They start the first week of May. I was thinking grass – but now I know it’s the pollen. If it aint one thing with him…it’s always another. LOL I’ll get the local organic raw honey. Thank you much.
If Honey only has seasonal issues and you know when they start then starting the honey just a few weeks before is fine. If it is kind of generalized year round then give honey year round. And yes, it has to be fresh local honey to do much good.
You’re very welcome Cyndi. I know making our own will be much cheaper and safer than store bought. Here’s a few more.
Frozen Fruit Pupsickles
4 cups water
1TBS molasses ( dissolved in water)
1 cup fresh fruit, chopped
mix well pour into small cup or ice cube trays and freeze
Cool Treat
2 kiwi (peeled and chopped)
1 cup low- fat yogurt
mix and freeze
Yogurt Pumpkin Freeze
Blend 1 cup canned pure pumpkin and 1 cup plain yogurt.
Pour into small cups and freeze.
Thanks for posting these. I won’t buy anymore store bought treats and I’ve been looking for treat recipes to make. Great idea for summer!
Thanks, Patty & pugmom! Patty, now that you mention honey for allergies…I do remember reading something about – it has to be local honey from up to 50 miles from where you live. Did I read that correct? Honeybee is highly allergic to pollen. He broke out in hives like crazy! Would I give this yr. round or a few days or weeks before allergy season?
I don’t think the 2 TBS of honey in the whole recipe will be a problem. I wouldn’t give my small dogs more than 1 tsp a day total of honey so the small amount in the treat recipe would be ok.
Honey is good, especially for seasonal allergy dogs. Local organic raw honey is best.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by
theBCnut.
I’ve frozen it too…but TBS sizes…then put in freezer bags. I got these off of pet recipe sites…do you see anything wrong with the ingredients? I’m not too sure about the honey…but I know you and others will know if it’s okay to feed.
When I need to open a can of pumpkin, I freeze the rest in a candy mold so it is already portioned. My dogs love to get part of their meal icy cold.
Hi, everyone. Thought I’d share some yummy summer treats for the pets.
I haven’t made any yet…but I plan on it.
Apple Honey Pupsickles
2 – 6 oz. containers of yogurt
2TBS peanut butter
2TBS honey
1/3 cup applesauce
Mix all ingredients well and pour into small cups or ice cube trays and freeze.
Frozen Juice Pops
1 quart natural fruit juice ( not grape and no sugar)
1 banana
1/2 cup yogurt
Blend all together well and freeze into small cups or ice cube trays.
I use Wellness Pure Rewards, but I use the Turkey and the Turkey/Salmon jerky. Two of mine have issues. Laverne gets colitis and Lucy has a tumor on her bladder. Hazel is fine. All three dogs love and do fine eating these treats. In fact, with the Natural Balance merger with Del Monte I’m switching them all over to Wellness Simple Salmon & Pot. as their base kibble. I also top with various canned foods. I use Wellness biscuits, too….the Lamb grain free and the Whitefish.
Hi wallyworld –
It sounds like you’re in a very tough situation, sorry to hear this. 🙁
I’ve been in a similar situation with my vet. She knows next to nothing and is a Science Diet/Purina pusher, however my family has brought animals to her for nearly 20 years and she’s never steered us wrong in any non-nutritional area. You just need to stick to your guns and go in armed with information from veterinarians and nutritionists that are actually knowledgeable out nutrition. Let her know you’ve done your research and that you respect her opinion but you don’t appreciate her pushing low quality foods on you. The majority of vets typically don’t know a whole lot about nutrition. I’m not saying that no vets are knowledgeable about nutrition, however a vet trying to tell you what you should feed your dog would be the equivalent of your general practitioner trying to give you specialized nutritional advice. Your general practitioner may know a few things about nutrition but if you really need advice you you go to a nutritionist or dietician. Bring in copies of the articles I’ve linked to – Jennifer Larsen wrote one of the articles and she is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (I highly doubt your vet has any such qualifications to counter the claim of a veterinary nutritionist). It may not change anything and ultimately you have to do what you’re comfortable with and what you think is in the best interest of your dog. If you don’t believe Science Diet is in your dog’s best interest and you don’t feel comfortable feeding it let your vet know. If you’d rather follow your vet’s advice, then by all means feed Science Diet. Another option would be seeking out a nutritional consultant online – some will give phone consultations and customized menus.
Also – were the issues due to the treats or to the food?
