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loveukaykay
Posted : 4/22/2006 8:27:51 AM
This is copied and pasted from the site, but you can look up what you need to there.
[link http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html#addfood]http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html#addfood[/link]
ADDING FRESH FOODS TO A COMMERCIAL DIETIt is a great idea to add some fresh foods to a commercial diet, to improve the quality of nutrition that your dog receives. As long as you feed at least half kibble, you don't need to worry too much about balancing the foods you add, though as always, I think variety is best. It is generally better to add protein sources rather than carbohydrates (grains and vegetables), since commercial diets are already usually high in carbs and dogs have no nutritional need for them. Animal source proteins, including eggs, meat, organs and dairy are the best foods to add. Here is some more information on foods you can add to a commercial diet:
- Eggs: preferably raw, can also be lightly scrambled or hard boiled. Whole eggs are fine, as the yolks contain plenty of biotin to make up for what the whites destroy. One of the healthiest and easiest to add foods.
- Muscle Meat (including Heart): any kind of meat, either ground or chunks (small enough to avoid choking), is fine. Raw is best, but can be lightly cooked (if boneless). If you are not including bones, add 1/2 tsp. ground eggshell (you can grind it in a coffee grinder) to a pound of meat to give the proper calcium/phosphorus ratio. Adding calcium is not necessary if the added meat is only a small portion of the diet.
- Liver or other Organ Meat: feed small amounts of liver at a time, as it is rich and can lead to diarrhea, but it is very dense nutritionally and good to feed. Kidney is similar, but not quite as rich. Most other organ meats, like hearts and gizzards, are nutritionally more like muscle meats.
- Fish: Sardines (packed in water, not oil), Jack Mackerel or Canned Salmon: Perfect ratio of meat to bones, plus full of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Never feed [linkhttp://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/salmon.asp]raw salmon[/link] or trout from the Pacific Northwest (California to Alaska), as it may contain a parasite that can be fatal to dogs. I don't recommend feeding tuna, as it is more likely to be contaminated with mercury, and does not include bones.
- Yogurt: plain, preferably organic, whole milk (rather than low- or non-fat) is fine unless your dog needs to lose weight.
- Cottage Cheese or Ricotta Cheese: low-fat is best.
- Garlic: may help repel fleas (although this is anecdotal) and has other health benefits as well. Garlic can be toxic in very large quantities. Give no more than 1/2 to 1 raw, crushed clove per 20 pounds of body weight.
- Recreational bones can help keep the teeth clean, and avoid gum diseases. I like to give large beef ribs, and take them away once all the meat has been removed. Knuckle bones are also good. Marrow bones are OK but can be a problem if the dog can get them between their molars and crunch down, as they are very hard and can cause broken teeth. The marrow is also very rich and may cause diarrhea (you can scoop some of it out with a spoon before feeding to help). Bones get harder as they dry out, so to avoid problems with broken teeth, it's better to take the bones away after a reasonable amount of time (anything from a few hours to a day or two).
- Canned Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) -- great for digestion, helps both diarrhea and constipation. Use in small amounts, as too much can also cause diarrhea.
- Veggies: preferably pureed raw or can be steamed (whole raw veggies, such as broccoli or carrot sticks, are not harmful but can't be digested by dogs). Good veggies include carrots, celery, all kinds of greens (kale, collard greens, mustard greens, bok choy, cabbage, spinach, chard, parsley, cilantro, etc.), lettuce (anything but iceberg, which is not very nutritious), broccoli, brussel sprouts, zucchini, asparagus, turnips, parsnips, etc. Do NOT feed [linkhttp://www.jlhweb.net/BOSS/onions.html]onions[/link]. Warning: If your animal is having any symptoms of arthritis, inflammation, respiratory problems or any other conditions that involve swelling or mucous, stay away from the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant).
- Fruit: banana, papaya, apple, pear, avocado, etc.
- Green Tripe: not the bleached kind you get from the supermarket (which has very little nutritional value). Smells awful, but dogs adore it and it's quite healthy for them. See my list of known [linkhttp://www.dogaware.com/kidney.html#tripe]green tripe suppliers[/link] to locate a supplier near you.
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