Category: Recipes

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Featured Ingredients Recipes

Why Give Dogs Liver

I have older relatives who squirm at the memory of having to eat liver as a child .. but as with so many things, grandma was right! Liver holds a wide range of nutrients, including copper, zinc, iron, vitamins and more.

And you don’t need to add that much… about an ounce per pound of meat should do it.

How I Cook Liver

In my grocery store, beef and calf liver are in the freezer section in 1-pound packages – about 4 or 5 slices. I rinse it off, put it in a skillet with a few ounces of water, and cook for about 20 minutes on medium heat or until it’s cooked through, cutting it up as it cooks.

Once it cools, I freeze it in batches of about 2 – 4 ounces per bag. Then I take bags out periodically and use for a few days, supplementing my dog’s meals.

Eating Liver to Support the Liver

Did you know that you can serve liver to support liver health? This is based on an ancient practice known throughout the world… feeding specific tissues can help support the corresponding tissue. Therefore, you can feed liver to support liver health, feed hearts to support heart health, etc.

One thing to keep in mind is that liver is one of the body’s detoxifying organs, so try to buy as clean a version as possible. This is why I opted for calf liver here.

Enjoy!

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Recipes

Homemade Dog Food Recipe – Granola for Dogs

dog granola for dogs
This recipe for dogs is a healthy dog granola snack.

See recipe.

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Recipes Traditional Chinese Medicine

Warming Foods for Dogs

What are Warming Foods?

When you think of the idea of warming foods, you may consider soup, stew, or other foods that are warm or hot in temperature. But in Traditional Chinese Medicine, warming foods – those with Yang energetics – are foods that add heat and dryness to the body. Depending on your dog’s situation, this may be good or bad.

In what situations might your dog benefit from warming foods?

Dogs who need warmth (in TCM, this is known as being Yang deficient) can benefit from having warming foods in their diets. Dogs can become Yang deficient for many reasons. Some of these reasons include poor diet, old age, inactivity, general weakness, or excessive exposure to cold weather.

If a dog is Yang deficient and in need of warming foods, this may display itself through kidney disease, incontinence, hypothyroidism, digestive upset, lack of energy and more. It is important to note that these symptoms and conditions can occur for many other reasons as well, so it is crucial to work with a vet to determine the exact cause first.

What are some examples of warming foods?

There are many foods that holding warming energetics. Warming foods should also be served warm, cooked and broken down as much as possible. Warming foods include lamb, chicken, venison, kidneys, quinoa, wheat germ, cinnamon, ginger, rosemary, parsley, sweet potatoes, squash, turnips, parsnips, raspberries and more. 

Warming Recipe for Dogs

http://dogfoodcoach.com/recipe/warming-recipe-for-dogs/
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Featured Ingredients Recipes

Featured Ingredient – Sardines

See my recipes using sardines.

Sardines are a rich source of omega-3s, the fatty acids that have become famous for their anti-inflammatory, health-promoting abilities. They are also important because so many fats have inflammatory properties, and omega-3 and omega-6 fight each other for space in the body. If you or your pet is ingesting lots of omega-6s, but not enough omega-3s, the result can be imbalance and inflammation.

Omega-6s are found in many foods like several meats — however our dogs need meat! So how to handle this? Add some omega-3 rich items like sardines.

sardines It is important to get the no-salt-added version, in water. Avoid the salted, oiled kind. Here is a no-salt added in water version, at left.

Sardines also provide other excellent nutrients like vitamin D and calcium.

I like to add a sardine or so a day to my dog’s meals, but the amount you add will depend on your dog’s weight and nutritional needs.

Enjoy!
Sarah

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Featured Ingredients Recipes

Featured Ingredient – Blueberries

We know blueberries are good for us, with their antioxidant capacity and nutrient profile. But did you know they are also healthy for dogs?

blueberries
Rinsed bowl of fresh blueberries for me and my dog.

