Food for Thought

by Gigi McWhirter

People often ask me what we feed our dogs. We feed them highquality, dry food. We also stir in a little bit of canned food or other mix-in.

The discussion for raw diet versus kibble should be had with your pet’s veterinarian or a board-certified animal nutritionist. This is the recipe we use for our hound’s mix-in:

• Cooked lean ground meat such as chicken, turkey, or beef

• Kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• Frozen peas

• Frozen carrots

• Frozen green beans

• Butternut squash, diced

• Cooked rice (brown or white)

The portions are up to you. I typically use one pound of ground meat, one can of kidney beans, and one large package of mixed frozen vegetables.

Place the ingredients into a slow cooker. Add water or low sodium broth. Cook on high for four hours, stirring occasionally.

You also may prepare this in a Dutch oven on top of the stove. Store unused portions in the fridge for up to a week.

Canine approved substitutions:

Exchange or add cauliflower rice. Our canines love it — probably because cauliflower smells icky.

Make sure the meat you buy is very lean and with no skin. Dogs should not eat fatty proteins. Consuming them can lead to GI distress or worse, an attack of pancreatitis, which not only is painful and potentially life threatening but can be expensive to diagnose and to treat.

Always pre-cook the meat before adding it to the slow cooker.

You can exchange or add vegetables. For instance, pumpkin or sweet potato instead of butternut squash. Try adding Brussels sprouts for a delicious surprise.

For variety, add diced apples or blueberries.

Instead of kidney beans, try lentils or pinto beans.

Try adding a small amount of cooked chicken livers to the mix for a healthy treat. They are very rich, so don’t use too many.

Salmon, salmon oil and fish oil also help with skin allergies and inflammation.

If you are considering using this recipe as your dog’s main diet, consult with your veterinarian first, not Dr. Google, to review ingredients and to figure out serving size. The amount served should be based on the size and desired weight of your dog.

Introduce small amounts at a time to avoid GI issues.

For a complete list of people foods to avoid feeding your pets, check out www.aspca.org.

Happy Tails to you & Bone Appetit!