.) It really stinks that it’s so scary to even treat your dog anymore. Also if anyone has any suggestions for anything else I could buy him to chew on..please let me know. I also bought some bone like treats made out of bull hide or something? I know rawhide is not the best, but this guy told me if it’s made from bulls it’s better..I don’t know if he’s pulling my leg?)

I also have antlers, kong at my house for him to chew on. I’ve tried nylabones, but not impressed. He LOVES to chew though and loves new things to chew on especially and I feel like I can’t take that joy away from him. That’s why I decided to buy the Red Barn products. If it was a bad decision though, I will not give them to him.

Thanks for your help.

[RescueDaneMom]

FreeholdHound- Wow, he’s gorgeous! Mine is a dufus at times too, lol. Yes, Max is definitely an XL model. He’s 36″ at the shoulder and 155 lbs. I’d say he’s a pretty average size for a male Dane, maybe even on the smaller size. I’ve seen some truly XL Danes (200+ lbs). I’m doing partial raw as well. I haven’t tried raw tripe yet, just the canned tripe by Tripett. He loves it but boy it sure does stink. I can’t imagine how much worse the raw stuff probably smells. That’s good to know that the VE tripe treats don’t smell as bad. I bet Max would really like those. I’m definitely trying them next.

[Naturella]

My Bruno is probably more like your Haley and Dweezle. He is like a vacuum cleaner and would eat anything. He likes fishy food actually (has had canned as well as fish skins as chews), as well as red meat treats/chews (bully sticks), and his chicken-based kibble. This actually makes me happy so far that he has liked anything and has not been picky toward food/meat type.

[FreeholdHound]

RescueDaneMom- yep that’s my boy Raced as RC Danger but as he’s such a dufus he’s now called Harry. I can see you truly have an XL model (gorgeous!!). Harry has become a tripe addict since I started partial raw feeding. At least the treats don’t stink to high hell as the raw tripe does.

[RescueDaneMom]

FreeholdHound- you made me LOL! That’s good to know. I’m always looking for good treats. My Dane, Max, loves the Orijen and Stella & Chewy freeze-dried treats. I will try the Vital Essentials next! Is that your greyhound in your avatar?

[FreeholdHound]

I ordered a bag of Vital Essentials freeze dried tripe treats when I was on Amazon last. To say they’re a hit would be an understatement. I now have a Xtra Large Greyhound following me everywhere, whining , & being a pain in the a**_ looking for another one. I think I’m going to have to stock up.

[InkedMarie]

Plavoie,
Go to the dog food ingredients forum here, on top, you’ll see a stickie with grain and white potato free foods. That might be a good place to start. Keep in mind, you’ll need to watch everything your dog eats, including treats & supplements. With one of mine, I have to be very careful….he gets one type of salmon oil because most others have preservatives that I don’t know if its soy based (he can’t have soy).

Also, you mentioned not wanting to go to the vets because they’ll put him on steroids. You are the dog owner, you can say NO.

[cara]

I’m ashamed to admit that I still shop at Walmart (I’m trying to break the habit, I swear) — but they’ve recently DRASTICALLY increased the number of dog treats that they sell that are “made in the usa.” Now, I know that doesn’t mean the ingredients COME from the USA, so I emailed the company that makes the chicken jerky that I just bought there (Betsy Farms, out of Idaho) and was told that they source their ingredients from the US, as well.

I felt good about that, but still uneasy, given the fact that Bailey’s Choice is located about 5 miles from my house, and they’re finding salmonella in their chicken jerky.

I decided to research “Betsy Farms” a little further, and am disappointed to find that they’re part of a bigger company: True Science (truescience.com), but they say their products are USA sourced and made, as well.

Anyone know anything I should be aware of, about this company? Or are we okay (fingers crossed) ?

Thanks

[theBCnut]

I don’t want to imply that I won’t suggest foods, but my dogs are doing best on foods that are in no way budget friendly, so I don’t have a lot of budget friendly foods that I am good with.

That being said, yes, feeding different kinds of food is better than feeding one kind. The more different variety, the better. Raw is best, but your dogs can get some of the benefits of raw by getting a little raw in their diets, a turkey, duck, or chicken neck each week or a can of sardines. Dehydrated foods are great but very expensive. I use them and freeze dried foods as treats. Homemade is great too, but you have to do it right or your dog will end up sick from not getting certain nutrients. Kibbles are actually the most processed dog food, but there are some great kibbles at a good price. I don’t think they are as inexpensive as Pure Balance, but they are better quality. I like NutriSource and Earthborn.

I hope someone else will post some more ideas for you. What I usually tell people is to print up the list of 4 and 5 star foods and take it with them to all the different place around that have dog food. Take notes about where you find what and for how much. When you are on a budget, but want better for your dog, you can try adding some of a better quality food to whatever your base kibble is, or adding fresh foods like eggs, yogurt, lean meats, etc.

[Mom2Cavs]

Yes, my Cavalier that has allergies has anal gland issues as one of her symptoms. She can’t have poultry, at least chicken, but just to be safe I’m staying away from all poultry. I am using grain free, poultry free dry and canned foods. I also make sure any supplements or treats don’t contain offending ingredients. Since I’ve done this her symptoms are gone.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by Mom2Cavs.

[BijouMama05]

Rahat – These treats are not strips, but are small chunks (for lack of a better word) of freeze dried chicken breast ranging in size from only barely larger than a crumble to around 2 inches in length. The treats you are talking about sound more like the jerky type treats, which quite frankly with all the recalls I wouldn’t suggest anyone feed to their pets regardless of where they are made, what brand they are, or what ingredients they are made from (just to be safe). Anyway, the Full Moon Freeze Dried Chicken Treats contain only two ingredients: Chicken & Rosemary Extract. The amount suggested for a dog the size of a toy poodle (according to the package directions) is 1/2 a piece per day. (This is because rosemary extract is irritating to the digestive tracts of animals when consumed in large amounts, so dosage must be restricted to prevent vomiting & diarrhea!). So, this treat would NOT be suitable to feed as a meal replacement for a toy or teacup breed (or any breed for that matter.) As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t suggest that any pet owner feed commercial treats as a replacement to any meal, when there are so many other safer & much more nutritious things you can give them (raw carrots, pumpkin, apples, boiled chicken, green beans, etc.).

[Rahat]

The Dehydrated chicken strips that are ideal for anytime healthy snack there non greasy and easy to break. Is not a meal replacement although it is recommended for small and teacup breeds as one of the several meals a day required for them as they are prone to have low blood sugar. It’s perfect for a between meal snack. For larger breeds it’s a perfect healthy treat for anytime! Its important to supervise your dog while eating any dehydrated treats.

[DogManDan]

i know how you feel pugsmomandy, there’s this one time back in college where cash isn’t an easy access, some of my friends would share some of their doggy treats to feed my dog and me eating a canned tuna which is way cheaper than the treats that they are receiving from donor friends LOL.

yes patty that counts 🙂 before i always cook extra just like as a family in a house of mom dad and for the babies ( i mean dogs)

okay melissaandcrew, luckily i stumbled upon this while was browsing the net, i only listened to my vet but unfortunately his 2 hours from me so i’m educating myself on what not to feed my dogs 🙂