The First Helpful Hint:
Add One Tsp to One Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar to every Gallon of Water you give your dog. This will not only help keep their PH in check, it also keeps the mold and bacteria from growing in their bowl.
Why am I feeding my dog HUMAN foods?
Well, they are a living being! They do need vitamins and minerals just as humans do. Just giving them a 'pill' will not give them all the nutrition they need. They need to digest foods to fulfill other body functions as well.
Nutrition is "Balance over Time"
Foods are harvested in different seasons, so the nutritional needs will be delivered differently during each month. When we look at the harvest as fresh nutrition, we can learn how this applies to us as well.
When using fresh fruits and vegetables, see if the farmer will let you pick through the over ripened box at a discount. These ripe foods are easier to smash and mix into their meals. Note: If these foods are not from an organic farmer, make sure you can wash them thoroughly before mixing.
Here is my basic recipe for the veggie mix:
- 2-3 pounds of Greens, (Collards, Kale, Mustard, etc)
- 1 large container of Plain Yogurt
- 6 Eggs, with the Shell
- 1/2 cup Blackstrap Molasses
- 2-4 cans Mackerel, Salmon or Tuna (do not drain)
- 1/4 cup Flax Seed Oil or Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Sea Meal**
Mix thoroughly and feed 1/4 cup per 50 pounds. I usually feed this 1-2 times a week. Freeze the remainder in serving size containers or bags. When using frozen, they do not need to be completely thawed.
**When freezing, do not add Sea Meal to mixture.
Additions: Banana, Apple, Summer Squash, Steamed Pumpkin, Avocado, Pear, Peach, Zucchini, Green Bean, Carrot, etc...
When fresh veggies are not available, use frozen. I open the bag of Collards the night before and mix it up in the morning when it is thawed.
Well this sounds Great, But my Lifestyle...
Have a busy life? Some of you cannot always make this up, or time it around your schedule as well as others. Well, an easy solution is just give them an "apple a day" not literally, but close.... a zucchini, banana, summer squash, small eggplant or an apple. Rotate fruits and vegetable with the dogs that will eat them. They will love it. When you clean the Chicken, don't throw the sack in the trash, put it in the dogs bowl and add a few other raw fruits and veggies for the meal that night. At least 2 nights a week, give him the good stuff!
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