Home Cooking for my dogs

lori

lori

Well-Known Member
Owned by
2 cockers
Hi! Does anyone here cook for their dogs? I'm thinking of trying to cook for them, but need advice of what to cook, how much, etc., references or cookbooks for dogs? Thanks in advance! Also, does anyone use the Missing Link or coconut oil? I've read coconut oil is good for their coats and skin.
 
Polly is your woman! I have cooked for mine in the past but Polly is the one who comes to mind who has been cooking for her dogs for a number of years.
 
I cook for Pumpkin. Her holistic vet told me what to cook for her and how much. She is on 60% protein and 40% greens. She has history of bladder stones. I cook her food in a crockpot over night. I change her protein all the time. She eats fish, pork, meat, liver.I use to cook puppy stew that Polly has the recipe for. Good luck!
 
I've been home cooking for mine for over +10 years. Since the first commercial food recalls started. I used to use the recipe as a topper, but, just add more oatmeal and freeze then defrost for mine.
puppystew

I also give a multi, fish oil (coconut oil works as well, any Omega3 suppliment will work) and a probioitc human grade chewable.
My dogs also get a little cottage cheese for the calcium. My old cocker gets a joint suppliment also.

I do change up protien sources once and awhile, but, I don't like upset tummies.. so I'm careful. We do have lots of threads about feeding and the brands of foods our members use.

We also have a lot of members here that like to feed raw or a raw mix.
 
How much of the stew would I feed Teddy who is 24 pounds and Chuck who is 77 pounds? I am a calorie person so I know exactly how much to feed dry kibble. Teddy gets about 350 cals a day and Chuck about 775 currently. This is the amount I fed because they were both overweight (Teddy at 29 and Chuck at 92). I got them down to their current weight and trying to maintain now during the winter now that we can't go to the dog park any longer during the winter and they are less active. They do get walked by my neighbor teenager about 5-6 times a week if it doesn't get below zero :) Thanks!
 
I looked into raw also, but the cost is prohibitive for Chuck! I thought home cooking would be a better alternative to dry kibble.
 
I don't really count calories, I feed all of mine one cup 2 x a day.. One of my boys is a little overweight.. Pogo.. but I realized once I got my puppy and watched more closely, he's been finishing Pepper's, my senior boy.. well really they are both seniors,, Pogo is about 10 and Pepper is about 14. I don't feed any commerical at all.. I bake my own treats using my bread machine to make the dough. I also give baby carrots or whole carrots as treats. Another thing you can do for yours, is to add green beans, they are low cal, and add lots of fiber. I feed them frozen as treats :D

Once everyone is settled down from the Holidays, I'm sure you will get more info. Manuel was feeding Hoshi raw, but, just started to glaze the meat a little for him, Hoshi got a little picky.

Deborah also has a special needs cocker, Cordelia, she will have more info for you.

One thing to remember with any breed dog that can get ear infections.. stay away from yeast, and, most grains. I do use wheat flour to make my treats, but, they don't get more than one or 2 tiny bites a day.
 
I imagine then Chuck would get 3-1/2 cups or more then since he weighs so much more than the cockers. I could just try and see how he does. It looks very healthy. I don't have the pot that big right now, but I'm going to get one! It looks so easy to do and makes a lot. Right now they get a grain free kibble that is low in fat at about 9% and 42% protein. I used to rotate their diets before I put them both on a calorie-based diet (per a vet nutritionist) so I look at calories to help guide me. It's easy to look at Chuck visually and feel for body condition, but I find it harder for me with Teddy because of all of his fur, but they both look good now, but are at the top of their winter weight. I like Teddy around 23 and Chuck ideally would be 75. I also give them baby carrots for treats and frozen green beans and peas, sometimes a bit of banana or apple when I have them. I cut back on all the commercial treats --I'm a big treat giver (or used to be) and I'm sure that's how Chuck got overweight. Teddy just came to MN fat at 34 pounds and I adopted him at 29 and got him down to 23, but he has put a couple of pounds on--I think they both gained a couple while I was in AZ and CA last week and had a friend staying with them--they're worse than me with the treats LOL.
 
I use a huge pot! And freeze it before serving it. I use oatmeal that I buy in bulk at Sams club.. I use way way more than the recipe calls for. Most of us now also add lentels to the mix.. they are high in protien and a really good source of fiber.

You can check the other threads. One of our members Kathy, makes a very nice topper for her dry food. She has 2 young cockers and an English Bull dog. She even puts blueberries in the topper.
 
I feed Fromms dry kibble,duck and surf and turf (never had a recall in over 100 years) I make a topper with either ground beef,chicken or turkey...diced tomatoes,kidney beans,wheat pasta,broc,califlower,carrots and spinach. I make a large pan and like Polly freeze it in bowls which I pull to fridge every couple of days. They get a large spoon as a topper on their kibble and a small spoon of organic plain greek yogurt and a few frozen blueberries on top. Sometimes instead of the topper I will cook eggs and spinach in microwave and put in their kibble.

