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Barnyard Buddies:  dog food  |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 07:40:39 AM
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| Do any of you make your own dog food? How do you determine what goes into it? Is it more/less expensive for you? And--how about time commitment for preparing/storage, etc? any personal ideas welcome! Thanks! |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 08:07:03 AM
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I have always made my own dog food, but I raise and grow everything here on my place, so its alot more cost effective that store bought ingrediants.
I make it into meat loaf form useing beef, chicken, lamb, goat and pork. All the trimmings, scrapeings and organ meat that I don't eat, goes into the dog food. Also, yams, green beans, peaches, apricots that are bruised or insect damaged.
Everything goes thru a grinder together, I then make loafs and cook 3/4 of the way, cool, then slice and freeze any that it not eaten right away.
Its alot of work, it takes a day to make up a bunch, and if you have to buy a major portion of your ingrediants, it will cost alot.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Cindy Lou
True Blue Farmgirl
2325 Posts
Susan
Lonsdale
MN
USA
2325 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 1:56:38 PM
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We supplement dry dog food with chicken and rice, often we can get legs and thighs for $.49 a pound or less, cook them and then cook rice in the water, grinding it all together. We also toss in meat left overs, etc. When we get beef we get the organ meats, that my husband doesn't enjoy anyway and cook those in too, also any freezer burnt meat. I cook hamburger in water to get the grease out for hot dishes, sloppy joes, etc. and add that too. I freeze it in smaller packages to last a couple of days each to avoid spoilage.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Mary Oliver |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 3:31:40 PM
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Hi Shelia! I make my own dog food to and have some great recipes if you would like them.
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 4:08:28 PM
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i would LOVE dog food recipes. yahoo sherrye thanks for sharing.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 29 2010 : 5:54:55 PM
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| I'd like to hear your recipes too Channah. Thank you. |
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N@n
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Hackett
Arkansas
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2010 : 07:38:59 AM
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Someone a while back gave me a great home made dog food tip. I feed my two labs chicken and rice with peas, beans, carrots, sweet potatoes or whatever veggie I have on hand. I used to cook the chicken and debone it until someone on this sight told me if I pressure cook those legs and thighs for a couple of hours, the bones just crumble and can be eaten by my pooches. It works like a charm and saves a ton of work. Good Luck!
keep searchin'-it's out there somewhere. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 30 2010 : 08:39:06 AM
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nan you made my day. totally forgot that one. i was raised canning wild salmon, tuna. oh man opens a whole new world for when i debone the chx. i butcher. yipee.this is such a fine place. all these amazing brains in one place. i can do this when i go off grid. one less thing i need to go to town for. thanks sherrye i need a recipe though. i am too analytical to throw the recipe together.lol sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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Brian
Honorary Farmgirl
521 Posts
Brian
Moscow
ID
USA
521 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2012 : 2:37:27 PM
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Time for me to revive an old thread today!
We have been making our own dog food since 2006 or 2007. It all started when my Beagle got triple phosphorus bladder crystals for the 3rd time. The vet prescribed us the science diet brand (Prescription Diet) designed to combat this type of crystallization. A horrible side effect of the food is that my dog got severely dehydrated, her hair fell out (massive shedding) and the hair that was left went several shades of gray. Her stool was dry and crumbly and she obviously felt horrible. We took her back to the vet and he basically said that the food was the only option for treating her bladder issues. My wife and I went home feeling helpless and horrible that we were poisoning our dog. Google became our friend and we found out that the bladder crystals were normally a symptom of dehydration and that the "prescription" food had a lot of added salt to make the dogs thirsty and drink more. No wonder she was doing so poorly!
We got a referral from a friend for a holistic vet and she basically said that our vet was full of it. She gave us a simple formulation for the best food for our dog and sent us on our way. We make a big batch and freeze it so that each batch lasts for several weeks. The formula is very simple. 3/4 protein and 1/4 fruits and veggies. Protein would consist of meats and beans. Fruits and veggies would be everything under the sun and in our garden. Sweet potatoes, spinach, cabbage, kale, apples, tomatoes, pears, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries and anything else that strikes our fancy. We typically cook the beans separate and add them to the mix at the very end. We like to use pork loin and chicken breast for meat. We boil the meat for several hours until it crumbles. Remove the meat and add the vegetables and fruit to the water used for the meat (adds some delicious flavor for the pups) and cook the veggies till tender. Mix everything up and then portion into freezer containers. Our dog has been happy and healthy ever since we started this. We always look for meat sales so that we can stock up when there are good prices. We calculated the rough cost per day of the home made food and one of the higher end dog foods and the cost was comparable. Making the dog food does take a full day so there is the time commitment to factor in if you are thinking of making your own food. In my opinion the benefits far exceed the costs. |
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ClaireSky
True Blue Farmgirl
1792 Posts
Julie
Arcadia
WI
USA
1792 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2012 : 10:10:18 PM
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Great info Brian! Thanks!
Julie
Farmgirl #399
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 02:26:05 AM
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I love all these ideas. I think I will start making some. If anyone has recipes or ideas I would so appreciate them. One thing though, I have heard that beans are poison to dogs. I do sort of believe it because I know that before I was told this I noticed that if I gave my dogs leftover chili they would eat around and leave the beans.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 02:28:13 AM
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Also do you ladies that make homemade dog food just feed it alone or mix it somewhat with dry dog food bought in the store?
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 03:31:13 AM
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Tripe is also extremly nutrient rich. I have read that this is what some Alaskan mushers feed their racing sled dogs.
