Great Little Recipe.

[jrsygal37]

Now, that I'm home I started home cooking again for my guys. I have eight, so to buy Wellness can at 2.75 each x two a day, well enough said. The cost of home cooking for them comes to about $1.50 a can and I have more in it. My Yorkies love it and for me I love cooking for them.

I use about 5 lbs. of boneless chicken breast (Usually on sale for $1.99 lb)

I boil that in a big pot of water with one low salt chicken builon cube.

In another big pot of water, I boil

two skinned sweet potatoes, cut up
about 6 peeled carrots cut up
about one cup or a little more of green beans
two zuccini peeled.

Boil both pots until very very tender.

While that's boiling you can peel one apple and one pear. and then after just put it in cold water so it does not get brown.

Also, while it's cooking I use two cups of water and bring to a boil and add one cup of Barley. Cook until done.

When all done use food processor.

Throw in the chicken, and veggies, and barley (You may have to do it a few times depending on how big your processor is) And, then break down the pear and apple in the processor and mix into your mix, and then add one vanilla yogurt.

I feed my two bigger Yorkies 1/2 cup each
the three middle Yorkies 1/3 a cup each
and the three tinies 1/4 cup each

It makes enough for about six days.

You keep three days worth out and then freeze the rest.

They are really thriving on it. Their poops are solid, not runny and don't smell as much. I found when they were on commercial canned food they always had a bit of runny stool, no matter how good.

I also free feed them, holistic dry. Believe it or not Kirkland brand dry food got 5 stars from the dog food ratings. It was compared to wellness. Kirkland also came out with a Holistic dry dog food.

[MY OSCAR]

wow that is awsome.
i am glad your little ones are doing so well on it...

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by jrsygal37

Now, that I'm home I started home cooking again for my guys. I have eight, so to buy Wellness can at 2.75 each x two a day, well enough said. The cost of home cooking for them comes to about $1.50 a can and I have more in it. My Yorkies love it and for me I love cooking for them.

I use about 5 lbs. of boneless chicken breast (Usually on sale for $1.99 lb)

I boil that in a big pot of water with one low salt chicken builon cube.

In another big pot of water, I boil

two skinned sweet potatoes, cut up
about 6 peeled carrots cut up
about one cup or a little more of green beans
two zuccini peeled.

Boil both pots until very very tender.

While that's boiling you can peel one apple and one pear. and then after just put it in cold water so it does not get brown.

Also, while it's cooking I use two cups of water and bring to a boil and add one cup of Barley. Cook until done.

When all done use food processor.

Throw in the chicken, and veggies, and barley (You may have to do it a few times depending on how big your processor is) And, then break down the pear and apple in the processor and mix into your mix, and then add one vanilla yogurt.

I feed my two bigger Yorkies 1/2 cup each
the three middle Yorkies 1/3 a cup each
and the three tinies 1/4 cup each

It makes enough for about six days.

You keep three days worth out and then freeze the rest.

They are really thriving on it. Their poops are solid, not runny and don't smell as much. I found when they were on commercial canned food they always had a bit of runny stool, no matter how good.

I also free feed them, holistic dry. Believe it or not Kirkland brand dry food got 5 stars from the dog food ratings. It was compared to wellness. Kirkland also came out with a Holistic dry dog food.

I home cook for my two as well. They do great on it!! I would caution you to use the proper supplements if you are home cooking long term. I believe they require supplements if home cooking comprises more than 10% of their caloric or nutritional intake.

I used Welcome to Pet Diets and also purchased the BalanceIt supplements that Dr. R recommends to keep them healthy and their diets balanced.

There is a little more to consider than just weights, such as age and health and intact status of each pup. I'm no expert on home cooking by any means, that's why I leave it up to those who are to formulate for me!!

[Teresiana]

I was just going to ask what supplements you use. I've been considering home cooking & I've been speaking to my vet about it, but I'm so nervous about making sure they get the proper nutrition...especially since I have 2 under one year old.

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by Teresiana

I was just going to ask what supplements you use. I've been considering home cooking & I've been speaking to my vet about it, but I'm so nervous about making sure they get the proper nutrition...especially since I have 2 under one year old.

Go to Welcome to Pet Diets

And also

Www.balanceit.com

These 2 sites will give you both the advice of a vet nutritionist in the first link, and the needed supplements in a ready to use powder in the second link. Good luck!

[Teresiana]

Originally Posted by sugarmamma

Go to Welcome to Pet Diets

And also

Www.balanceit.com

These 2 sites will give you both the advice of a vet nutritionist in the first link, and the needed supplements in a ready to use powder in the second link. Good luck!

I actually put in one of those request things to BalanceIt. I guess they have to fax something to your vet? I have an appt on Tues, so I'll ask him if he got it. Their site is a little confusing to me. And it seems pretty expensive!

I haven't inquired with PetDiets yet. Just curious...which do you prefer?

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by Teresiana

I actually put in one of those request things to BalanceIt. I guess they have to fax something to your vet? I have an appt on Tues, so I'll ask him if he got it. Their site is a little confusing to me. And it seems pretty expensive!