Blueberries are generally found year round in most grocery stores. Depending on the time of year, they may be wonderful or just so-so. As with all produce, inspect them for quality when you choose your blueberries for yourself or your furkid.

No fresh on hand or they don’t look good? No problem! Cruise over to the frozen foods aisle, where you will find your frozen blueberries. Look for ones with nothing else in them – no sugar, no spices — just plain blueberries, like in this picture.

frozen blueberries
Frozen produce is so convenient to have on hand!

Fresh or frozen, think about adding blueberries to your dog’s meals.  How much you add will depend on your dog’s weight, nutritional needs, GI sensitivities and whether he or she has had blueberries before. Questions? Contact me.

Enjoy,

Sarah

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Featured Ingredients Recipes

Featured Ingredient – Coconut Oil

Unrefined coconut oil is one of my favorites, for myself and my dog alike. It’s soft to the touch, has a pleasant smell, and contains anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties.

This oil is solid at room temperature and melts like velvet when eaten or applied to skin. I use it every day as part of my skin care protocol – which is basically applying a mixture of coconut and olive oils.

For my dog, I would also use it topically should she have a dry patch of skin, or as part of a soothing regimen for some kind of wound (with proper vet care alongside… that goes without saying, right?)

Daily, I include coconut oil in my dog’s food. I give her about a tablespoon per day, sometimes a bit more. My girl weighs about 60 pounds, and the amount you give will depend on your dog’s weight, calorie requirements and other nutritional needs. But it is a highly beneficial, medicinal food. Coconut oil has about 130 calories per tablespoon.

Enjoy!

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Articles and News Featured Ingredients Recipes

What Did My Dog Eat Today?

The featured image here is my dog’s breakfast.

I like to post periodic updates on what my dog eats in a single day, to help highlight the variety that you can achieve with a homemade diet. With all the variety, I also believe it is possible to offer some consistency too, particularly for dogs with sensitive GI tracts. Always introduce new foods slowly and one at a time.

See below what my dog has had so far today – and it’s only lunchtime!

Enjoy! Also check out our last lists too…

What Did My Dog Eat Today?

What Did My Dogs Eat Today?

All items are cooked unless otherwise noted.

Meats
Ground turkey

Other Proteins
Egg with shell WELL CRUSHED (otherwise sharp on mouth and belly!)
Gelatin powder – I use Great Lakes – email me if you have questions about this

Vegetables
Pumpkin – plain canned
Broccoli
Zucchini

Oils and Fats
Olive oil – extra virgin
Omega-3 fish oil pill

Other
Pastina

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Featured Ingredients Recipes

Featured Ingredient – Eggs, Scrambled

This featured ingredient is packed with nutrients! Scrambling an egg takes about one minute, and helps boost your dog’s nutritional status.  To include this featured ingredient, simply turn a skillet on medium heat. Add a little olive oil, and then your egg. Scramble egg in skillet to make things even easier. Eggs will cook through in about a minute. Allow to cool, and serve to your dog in amounts appropriate for your dog’s weight and nutritional needs.

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Featured Ingredients Recipes

What Did My Dog Eat Today?

Some people say a homemade dog food diet is not healthy because it’s not balanced. While that can be true, a homemade diet for your dog can also be very healthy – it’s up to us humans to make sure it’s healthy and balanced! Here is a list of foods my dogs ate today…. and it’s only lunchtime! What do you think… sound balanced?

All items are cooked unless otherwise noted.

Meats
Ground turkey – 93% lean/7% fat
White and dark chicken meat

Vegetables
Butternut squash – frozen
Spinach – frozen
Green beans – frozen

Oils and Fats
Olive oil – extra virgin
Coconut oil – unrefined

Powders, Pills and Potions
bone meal powder (stay tuned for article about this!)
probiotic

Check out our last lists too.

What Did My Dog Eat Today?

What Did My Dogs Eat Today?

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Featured Ingredients Recipes

Featured Ingredient – Butternut Squash

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