After switching to Zignature dog food I thought I’d found the end to my dogs digestion problems. No more issues except for the frequent larger poops which I assume is credited t the higher fiber content. I then fed my doodle treats and we realized he is probably intolerant to potatoes, he then had another diarrhea and throw up episode. He was also having urinary issues. So off to the vet we went. Vet said the tests came back showing WAY too much protein in his diet. She said I was doing more harm than good. She said high calories and protein will cause issues. And denoted my argument about calcium levels. I debated with her back and forth on food and nutrition issues. She said I could rely on what I read online or go by a vet’s advice. Our vet has always been kind and honest about everything else. But she stood by Science Diet. She said she had visited many pet food manufacturers. She admitted the ingredients aren’t considered the best, but their research was top notch. She also has raised all 4 Mastiffs on Science Diet large breed puppy without issues. We debated for quite awhile on this. There are no other vets in my area that DON’T push SD so I’m not sure what my options are. If I go against the vets advice than any problems will be on me. I don’t know what to do. I can’t fight with my vet, I want my pup to be well taken care of. Any advice on how to deal with this situation? How do you tell the trained professional you don’t want to do what they say? Especially when the other vets you can go to would say the same? Ahhhhh help!
Dogspot,
I am not exactly an apologist for raw meat diets or bones & raw food. It’s not how I choose to feed or what I would even consider to be the very best diet out there.
My #1 preference is for a balanced homemade diet with a wide variety of lightly cooked and raw ingredients, depending on each ingredient, prioritizing nutrient dense, active super foods. Digestibility also matters to me, as well as whether my dog actually enjoys his food.
But, to be fair, 1)I’ve known many dogs doing well on well prepared safe raw meat based diets with very conscientious owners. 2)Many commercial kibbles, treats, etc have had huge contamination problems and recalls related to salmonella precisely, as well as moldy grains, melamine, vomitoxins, aflatoxins, e coli, etc. This is hardly a raw foods specific hazard or common occurrence. 3)Dogs, in truth, typically handle bacteria and such much better than humans do and healthy dogs have high tolerances.
I think some alarmist stuff with raw feeding is rather overblown. For example, I feed raw eggs and cooked eggs, and have eaten undercooked eggs in various forms and recipes all my life . . . without once getting sick from salmonella or having my dog do so either. At the same time, I became very sick with food poisoning from a single COOKED organic SWEET POTATO — likely either from inadequate washing or black spots on the skin that can cause rather virulent food poisoning.
Has anyone heard about these treats? I was told the venison comes from Australia or New Zealand. I’m new to checking out all of the ingredients that goes into Gavi’s food. I’m reading that a lot of the treats aren’t safe. I don’t have time to make my own but I’m planning to try this winter when I have more time. For now I would like to give her a treat or two without harming her.
Thanks to both of you! I think I am going to start switching to mainly homemade food and treats but the tufts link had all kinds of good info on it about things to monitor and what is happening to her that will help me make her more comfortable and know when I need to go back to the vet.
Ken,
I am so very, very sorry to hear about your dog. Yes, I do have experience with cancer diets and holistic multi-pronged treatment, particularly T Cell Leukemia which is similar.
I’d strongly recommend your vets consulting with this holistic and board certified oncologist, Dr. Betsey Hershey:
http://www.integrativeveterinaryoncology.com/
She is OUTSTANDING and, no matter how humble and self-deprecating she is, she has had amazing success rates with multiple cancers, and is widely consulted for cancer (her specialty) as well as by neurology specialist vets for challenging conditions where holistic knowledge is needed.
She is additionally certified in Chinese Medicine and Canine Acupuncture, trained in dietary therapy, etc. Also obtain online or from her office the diet protocols & Susan Wynn on homemade. (It’s also worth trying the Ogilvie protocol of Cottage Cheese/Flax Oil.) Ask Dr. Hershey’s office specifically about Wei Qi Immune Booster (patented Chinese medicine blend), also organic greens (sea vegetables/grasses) supplementing. High dose natural Vitamin E & a mega mega dose of decaff green tea extract (being used in clinical human trials at the Mayo Clinic).
For diet, Dr Hershey wants patients on 40% protein (and clean, highly digestible), moderate to high fat, and low carbs. ALL simple carbs and sugar are to be avoided in food and treats. The key is to starve the cancer of sugar and nourish, strengthen the body. She recommends fats like virgin coconut oil.
