NUNLY’S MEALS ARE GOING TO THE DOGS

(I realize this is a long post, but if anything, watch the video at the bottom of the page, it’s a hoot!)

I was going to take the lazy route today and put up a YouTube video, but after reading an article at No Quarter USA written about feeding your dog food that could possibly be a health hazard to them, I decided to dedicate my post to the dogs.

About a year ago, my dog Fannie May had become very ill while we were on vacation. I noticed on the trip that she seemed a bit lethargic. She LOVES road trips and even though she seemed anxious to jump in the car with us, while traveling she looked…car sick. Being that she is a seasoned road trip traveler, this was very odd.

We packed the usual bag for her which consisted of her bed, leash, a few favorite toys and bones, dog bowls and a bag of her dog food which we just opened up about a week prior to the vacation. This is food that she had been eating for quite awhile and we were pleased with it because it was never on the list of recalled dog foods from that China debacle.

Anyway, long story short, she became increasingly lethargic and by the time we arrived home about a week later, she was throwing up her food and had diarrhea. We rushed her to the vet immediately and they did a bunch of tests and asked the usual question…have you changed her food lately? We hadn’t, but I never thought of telling them that we opened a new bag of food because we didn’t make the connection that she started on a new bag a week before leaving town. The tests ended up costing us about $500 and it turned out, her food was bad. It probably sat in the warehouse too long. After doing some research on the conditions of the warehouses at Pet Smart, I knew what had happened.

So….I decided to start making her meals from scratch, no more dried dog food for her. The first place I went to find recipes was the Internet and I also searched through every bookstore in my area looking for cookbooks for dogs. I also took the time to find out what NOT to feed dogs. Many of the recipes I found on line had ingredients from that list, which had to make me more diligent. I also did some extensive research on what proportions of meat, vegetables, and grain to give her.

Anyway….to get to the dog recipes, here are a couple of Fannie May’s favorites. You’ll notice that all of her recipes are made with chicken as her meat protein because red meat never agreed with her and we do try to keep her weight down. She does get fish, also…salmon being her favorite. You can substitute any of these meals with red meat if you prefer. You could also buy Salmon Oil for your dog and add it to his/her kibble. We order Grizzly Salmon Oil and about three squirts of that in her food is like doggie crack, she goes crazy when she sees the bottle come from the fridge. It’s rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and good for her coat and skin. Her coat is very shiny!

Dairy is ok in small amounts, and it should always be fat free. Fannie loves to have a tablespoon of fat free cottage cheese or fat free plain yogurt added to her meal from time to time. This should not be given daily, however.

Before I add a couple of my dog’s favorite recipes, be aware of what NOT to feed your dog or cat. To add just a few of the most dangerous, I can only say that if you’re cooking for your pet and you want to add an ingredient that you’re not sure of, just look on the web…there’s plenty of information out there.

Do Not Feed These:

Onions or onion powder
Chocolate
Nuts (especially Macadamia nuts)
Raisins
Grapes
Any seeds or pits from fruits
Caffeine in any form
Alcohol or Tobacco (don’t go letting your dog take a hit off your cigarette or taking sips of your bourbon )
Xylitol (sugar sweetner)
Nutmeg (I didn’t know this until today, but I checked and didn’t see it on any of my lists of ingredients for dog cookie recipes.)

I have heard that garlic is on the list, but only if there are large quantities given. Garlic would only be used as an additive for flavor and since most dogs don’t mind bland food, I think it would be best not to use it.

Popcorn is an ok snack if it is plain (no butter or salt) and air popped. It has no nutritional value for your dog, but as an occasional treat to stave off that ravenous beast until dinner time…it won’t hurt them. My dog loves popcorn…but the Microwave stuff is a big no-no. It’ doesn’t keep her from trying to scam some off a soft touch, though….

Rule of thumb…if you’re not sure, don’t use it unless you research it.

DOGGIE CHICKEN STEW

This recipe is one of those that is the easiest to put together. I usually put together a big pot of this and when it’s done I divide it into one cup containers. I usually cook without measuring, so please excuse my “approximate” measurements.

