Food

Food I use and a chart of food poisonings

There are many very healthy dog foods in the store.  We finally found one we like! It tends to be an obscure brand that has a focus on quality and nutrient density.

We were using Science Diet because my Mother in Law has tried a bunch of different foods and her dog does best on Science Diet...then again I've wondered if her puppy came from a puppy mill because it was fed on Atta Boy (terrible) and was so sick that after given proper food she switched from being a toy to a normal miniature schnauzer sizing. hmmmm. Yeah, I switched.


I am okay with Science Diet, considering that my dogs seem healthy with this food. I also liked Blue Buffalo dog food, BUT it can get mold and paralyze dogs. :P

Finally I looked into making puppy food in a well balanced healthy way. It definitely was good on the pups; but it was so time consuming that I looked further and found a dog food that was similar to what I was making from scratch. I like it and all I have to do is soften it for the puppies while I wait for their teeth to come in. It keeps well, which is nice. Earthborn is a win.

We live near an IFA and that is where we purchase it.

We are working on finding a recipe that is delicious and nutritious for both puppies and dogs.
2 cups quionoa
2-3 cups cooked meat (lowfat beef or chicken)
3/4 cup chopped veggis (if carrots or beens partly cook to soften)
2 Tbs oat flour or rice flour to hold together (optional)
1/2 C shredded cheese (optional if your dog absorbs dairy)
or and eggshell
or yogurt on top of their food
organ meat if you have it otherwise I've had suggested to me to use a gnc multivitamin. I use ProCare hip and joint and also the skin and coat.

Another recipe my friend gave me was for an easy breakfast:
meat with oatmeal and diced apple. keep the meat under 30% for adults and under 40% for puppies (Schnauzers are prone to pancreatitis so you don't want to give them a ton of fat).

But you also have to be crazy careful. Suffice it to say that there are people foods that are poison to dogs if eaten at all or eaten in excess. Be careful and be educated. Plus, you don't want to cause your dog to have health problems that could be avoided.

"[WCC in Payson, UT] would recommend getting [good food] for your new puppy.  [She listed them]  from cheapest to most expensive." I looked into Earthborn and am adding it to the updated list. It is excellent in ingredients and it also is not the most expensive. Best of both worlds.

·       Kirkland (the Costco dog food brand, only found at Costco)

·       Natural Balance (only found at Petco)

·       Purina Pro-Plan (white bag only)

·       Naturally Wild

·       Ultra

·       Blue Buffalo

·       Royal Canin

·       Nature’s Best

·       Solid Gold (only found at Petco)

·       Wellness

·       Innova

·       Canidae (search online for a retailer near you)

·       Evo (search online for a retailer near you)

This is people food information is directly from this web address.  Links will lead back to peteducation.com.

Poisons: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659$aid+1030

Items to avoid	Reasons to avoid
Alcoholic beverages	Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.
Avocado	The leaves, seeds, fruit, and bark contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources	Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
Cat food	Generally too high in protein and fats.
Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine	Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and nervous systems.
Citrus oil extracts	Can cause vomiting.
Fat trimmings	Can cause pancreatitis.
Fish (raw, canned or cooked)	If fed exclusively or in high amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.
Grapes, raisins and currants	Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. There have been no problems associated with grape seed extract.
Hops	Unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.
Human vitamin supplements containing iron	Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
Macadamia nuts	Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.
Marijuana	Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.
Milk and other dairy products	Some adult dogs and cats may develop diarrhea if given large amounts of dairy products.
Moldy or spoiled food, garbage	Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.
Mushrooms	Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.
Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder)	Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.
Persimmons	Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.
Pits from peaches and plums	Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.
Raw eggs	Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.
Raw meat	May contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Rhubarb leaves	Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.
Salt	If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.
String	Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."
Sugary foods	Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.
Table scraps (in large amounts)	Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.
Tobacco	Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
Yeast dough	Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
Xylitol (artificial sweetener)	Can cause very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can result in vomiting, weakness and collapse. In high doses can cause liver failure.