Above all, do NOT let anyone tell you that your dog has the worst, most lethal form of cancer and has a terrible prognosis (based on blood work numbers or statistics). It’s the whole picture of the dog that matters and holistic, multi-pronged treatment can work wonders.
So much for me to learn! I’m actually really glad to know that I can feed him table scraps without worry. I’ve always wanted to give him little treats with real food but that stigma that it’s unhealthy held me back big time! I should go to the market after work and get some bell peppers 😀 I also love bell peppers and feta cheese-stuffed olives myself. It’s like we’re soul-mates ^_^
Okay! I know that table scraps every now and then isn’t a bad thing, but I always thought it should be avoided on a regular basis so that their diets maintain balance.
I also know that fruit and vegetable seeds are not good for dogs because they contain cyanide.
I’m glad he likes bell peppers, then! It might be a great alternative to traditional treats and a great source of vitamins 😀
Feeding table food is an EXCELLENT idea – as long as they’re healthy. The idea that table food is “bad” is just a myth. Unprocessed, fresh, human-grade food is an important component of a dog’s diet. Dogs should not be deprived of real food!
Any lean meat is healthy (just avoid high sodium/processed meats like deli meat and hot dogs or fried meat). Most dogs tolerate dairy products such as cheese and yogurt (plain) well. Fruits and vegetables are great. Grain products (like crackers, bread, etc.) won’t hurt a dog, but they aren’t healthy either so they’re probably best avoided. I’d also avoid anything high in sugar. Be sure to familiarize yourself with what foods are toxic to dogs as well – artificial sweeteners, onions, grapes, raisins, anything with caffeine, etc. are all toxic to dogs.
Just make sure to account for his “extras” when you feed him. Reduce his meal portion accordingly because the calories in treats easily add up and can lead to a pudgy pooch.
Yes, yes, I know, feeding your dog table food is never a good idea. We should stick to our homemade, raw, dry, whatever dog foods and not feed our dogs table scraps.
However, my dog doesn’t understand that just because something fell on the floor, does not mean that he can pick it up and then growl at mommy when she tries to take it away from you and then eat it.
He did this with a feta cheese-stuffed olive the other day and today he stole a bit of my red baby bell pepper! The bell pepper was completely void of seeds, I checked about ten times before sitting down to eat it and my little guy snatched some up while I was at the stove and he ate it. I mean, I really didn’t expect him to want to eat my olive or my bell peppers. He doesn’t like Ziwipeak’s treats! He’s a very finicky dog. My dog is weird.
It’s not like children, where when they like a vegetable it’s really fabulous, I have no idea whether or not that but of bell pepper was good for him.
IF IT IS GOOD FOR HIM, should I give bell pepper slices to him as a treat as something low in fat, protein, and carbohydrates? I have no idea what kind of a monster I’ve created here…
Hi Patty-
It’s amazing, isn’t it? I’m sure my dogs would have tried. I was very surprised at what my pups tried to swallow when I brought them home. I knew they would try to chew everything, but I didn’t realize they would actually swallow things whole! Fortunately, they passed everything they swallowed out of one end or the other. One of them mostly threw things up and the other again, fortunately, had their items pass all the way through. I had a lot of anxiety those days and still have some even though we’ve learned to close all doors and keep most things picked up. It’s pretty difficult, though, when I have one teenage boy still at home.
I still don’t trust the dogs with a bully stick. They get one about once a week and my husband tightly grips them tightly in the grips. So far they have not got them out of the grips and we keep an eye on them.
One of my friends has a Burmese Mountain dog. (Not sure of the spelling). Her dog ate her daughter’s whole nursing bra while she was staying with mom and dad because her husband was deployed over seas. Needless to say, he ended up in surgery and has part of his intestines removed. My oh my, what we do for our dogs!
So, I do highly recommend the vise grips to anyone concerned about their dogs swallowing instead of chewing their treats or whatever it may be that fits in the grips. Skinny treats are hard to grip. But, you do still have to keep an eye on them, of course.