In a large pot…

2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can usually find large packages of these at the grocery store meat counter).

Three stalks of celery chopped

Approximately 4 to 5 cut carrots (if you’re feeling very lazy you can buy the carrots already cut in packages)

Approximately 1 cup Frozen cut green beans (or fresh if you desire…just be sure to wash them to remove any insecticides, as with all fresh vegetables)

Approximately 1 cup of Mixed frozen vegetables. (I add the extra green beens because the mixed vegetables are often filled with too much corn because it’s a cheap staple).

After putting all this in a big pot, cover with water and simmer until meat is cooked. Then add what you want to use for their grain. I usually uses either dried pearl barley or brown rice. The barley will take longer to cook (follow instructions on the package) and the rice will take up a lot of the liquid–but that’s ok because you want this to be a stew and not a soup.

After it’s cooled, divide into small containers and refrigerate enough for a few days and put the other containers in the freezer for future meals.

TURKEY PATTIES

These are very simple to make and one of Fannie’s favorites.

A package of lean ground turkey (I usually get the Purdue brand)

One egg white (or you can use the Egg Beaters equivalent of one egg)

Approximately an eight of a cup of corn meal–enough to make the meat stick together like a hamburger.

1 tsp. of dried parsley for flavor

After forming the meat into patties, coat with corn meal on both sides.

Fry in a pan using about a Tablespoon of Canola Oil. Don’t use too much oil or it will become greasy and not as healthy. Brown on both sides until cooked through. I make about four patties and those that aren’t being used go into baggies and refrigerated. They can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

After they are finished and cooled, cut into bite sized chunks. I use only one pattie for my dog and if you have a small dog, a half of a paddy should be enough. Add a side portion of steamed frozen vegetables (or canned if you prefer–as long as there are no spices added to the canned vegetables). And for the grain, you can add brown rice, cooked barley, or a half of a sweet potato–thoroughly washed and baked in the microwave. Cut into chunks (peel and all!). Proportion sizes should be 1/3 meat, 1/3 vegetable, and 1/3 grain or starch.

DOGGIE COOKIES! YOU CAN’T FORGET DESSERT!

GINGERBREAD DOGGIE TREATS
(I have tasted these and they are really good!)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup molasses
3 tbsp honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour(some extra for rolling)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger

Baking Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease the baking sheet, line with parchment paper, or use a silpat mat
2. Combine the molasses, honey, and water in a large mixing bowl
3. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.
4.Stir dry mixture into molasses mixture until well-blended.
5. On lightly floured surface, knead and roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, using more flour if necessary to prevent dough from sticking.
6. Use cookie cutter to cut into shapes. Transfer to cookie sheets and bake 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
7. Cool completely on racks; store in an airtight container.

Tips:
* I found that sprinkling some powdered sugar (on the cookies consumed by the owner) adds the perfect amount of sweetness
* Also, when mixing the dry and liquid mixtures together, if you find that the dough becomes too dry, add a few tsps of water until it becomes soft enough to knead.
* Have some fun with this recipe, use fun cookie cutters! I’ve found cut outs specifically for dogs such as bone shapes, but I also use the same cut outs that I’ve used for my kid’s cookies, too.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA DOG BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup peanut butter
* 1/2 cup mashed banana
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup wheat germ
* 1 egg white, lightly beaten, for brushing

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DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Stir together the egg, peanut butter, banana, and honey in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Stir in the flour and wheat germ; mix well. Turn dough out onto a floured board and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with a cookie cutter, place on prepared baking sheet, and brush tops with egg white.
3. Bake biscuits in preheated oven until dried and golden brown, about 30 minutes, depending on size. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Most dogs love treats…but it depends on who is offering them. The video below shows that dogs don’t trust some politicians, as proved in the video below.

(UPDATE: This video was inadvertently stolen from Uppity Woman’s blog…honest, I couldn’t remember where I got it! If you get a chance, go to her blog, it’s a lot of fun over there, although I think I will be frisked for now on when I leave the joint. )

Looking for a variety of dog recipes? I recommend, “Three Dog Bakery” cookbook. There are plenty others like this on Amazon if you’re interested.

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