Search Results for: blog meals to share with your dog

Does your dog eat better than you?

How do you treat your body? Do you use it like a BMW or an old junker? Do you respond to your body’s needs or ignore the needs because you have other priorities? Is your body a temple or a dumping ground? I’m not sure these are questions we often consider. Do we think of that when we work through lunch or drink soda when thirsty instead of water? I recently saw a commercial for dog food. The commercial showed loving pet owners explain how they choose this brand of dog food because of the superior nutrition as compared to … Continue reading →

How Much Do You Feed Your Pets?

My dog Moose would eat until he hurt himself, if he had the opportunity. He’s not what I’d call “self-regulating” when it comes to meals. If the food is there, he’ll eat it. If my other dog’s food is there, he’ll try to eat that, too. My dog Lally, on the other hand, IS self-regulating. If she isn’t hungry, she won’t eat. If I only had her, I could leave dry food out all the time and she’d nibble throughout the day, as needed. It’s what I did before Moose joined the family! At the moment, my dogs get three … Continue reading →

Foods You Might Not Think of Giving to Dogs

For a while, I was making my own dog food. Check out the basic recipe here if you’re curious. Moose and Lally LOVED it, but it was taking a lot of time, effort, and money to keep it up. Gradually we switched back to dog food, but from time to time I like to supplement their kibbles with some healthy human food. Some of my favorite add-ins are: White or brown rice or oatmeal cooked in chicken broth Shredded lean chicken or turkey Mashed vegetables like carrots, peas, and string beans Plain yogurt (especially when Moose has an upset tummy) … Continue reading →

Breed-Specific Dog Food

I was paging through an issue of Dog Fancy magazine and saw an ad for Royal Canin’s new line of breed-specific foods. Interesting idea, huh? Instead of just tailoring foods to dogs of a certain size or age group, they’ve developed foods for specific breeds. It makes sense that puppies would have different nutritional needs than adults or seniors… but what about dogs of the same age but different breeds? Royal Canin — backed by years of research — says that dogs of different heritage have different nutritional needs. Generally speaking, dogs all need the same things. Protein, carbohydrates, vitamins … Continue reading →

Aimee’s Homemade Dog Food

Since Moose got sick last weekend (and Lally joined him a few days later), I’ve been serving them chicken, rice, and broth. Lally has always been a chicken lover, so I’m sure this is just heaven for her. Moose will eat pretty much anything that doesn’t eat him first, but I bet he likes the real stuff better than chicken in kibble-form, too! It’s started me thinking about how I would make my own dog food, if I decided to keep going the homemade route for the pups. Chicken and rice is an okay diet for an upset tummy, but … Continue reading →

Meals to Share with Your Dog

I’ve recently been introduced to BARK magazine (the vet who owns the cats-only boarding facility has a subscription) and they had a recipe in the April 2008 issue that sounds absolutely delicious: meatloaf made with lean meat, oatmeal, and veggies. The recipe creators probably didn’t plan on readers like me who wanted to make the dish for themselves… but it got me thinking. There are probably lots of meals that would be nutritious and delicious for both pups and people. Dogs need foods from many of the same food groups humans do: Meats/proteins like ground beef, turkey, or chicken. Fruits … Continue reading →

Is Your Cat Too Fat?

Most everyone recalls that old doctored photo of a man holding a cat the size of a German shepherd in his arms while smiling at the camera from the warmth of his living room. Although that photo was most certainly a fake, obesity in cats can be a real problem. This condition presents its own set of problems, but there are some solutions. One of the easiest and most logical steps (or at least a move in the right direction towards a solution) is to realize that the fat cat in your home got that way because it is consuming … Continue reading →

The Family Dinner Project Promotes Family Unity

Does your family sit down together every night for dinner? Many families are in the habit of parking themselves in front of the TV as they eat dinner. Those families are missing out on a great opportunity to connect with each other. The Family Dinner Project has some excellent advice about why eating dinner together as a family is so important. The About Page at The Family Dinner Project has an summary of why families really need to have dinner together. It says: Over the past 15 years, research has shown what parents have known for a long time: Sharing … Continue reading →

Eating Out with Kids

My 7-year-old constantly begs to eat at Fazoli’s. Unfortunately for her, I refuse to pay five bucks for a fist-sized portion of spaghetti that I can make and serve at home for about 50 cents per serving. Needless to say, my kid doesn’t get her Fazoli’s fix very often. Nothing against Fazoli’s; I’m actually not a fan of kids’ restaurant menus in general. I am an equal opportunity hater. To me, there’s just something wrong about having to fork over $3 to $7 at a restaurant for my kid to dine on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, hot dog … Continue reading →

Don’t Do Everything Together

My husband’s kind of a loner. He’s drained by social situations, so if he’s had a long day hanging out with a group of people is the last thing he wants to do. He’s perfectly happy on his own, and if he doesn’t speak to a friend for years he’s totally fine with that. So when he gets together with his friends – all whom live in the area, mind you – two or three times a year to play a tabletop game, I let him be. I’m not terribly interested in the game, though sometimes I think that if … Continue reading →