Hi All-
I was the one who recommended using vise grips a while back. I have two 80 lb. lab mix puppies who are big time gulpers. They are coming up on two years old in July so they are improving a little bit. When we first got them they not only chewed every thing in sight they also swallowed it. Actually there was little chewing, just swallowing. One of them has actually pooped out three or four socks. They can’t really have any toys or dog beds for fear they might swallow and get an obstruction. Same thing with chewy treats such as bully sticks. So, anyway, I read somewhere about using vise grips with chew treats in order to stop dogs from swallowing their treats whole before they chew them up. And I have to tell you, they work great. We have been using them with mostly bully sticks for about a year and no broken teeth and no bully stick obstruction. We just take them away from them when it gets down to the nub and then give them that last little piece. Believe me they want it too! You would think we never feed them when it comes to food and snacks. 🙂
Thanks HDM. Henry is a strong chewer. Our vet had told us to get knuckle bones and par boil them and give those to him. But he chewed so hard that I was afraid he would break a tooth. Didn’t take him long to lose interest. What kind of raw bones do you feed? I thought of the kongs but didn’t know what to fill them with. I will try your suggestion. Also will look for the natural chews. The chicken chews I made in the oven were no task for Henry they are gone in a flash. I spoiled him rotten with treats and now he “hunts” me down every night. It is hysterical that a grown woman would hide from him til he decides to lay down. However that Beagle nose tracks me down most of the time. Thanks again for the great information.
Hi beagleowner
It is a great idea making your own chicken jerky. I make my own chicken jerky, I also make fish jerky, beef jerky and turkey jerky. For a more traditional jerky you could bake them longer. For air flow you could leave the oven door slightly ajar. This will help to dissipate the moisture. Either way they won’t last long.
For a longer lasting healthy chew I would look for Bully sticks made from South American cattle. Look for ones that say they are from cattle that are pasture raised without the use of any hormones or antibiotics. Most U.S. cattle are full of hormones and antibiotics.
Beef trachea’s from south american cattle are a great treat full of natural chondroitin, glucosamine, and collagen.
I would stay away from canned foods unless they specifically say they are BPA (Bisphenol A) free.
Here is an article on the dangers of cans with BPA:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/december-2009/food/bpa/overview/bisphenol-a-ov.htm
Dental chews like zukes contain potato flour or other starches as their main ingredients. Potato flour can contain solanine a poison found in potatoes. Potatoes also contain lectins which can have a negative affect on gut health as well as make your dog more prone to allergic reactions to the food they eat. Dental chews like Zukes also contain vegetable glycerin which could also contain toxic substances. Dr Sagman the owner of this website wrote an article on the dangers of one type of vegetable glycerin:
/dog-food-news/chinese-dog-treats-glycerin/
Treats and chews I use to keep my dogs busy:
-Raw bones
-Frozen kongs (I layer canned pumpkin and a grain-free kibble then freeze it)
-Natural chews (bully sticks, cow hooves, dried trachea, pig ears – make sure they’re sourced from the US)
-Himalayan chews
-Zuke’s Z Bones dental chews (the only “dental” chew product I’ll give my dogs, they’re grain-free and contain superfoods – I don’t give them too often though because they are high in carbs)
Also – depending on how powerful of a chewer your dog is you may want to avoid really dense bones (like marrow bones and knuckle bones) or hooves. Less powerful chewers should be fine but strong chewers can chip teeth.
Made chicken jerky for Henry and he loved it. Cut chicken breast into 8″ strips and baked for 2 hours at 200 degrees. They were still chewy. Think next time I will bake 1 hr on one side and turn them over for the second hour. I had hoped they would occupy Henry for a little bit but he ate them really fast. Need to find something to keep him busy in the evening. I know that rawhide can be dangerous. Any suggestions. Thanks for all your help. I am so frustrated by his constant barking because he wants treats. It is a “monster” I created. Hope there is a good solution.
I found this resource from Tufts Vet school that has links to lists for lower sodium OTC foods and treats.
http://vet.tufts.edu/heartsmart/diet/reduced_sodium_diet.
And here is some additional information as well: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2515
Good Luck
Please be aware, a beagle will eat until he makes himself sick and as soon as he is done barfing, will start eating again. Do not feed him according to what he says he wants!!! Find out how many calories you should be feeding him for what he should weigh and stick to that, including treats. If he wants more and won’t quit barking then try giving him a raw bone to occupy himself with.
My 10yr mini schnauzer (Addie) was recently diagnosed with Congestive Heart failure. I want to do what I can to prolong her life (as long as she is feeling pretty good and it’s not cost prohibitive). The vet mentioned low sodium diet but didn’t give any specifics and in looking for food ratings I’m having trouble finding very much information. Info on the web indicates low sodium, high protein is best and I’ve found mention of two presciption foods (made by Hills and Purina) but no info on their nutrition (and usually those brands are medium to low ratings). I was hoping this site would have some ratings/recommendations for low sodium foods but the search doesn’t reveal any. Does anyone have recommendations for over the counter food or recipes for food and treats that are low sodium/high protein (or other info that might help).
