Can you make your own dogfood?

[Deleted User]

WE eat home-made, high welfare, organic, frugal foods, but what about our dogs? At thge moment we have been feeding them an all-in-one dried food mix. It seems to be full of nasty additives and they are bored with it anyway.

So, I know there are recipes for dog-biscuits, but any ideas for wholesome, frugal dog-dinners that we can make at home? We do supplement their food with leftover chicken and stuff but don't like to vary their diet too much as I know it's difficult for their digestive systems.

I'd love to hear some suggestions from those who have tried making their own d/f

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beautiful_ravens

My dog has a raw chicken thigh each day, our leftovers [minus sweets/fatty stuff] and some cheap dog biscuits if theres no chicken / leftovers. Its a difficult subject, as I think dogs should have raw meat but some people dont, and some breeds are not able..

Boiled chicken with rice you can make yourself and is good on their tummies.


Also on this subject, I'd like to mention that Iams dog food is tested cruelly on dogs.

thriftmonster

Ours eat a brand called Harringtons made in N Yorks - supplemented by leftovers etc. They're very partial to value sardines in tomato sauce as well which I think is good for joints and coats. Actually they're very partial to anything they regard as human foods - for example they scoff the carrot and celery from the stockpot when I've made chicken stock.

falady

Hi there,

I have heard of a type of feeding for dogs called 'BARF feeding' (Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods) where you make your own dog food, based on more natural ingredients.

I don't know much about it, but you could try a google search and see what you come up with.... I think it's quite a big thing in America, so american sites might be more useful.

HTH

Ali

stardrops42

beautiful_ravens wrote: »

My dog has a raw chicken thigh each day, our leftovers [minus sweets/fatty stuff] and some cheap dog biscuits if theres no chicken / leftovers. Its a difficult subject, as I think dogs should have raw meat but some people dont, and some breeds are not able..

Boiled chicken with rice you can make yourself and is good on their tummies.


Also on this subject, I'd like to mention that Iams dog food is tested cruelly on dogs.

Hi

My dog has 2 raw chicken wings each morning and a handful or so of dried complete dog food in the evening(which he only eats occasionally) I only give him the dried food as I worry that the chicken wings aren't enough nutrition wise but he doesn't eat much of it and he is still fit and healthy
Harvey

beautiful_ravens

^Aww hes lovely! Springer?

charlies-aunt

What an interesting thread - we are new to being dog owners - we got our labrador a year ago from a Rescue Home and we feed her tinned dog food and working dog mixer biscuits. Although I would prefer to make my own but I am worried about deviating from the 'shop bought' food menu :rolleyes:

When we got our dog, I was warned by friends that it was dangerous to give dogs any meat (cooked/raw) that had bones in it as the bone splinters could cause intestinal perforation - or is it just if the meat has been cooked? or is poultry ok but lamb/beef not?

Also I was told not to give any pork or pork products such as bacon, ham or sausages.....is this correct -or is the odd bit of cooked bacon okay?

Finally, my parents never allowed any of our family dogs to eat raw meat as they believed that it gave them worms and that dogs used to the taste of blood were more inclined to bite ????

foreign_correspondent

Raw bones are generally fine - cooked bones are not safe, and should never be fed!

You may want to post this over in pets and pet care - discussions about dog food are pretty common over there. In general, dogs are quite adaptable, and many people feed BARF, or commercial, or home made, or leftovers mixed in with any of these, and have fit healthy dogs - however, if you want to avoid feeding any commercial dog food you do need to do your research and make sure you provide a reasonably balanced diet, and avoid foods that can be toxic to dogs (onions, grapes etc).

I do give my dog bits of pork with no problems, but I would avoid feeding too much ham or bacon etc as it is very salty.

I remember people saying that dogs fed raw meat would develop 'a taste for blood' and may bite - I believe this is nonsense though!

Penelope_Penguin

beautiful_ravens wrote: »

Also on this subject, I'd like to mention that Iams dog food is tested cruelly on dogs.

Really :eek: In what way

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Fire_Fox

budgeteer wrote: »

WE eat home-made, high welfare, organic, frugal foods, but what about our dogs? At thge moment we have been feeding them an all-in-one dried food mix. It seems to be full of nasty additives and they are bored with it anyway.

So, I know there are recipes for dog-biscuits, but any ideas for wholesome, frugal dog-dinners that we can make at home? We do supplement their food with leftover chicken and stuff but don't like to vary their diet too much as I know it's difficult for their digestive systems.

I'd love to hear some suggestions from those who have tried making their own d/f

Obviously if you have a good butcher start there, some raw feeders report getting FREE offal, chicken wings necks and backs! :money: If you are keen on animal welfare there are a number of companies who supply bone-in wild rabbit, at least the top two of these:
http://www.food4-dogs.co.uk/
http://www.woldsway.co.uk/acatalog/Pet_Meat.html
http://www.landywoods.co.uk/price_list.html
http://www.ukbarfclub.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=25

My cat is fed a varied diet including raw meat and bones, far from having stomach upsets cleaning up his poop is a FAR more pleasant experience than when he was fed exclusively on commercial pet food.

loobyloo2

There are so many different things that people feed their dogs, and so many arguments, for and against most methods.
I think you have to find what you, and of course your dog prefers.

I went onto BARF feeding, but didn't get on with the blitzing up of fruit and veg, neither did the dogs particularly relish that as their morning meal. Though several friends do this and find it good and easy.

I found a good butcher, who gives me carcasses, off cuts of all meats, gizzards, breast of lamb etc. This is now the main source of food that I feed with, though I do give extras such as egg,yoghourt, fish (tinned, fresh and frozen), offal and chicken wings. I go easy on the chicken wings if they have a tendency to gain weight (fat content).

Once a week, I cook a pot of chicken,remove all bones, then add carrots, any odd veg lying in the fridge, and pasta. when cold it congeals, and can be kept in the fridge. They absolutely love this, but it is only once a week as I prefer the poo patrol when they are eating raw:rotfl:

Training treats are homemade livercake, I don't know any dog that doesn't love this, and it is cut into small squares then into a ziplock bag in the freezer, take out just enough for each day.

I haven't made biscuits, though I have seen plenty of recipes for these, as someone mentioned American sites are good for these. You can even buy the bone shaped cookie cutters

I am looking after one dog at the moment while his owners are away, he eats commercial food, he looks longingly at my dogs food, but his owners don't want him fed this way as they think it would work out expensive.
If you are fortunate enough to find a good friendly butcher (very rare in some parts of the country I know), then the costs are just what you decide to supplement their diet with.

Whoopsied meat in Sainsburys is always a bonus, at 4.30 yesterday I was buying £7.32 organic British lamb for 99p (that is for me not them), and often find joints for 50p.

Whatever diet you decide on, just be happy with your choice, others are always going to critisize, I mean, even my fella thinks the dogs get better food than us:D

Good luck