I just wanted to share a recipe that I use for my five month old Shih Tzu puppies, Cooper and Bentley.
In a large crock pot, I use a whole natural chicken along with beef stew meat, chicken livers and chicken gizzards with added water and olive oil. That cooks about 8 hours.
Then in a stock pot, I boil 3 large yellow squash, 3 large zucchini, and 3 large sweet potatoes. I use fresh carrots and green beans with peas added, I also use 9 boiled eggs. Then on hand, I have a can of all natural pumpkin to add to this. I use 6 cups brown or white rice. I debone the chicken, you don't want splinters in their food. After all is cooked, keep in mind that I don't throw away the broth from the meat. We don't want the food to be dry.
It all cools for a bit, then I use my food processor and blend it all together. I don't make it too soft, but it is blended quite well. After that, I add the rice and pumpkin, mix it really good with my hands, put it into containers and freeze. They also get their multi-vitamins.
Since they have been on this diet, they are extremely happy and very healthy puppies. I consulted with my vet and she loves this diet. I'm not sure if you have picky eaters, but I have found my dogs to be very picky. I was spending a small fortune to find a healthy food in the stores and they would lose interest so fast. I enjoy watching them go crazy while their food is cooking. The best is watching them gobble it down. I hope you enjoy.
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours to complete
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Good for you I too use to cook food for my dogs but the people in my dog club would ridicule and laugh at me for doing this. What I noticed about my cooked food versus commercial dog food was this: The dogs ate all of the home made dog food and only half of the commercial food. They also assimilated practically all of the home made food leaving small piles of dog poop in the yard where the commercial food went in and came out the same amount of food leaving big piles of dog poop.
I have been making my 2 dogs their food since January. They are back to their old selves of playing, wanting to be outside, singing to us and our one dog is growing his hair back on his back. He had such terrible allergies that he lost quite an amount of hair on his back and tail. The hair is coming in, it is healthier feeling and he has put some of his weight back on. I will never go back to commercial dog food for any of my dogs! You need to do what is right for your dogs and ignore the people who ridiculed you!
Gloria Z...did you stop making your dogs food because people laughed n ridiculed? If what you made for you dogs was better for your dogs you should've just ignored them.
Thanks for your input...and no I have not stopped making my now 3 puppies food. They are doing extremely well on this diet. I don't care what people say about me. I know my babies are healthy and happy. My veterinarian loves that I feed them homemade food, and the best part is I love doing it.
Oh what very lucky little babies you have! I make homemade dog treats for my daughters dogs. I never thought of making their food although I know the one seems to be allergic to rice - wonder if I could substitute oats?
Oh, meant to ask how much does this make? Sounds like it makes a lot. Do you just take out every night from the freezer what you need for the next day?
Caption for above photo: "Is it soup yet, Mom?"" LOL! Thanks for the recipe!
I don't make my dog food at 74. But if I thought doing it would help keep them healthier I would not listen to others, and their option. The recipe is very balanced, When I was young we feed the left over food to them which by the way they were very healthy.
I would like to thank Thrifty Fun for choosing my recipe as the winner. I hope all of your fur babies enjoy. Bon Appetite
I'm making my dog'ys stew for my Bichon and my Pit Bull and they love it , it's so much better than buying dog food and its all home made !
How about canning it so it doesn't need to defrost and can last longer...?
I have a 7lb chihuahua, 12lb rat terrier mix and a 50lb pit. What would you recommend for serving size and how many times a day? Recently my chihuahua stopped eating dry food so I have been making her chicken, rice and peas but I don't feel this is enough nutrition for her. The other 2 want the same food as her but they eat the dry food as well.
IMHO yes, you can use it for any dog, unless they have other issues. I have been cooking chicken for my elderly chihuahua until he passed. Then the brother of him. It seems one of my hound mix fur babies is needing to get away from the commercial stuff. I'm excited to start cooking for all of them. And the fewer poop piles, that would be enough to encourage me making their food.
How much extra chicken livers and gibblets do you use after you add the whole chicken. also how much beef do you use. Thanks
My 12 year old rescue Pom (yep, we rescued and old man) has just been diagnosed with colitis. For the moment our vet wants him eating just boiled chicken or beef until his tummy calms down. I'm all for making his food when he's feels better, but he's so dang picky! My other dog will eat any kind of veggie, raw or cooked, but not this guy. So how do I feed him a balanced diet if he won't eat anything but beef or chicken?
Maybe blend veggies up with part of the chicken or beef then add to the pieces of chicken or beef that is not blended. I do that with my 16 yr old yorkie/lhasa/poodle. I leave out 1/2 hr and if she does not eat it put covered in fridge and try a few hrs later. (probably when you are cooking your meal will be interested. I often make similar food for me except I use garlic and onion- I do not add onion, garlic, do use herbs such as parsley, dill, basil for her.( Mimi)
About how many pounds of meat would you say you are using there. Looks like a great recipe. :)
My little guy is 14.9 pounds of love... I'm told he should have about 500 calories per day... So, how many ounces of this recipe do you feed - per pound of Shih Tzu?
How many ounces of this recipe do you feed per pound of pooch?
What beautiful little dogs. I have two shihtzu's as well. My only concern with your recipe is that it seems to have so much protein. chicken, beef, eggs, etc. I like the fact that it has lots of veggies and fiber. Just thought after a long period of time, the protein might be hard on the kidneys. Just a thought.
Can you please give the name of the multivitamin you use for your dogs and where I might purchase them as well? Thank you!
My toy poodle is allergic to the blood in the meat. I puree a huge patch of raw vegetables and fruits which I freeze in hamburger size portions. I then defrost one and mix it with one can of tuna and one egg. Makes 2 servings. She gobbles it down so fast and no longer scratches herself. She is stuffed and not interested in our leftovers.
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