My 14 year old beagle has lipomas. One quite large. He is 14 and we can’t risk surgery. Have switched to feeding Nature Valley Instinct Chicken which is grain free. Interested in homemade since he needs to lose 7 or 8 pounds. He now weighs 48 lbs. We did make a batch of homemade with low fat hamburg, sweet potatoes, apples, green beans, carrots, 2 eggs. Feeding him 2/3 cup twice a day. Thought about adding 1/3 kibble a day as well. Figure it will be 786 cal per day which may be too high. He is 14 and pretty inactive. He is Hungary all the time and wants snacks constantly. Since weather has turned nice so will start short walks. There is so much info out there it is confusing. He loves his treats and since he has become deaf he barks constantly. Have a recipe for jerky using chicken breasts and thought that would keep him busy in the evenings. He does drink lots of water, sleeps during the day and during late night. He is healthy otherwise. Had him to vet and other than weight and lipomas he is good. Eyesight good and coat really nice. Grain free food eliminated ear and anal problems and allergies.
Hey,
I just wondered if dogs need some salt in their diet.
I seem to recall (not sure though) that when DFA gave advise on how to choose dog treats, he said it’s best to check there are no coloring, sugar, salt etc. However, in the dog food reviews I see that the salt ingredient is not mark in red, and it doesn’t say it’s bad. Also I see that many dog foods that are highly rated (Blue Buffalo, TOTW) have salt in them.
The food I feed my dog doesn’t have salt in it, and I thought it’s a good thing, but now I wonder if maybe some salt in the dog’s diet is necessary?
Thanks!
Transitioning can be as slow or fast as you want but I would suggest going by how their output is. If your dog has only eaten one food for several years it might take longer to transition as they are not use to the different kinds of ingredients. I’ve even taken two months or longer on one of mine. Basically I got to 80% new/20% old for over a month but I was transitioning them to a high protein/fat diet – Instinct. I usually go with 25/75 for at least a week and if there stools look good then increase to 50/50 for another week until their stools look good, then 75/25 etc. I didn’t know about probiotics or digestive enzymes back then so those probably would have made transitioning easier. You can even feed a mix of kibbles. I usually feed 2 different kibbles together and mix them up in a 1.5 gallon container in different ratios everytime it gets empty.
Also are you feeding a grain food or grain free food? That might also factor in the transitioning. I went from 1 star food to 4 star food to 5 star food over the coarse of a year.
Of course my fosters get zero transition time. I have know idea what they ate in their previous life and what they ate at the vet. I just give them probiotics, digestive enzymes and ground psyllium and hope for the best. They might have soft stool for a few days and that’s it.
I have found that they transition well on Nutrisource grain free and even Nutrisca. Petflow (and probably other online retailers) offer free shipping when you order a certain amount. Petflow’s amount is $49 so a large bag is usually free shipping. I’d get two large bags at once. They’re packed in the box tighter than one single bag.
Once you know how to read ingredients on dog food, it should be the same for treats. I used to give Beggin Strips, Pupperoni and even cheese balls as treats. Even fed one of my fosters Moist and Meaty after jaw surgery not knowing any better. Right now I use Vital Essentials freeze dried nibblets and Dr Becker Bites and Nutrisca freeze dried for treats. For chewing treats I give dry roasted trachea and tripe chews (very stinky) and fresh chicken feet and fresh trachea.
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/IMG_4047600x450_zpsf34c6610.jpg
Just remember to cut the claws off!
A whole sardine is an easy additon too.
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/IMG_60801024x821_zpsad7d39eb.jpg
Duck and turkey necks are great for chewing and cleaning teeth also. I can find small turkey necks at the health food store sometimes. Chicken necks are always at the ethnic grocery store and so are chicken feet and other kinds of feet.
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/IMG_3998594x640_zpsf920079d.jpg
I don’t think you even mentioned raw food so I’ll stop there!
Yes homemade jerky treats are a money saver. You can even use your oven. Set it to the lowest setting and bake for at least 3 hours thinly sliced strips of chicken or other meat/organs on a lightly greased cookie sheet. I guess the new silicone nonstick bakeware will work. Store in the frig.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by
pugmomsandy.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by pugmomsandy.
