Getting back to basic for the way we eat is just as important for the dog as it is for us humans.
I do sell fun and pretty treats on Etsy aka www.MsFoodie.com but most of these frosted treats are for fun and special times, not everyday treats. I also make healthy every day treats like Starfish, Omegas & Bucknut Krunchies. Commercial dog food is in the business of making money not truly caring for your pets health. If you want to give your dog the very best I say make your own dog food, stay away from rawhide and limit grains. My favorite treats to feed my own dogs USDA jerky's, sweet potatoes both cooked & dried, raw veggies like carrots, green beans and celery (peel out strings). Fruits such as apples, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, blueberry's and strawberry's. Then I follow up with a few baked snacks "cookies".
Not to give away all my secrets but here is one of the easiest and healthiest dog food recipes I make and have created.
1 Whole chicken
3 Medium Sweet Potatoes
2 Large Russet Potatoes
1 Lb. of Green Beans (fresh or frozen)
Place one Whole Chicken, neck, liver, heart and gizzard into a crock pot for 24 hours or you can use a pressure cooker.
If using pressure cooker, please read instruction first.
I cook for about one hour filling the water line 3/4 of where chicken is at but I have a large pressure cooker.
What you are doing is cooking it so long the bones will crumble, when you reach that point or come close add the potatoes after scrubbing them well and in the last 30 minutes add the green beans.
Your dog stew will keep for about one week in a tightly seal container, if you have a small dog just divide it up into containers or zip locks and freeze extra.
You can then serve this over kibble, brown rice, white rice or crunchy carrots. Your dogs coats will look amazing, their breath will smell like puppy's as long as their teeth are in good shape and they will go nuts for meal time.
Leaving the bones and cartilage in the stew is a great way to get natural glucosamine in your dogs diet.
Glucosamine is naturally present in the shells of shellfish, animal bones and bone marrow. With that being said I am not a Doctor or Vet nor am I telling you to stop giving pills without your vets ok.
Things your dog should not eat:
Chocolate (real or fake), salty meats, salt, onions, leeks, mushrooms, garlic, sugar, wheat flour, soy flour, corn meal, corn flour, macadamia nuts, Brazilian nuts.
I know garlic is a controversial topic for dogs but it is part of the onion family
and I say why chance it.
It drives me nuts to see wheat, corn, soy flour, honey, molasses & salt being added to so many dog treats out their in the homemade dog treat world.
I hope that you do take the time and research as well as read food labels. Many companies say that their products are made in the USA but in further research to their ingredient list you will find that ingredients such as chicken, duck and other proteins are still coming from China. Even the big companies that really seem like they care so much such a Blue Buffalo and Dogs Well.
