# Homecooked Meals



## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

After much thought and many many bags of food,I have decided to homecook their food.I just cant make myself do the raw food diet.Me and the "babies" cant agree on the dry food(I want healthy,they dont)







I know there are a few that "homecook" here on SM ,so if those ppl. could offer any recipes and or suggestions Id be gratefull.Ive spoken to my vet. and he says go for it,as long as I put them on a vitiman and add calcium,brewers yeast,etc. to their food. Or if anyone can reccomend a good cookbook for different recipes. Thanks in advance...Sheila


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

This is a link to Dr. Jean Dodds Healthy Adult Recipe. It's on the canine epilepsy website, but it's not just for epileptic dogs:

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels...ealthy_diet.htm

She also recommends a human grade vitamin rather than vitamins for dogs. For small dogs like ours, she recommends giving infant vitamin drops.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Since it needs to be a balanced diet, I usually go with one formulated by a reputable source. Dr. Donald Strombeck has a book on homecooking which includes a nice variety of recipes. I highly recommend it.


----------



## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

Thank You both! 
Jackie I found two of his books ,do you reccommed a certain one?Or would either one be fine?Or should I get both of them?LOL I just want the best for them as we all do.My vet was very stern that I follow the additives excatley,so I know thats important.


----------



## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

There is another book called : "A Little Recipe Book for Dogs" Sound nutrition and good home cooking for your pet by Jaroslav Weigel.
I home cook for Alex since I got him as a pup. I don't really use recipes. I mix any kind of meat with vegetables and rice. Since my little bugger does not like raw, I cook everything. I cook up a batch and put it in little plastic pots and freeze them to take out when needed. Lots of times he eats what we eat. I always buy more meat so there is enough leftover for him that I mix with the vegetables we are having that day. He has never had any vitamins or supplements. His diet is so varied there is no need for it. The only thing he gets lately is glucosamine for his leg.


----------



## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

Thanks ,I will check it out.I had wondered about adding the supplements to their food.But the vet was very anament(sp) about it and all the sites Ive looked at so far all say to also. Cookiecat who does the raw food diet also says its a must. But I remembered you had said at one time you didnt add anything to Alexs food.Has his bloodwork always been ok? Maybe he is just super healthy


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

If you use meat without bone, you really need to balance the calciumhos ratio. For a short time, it doesn't matter, but long-term it is important for their health.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/081...3576498-4885556


This book.


----------



## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

> _Originally posted by sheila2182_@Jun 9 2005, 08:40 PM
> *Thanks ,I will check it out.I had wondered about adding the supplements to their food.But the vet was very anament(sp) about it and all the sites Ive looked at so far all say to also. Cookiecat who does the raw food diet also says its a must. But I remembered you had said at one time you didnt add anything to Alexs food.Has his bloodwork always been ok? Maybe he is just super healthy
> 
> 
> ...


[/QUOTE]

His bloodwork has always been fine except for his thrombocetopenia last year. This is fine too for now. They don't know where it came from. 

Besides Alex, we had a mignature long haired dachshund, champion, that would rather not eat then eat dog food. She ate all her life only meat or sausage. She would spit out the vegetables if you put some with it. Well, that dog almost never needed a vet, had all her teeth at 10+ years without any cleaning, and lived to 17 years of age. 

On the other side, the lhasa apso I had before Alex was only on dog food. It was the sickest dog I ever had. 

That's my experience.


----------



## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

> _Originally posted by JMM_@Jun 9 2005, 10:30 PM
> *If you use meat without bone, you really need to balance the calciumhos ratio. For a short time, it doesn't matter, but long-term it is important for their health.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/081...3576498-4885556
> ...


[/QUOTE]
I got the book and wanted to say thank you,very informative. I will be following the guidelines suggested in the book, and the reciepes! Thanks again Jackie!


----------



## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by MalteseJane_@Jun 10 2005, 12:22 PM
> *There is another book called : "A Little Recipe Book for Dogs" Sound nutrition and good home cooking for your pet by Jaroslav Weigel.
> I home cook for Alex since I got him as a pup. I don't really use recipes. I mix any kind of meat with vegetables and rice. Since my little bugger does not like raw, I cook everything. I cook up a batch and put it in little plastic pots and freeze them to take out when needed. Lots of times he eats what we eat. I always buy more meat so there is enough leftover for him that I mix with the vegetables we are having that day. He has never had any vitamins or supplements. His diet is so varied there is no need for it. The only thing he gets lately is glucosamine for his leg.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=71135*


[/QUOTE]

I do the exact same thing. Harley had puppy food until he was 5 months, like puppy porridge & puppy 'milk' and canned puppy food - the vet told me these were better than me cooking for him as they had all the proper nutrients & stuff for his growing body. 

Once he hit 5 months, I started cooking for him - he has beef mince (I drain all the fat off) and mixed frozen (cooked) vegies, with either rice or spiral pasta - I vary it so he thinks it's a bit different! He LOVES pasta - I think he would be happy with just a bowl of plain cooked pasta & nothing else if I let him! Oh, and I also mix in a small handful of dried adult dog biscuits too, I don't know if it means anything 'healthy' or not, but I like him to have something to 'crunch' on!

I don't know the conversion sorry, but I cook 1 kg of mince, about half a kilo of vegies & about 300 grams of spiral pasta - OR about 3 cups of rice. Cook it all up, mix it all in together, then pop them in plastic take-away containers in the freezer. I lothe washing up plastic containers because they never really seem clean enough for me, thats why I buy the cheap take-away containers - I just throw them out when I'm done!


----------

