Could the high carbohydrate, dry, low omega, low antioxidant diet be doing the same thing to our pets?

Scraps or leftover that are healthy are much better and fresher than the processed ingredients available in many brands of commercial dog food.

That argument only holds water with beef, wheat, corn and other allergenic or processed ingredients

I recently lost my Great Pyrenees to nose cancer that had metastasized to her lungs before we saw any symptoms (profuse nose bleeding). I started feeding my other dog home-made dog foods after that – It started as a way to spoil her because she was depressed, and not eating, but the more looking I did for recipes, the more I have found about home made foods.

Then it occurred to me that it doesn’t seem natural for dogs to be dying of human diseases. They have diabetes, and thyroid disease, and cancer – all along people had been claiming that it was because people were feeding their dogs table scraps, and people eat so bad, that the owners were making their dogs unhealthy.

But – dog food companies are run by humans, and they use ingredients that they can’t put in human food anymore because the quality is so bad. I NEVER gave my dog table scraps – strictly a dry food diet (was preached to that it would keep her teeth healthy) & a high quality brand at that. She was always overweight, and she died too young and in a gory horrible way. But, her teeth were nice.

I’ve just started, but I plan to eventually have differing blends of meats, veggies, and some grains in baggies in the freezer so that their diet stays well rounded. I’ve also started adding Olive oil, Flax meal, brewers yeast, bone meal, and co-q10.

I have just adopted another Pyr that is 9 months old, and thin as a rail (she was neglected and abused), and boy does she ever gobble up the foods I make! Some Pyrs are living to 12 & 13 now, and I would sure love it if my new one was one of them.

From what I have experienced it is the type of protein and grain and lack of oils and moisture in dry food that affect health more than cooking or not. If you give dogs chicken, pork, fish, rice, potato, carrot, green bean, squash and add oils(canola, olive, fish, safflower), and avoid beef wheat corn if they react to it many skin, ear, bowel, and weight problems will improve.

I give my dogs cooked and raw chicken and fish, along with raw veggies like carrots and green beans as treats

A varied diet to provide important amino acids, vitamins, and essential fatty acids is very important to them as it is to us

Because I believe so strongly about this I have dedicated the last few years to writing a nutrition book for pet owners that is understandable, informative, and hopefully fun to read. The word needs to get out there that good food can be economical and easy.

I usually use a good canned food of chicken and veggies(halo Spots Stew) or chicken and rice(costco has good brand), and duck and potato. Then I add oils and the other ingredients 3-4 times a week. Some weeks I will prepare them chicken and green beans in a crock pot. Some nights they get a raw piece of chicken or fish.I think it is very important to vary the diet, but always test a bit to make sure that they are tolerant of it. It takes some dogs a few weeks to get used to new ingredients

The theory goes back to them eating raw meats in the wild.

Would you mind sharing your thoughts on this subject a little more?