Feeding my dog real food
 

I have decided to try to feed my dog real food instead of dog food. I have read alot about being careful you make up the mineral and vitamins they need.

Right now she still has dog food to eat and I have given her some cooked chicken and cooked ham and hamburger. She is a med to large dog and I am trying to get a handle on what is best for her.

The reason I want to do this is she is getting too fat on dog food and yet she whines all the time for snacks. Since I have started this she doesn't want the snacks anymore. She has been so much more content and not so antsy.

But I would like some feedback if anyone is doing this. I know she needs vegs and fruits but she isnt' too thrilled with eating them. I tried hiding some peas and shredded carrots in some ground turkey but she wouldn't eat much of it.

Any help would be appreciated. I have been reading online about this but still not sure I have a good handle on it yet.

Id like to do that with my cat.
The only people food shell eat is crispy bacon
Good luck

I've had several friends who feed their dogs green beans, they say they love them.

I have two dogs; my little American Eskimo will eat anything, dog food, veggies you name it. My Akita, is finicky, I have to change his food because he gets bored with it and won't eat. When he gets this way I mix our food or some times just chicken or beef broth with his food and he'll gobble it down. I have to be careful with him because he's already had bloat and came close to dying so he has to have smaller portions which doesn't make him happy. He doesn't care for veggies but if the carrots/potatoes or even celery has been cooked in the stew and absorbed the flavors he'll eat it. But if its not cooked; forget about it. He can take a sub and have all the veggies left to one side like he took them off. Thank goodness any veggies he leaves in his bowl the little one gobbles up. I was raised in the country and we rarely ever bought dog food; that's what the left overs were for. I also give my dogs vitamins; that helps especially the Akita because he's getting up there in age and the ones I get help his skin, fur and his joints.

I don't have dogs, but I have cats and they are raw feeders. It is the way they were created- to be carnivores. They are Maine Coons and their breeder was a raw feeder, that's how we got started. She gave us a recipe and we add the supplements that we add to their rabbit and chicken. Try mypetcarnivore.com. I know dogs eat different from cats- all i know are cats.

In March 2009, my yellow lab, Maddy, had emergency surgery because a tumor ruptured and disseminated undifferentiated sarcoma cells throughout her abdomen and chest cavity. She was given a prognosis of 30-60 days without treatment (radiation and chemo for about $30,000) and 60-90 days with treatment. We brought her home and decided to treat it alternatively. The first thing we did was to change her diet. We switched to a natural food without additives of any kind. Then we reduced the kibble to 50% and supplemented with people food. Usually, I gave her raw beef, cooked chicken, or cooked pork. The choice varied according to my mood and what looked best to me that week in the store. I also added about 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast and some freshly ground flax seeds. I used various vegetables as she eats most any veggie. I also used herbal medicine for the cancer. Now, more than 3-1/2 years later, she is in fabulous health. She is 12 and looks like a dog half her age. She runs, plays and swims any chance she gets.

your dog may prefer cooked vegetables, like sweet potatoes. Also, she may like cooked carrots. I would try a variety of vegetables, cooked if that's how she'll eat them. Also, you can add fruits. My dogs love apples and bananas and any other naturally sweet fruit. Maddy definitely has a sweet tooth; she won't eat green peppers but loves red peppers, for example. My Jackson will eat anything that is not nailed down (and if it's nailed down, he'll eat around the nail). You can also feed her fried pork rinds for treats. As I learned when I followed the Atkins diet, they are pure protein and no carbs. My two will do anything for them--

there are some good books about this topic. One of my favorites is by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. She is so brilliant and worth reading.

Good luck. If I can help further, let me know--send me a PM.

Laurie

I tried for a while when my avatar, Jonah, was in liver failure. He recovered well and I stopped preparing all his food. I made stews for him, high protein with veggies. Also whole grain bread and apples. He loved it. Now he is back on the same food my other 2 Goldens eat- Beneful as a base supplemented with Prescription Diet Dental and frequent table food, they get daily leftovers ( I cook extra and take out food for the dogs that has little or no salt) and an egg once a week poached on whole wheat toast. They all love fruit and salad too (no dressing). You need to check with your vet that she is getting proper vitamins and nutrition.

I have never used any but, I know there are some natural dog foods, I think I would try those first. I have had toy poodles and now have a 7lb. Chihuahua. I had one larger dog, only fed him Iams dog food he did well until he was about 13 and had a cancer sore on his foot and that took him. All my dogs have had food down at all times and I found that food was not that big a deal. My Sis-in-law has three labs and feeds them twice a day and food is a big deal to them. Good luck with the people food, not real good for us, I can't think it would be for them.

Here's my experience with dogs and food.

I have read that pork/ham are not suitable for dogs.
That said, I feed our mutt whatever we eat.
He is almost age 15 and was given only a year to live. That was in Dec. 2010.
He still has problems but seems to enjoy his food and his walks and doesn't seem to be in any pain.
He does sleep a lot but I think that comes with age. We give him 3 or 4 short walks per day instead of one long walk that he used to have.
He loves fruit cake and blueberry muffins and cinnamon/raisin bagels and small pieces of banana/apple.
He's not fussy about veggies except for green peas and green beans.
He'll eat all meats and some he likes more than others.
Her will eat minced meat only as a last resort.

So that's just what our dog eats.
I'm sure others feed their dogs the prepared dog food but we stopped feeding it to our furry friend.

My aunt has a dog with diabetes. She gets 2 shots a day and eats chicken and beef with peas or green beans. she eats twice a day and her food is a total of less than 2 cups