I have a 50 pound 3 1/2 year old Bulldog and she gets two cups of dry food a day plus topper. Both Cockers gets a little over cup of dry plus topper per day,fed in two feedings.

I have to really watch Sophie the Bulldog so she does not get over weight and the best way I have found is I have three measuring cups,I put each dogs daily kibble in them of the morning...for all treats,sitting,coming in from potty breaks etc. I use kibble from their own cups...this helps me a lot maintaining each dogs weight as they do not get the extra calories from lots of treats...also if one gets to heavy or light it is easy to adjust amounts using the measuring cups. I do give them some extra fruits,ice cubes (they all love them) and I must confess...little bites from our dinner at night :)
 
Cordelia's allergies background has her on a pretty strict diet, just lamb and veggies. She gets fed twice a day: 1/4 cup Instinct lamb kibble, with an equal amount of frozen green beans, and about a teaspoon of canned mixed in. The canned is also Instinct lamb. She gets treats: lamb lung and fresh veggies. The frozen green beans are to "bulk up" the food volume without a lot of calories. Oddly, she seems to prefer the frozen Frenched green beans more than fresh. Have to be frozen, because that way they are crunchy!
 
My recipe is basically the same as Polly's except I add cranberries as Ellie has UTI problems - she hasn't had one since I started cooking for her and adding cranberries. Buy cranberries when you can as they aren't available year round (at least not here) toss them in a zip bag and freeze until you need them. I use 1/2 bag of cranberries per batch of food.

Like Polly I also use more oatmeal - the only grain Ellie can have. I like a thicker stew.
 
DotInFlorida said:
My recipe is basically the same as Polly's except I add cranberries as Ellie has UTI problems - she hasn't had one since I started cooking for her and adding cranberries. Buy cranberries when you can as they aren't available year round (at least not here) toss them in a zip bag and freeze until you need them. I use 1/2 bag of cranberries per batch of food.

Like Polly I also use more oatmeal - the only grain Ellie can have. I like a thicker stew.
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Yes, and, I find that my boy with a sensitive tummy does better on it when it's been frozen and defrosted.
 
Thank you, Kathy! It is hard for me to keep track now that I have 2 dogs on the treat side of feeding. Chuck can have more than Teddy, but Teddy's always right there and wanting one too, so I feel bad for him. Measuring out the food and using it for treats is a good idea, so whatever they have left at dinner time is it. I love to treat the dogs, but that is how Chuck got up to 92 last winter. I gave him marrow bones and bully sticks plus other treats all the time. Now, I'm very strict about treats and he and Teddy both get just a few during the day. They get a bone maybe once a month now and try to get Teddy a smaller one than Chuck and not the marrow bones, but lamb bone or something without marrow in it. No more bully sticks either--Chuck can get through one of those in a minute, 2 at best. Teddy is so funny about his food--he always gets in front of Chuck, like me first, me first LOL, but he doesn't always get to be first, although Chuck could care less. I was told by one vet to give Chuck 900 cal/day and Teddy 400 cal/day. A nutritionist vet told me to give Chuck just 700 calories/day, but I didn't bring Teddy to her, so I can only imagine what she would say about his calories. So, I try to give Chuck between 700-800 and try to keep Teddy at 400. It's easy measuring the food out and keeping that in check, it's the treats for me that I have trouble with, so using their kibble is a great idea!
 
Polly, would I be able to make this in the crockpot instead of stock pot? I have a very large crockpot and I work at home so it would be great if I could convert it to a crockpot...maybe I'll eat it too! :)
 
lori said:
Polly, would I be able to make this in the crockpot instead of stock pot? I have a very large crockpot and I work at home so it would be great if I could convert it to a crockpot...maybe I'll eat it too! :)
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Yes Lori, many use the crockpot to make it.. but I make it for the freezer, my stock pot is HUGE.
 
Thank you! Going to try that next week and see how we all like it :)
 
Lori...I never go by what the bag says or by calories,I always go by touch and sight. Each dog is different per age,activity,breed and also brand of food. I feed all dogs separate in crates so they cannot eat the other ones food...once they learn the routine they run and are sitting in their crates by time I get there with their food bowls :)
 
Farley and Ki are the same age and about the same weight but Farley gets more food than Ki does. Farley is a more active dog with a faster metabolism. I wish I had his metabolism.
 
Polly, is it necessary to use all the veggies listed in the stew? I'm thinking 2 or 3 would be all right, or do they need more veggies than that for vitamins, etc.? Also was wondering if you use the whole chicken or the thighs? I put in all the ingredients in the grocery store where I do online shopping because they deliver to my home as I can't shop by myself because of my mobility issues, and it came up to about $38. Does that seem like a lot?
 
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