Copyright (c) 2008-2009 Trainpetdog.com All Rights Reserved

Copyright (c) 2008-2009 Trainpetdog.com All Rights Reserved.

Unauthorized distribution, resale, or copying of this material is unlawful. No

portion of this book may be copied or resold without written permission.

Copyright (c) 2008-2009 Trainpetdog.com All Rights Reserved.

Table of Contents

Introduction..................................................................................................... 2

Is Your Dog Too Fat, Too Thin, or Just Right?............................................. 2

How to Read a Pet Food Label....................................................................... 3

Types of Food ................................................................................................. 3

How to Switch Foods...................................................................................... 6

Determine How Much Your Pet Should be Eating........................................ 6

Special Considerations for Overweight Dogs .............................................. 8

How to Avoid Obesity........................................................................................... 8

How to Help a Dog Lose Weight .......................................................................... 9

Veterinary Support ............................................................................................... 9

Food Choices...................................................................................................... 10

Feeding Frequency............................................................................................. 12

Treats................................................................................................................... 12

Exercise............................................................................................................... 13

Special Considerations for Picky Eaters .................................................... 13

Commercial Foods for Picky Eaters.................................................................. 14

Homemade Foods for Picky Eaters................................................................... 15

Examples of Home Cooked Dog Food Recipes................................................ 17

Feeding Frequency and Treats.......................................................................... 19

Conclusions .................................................................................................. 20

Copyright (c) 2008-2009 Trainpetdog.com All Rights Reserved. 2

Introduction

The food that your dog eats is more than just the fuel that keeps his or her body

running. It is a major factor in determining the state of your canine companion’s

overall health. Of course, the ingredients in and the overall quality of a dog’s food are

incredibly important, but so is the fact that some dogs eat too much and other dogs

eat too little to remain healthy. Dealing with an overweight dog or a picky eater can

be very frustrating and worrisome for pet owners. Let’s take a look at some strategies

to help both dogs and the people that love them.

Is Your Dog Too Fat, Too Thin, or Just Right?

Owners who are concerned about their dog’s weight or appetite need to be able to

determine whether or not their pets are too fat, too thin, or just right. The easiest way

to do this at home is to assess your pet’s body condition score (BCS). A commonly

used BCS system ranks dogs on a scale of one to five, with one indicating an

emaciated and five an obese pet. Please see http://vet.osu.edu/1851.htm for good

pictures and descriptions of dogs with body condition scores of one through five.

Most pets should have a body condition score of three out of five, which can be

described as follows:

• The dog has an “hourglass” figure when looked down

upon from above. The abdomen should be narrower

than the chest and hips.

• From the side, the dog’s abdomen is “tucked up,”

meaning that his chest is closer to the ground than his

belly when the dog is standing.

• The dog’s ribs are not readily visible but are easily felt with

only light pressure.

To check whether you can feel your dog’s ribs, place your thumbs on top of his spine

and spread your fingers down over the sides of his chest. Next, move your hands

http://vet.osu.edu/1851.htm


back and forth. You should feel your fingers sliding over the ribs and into the

depressions between them without having to apply much pressure at all.

Of course, a great deal of normal variability exists between different breeds and

individuals, so consult with a veterinarian if you are unsure of your pet’s condition.

Dogs that are significantly under or overweight or that have other abnormal symptoms

(e.g., low energy levels, vomiting, diarrhea, or pain) should be seen by a veterinarian

to diagnose any medical conditions that may be to blame. Your veterinarian can also

determine your dog’s exact body condition score and recommend how to best

address your dog’s weight or appetite problem.

How to Read a Pet Food Label

Please refer to Chapter 3 of Book 1, page 17 to learn more about this.

Types of Food

Unless you are dedicated to making home cooked meals from recipes designed by a

veterinary nutritionist, feeding commercially prepared food to your dog is usually the

wisest choice. It is very difficult to consistently prepare meals that contain the correct

amounts of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that

dogs require to remain healthy. Dogs may love eating a bowlful of table scraps or a

specially prepared meat and potato stew, but over the long run, they need better

nutrition than these types of meals can provide. Homemade diets also have the

disadvantage of being relatively more expensive than commercial foods and being

very time-consuming for owners to prepare.

If you are committed to feeding your pet a home cooked diet, the way to proceed is to

use the services of a veterinary nutritionist. These specialists can individualize a diet

to a dog’s weight, age, and any special health concerns. A nutrition consult is

absolutely essential if you want to cook for a growing puppy or for a dog with a health

problem, including obesity. Feeding unbalanced diets to these animals can have

catastrophic results.


