I am always reading how people are finding ways of using up leftovers, I never have that dilemma. My solution - get a dog! I have two wonderful. healthy dogs who have been brought up on leftovers (always plentiful as we have a family of 7). I always ensure the leftovers are suitable and have been doing this for years. Not only will you be providing a home for one of our many unwanted canines, but you won't have a leftover problem!
By Sarah from Somerset, UK
How lucky for you that your dogs do not experience any adverse effects from table scraps. My 11 year old golden, Maggie, is very sensitive and any table food with the exception of wild rice causes her to experience stress colitis. She has bloody diarrhea (which doesn't come out of the carpet) and usually it results in expensive vet bills as well as prescription dog food. I would be very cautious when feeding dogs scraps. Maggie has gotten more sensitive as she has aged and now changes in her environment (like going to Grandmas for example) even cause her to become symptomatic. Best to limit scraps to chicken, rice and cottage cheese (per my vets instructions). (03/26/2009)
By Diana
I know you'll hear about it, but I agree with you. Have you noticed so many pet foods now have pix of carrots and peas, and green on the bag, touting full nutrition, etc.
When I was growing up, it was called table scraps. If you live long enough, the circle comes round again. I'm going to be 65 on Monday, so I guess I have. (03/26/2009)
By PENNY K
Get a baby pig and feed them the scrapes and you have food for your family. If I lived in the country as we use to but now live inside the city limits and cannot have one. My parents raised at least one pig per year for just that purpose and they got some feed but mostly just what pikka called them table scraps. And you had healthy pigs that you know the meat was safe to eat. And in these times they would be more needed than ever, giving you the best pork chops, tenderloins, ham and bacon you ever had. (03/26/2009)
By Julie
Table scraps are very bad for dogs, especially when that is all they eat. It causes all kind of intestinal problems and some serious illness. You will wind up spending more on the vet. The dog food companies lie to the consumer all the time. They put stuff into dog food that has no business being there.
Do the research and find a company that makes a good quality food. In the end you feed less and that means you have less waste to clean up. Here is a link to a great site that tells you what the ingredients 'really' mean and how a lot of different brands stack up.
http://drydogfood.bravehost.com/menu.htm (03/27/2009)
By Kim Bond
I agree, only table scraps are not good for your dog's health. My two are on premium dog food, and to that I add food I cook especially for them.
Please check with your Vet, dogs are not garbage cans.
(03/27/2009)
I admit I give my dog veggie scraps and peelings (the ones that don't go in the "to make broth" container) and the few things I drop on the floor.
Shouldn't you just cut down on the things you find left over? Put less on each person's plate, cut down on the amount you cook, freeze food and only take it out as needed instead of letting fresh go to waste.
I'm not denying the dogs a few treats of "people food" and I wholeheartedly agree with giving unwanted animals a home. (Our cat is a rescue and our dog is a mixed farm dog.) I just think that pet food is made for pets and people food is made for people. Also people food keeps getting more expensive. I'm not going to feed something to my dog that I could freeze or remake into soup or pack for lunch the next day. (03/27/2009)
By samaree
Please only get a dog if you love them and can treat them properly. They are not household items to be discarded when the novelty wears off. (03/28/2009)
By Marg
Dog food manufacturers LOVE to tell you how your pets should only eat their foods or it's unsafe. That's advertising bull. Some scraps are fine to mix in with your dogs food but some are NOT.
The scraps have to be fresh enough for you to eat. If it's too old for you or questionable, do NOT feed it to your pets.
You need to learn what veggies are healthy for your pets and what aren't. I add those and very lean meats and fish leftovers to my dog's food. Some variety if good. Would you be happy eating the same thing everyday until you die?
They aren't garbage disposals and feeding them on all your scraps and leftovers does NOT give you healthy dogs for long. A while ago someone advocated feeding their dog drippings (ie fat) with white rice leftovers. It sounds unhealthy to me.
And if you get a dog; be prepared to walk and jog daily for the rest of their lives if you want them to be healthy and happy. There's no way to train away the physical need they (and you) have to exercise for proper digestion and healthy living. (03/28/2009)
By d horner
I have one very large dog and one very small dog and 2 guinea pigs and 5 chickens and believe me there ain't nothing wasted around our house, what the dogs don't eat the guinea pigs do and the chickens don't really care they eat, they are really garbage disposals, and each of my dogs get a vet check each year and he is amazed at how well they do on no name dry food and 1 small can of dog food, and scraps, dogs are not stupid they will not eat anything that will upset them or mine haven't yet. so save your money and not be conned into buying very expensive dog dinners, unless you can afford it, and if you can why are you visiting a website like thrifty times?
LOL, just read the post above mine, now racking my brain where I could fit a pig.
Don't think DH would be agreeable but then again. (03/29/2009)
By Kerry
We owned a pretend doberman 7 years ago and he was healthy just from licking the plates. It gives you a head start on the dishes. (03/30/2009)
By bonnie
Well, old Ranger is still my best 'Bud'. He's a light silver mini-Schnauzer, and has been with me for a lot of years and is like having a 4 year old child in the house, but he is still a dog and will eat most anything in sight. He's about a healthy little guy. He dearly loves most any fruit you want to throw at him. I keep him on a top of the line dog food, but he has to have a snack every so often, and it's usually some kind of fruit, like watermelon. He'll fight you over a piece of black diamond! (05/05/2009)
By Bobby King
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