What do your dogs eat?

[dshallpost]

For our first dogs, we tried many of the better quality dog foods, and they threw up. When that happened we gave them some rice and chicken. Finally we ditched the dog food altogether and just gave them hamburger, rice and chicken, with table leftovers like bits of salmon. They were so much better! But that's not a complete diet. With our current dog, now two, I am feeding raw, and using a recipe based on the raw diet I found in a book. It is mostly 90% lean hamburger, liver, spinach, and several additives (bone meal, omega 3 oil, Vitamin C and a few others). Our dog is only about 15 pounds so we can feed her this way for between $1 and $2 dollars a day, making the food mix ourselves. Occasionally she will get a dog treat and she also gets Bully Sticks. No bones, therefore the bonemeal is essential. We have really tied ourselves to the mast regarding not giving her any human treats and not ever feeding her from the table or any place except her designated dish in her designated spot. But it took all the mistakes we made with our first two dogs to get us to this point.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Isn't it fun to be a slave to your dog, ha just kidding. I think we have all learned allot and never will we learn it all.

[jhonnikolson]

bought new vacuum recently!
My 2 year old and 4 year old also love vacuuming with it.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by jhonnikolson

bought new vacuum recently!
My 2 year old and 4 year old also love vacuuming with it.

??

Thought this was about dog food??

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

??

Thought this was about dog food??

It's off topic, and strange for a first post in an orchid forum. I'm also doubting if this is a legit post also because the flag used is Antigua and Barbuda, but the IP address is based in Pakistan...

[Ruiza5]

My dogs are not very choosy about food. I have 3 dogs which I have taken from a shelter and I think that they simply appreciate what they have. What is funny, one of the dogs loves apples but he don't get much of them! However, it is an amazing snack!

[emmajs243]

Good job at rescueing!!! I have two rescues and have been a rescue foster mom for 10 years now! I feed and really like American journey grain-free dog food made by chewy.com! Great source of dog stuff if you haven't heard of chewy! I am pretty careful about reading ingredient lists and ensuring the ingredients are healthy and in good proportions....too often you will see the same food broken into three or four items listed in the first 10 or so ingredients...example: brown rice, rice,
Rice meal, rice bran. American Journey grain-free has a great ingredient list, great price and dog food advisors even gives them an A or A+. My dogs are super picky and they have really liked it!

I also constantly swap the flavor or protein source they are eating. Many believe that feeding the same protein source constantly can make it more likely for the dog to develop allergies so I will basically do a bag of dog food of one flavor and then slowly transition them to the next flavor just like if your changing food.

Depending on the breed, energy level, and exercise level, I also will add a raw egg or two (depending on dog) to their food once a day. Small dogs probably would only need half an egg. I have always heard start with a smaller amount and work up because like any dietary change, it can cause diarrhea. But I just crack it and whisk it with a fork to coat the kibbles. If you are buying high quality eggs then you can even add the shell too but if your just using normal eggs it's best to avoid the shell.

That goes for the more active dogs though that do a good amount of exercise (frequent running, swimming, playing), and the dogs in need of putting on some weight! I also will ad t in if I know we are going to have some frigid weather for a while and the dogs are going to be out in it. My two rescues are now getting a little older and less active so they don't get it regularly anymore besides for cold weather. I could probably give them one every other day or so but I've noticed that this semi-regular schedule makes it harder on them. They become pickier and try refusing to eat on the days with no egg so if they don't need it daily I try to do a max of once a week or less! Definitely always add it for holidays and birthdays though to give them something special! Along with anything else I have around that's healthy for them!

My biggest thing about sharing human food with them is either to just put it in their bowl OR if your handing it to them, don't give them anything when they are staring you down expecting something. All the dogs
In my house have figured it out pretty quickly that mom will give you something, but staring won't make it happen. Basically as soon as they go lay down and really start to doze off or just focus completely on something else I will then go give them a bite or call them over for something. It doesn't take long for them to figure it out and then they go and do it every time trusting that I'll let them know if I have scraps!

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:44 PM ----------

And Camille! Way to go on being a sleuth!!!

[Arizona Jeanie]

Hello Emma,
I'm glad to hear you have rescue dogs too. I've been watching the Westminister Dog show, but I don't see a breed that looks better to me than the two little imps that share my home now.
I boiled their eggs because I have heard that raw egg whites may not be good for dogs. Sounds like you haven't had any problems with that, but you might want to look into it.
It's surprising to me how much interest there's been in this thread, it's fun to see it active again.

