Dog food (simple question that will probably start WW3)

Sally_A

Having lost my old boy a couple of months ago, I'm at a loss with what to do with leftovers.

I commented at work that I had half a bowlful of meatballs and pasta that he would have loved, and it seems such a waste to bin it - must admit, I still can't get out of the habit of making large portions, so there is a bit left over for the dog; be it roast, bolognese, pizza crusts, chicken carcass pickings - and shock horror, maybe even a bone or two etc etc - you get the picture.

The response I got was along the lines of "how can you feed your dogs that, do they not get upset tums?" not in disparaging way, but in a "can't believe it" way, it seems everyone now has special dog food, whether it's dry complete food, raw meat, special diet stuff - it's all gone a bit poncey and PC in my opinion.

What has happened to the tin and mixer brigade with odd treats of plate scrapings?

I thought dogs were the original waste disposal system.

The only upset tums I ever saw were down to colitis, and more stress related (ie a minor upset - nothing punishable, either a newly homed, or an elderly dog had an "accident" which stressed him even more*; than diet related.

*we rehomed him at 12, he was always very nervous - passed away at 17.

I've always treated a bit of a squitty tum with eggy rice for a couple days, it seems to work and is the same advice that a vet will give for the princely sum of £30 (I would get it seen to if it wasn't improving after 48 hours, or they were not taking in fluids).

Crikey re-reading above - you have to type so carefully so not to get shot down.

Anyhow - why has it all changed over the past 5 - 10 years or so? clever marketing?, guilt tripping by animal feed makers?

Digs bunker in garden and dons tin hat awaiting replies

Person_one

Sally_A wrote: »

Crikey re-reading above - you have to type so carefully so not to get shot down.

Digs bunker in garden and dons tin hat awaiting replies

Between these two lines and the post title, it almost seems as if you're actually spoiling for an argument, rather than trying to avoid one...

Hillbilly1

Complete dog food is probably cheaper than feeding meat filled left overs!

~Chameleon~

Nothing wrong with feeding household scraps to dogs as long as you're aware that certain foods are actually poisonous for them

gettingready

Living by myself - I would not have enough "leftovers" to feed my dog and 4 cats...

Their food costs way more then mine but that is because I pay bills, gets what I need for animals, see what is left for me... in THAT order... sigh...

Sally_A

Person_one wrote: »

Between these two lines and the post title, it almost seems as if you're actually spoiling for an argument, rather than trying to avoid one...

Not at all Person One (and we have had run ins before ).

A genuine question on when it all changed.....every rescue dog I've had has had Tin and Mixer on their records that were handed to me - the last pair was 2003.

lolarentt

I get into trouble for feeding 'human food' to the dogs! Also it puts them off eating their lovely lovely dried real dog food at mealtime - they hang about looking at me....we'd rather have those fish skins, or that tasty chilli non-carne left overs we had yesterday. The other problem is whenever I'm cooking they hang around under my feet waiting for titbits and trimmings - and we don't even eat meat!

Sally_A

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Nothing wrong with feeding household scraps to dogs as long as you're aware that certain foods are actually poisonous for them

Can you list a few please.

I'm aware of chocolate, which is hardly plate scrapings. Was also very aware of the possible salt content of gravy so tended to not give too much of this, and always diluted with extra veg water. I don't use added salt in cooking.

PS. never forget the time a dollop of English Mustard was left undetected on the underside of a roast potato - now if I had a video camera and you tube had been invented in those days - it would have been a major hit.

catkins

I lost my beautiful boy 2 weeks ago. Hewas almost 12 and a big dog so not a bad age. He was pretty healthy up until about 2 months before he had to be put to sleep.

He was fed James Wellbeloved but less than the bag states so that he could have something else with it. Me and OH felt that just Wellbeloved every meal would be boring. He would have things like chicken, liver, beef, turkey, fish although not in large amounts.

He also used to have occasionally things like pizza crust, pasta, rice. On Sundays he had a mini roast dinner with yorkshire pudding (which he loved) and veg. He loved all veg especially roast parsnip. Very very occasionally as a treat I would give him a small amount of cheese on toast again which he loved.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Chocolate
Cocoa
Grapes, raisins, sultanas
Onions
Avocado


And I think most nuts/seeds are a bad idea.


So an onion bhaji followed by half a Dundee cake wouldn't be a great meal for pooch.

NewKittenHelp

Knowledge moves on. Nutritional advances are being made for all species, so that's why people are feeding their pets the correct food rather than table scraps and tins of supermarket crap.

To add to that people no longer just have 'a dog', they have different breeds in much greater numbers now, which have differing nutritional and lifestyle needs. I don't think it's 'poncey or PC' to be doing the best for your dog.