# Is this an OK every day diet recipe?



## glamourdog (Apr 17, 2004)

Hey all, 

I went to the store and got chicken breast and then some frozen veggies. (corn, peas, carrots) all in a single pack. 

I grilled the chicken breast and chopped it up into little pieces, and I cooked the Veggies in the microwave per the instructions. 

I mixed it all up and I've given it to my girls for the last 2 nights. 

I top it with some of the Coconut oil.

Does this seem like it's missing anything major or would this be an OK everyday food?

without being too gross, Is there a way to make their poo more firm and solid and easier to pick up? That was one thing I always loved about Honest kitchen was their poo was always very easy to pick up and dispose of. Now their stool is much softer, not messy, but not hard. 

I considerd mixing in some of my fiber one cereal. LOL.


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## mary-anderson (Jan 12, 2010)

All my fluffs get a mixture of a protein, veggies and fruit with calcium added. At their evening feeding I add multivitamin, probiotics, kelp, omega 3 oil. Here is a thread that covers alot about homecooking.

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/60-...ookers-can-you-please-post-what-you-feed.html


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

You need to find a recipe to follow that lists all the supplements you have to add.

Your recipe lacks calcium (the calcium/phosphorus ratio has to be 1.2:1).

Calcium & Phosphorous in Dogs* - Chinaroad Lowchens of Australia -

Coconut oil does not contain enough linoleic acid. You need safflower or canola, depending on the other ingredients in your recipe. 

Dogs need iodine just like we do for a healthy thyroid. There isn't any iodine in your recipe.

Homecooking is great if done right, but if it isn't you can actually harm your dog.

I'd suggest using one of the pre mixes like Dr. Harvey's if you can't find a recipe.


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

If you're serious about homecooking, you should consider consulting with a veterinary nutritionist. I've read that if you homecook and don't feed exactly as prescribed, your dog's diet can be unbalanced. This is why I don't homecook. I don't have the time to follow the recipes precisely.


The American College of Veterinary Nutrition has these resources listed:

(Some of the numbers are specifically for veterinarians and some are for pet owners.)

American College of Veterinary Nutrition / Nutrition Resources


Joy


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## Jayne (Feb 12, 2010)

I would say that this might be alright for short term, but #1 you can't feed the same thing for every meal when you're doing home cooking or raw.. There needs to be variety of meats and a variety of veggies..#2 I would suggest that you never microwave any of your dogs food because in 10 seconds all of the healthy live nutrients are killed.. Actually in some countrys the microwave has been outlawed because it kills the food. Also you would need to add a good quality supplement that includes a balance of vitamins and minerals.. I also would add some fruit.. Be careful here because some fruits are not agreeable to dogs..I also use pro-biotics. Your best bet really is to find a dog nutritionist because, as it was mentioned before, you can really do more harm than help if the balance isn't exact.. As far as firming up the poop. I feed raw, and their poop is almost dry immediately because their bodies use up almost every bit of what goes into them.. I hope this will help you..

Jayne


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Here is a list of canine nutritionists:

*Sabine Contreras* (see About Page)
Marina del Rey, CA
Ph: (310) 991-6673
E-mail: [email protected]
Better Dog Care, Better Dog Nutrition (site for consults)
The Dog Food Project (for food information)

*Susan Blake Davis*, CCN
CCN-Certified Clinical Nutritionist 
VCA Arroyo Animal Hospital 
Lake Forest, CA 
Ph: 949-499-9380
E-mail: [email protected]
website: Holistic Veterinarian Pet Nutritionist Holistic Pet Care

*Rebecca Remillard* (PhD, DVM, MS, DACVN)
Angell Animal Medical Center - Boston, MA
(617) 522-7282
MSPCA-Angell: Nutrition Team
Veterinary Nutritional Consultation, Inc.
Welcome to Pet Diets

*Joseph Wakshlag*
Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine - Ithaca, NY
E-mail: [email protected]
Ph: (607) 253-4389
Fax: (607) 253-3534

*Hilary Watson*
Ph: (519) 836-7253
[email protected]
(Note: Please specify nutrition request in subject line to avoid spam filters)
Hilary Watson Pet Nutritionist
(Can ONLY be contacted by those in Canada at this time)

*Lisa Weeth* (DVM, DACVN)
Redbank veterinary Hospital - Red Bank, NJ
Ph: (732) 747-3636 __________________


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

It's great that you are starting to home cook for your girls. :thumbsup: Kudos!

You're on the right track, but you will need a little help with ensuring that the food has the necessary amount of vitamins/minerals for your furbabies to maintain optimum health. Please don't get discouraged or intimidated, home cooking is all about trial and error at first. And, it is not that hard. 

I was lucky to have a holistic vet who did a custom recipe for me a couple of years ago. It wasn't cheap, but it's nutritionally complete and my dogs are thriving on it. 

This book has some very nice, nutritionally balanced home-cooking recipes for dogs and cats. It may seem a little daunting at first, but it's really a matter of getting into a routine. Don't get discouraged or let nay-sayers scare you. 

Until you get the book or buy a recipe from a vet nutritionist, here's some friendly advice. I'm not a nutritionist, and this is just my opinion:

Use both white and dark meat if you use chicken. White meat chicken is high in protein and very low in fat. A mix of white and dark is more balanced. Or ground dark turkey is good, too. Fresh veggies really are better than frozen. 

