# home cooking



## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I think I want to do this, but I don't know where to start. The only thing that concerns me is the whole supplement part of it. I don't want to have to mail order a bunch of different vitamin mixes to add. I want to be able to get things local. Can anyone offer advice or point me in the right direction?


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

http://www.dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html is the site that my vet sent me to. You don't need much in the way of supplements if a big variety of food is given. Mainly calcium, which you can get from ground eggshells or buy easily and some Omega 3. I also sometimes use Dr. Harvey's veg-to-bowl too.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Thank you  I am still kind of scared of it all but I am going to read up on that site!


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## bellasmummy (Apr 8, 2009)

thanks very much for that link


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

I don't like to post about this anymore because people don't lessen anyway. My Alex was on home cooked food from the time I got him at 10 weeks of age. He was one month short of 14 years old when he died. He never ever had a supplement added to his diet. Would he have lived longer than 14 with supplements ? I don't think so.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

MalteseJane said:


> I don't like to post about this anymore because people don't lessen anyway. My Alex was on home cooked food from the time I got him at 10 weeks of age. He was one month short of 14 years old when he died. He never ever had a supplement added to his diet. Would he have lived longer than 14 with supplements ? I don't think so.


I'm listening!:chili: And, I'm glad I caught your post and learned about your diet experience with Alex. 

So, thank you for posting, Janine.:tender:

Shelly, if it were me, I would talk to my vet about supplements. Maybe your vet can help find stores close to you that carry any supplements you might need for Rocky. 

On another note, and if I haven't told you this already ...your Rocky is simply adorable. :wub::wub:


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Lol Marie. With all the supplements people swallow here in the States we should not rank 28th when it comes to life expectancy. If they would really work people would live longer. Did you read about the recent study about people NOT taking vitamins and supplements living longer than the ones who did ?
Here is the article about the life expectancy rank : U.S. ranks 28th in life expectancy while we pay the MOST for health care | Mail Online


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> I'm listening!:chili: And, I'm glad I caught your post and learned about your diet experience with Alex.
> 
> So, thank you for posting, Janine.:tender:
> 
> ...


Hehe thanks so much  and thanks also for the info on the suppliments


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## LinzFair (Oct 10, 2010)

I am overwhelmed by supplements too ! My little one picks out the protein and leaves the rest. She isn't a fan of pureed food either. I have a challenge ahead


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

My Penny isn't overly fond of the veggies either. I do have to put them into the food processor to make them small enough to mix into the meat, but she eats that with no problem. They both love sweet potato and broccoli. I chop and change a lot but that is their favourite. They don't like them pureed. Doing it like that makes them not get messy either  Adding the calcium is no problem, it doesn't hurt the taste for them. My vet was in the opposite direction when it comes to supplements, she said she has only had problems with people who add supplements, it throws of the delicate balance of the nutrients. With the meat they do need calcium, omega 3 is good too, but she is very very wary of adding anything else unless it is deemed medically necessary.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

silverhaven said:


> My Penny isn't overly fond of the veggies either. I do have to put them into the food processor to make them small enough to mix into the meat, but she eats that with no problem. They both love sweet potato and broccoli. I chop and change a lot but that is their favourite. They don't like them pureed. Doing it like that makes them not get messy either  Adding the calcium is no problem, it doesn't hurt the taste for them. My vet was in the opposite direction when it comes to supplements, she said she has only had problems with people who add supplements, it throws of the delicate balance of the nutrients. With the meat they do need calcium, omega 3 is good too, but she is very very wary of adding anything else unless it is deemed medically necessary.


I think the dogs who love veggies are rare. If they can get away with it, they will pick and choose, and choose the meat over the veggies. We had a dachshund and she did not want anything to do with veggies. She lived 17 years only on meat. She would have let herself starve rather than eat dog food. For Alex I mixed the veggies really good with the meat and rice so he could not pick and choose. He did not like ground meat, so we had to cut his meat in tiny little pieces. Charlie does not mind so we mostly put everything (besides the rice) through the grinder. I agree completely with your vet about the supplements. For calcium you can give yogurt or cheese, omega 3 you can feed sardines.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

MalteseJane said:


> I think the dogs who love veggies are rare. If they can get away with it, they will pick and choose, and choose the meat over the veggies. We had a dachshund and she did not want anything to do with veggies. She lived 17 years only on meat. She would have let herself starve rather than eat dog food. For Alex I mixed the veggies really good with the meat and rice so he could not pick and choose. He did not like ground meat, so we had to cut his meat in tiny little pieces. Charlie does not mind so we mostly put everything (besides the rice) through the grinder. I agree completely with your vet about the supplements. For calcium you can give yogurt or cheese, omega 3 you can feed sardines.


Sounds like you would like my vet  she also recommends sardines as her preference. Mine do get yogurt and cheese but in very limited quantity as it makes them a little loose. So calcium is mainly dried eggshell. Tumeric added for joints lol what a mess that makes them if it gets on the fur. Her mandate is all from real food.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

MalteseJane said:


> Lol Marie. With all the supplements people swallow here in the States we should not rank 28th when it comes to life expectancy. If they would really work people would live longer. Did you read about the recent study about people NOT taking vitamins and supplements living longer than the ones who did ?
> Here is the article about the life expectancy rank : U.S. ranks 28th in life expectancy while we pay the MOST for health care | Mail Online


I believe it. My DH takes so many supplements ... and, yet does he eat healthy foods more often? No. I'm a believer that a balance of nutritional foods, in general, provide us with most of the minerals and vitamins that our body needs. I realize there are exceptions if someone has severe medical issues.

I will read the link, Janine. Thank you for sharing it.


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