It's beef stomach.
For those who have access to local butchers, I"m sure I can be easily obtained. You can also buy it pre canned from the fancier and smaller pet stores.
a word of caution though it does smell bad
I feed it as a treat on occasion freeze dried. My dog goes crazy for it |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 05:26:03 AM
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I have made dog food, I make a big batch and freeze it in dog sized portions. I use 1/3 ground turkey, 1/3 whole grain brown rice and 1/3 veggies like brocolli, spinach, etc...
I brown the turkey in a big Nesco then add water and brown rice, cook until rice is done and add the veggies. My dogs love it!
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
I am trying to be the person my dogs think I am.
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
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Brian
Honorary Farmgirl
521 Posts
Brian
Moscow
ID
USA
521 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 09:52:15 AM
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Most beans are A-Ok for dogs. http://candogseat.org/beans
I have noticed that my dog prefers different types of beans more than other. She really enjoys Black, Pinto and Navy while she shuns kidney, lima and lentils (I know lentils aren't a bean). The chili beans are cooked in a tomato and spice blend so she may have not liked the flavor or texture.
We do purchase the dry food every once in a while. Usually when we are visiting the in-laws and going to be away for several days. We usually add some water to the dry mixture so that our dog gets a soup instead of just dry dog food. The vet who got us on the diet said that in order to digest the dry dog food it takes about twice as much water than the amount of the food they ate. So if your pup eats 1/3 cup of dry food it takes her body 2/3 cup water just to digest it. With the home made food she doesn't need any extra water for digestion. In case you couldn't tell I'm a big fan of the home made food. If we had a larger dog it would be more difficult to keep the diet 100% home made. At that point you could probably work out a 50/50 sort of ratio. |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 3:49:29 PM
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Good idea to bring this up again. There are a lot of new farmgirls that will love this.
Thanks.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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jenne.f
True Blue Farmgirl
643 Posts
Jenne
Wagontown
PA
USA
643 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 4:04:14 PM
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Thanks for bringing this up again. Lots of good info here.
Jenne
"Follow your bliss"
Farmgirl sister #4616 |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 4:19:11 PM
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We have made our own too. The dogs loved it. However I wasn't able to provide them the variety of protein in the quantities they required at the quality I required for my pocketbook. When my German Shepherd, Sophie, was diagnosed with cancer, I prepared homemade meals along with a high quality commercial food following the Dog Cancer Diet. That is where I learned about baked vs extruded dog food. Extruded dog food is cooked at very high temperatures, which develops carcinogens. Baked dog food is cooked slower, at lower temperatures for longer periods of time and no carcinogens. Almost all commercially prepared dogfood is extruded. The packages will say it is baked, if it is baked. Otherwise it won't say anything.
Our three surviving dogs and our new dog are fed Lotus, which is a baked. We also add virgin coconut oil, fresh eggs from our girls in the backyard, smart chicken, and organic sardines....not all at once, but we cycle through the various top dressings.
There are very few dog foods out there that are baked. If you buy commercial, look for baked. It is one more thing to fight against the risk of cancer for your best buddy.
If you cook your own dogfood, cook the meat at low temps for longer periods of time. Don't boil. Once it goes to the boil or fry stage, carcinogens start to develop. This isn't advice for dogs who already have cancer, it is to help prevent your dog from developing cancer too!
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawHouseDesigns |
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Brian
Honorary Farmgirl
521 Posts
Brian
Moscow
ID
USA
521 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 4:24:37 PM
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Paula,
I never knew that about the temperature and developing carcinogens. That's good information to have. Can you link me some more info on that please?
Thanks,
~Brian |
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StrawHouseRanch
True Blue Farmgirl
1044 Posts
Paula
Holt
Missouri
USA
1044 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 4:31:34 PM
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Hi Brian,
Here is a link to Dr. Demian Dressler's blog. There is a link there where you can download his diet book for free.
http://www.dogcancerblog.com/meet-dr-dressler/
Cooking any food at high temps invites carcinogens, not just meat! We've learned a lot about cooking for ourselves from Dr. Dressler. For some reason, dogs and humans are very similar to each other in cancer proclivity and prevention...Dr. Dressler has based a lot of his canine cancer advice on human cancer research.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a Gift.
"Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better."--Albert Einstein
"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." --Queen Elizabeth I
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawHouseDesigns |
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Brian
Honorary Farmgirl
521 Posts
Brian
Moscow
ID
USA
521 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2012 : 4:38:54 PM
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| Sweet. Thanks for the weekend reading! Have a great weekend everyone. |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Nov 19 2012 : 2:29:02 PM
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Yes carcinogens develop in fried foods. Actually it happens in the oil when it hits a certain temp. That is why fast food can make us sick because the oil is heated to such a high temp. One can also make homefries in the oven by baking then in a casserole dish with a little oil and salt. Tastes the same and more healthy.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
Edited by - crittergranny on Nov 19 2012 2:35:20 PM |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Nov 19 2012 : 7:31:14 PM
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I give my dogs raw meat. If any chicken, I cook it a little. But they get veggies and rice mixed in too. I make up about a month's worth in baggies and freeze it. I do mix in a little dry dog chow for the teeth. They also get raw bones each evening. There's a slaughterhouse in town where I get free beef hearts and bones. That helps a lot. I have been feeding the raw meat for about 3 years now. They all 3 love it. I have a 15 year old Rat terrier that eats the bones just like the younger dogs.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: dog food |
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dog food