One thing I’ve found odd about this site, which I’m sure I’m not the first, is that they don’t have reviews on treats. From some of the stories I’ve read on how bad they are(the fact that I’ve been giving my pups beggin strips for quite some time scares the crap out of me) I would really think they would have a section on here about them. I’m really considering buying a dehydrator if I can find a semi-cheap one.
My question is an extension of the “which food is best”. If you feed a variety of 5 star rated dry foods (i.e. they meet the nutritional requirements), is it a good idea to supplement your adult dogs diet with fresh foods (e.g., tomatoes, apples, eggs, salmon oil, carrots, lean cooked meat, yogurt). All these are foods that my 50 lb. golden mix likes. I feed them to him occasionally as treats. However, should I be feeding them on a regular basis as supplements?
Thanks.
Leslie
I am actually going to recommend Natural Balance limited ingredient diets. I do want to note that Diamond does manufacture some of their foods, not all but some. I’m not sure of which formulas so you would have to contact NB if you would like to know for certain. Anyway, I have one Cavalier (the Ruby, Laverne, pictured in my avatar) that has allergy/intolerance issues. I believe she has food and environmental problems. When I finally put her on NB Swt. Pot. & Fish kibble (now I do also top with NB and other brands of canned food) and NB limited ingredient treats she has responded well. Even the other dogs are doing better eating it. Natural Balance LIDs come in a variety of uncommon protein sources, like Bison, Rabbit, Lamb, etc. Matching treats and canned foods are also available. Petco is a main seller of the food, but it can be ordered online.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by
Mom2Cavs.
Hi boxermim2013 –
I can relate to you here. One of my girls, Gertie (the dog in my avatar) is extremely difficult to keep weight on. She was so scrawny as a pup I had tests run too and they came back clear. The vet told me once she was spayed she’d put some weight on, but she was spayed 2 years ago and keeping weight on her is still a struggle. With her, as long as her hip bones aren’t protruding I feel I’m doing good!
I wasn’t able to get her over 60 lbs. until I switched her to a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate raw diet. I make her food and I generally keep protein between 45% and 55%, fat between 30% and 40% and carbs less than 20%. I’ve now got her holding steady at 68 lbs. – given her height she should be much heavier, but at least she doesn’t look emaciated any more. I also give her lots of treats between meals, I mostly feed balanced foods as treats so I can feed her more without throwing off her diet – i.e. freeze-dried raw medallions, frozen kongs layered with grain-free kibble and canned pumpkin, ziwi peak food for training treats and (prior to the recent recall) I was using EVO’s Wild Craving biscuits which conform to AAFCO nutrient profiles for balanced foods.
Some other options – Abady makes a very calorie-dense granular food – it has around 800 calories per cup (nearly double the calories of Blue Buffalo). I’ve used Abady and before and was pleased. I also know people that have put weight on their dogs with satin balls – you can look up recipes online – they usually include fatty hamburger, eggs, oil, molasses, etc. You could add a balanced omega 3-6-9 and/or coconut oil to his food for a fat/calorie boost. You could try supplementing with digestive enzymes to ensure he’s digesting everything he does eat. If you want to stick with kibble, I’d also recommend at least picking a more calorie-dense formula (>500 kcal. per cup). Some calorie-dense options include – Canine Caviar Grain-Free Puppy (636 kcal. per cup), Dr. Tim’s Momentum (588 kcal. per cup), NutriSource Super Performance (529 kcal. per cup), Timberwolf Organics (I believe all the grain-free formulas are over 500 kcal. per cup).
Good luck!
A feedback to my post. Several weeks into using Dinovite I see paw licking has ceased and ear infections have been on hold too. I’ll be convinced though if this continues though the summer. Grains or no grains the product claims to improve nutritional support. I have had my dogs on grain free dog foods but I know they get grains from good natured people handing out treats.
My oldest dog used to eat kibble and Nature’s Variety Instinct kibble was one of the foods I used frequently in his rotation. He did really well on it and I think their kibble is one of the best dry foods available. I use the Nature’s Variety Instinct freeze-dried raw medallions once in awhile for treats. I’ve never fed their frozen raw and I personally wouldn’t because it’s HPP, but due to the fact that it’s HPP it might be a good option for a dog that’s never eaten raw before to help them ease into a less processed diet.