I haven't inquired with PetDiets yet. Just curious...which do you prefer?

If they wanted to fax something to your vet you must have requested a prescription supplement. The other does not require this action.

It isn't really a matter of preferring one over the other for me. I get my recipe formulated by Dr R on Welcome to Pet Diets for $25 and then order the supplement from www.balanceit.com

The recipe is a one time expense, but the BalanceIt site has free recipes (of which I have a few but don't like as well). One jar of the Balance It powder lasts me for 1 year. I have 2 yorkies. One is 3# and the other is about 4#.

I don't find it all that expensive to home cook at all, and I feel much better knowing the contents of every bite they put in their mouthes

[Teresiana]

Originally Posted by sugarmamma

If they wanted to fax something to your vet you must have requested a prescription supplement. The other does not require this action.

It isn't really a matter of preferring one over the other for me. I get my recipe formulated by Dr R on Welcome to Pet Diets for $25 and then order the supplement from www.balanceit.com

The recipe is a one time expense, but the BalanceIt site has free recipes (of which I have a few but don't like as well). One jar of the Balance It powder lasts me for 1 year. I have 2 yorkies. One is 3# and the other is about 4#.

I don't find it all that expensive to home cook at all, and I feel much better knowing the contents of every bite they put in their mouthes

I'm not exactly sure what I requested from BalanceIt. I got a little confused. But my 2 of my pups are under 1 year old. So that might have something to do with it. I saw something from BalnceIt they were asking $200 for. I forgot what it was. I think that's why I thought it was expensive. I'm going to check it in a few minutes to see what that $200 thing was. I'm going to research both companies a little more. Thanks so much for your help!

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by Teresiana

I'm not exactly sure what I requested from BalanceIt. I got a little confused. But my 2 of my pups are under 1 year old. So that might have something to do with it. I saw something from BalnceIt they were asking $200 for. I forgot what it was. I think that's why I thought it was expensive. I'm going to check it in a few minutes to see what that $200 thing was. I'm going to research both companies a little more. Thanks so much for your help!

This Balance It Canine for $45.16 is what I order. I will have a look to see what the $200 was for...

https://secure.balanceit.com/marketp...ls.php?i=5&cc=

[Teresiana]

Originally Posted by sugarmamma

This Balance It Canine for $45.16 is what I order. I will have a look to see what the $200 was for...

https://secure.balanceit.com/marketp...ls.php?i=5&cc=

The $200 is for a customized recipe setting. I'm going to send you a PM. I totally hijacked this thread. Sorry jrsygal37 You're recipe sounds delicious!

[Nancy1999]

Nutritional deficiencies don’t show up right away, and it can look like an animal or human is thriving on a diet, but they really aren't. This is probably balanced for a human diet, but there's no way it's balanced for a canine diet, they need much more calcium than when this contains. I agree with those that say you need to supplement this. Also, are you sure the low salt bouillon cube is safe, some contain onion. Again, this wouldn’t harm right away, but the onion has cumulative effects. I would make sure any diet I'm feeding them had been Okayed by a certified dietitian. Say what you want about store bought dog foods, at least they exceed minimum requirements for nutritional needs. Nutrition is a science and it’s important that diet be balanced, when you add a food it should be for a very specific reason.

[sugarmamma]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Nutritional deficiencies don’t show up right away, and it can look like an animal or human is thriving on a diet, but they really aren't. This is probably balanced for a human diet, but there's no way it's balanced for a canine diet, they need much more calcium than when this contains. I agree with those that say you need to supplement this. Also, are you sure the low salt bouillon cube is safe, some contain onion. Again, this wouldn’t harm right away, but the onion has cumulative effects. I would make sure any diet I'm feeding them had been Okayed by a certified dietitian. Say what you want about store bought dog foods, at least they exceed minimum requirements for nutritional needs. Nutrition is a science and it’s important that diet be balanced, when you add a food it should be for a very specific reason.

I would venture to say MOST contain onion. I have seen what onion induced anemia can do to a little dog

[jrsygal37]

I will check out the builion cube. That's something I did not check. I did talk to our vet and showed him what I was making and he said they will do fine on it, since I'm also incorporating holistic dry food. They primarily eat dry, but at dinner time I feed them this. I will investigate a bit more.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by jrsygal37

I will check out the builion cube. That's something I did not check. I did talk to our vet and showed him what I was making and he said they will do fine on it, since I'm also incorporating holistic dry food. They primarily eat dry, but at dinner time I feed them this. I will investigate a bit more.

Maybe you could check with Ellie May, I have a hard time remembering, but I think it's said that if one third of the calories they consume comes from other sources besides commercially prepared food, it needs to be supplemented with vitamins and minerals and for dogs the minerals are very important, calcium is almost impossible to give enough unless you make a conscious effort, and since it is used for bones and teeth, it’s really important. Deficiencies don't generally show up for a year or more, but the damage is done.

[jrsygal37]

Thank you Nancy. I will check. E.