[pstinard]

Originally Posted by JenniferRBG

Hey Everyone, My name is Jennifer and I have a 6 year old male Yorkie named Hairy who is the light of my life! Last year I also had 2 female dogs of mixed breeds who were between 10 and 11 years old who I had to have put down. One had developed breast cancer and the other had Diabetes. In the meantime, I kept hearing about recalls of different pet foods and that some like Beneful was linked to Cancer in some animals. Well after my two females passed away and all we had was Hairy, I started looking up recipes for homemade dogfood and found a guy on youtube named Greg Martinez DVM who had written a cookbook for Pet food called "Feed Your Pet to Avoid the Vet" and after the girls had died Hairy was off his feed and didn't want to eat the dry food that we had been giving him. I attempted canned dog food and it gave him the runs, so I began cooking for him. I make food in the slowcooker and want to make sure that I am giving him the nutrients that he needs. Do yorkies have special dietary need that I need to be aware of while I am cooking for him. Does he need suplements and what are your thoughts on food grade Diatemaceous Earth (DE)? Do you give it to your yorkies and if so, how much should I give him with his food every day? Thanks.

Jennifer (Hairy's Mom)

Yes, dogs do have dietary needs that need to be taken into account if you are home cooking for them. It's *possible* to meet all of their nutritional requirements with food if you know what you are doing and have excellent guidance. However, there are companies that manufacture supplements specifically for dogs for those who need assistance. Here is a link to a reputable company that is run by board certified veterinary nutritionists: www.balanceit.com . Please check out the link to the video on the left side of their home page for an explanation of why supplements are a good idea.