I would also carry NutriSource. Like HDM says, lots of supplements. Quality treats and toys too
I make large batches and store in the freezer.
Thinly slice your meats and place on lightly greased pan on lowest oven temperature for at least 3 hours.
“Tip #5: Prepare Homemade Treats for your Pet
If your dog happens to be wild for dehydrated chicken strips (chicken jerky), you can make your own quite easily.
Just buy some boneless chicken breasts, clean them, and slice into long, thin strips – the thinner the better. Place the strips on a greased or non-stick cookie sheet and bake them for at least three hours at 180 degrees. The low temp dries the chicken out slowly and the strips wind up nice and chewy.
Let the strips cool, and then store them in plastic bags or another airtight container. You can also freeze them.
If you buy commercial canned food for your dog or cat, you can ‘repurpose’ a can for use as a supply of healthy treats.
Open a can of your pet’s favorite brand, preferably something with a strong aroma, and spoon out little treat sized amounts onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Put the baking sheet into the freezer until the bite sized bits of food are frozen. Then move them to an airtight container and back into the freezer they go until you’re ready to treat your pet to a treat! (Most dogs will enjoy the treats frozen, but you’ll need to thaw them to a chewy consistency for kitties.)”
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/02/10/easy-to-make-pet-treats.aspx
I don’t take the time to make treats anymore. I buy freeze dried foods or organs like Vital Essentials and Fresh is Best.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by pugmomsandy.
Really? I didn’t know that, for how long? Can I store in zip lock bags or Tupper Ware containers? Do I keep refrigerated?…Thank you so much Pattyvaughn for the fabulous info.
You can also dehydrate meats in your oven by setting the temp to it’s lowest.
Hi, PLEASE, NEED ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER PET PARENTS! About 10 days ago we got a Yahoo News alert stating the FDA was re-releasing a pet food recall list with 180 companies’ pet foods on them, (including Iams, Eukanuba, Purina, Alpo, Science Diet, ETC.)
Reason given was the food (wet, dry and some treats) have toxins in them, chemicals called melamime and cyulaic acid, when combined together they can cause kidney disease in dogs and they could die from it.
Our 9-year-old Labrador/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, Barney, had passed away suddently just about a week before, on April 3, 2013, and the symptoms described for this kidn of poisoning sound a lot like what he had.
Please pass on any info you have on this. The FDA list was released in 1997, but apparently made the news again recently because of these pet foods causing new outbreaks of salmonella. How do we know that any of these pet food companies cleaned up their act since this recall in 2007? How do we know any pet food is safe?
Our Bishon Frise, Bo, who is 6, is lost without Barney. When he joined our family as a 5-month-old puppy (who is learning disabled due to being dropped on his head by his former owner), Barney was already here, and as “big brother,” he taught Bo everything he knows. Now he howls, hangs his head, looks for Barney everywhere, and will not eat. He has been showing signs of kidney disease as well, drinking a lot of water for one thing. He will be getting checked out at the vet asap.
When I called the vet about Barney, and later mentioned about the recall, he advised me to throw out the dog food and fix Bo chicken with rice, Tums, and to bring him in for a checkup.
We are scared of the long-term exposure Bo has had from the same food Barney ate, mostly small-sized crunchy type Kibbles and Bits types of dry food, and Alpo wet food.
Can anyone help us and give us some direction on this? Why would a list that was released in 2007 be re-released in 2013? Evidently at that time (2007) the govt. said this batch came from China, but who knows if any of it is safe? It appears the FDA is not too stringent on these companies or our own government’s standards. Experiencing outrage, grief and extreme concern for our surviving pet and many, many other dogs, cats, horses and their owners who have suffered needlessly. The ASCPA web site has a lot of great info on this. Thank you and God bless. -Barney and Bo’s Mom and Dad
I did see that name Ojan in treats come up several times Boxermom and noticed it was a bit pricey. There is just so much info out there it can be overwhelming. Thanks for your input.
Fantastic idea Pattyvaughn! I was thinking about that, will have to look into a dehydrator. Thanks for the info.
Brothers Complete has grain and potato free biscuits, but I just dehydrate any meat for mine.
http://www.orijen.ca/dog-food/freeze-dried-dog-treats/
Orijen have grain free treats… But I think it’s expensive (never tried it though).
Thank you so much Pugmomsandy for the recipe…Hope to make these real soon.