Start by talking to your regular veterinarian. He or she can set up a consultation with

a veterinary nutritionist and provide any medical information that is necessary for the

specialist to formulate the healthiest diet possible for your pet. Pets that eat a

homemade diet should also see their regular vet two or three times a year to make

sure that they are not showing any signs of nutritional imbalances. If your veterinarian

is unwilling or unable to help you formulate a homemade diet, you can still make use

of the services of a veterinary nutritionist. Many veterinary schools have these

specialists on staff, most of whom are available for consultation regarding appropriate

diets for dogs, whether an owner has elected to go with a commercial or home-

prepared food. Two websites are also available directly to pet owners that provide

recipes for nutritionally complete homemade diets for pets that are not overweight and

have no other medical problems. Please see the information about Petdiets.com and

BalanceIt.com provided in the “Homemade Foods for Picky Eaters” section.

After finding a source for healthy home cooked dog food recipes, owners need to

purchase a food scale so that they can accurately weigh all ingredients. Food safety

procedures need to be followed closely. Meat and eggs should be cooked for at least

10 minutes at 180ºF before being mixed into the meal. Raw meats, including the

BARF (biologically appropriate raw foods or bones and raw food) diets, should be

avoided. Pets that eat these raw foods are at a much higher risk of developing

gastrointestinal problems as a result of Salmonella or E. Coli contamination and the

passage of bone shards through the intestinal tract. Owners that handle raw meat

and do not protect against bacterial cross contamination may also be putting their own

and their family’s health at risk. Vegetables need to be washed and all grains must be

thoroughly cooked before being fed to dogs. In contrast, vitamins and minerals need

to be added to the diet after cooking and cooling to prevent heat from degrading these

important supplements.

After food preparation is complete, all of the

ingredients should be placed in a food processor or

blender and thoroughly mixed together so that dogs

cannot pick through the meal and eat only their

favorite parts, which will grossly imbalance the diet

even when it looks excellent on paper. Enough food

to cover several meals can be prepared at one time with the extra being frozen in


meal-sized portions for future use. Grapes, raisins, onions, and chocolate should not

be included in any dog food.

Dog owners that would like to make use of home cooked food but cannot commit the

time, energy, and money necessary to make this the sole component of their dogs’

diets can mix in a small amount of homemade food with a nutritionally balanced

commercial diet. Do not simply add table scraps to your pet’s food, however. You

can either use recipes for diets that are nutritionally complete, just like you would if

you were feeding only homemade food, or use a recipe that is only approved for

short-term or intermittent feeding. This latter option is safe as long as your pet is

receiving 85% or more of his calories from a nutritionally complete commercially

prepared diet. Make the homemade food into a gruel that can be thoroughly mixed

with the dog’s regular diet. In this way your pet will receive both good nutrition and

that “little something extra” from home cooking with fresh ingredients.

For owners that are not interested in cooking for their dogs, many different varieties of

excellent, nutritionally complete commercial dog foods are now available. Make sure

to pick a food that matches your dog’s life stage. Most puppies need to eat puppy

food until they are about one year old. To minimize the risk of musculoskeletal

problems associated with too rapid growth, large and giant breeds of puppies (e.g.,

Great Danes, Wolfhounds, German Shepherd Dogs, and Labrador Retrievers) benefit

from eating a puppy food that has been specially designed for them. Maintenance

foods are the appropriate choice for most healthy adult dogs, except for pregnant or

nursing bitches that need the increased nutrient levels present in foods approved for

them. Older pets (e.g., small breeds past the age of nine, large breeds over the age

of seven, and giant breeds over the age of five) can benefit from eating a “senior”

formulation although no specific, nutrient profiles have been developed for older dogs.

Owners of overweight pets need to be very careful when picking out a food. The use

of words like “light” or “diet” on dog food labels is not regulated. As a result, one

brand of “diet” food may be much more calorie-rich than another. “Diet” dog foods are

supposed to provide a calorie count on their labels, so comparing these products is

relatively easy. The prescription diet foods available through veterinarians are

generally the best option when a dog needs to lose a lot of weight.


The choice between dry, canned, and semi-moist foods is largely a matter of personal

preference as all of these formulations can provide good nutrition to dogs. That said,

some general recommendations are possible. Dry foods tend to be a better choice for

big dogs because they contain the least amount of water allowing big dogs to eat less

volume than they would otherwise have to eat if fed a canned or semi-moist product.

Dry food is also generally cheaper than canned, which becomes increasingly relevant

the more food a dog eats. On the other hand, picky dogs may be tempted to eat more

when fed a canned food because these products are generally the most appetizing.

