Dogs

[Dianna Vesta]

I have three large darling dogs (kids). Over the past year I've been researching various dog foods and canine nutrition. After close investigation I decided to make my dogs food. Everyday I grab my rice pot and put on a batch. I purchase ground beef, beef hearts, jack mackerel, turkey.... anything I can find that's on sale. I add veggies and several times a week eggs.

Anyhow, I'm so busy and as much as I love my doggies it's a lot of work to make food for three LARGE dogs.

I contacted a processing plant on the seminole reservation because I know that their cattle grazes all the time and is grass fed. I've also known the man that runs it for quite a few years. I asked him if he could produce a dog food for me that I would use for my dogs and sell to others who wanted quality fresh food for their dogs.

He has the machines to grind fresh raw veggies. I'm looking into supplements to add to the mix that will have omega's, antioxidants, etc. The dog food will contain all meat parts and organs, no hair, hooves, bones, etc. They are then made into various size patties or sold in tubes. The meat is flash frozen as soon as it's processed. I feed my dogs raw food, however if you don't feel comfortable you can always hit with the microwave. You won't loose all the nutrients but you will loose some.

There is an interesting article about commercial dog food at this site.

http://www.api4animals.org/

You'll find many articles across the web.

I'd like to have him produce beef, lamb, turkey and various types of fish. I should have samples and pricing next week. He can ship it to your door overnight still frozen or if you're in Florida and like the drive you can pick it up. Everything is flash frozen.

If anyone on the list has close friends that are vets, please pass along the info and I'd love to talk to them about this.

I have a list of people who are interested in this. If you are, email me at vesta@together.net and I'll email the updates.

Thanks,
Dianna

[Mike AI]

Diana, I love my dogs.... but dry dog food from the grocery has always done well for them.

I had a lab, my baby, Dixie who lived to be almost 17 which is amazing for a large dog - she ate dry dog food her entire life.

[Peaches]

DV - I'd be feeding my dogs better than I feed my kid :awinky:

Mine get NutroMax dry from the petstore and are fine. Another interesting diet if you want to get into those things is the BARF diet where you feed them raw meat - bones and all. Google and you'll find all kinds of things on it.

When I got my male from rescue, he was on a homeopathic food that's great, but gave him such gas he could clear a room in seconds. I played around with what they digested well, and the Nutro is what I hit on.

Though my smartass brother saw the bag at my house and said he thought it said "For overweight and less ATTRACTIVE dogs" instead of "For overweight and less ACTIVE dogs" :angry: Pugs are the Rodney Dangerfield's of the dog world......

[Dianna Vesta]

I think you need to read the article in the link and do more research.

There are many dogs who do well one a good dry food. There are several great companies out there but most are shit. It's way to much info to post here but I'm telling you, there are no FDA controls and most dog food is NOT good for your dogs.

I use to feed my lab the weight management foot also from Nutro. Funny thing is that he didn't really loose weight until I kept cutting his food back. I felt bad because I felt like he was always hungry. Now that I've place them on a raw meat diet all my dogs look lean, strong and their coats are amazing. Of course now that I live in the sticks they run around a lot more. I do notice a major difference.

It's in the research and I wouldn't even bother with this if it wasn't something so very close to my heart. I love animals, especially my own.

Peaches I am aware of the BARF diet but I think they talk about using bones. I don't want bones. If you give bones you should grind them up fine. Dogs are not like wolves. They are domestic and bred differently.

If humans ate meat, veggies and herbs they would be thin and healthy. Dogs and human are both omnivorous. Both often have allergies to wheat, corn and preservatives.

I'm doing research now to see if I can purchase vitamins in powdered bulk and make a bad ass, natural dog food. I'd like to find concentrated plant based food vitamins. I also need a fish oil.

The food I'm making can be easily consumed by humans.

More later! Now I'm hungry.

DV