Until you get a balanced recipe, perhaps you might try using Animal Essentials multivitamin powder, plus a calcium supplement like KAL bone meal or Now Bone meal with the food. You can buy those on amazon.com This way your babies will get the necessary vitamins/minerals. If you are going to use a little canola oil in the food, ensure it is organic. Also, feeding sardines or wild salmon once a week is very good for Omega 3 oils.

If you want to make it a little easier on yourself, a pre-mix like Dr. Harvey's Veg-to-Bowl, or Honest Kitchen Preference is easy. You just add proteins (and oil for Dr Harvey's) The premixes have all the necessary supplements already in them, plus veggies and fruits. 

Good luck with it, stick with it, and keep us posted on your progress. :biggrin:

BTW, I agree with the other post. Microwaving food is not the best thing, and rotating proteins is optimal. Also, probiotics are very good. Nikki has been on a probiotic since day 1, and she is in excellent health.


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

The biggest thing right now is to add calcium to your recipe. If you buy the AE calcium, it tells you how much to add for the quantity of food you are cooking. 

Meats have a very high phosophorus/ calcium ratio. Most non-dairy foods have a phosophorus/calcium ratio that ranges from MUCH GREATER THAN 1 to close to 1:1. Very few NON-DAIRY foods naturally have a high calcium/phosphorus ratio aside from kale, chard, bok choy, etc. Therefore, the concern with home cooking is mainly to add calcium back in to achieve the proper ratio. 

That is also why I tend to use organic baby bok choy alot in my recipes because it has the highest bioavailable level of naturally-occuring calcium in a non-dairy food, and is readily accepted by pets due to its mild flavor.

Please note that spinach also has a high calcium/phosphorus ratio, but should not be used too much as large amounts can cause your dog to be anemic.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

princessre said:


> The biggest thing right now is to add calcium to your recipe. If you buy the AE calcium, it tells you how much to add for the quantity of food you are cooking.
> 
> Meats have a very high phosophorus/ calcium ratio. Most non-dairy foods have a phosophorus/calcium ratio that ranges from MUCH GREATER THAN 1 to close to 1:1. Very few NON-DAIRY foods naturally have a high calcium/phosphorus ratio aside from kale, chard, bok choy, etc. Therefore, the concern with home cooking is mainly to add calcium back in to achieve the proper ratio.
> 
> ...


Yes, you are totally correct. I forgot about the AE Calcium, and that is the one I use! 

Its been one of those days...:blink:

My fluffs love baby bok choy (so do I)


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

Honestly, this thread scares the he** out of me. It all sounds WAY to complex, and WAY too many various opinions. A nutritional consultation may be nice, but not a really possible thing for everyone. The ingredients are expensive and who knows if you are even doing it right. I was comfortable with the Dr. Harveys, because I felt it already had all the proper suppliments. I have been encouraged to try Only Natural Pet EasyRaw Dehydrated Dog Food, and I like it. It is easy and I feel like I am feeding a good food. Here are the ingredients. Sweet Potatoes, USDA Turkey, Whole Egg, Broccoli, Celery, Apples, Flax Meal, Pecans, Tricalcium Phosphate, Pumpkin, Cranberries, Basil, Dried Alfalfa, Ginger Root, Dried Kelp, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Acetate, Vitamin D2. And the dogs LOVE it.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

pammy4501 said:


> Honestly, this thread scares the he** out of me. It all sounds WAY to complex, and WAY too many various opinions. A nutritional consultation may be nice, but not a really possible thing for everyone. The ingredients are expensive and who knows if you are even doing it right. I was comfortable with the Dr. Harveys, because I felt it already had all the proper suppliments. I have been encouraged to try Only Natural Pet EasyRaw Dehydrated Dog Food, and I like it. It is easy and I feel like I am feeding a good food. Here are the ingredients. Sweet Potatoes, USDA Turkey, Whole Egg, Broccoli, Celery, Apples, Flax Meal, Pecans, Tricalcium Phosphate, Pumpkin, Cranberries, Basil, Dried Alfalfa, Ginger Root, Dried Kelp, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Acetate, Vitamin D2. And the dogs LOVE it.


Homecooking is wonderful if you can find a method that works for you. It is much more expensive and can be overwhelming for some people. The pre mixes are great, Pam. It provides everything they need so you don't have to stress about it.

There are also some great commercial diets available today for those that don't want to homecook. It's not for everyone and no one should feel guilty if they choose not to homecook.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I don't think it is way _too_ complex, it's just a matter of finding a formula and working with it, like everything else in life. 

Yes, this is a forum, which is a place for people do discuss their _opinions._ That is why professional help for recipes is recommended. If people use info on a forum the same as paying for professional help, then that is really their choice. People should not assume that advice given in forum discussions should be taken the same as directions from a veterinary nutritionist. 

That being said, there are thousands of people on a Yahoo home cooking forum I used to belong to, who figure out their own recipes for their dogs and are quite successful at it. Those people are determined, dedicated, and much more scientific minded than I am. So yes, it can be done by "regular" people. 

I haven't read any anything in this thread that implies "guilting" people into home cooking. 

Everyone is free to do what they want. If home cooking isn't their thing, then by all means, they should not do it. If they have the desire to do it, then they should give it a shot. I don't think anyone is judging people by whether they home cook or not. The OP was asking if her recipe was okay. Advice and comments were posted.


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