[Mountaineer370]

I'm another one who enjoys providing a variety of quality foods for my dogs. I like being their chef! I've been feeding eggs occasionally all their lives, although my habit is to cook them. Here is a link to an excellent article that explains -- and mostly dismisses -- any concerns about raw eggs. The raw whites alone probably should be avoided, though, unless given only occasionally.

Is it Safe to Feed Dogs Raw Eggs? | PetHelpful

Emma, I volunteer with a rescue group, too. I do home visits with the applicants. Thank you for being a foster mom. That is definitely one of the most important jobs in rescue.

[emmajs243]

Very nice Mountaineer!!! And yes! Good article! It's one of many I read before making the decision! Such a big discussion between raw food, not raw food, only parts of raw food, this definitely a topic you just have to come to your own opinion on with research because there are just SO many differing opinions and poiints of view! Definitely a good article to start with though!

And Mountaineer!!!! Good for you!!! I absolutely adore fostering. I really specialize in working with/fostering the dogs that have been abused or experienced some type of trauma and are struggling as a result. I just love seeing them improve and go home with people that adore them. Some only take a week or two others, like my second rescue, have gone years and we still are not fully there, but no matter what, we always have that day where the fear leaves, at least in the my house, and they just become a happy dog again!

Ilove it! However, what you do is SUPER important, considering its directly related to choosing an applicant....and nothing would make my job worse and probably make me quit what I do, if I didn't really know the people screening the applicants and really trust them to be honest and blunt with people and each other.... and not just send dogs home with whoever just to get them adopted but are dedicated to sending them home with the RIGHT home!

---------- Post added at 07:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:00 AM ----------

Oh and Arizona Jeanie! It's SO true, my two are about as cute as can be in their own ways but definitely easier to train then any purebred puppy I've experienced! I swear it's like they have seen the bad in the world and as a result, are far more grateful and happy with what they've now got!

Like commented above, the choice between feeding raw be not feeding raw or only part raw is a big one! And really one everybody has to come to decide on for themselves but I personally have had zero issues with any dog I've fed egg to. The article Mountaineer attached is great, there are many more but that's definitely a good starting point!

Dogs aren't like us and yes they have been domesticated but, their bodies are still made to digest raw food like they would in the wild. true, feeding a cooked egg may lose many health benefits BUT it still has many nutrients too. If I'm scrambling or cooking eggs I normally will pull some aside before I season them and throw them in the pups food. The forever problem, they pick the pieces out and then if you have picky eaters like mine can be, leave the kibbles!

The beauty of raw egg is that you can coat the kibbles and make their more balanced diet of kibbles something delicious. My dogs know exactly when I grab their bowls and pull out the eggs.

---------- Post added at 07:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:04 AM ----------

Oh and Arizona Jeanie! It's SO true, my two are about as cute as can be in their own ways but definitely easier to train then any purebred puppy I've experienced! I swear it's like they have seen the bad in the world and as a result, are far more grateful and happy with what they've now got!

Like commented above, the choice between feeding raw be not feeding raw or only part raw is a big one! And really one everybody has to come to decide on for themselves but I personally have had zero issues with any dog I've fed egg to. The article Mountaineer attached is great, there are many more but that's definitely a good starting point!

Dogs aren't like us and yes they have been domesticated but, their bodies are still made to digest raw food like they would in the wild. true, feeding a cooked egg may lose many health benefits BUT it still has many nutrients too. If I'm scrambling or cooking eggs I normally will pull some aside before I season them and throw them in the pups food. The forever problem, they pick the pieces out and then if you have picky eaters like mine can be, leave the kibbles!

The beauty of raw egg is that you can coat the kibbles and make their more balanced diet of kibbles something delicious. My dogs know exactly when I grab their bowls and pull out the eggs.

Basically, research the topic and do whatever YOU feek comfortable with afterwards! Whatever you choose will still be beneficial! Now if you really wants food item from heaven for special meals/days/treats. Get a natural balance food roll! Every dog I've met and given it to goes nuts. All time favorite in our house! Even compared to other food rolls! I get the big one, slice it and freeze what I'm not going to use immediately!