Homemade dog food

[bankedout]

A while back dg stated that he was making his own dog food. Is that still true dg? If so, what are your ingredients? I'm looking for a dog for myself and I'm interested in feeding options that go beyond bagged food.

[tiarra]

I remember dg used to have Jenny on the BARF diet.

[dg]

yep, still do.

her morning meal consists of:
1/2 fuji apple chopped fine
1/4 lb of aunt jeni's homemade (either lamb or beef)
2 dollops of plain greek yogurt
joint, vitamin and other supplements
broth from previous night thigh bone boil down + scraps of chicken left on the bones (removed)

her evening meal consists of:
1 raw carrot
2 raw chicken thighs including bone ends (sliced roughly)

extras include part of my scramble eggs when I have them for breakfast, cheese bites and chew bones.

p.s.
Don't get a dog if you plan to be away all day. Dogs are social animals and need company. Jenny goes everywhere with me (in the car). IMO an "outside" dog is a dog that belongs to the wrong family.

[bankedout]

Thank you dg!

I work from home so it shouldn't be a problem.

Is aunt jeni's a brand of canned dog food?

How would you rate your dog's health right now?

Did you buy a book on these types of recipes or

Thanks.

[dg]

yes, but just google BARF and read everything.

AUNT JENI's HOME MADE sells frozen organic BARF out of maryland. Good stuff. Btw, their nutritionist verified that the diet I feed my Jenny is quite satisfactory (despite the opinion of my least favorite vet). I suggest you google AJ and chat with their vet nutritionist (very friendly and helpful).

Jenny is 8 1/2 and seems to be in excellent health. (knock on wood)

BTW, you can save yourself a ton of money and help an animal on death row by going to your local animal shelter and adopting a dog from there. Over 2 million healthy dogs and cats are killed each year due to lack of available homes and irresponsible breeding. My neighborhood is full of dogs from our local shelter which gets about 60 dogs per week from Alabama and Mississippi.

[bankedout]

Thank you dg.

I have already been to 2 humane societies. 1 had a dog that I liked, but it was already on hold from someone else. I'll keep looking.

I'm looking for a low energy, small to medium sized dog that doesn't require grooming and doesn't shed much.

If you go to www.youtube.com and search for 'Cesar Millan Mastering Leadership Series', there is a 6 volume series there that is great. I have watched volumes 1-4. The only one I didn't like that much was volume 4. You should see if you enjoy it as well.

I'm glad your dog is doing well. I'm sure the diet is very helpful.

[sd]

I would second DG's suggestion to look at local shelters-
One can find a variety of dogs from puppies to adults,
the advantage of an older dog is that they likely are already housebroken.
Puppies, while cute- can be demanding in many ways- housetraining, chewing, etc. If you get a puppy, I recommend 'crate' training to housebreak them, and the addition of a 'dog door' to a fenced in area in the back yard perhaps. (about $65.00) magnetic flap ....
We have 3 dogs- 2 were shelter dogs- 1 small puppy mix initially for our daughter, now my wife's best friend, and an older terrier mix for my mother- both have adapted so well , and the terrier lives to protect and please. and my wife lives to protect her little one.LOL!
We have a 3rd dog- large 100 lb wolf/husky mix , that is as docile as the day is long- and the 3 of them 100 lbs, 45 lbs, 15 lbs, play together - amazingly well.
I would recommend also a secure fenced in area to allow the dog some freedom while not on a leash. If you find a dog that likes to roam, it can be expensive and/or deadly-
We spent $3,000 on vet bills when our big dog found a loose gate, got out of the back yard during the day and ventured into the road at the end of the driveway.

Training- Whatever animal you select, interaction and 'training' will help you and the dog to 'bond' and will teach both of you about one another.
We found the local Petsmart store also offerred a great and inexpensive training program- it's actually about training the humans more so than training the dogs I think- but it's worthwhile to attend their once a week course if available in your area.
Also in our local Petsmart store is the Banfield Pet Clinic- A fully staffed veterinary clinic , that offers several programs to take care of your pet. For approx$250- $300/year, it covers all the exams, vaccinations, and boosters. You still have to pay for the flea and tick and heartworm medication- It is the Walmart of veterinary care, but we have found the staff to be very caring and professional- If you have one available in your area, it is well worth looking into.
Annual minimal cost for a dog approx $500.00
Well worth spending on what will become your new best friend!.
Return & reward on annual investment 5x-10x!!!
Pick an animal-or 2- that suits your lifestyle .
Good Luck, SD

[dg]

sd:

Much good advice. I would suggest one thing: pet insurance. I pay roughly $30/mo to insure that I do not end up paying thousands of dollars for expensive surgeries and special exams. I don't have access to a pet clinic like you (lucky you); and I ended up paying well over $10,000 in vet bills for my previous dog Snerty. He had issues with skin tumors that required frequent surgeries.

Jenny:

[bankedout]

Thank you sd & dg for the good advice. I'll let you know if I find the right dog.

[dg]

you know we'll be expecting pictures ...

[tiarra]

Jenny looks great!

[tiarra]

I don't know much about dogs but don't get a min pin. They have a lot of energy! You would go nutty!