Interesting Article

I do home cooking to a small extent for my golden retriever mix Honey. She gets 2 cups of kibble and 1/2 cup of the chicken stew I cook up for  her in my crock pot.using chicken thighs, necks, beef liver or chicken gizzards, sweet potaoes, apples, green beans and sometimes squash.

 I woulnd't feed raw as I can't eat any meat myself that isn't next to brnt.  And I have tired to give Honey a raw item a few times and she, who eats almost anything, only mouthe the chicken gizzrd and spit it out and never touched anything else I tried to give her.

I do a 'topper' also.  It makes up 30% of my dogs diet.   I did 100% homecooked for awhile also.   I've thought about crockpotting also but right now I do meat and veggies separately.

 I feed lean meats daily - usually whatever the family is having.  I buy larger portions then I need and cut off a hunk for Prancer before I prepare it for the humans.   I usually boil or broil her meats and keep them on the rare side.    If there is more than I can use within a couple of days I chunk it up and freeze it on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper then put the chunks into freezer bags once they're frozen.    If I feed her sardines or canned mackeral I'll freeze anything I won't use in a day the same way.    This gives me an easy option to be flexible and rotate her meats frequently.

 Every month or so I'll make up a batch of pureed raw veggies and freeze that into 2 cup sized freezer containers.   I give her about 2 - 3 tablespoons of this "veggie mush" each day.   I use mostly locally grown fresh veggies but I'll throw in frozen if I can't find decently priced fresh.  I also add some fruit (applesauce, frozen blueberries, a banana or two) and puree them in.   I try to use something of every color from both above the ground and below the ground.

 I keep saying that one of these days I'm going to go back to 100% homecooked ..... someday ... maybe ...

This comment:  “If there’s a commercial entity to back you up, it makes it so much easier. If there’s just your diet, your recipes and your recommendation, you’re the one out on the line." ....from out of the article IS the reason why vets do not recommend homecooking or raw....THEY don't want to be held accountable for recommending such a diet.

I've been feeding fresh foods exclusively for several months now, I can't imagine going back to dry and/or canned food...not only that, these articles *always* fail to mention that there ARE constant recalls of pet foods as well, due to Salmonella and/or some other type of toxin.

 stanton I do agree with you.  My Siberians are very healthy animals. Homecooked is fresh, and you can learn how to make it balanced. If there is a disaggreable stool, you know what it is causing it and eliminate it from the diet.  Some food is not good for my female while her brother can eat most things.

No more old commercial dog food for this household. Not now not ever. My dogs love meal time.  And I know it is good food.

 One of the easiest "recipes" is just to stick a whole chicken or rabbit in the crock pot (or on the stove) and simmer it on low for about a day. Eventually the bones crumble into mush and are safe to feed, and the bone to meat ratio is naturally just right. If you want to stretch it out, do just a couple meaty parts like thighs or quarters in, instead, and fill the pot with carrots and potatoes or whatever else your dog likes (no onion though).