Remember that no one food is the right choice for every individual. Even if your friend

or veterinarian swears by brand “A,” this does not guarantee that it will work well for

your dog. Keep in mind that even though there is an element of “you get what you

pay for” with dog food, some products that initially look high-priced may actually not

be that expensive when you compare costs based on how much you feed per day

instead of on a per bag or per can basis. Higher quality foods are generally more

digestible and nutrient dense, therefore less food is needed to provide the same level

of nutrition when compared to a food that contains lower quality ingredients. As a

bonus, dogs that eat highly digestible foods tend to produce fewer feces that are

firmer and easier to clean up. Finally, if your dog does not seem to be doing well on a

diet, even if it came highly recommended, a switch is probably in order.

How to Switch Foods

Refer to Chapter 6 from Book 1, page 51 to learn more about this.

Determine How Much Your Pet Should be Eating

Once you have determined that a dietary change is necessary, you need to figure out

how much your dog should be eating. Maintaining an ideal weight is all about

balancing the calories that are taken in with energy expended. Use the feeding guide

listed on the pet food label as a starting point. These statements often read

something like “for dogs between 51 and 75 pounds feed 2 ¼ to 3 cups per day.” This


gives you a rough estimate, but activity levels, variations in metabolic rates, and even

environmental temperatures can create huge differences between individuals.

You can also calculate how much your dog should be eating by determining his

caloric needs. The following table lists what the typical maintenance calorie

requirement for an average, moderately active adult dog are based on combining the

results from two different, commonly used formulas.

weight in pounds calories (kcal) per day

10 400 25 800 50 1340 75 1810

100 2250

You can use the tool “Calorie Calculator” at http://www.trainpetdog.com/calorie-cal.html

Very active dogs will need more calories and sedate dogs will need less. Hot weather

tends to decrease caloric needs while cold temperatures increase them. It is

important to keep in mind that individuals can vary as much 50% in either direction

from the average.

To make the situation even more confusing, not every type of dog food is required to

state its calorie count on the label, and many homemade pet food recipes do not

provide this information either. If present, it will be listed as the number of kilocalories

(kcal), which is the same as a “calorie” as the term is used in human nutrition, per

kilogram of dog food. A kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. To determine how many

calories are in a meal, you will need to weigh the amount of food you feed your dog.

Thankfully, some pet food manufacturers also list the caloric content of their food by

the cup, which makes determining how many calories your pet is getting much easier.

Calculating the caloric needs of adult dogs is hard enough. Doing so for growing

puppies is even more difficult because their needs are constantly changing. The best

way to determine if a puppy is getting an appropriate amount of food is to use the

feeding guidelines on the pet food label as a rough guide and to monitor his body

condition score weekly. Puppies should maintain a BCS of close to three as they

http://www.trainpetdog.com/calorie-cal.html

http://www.trainpetdog.com/calorie-cal.html


grow. If you notice that your puppy is getting a little heavy, cut back. If he is a little

too thin, increase the amount you are feeding.

Special Considerations for Overweight Dogs

Obesity is one of the most common health problems

affecting dogs today. In fact, a new study by the

Association for Pet Obesity Prevention shows that

more than 44% of dogs are overweight or obese.

Some breeds are at an increased risk of becoming

overweight, including Labrador Retrievers, Golden

Retrievers, Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Dachshunds, Miniature Schnauzers, Shetland

Sheepdogs, Springer Spaniels, Chihuahuas, Basset Hounds, and Pugs. Dogs that

have been spayed or neutered also have higher rates of obesity, perhaps because of

altered hormonal levels or decreased roaming behavior and exercise.

Just as is true in people, having too much body fat increases the risk of a dog

developing certain medical disorders. Cushing’s disease, skin problems, congestive

heart failure, cancer, osteoarthritis, cruciate ligament injuries, and intervertebral disk

disease are all more common in overweight or obese dogs. In comparison, a 2002

article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reports that

reducing dogs’ food intake by 25% keeps them healthier into old age and significantly

increases their lifespans in comparison to dogs that were allowed to eat as much as

they wanted. Therefore, you are right to be concerned about your dog’s health if you

feel that he is overweight or obese.

How to Avoid Obesity

The old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” applies when it

comes to managing a dog’s weight. It is harder to get a dog to lose weight and keep it

off than it is to maintain a healthy weight in the first place. Breeders and puppy

owners can help set the stage by keeping young dogs slim. The large, “roly-poly”


puppy may be an eye-catcher, but unfortunately overweight

youngsters are prone to having weight problems as adults.

Feed puppies two or three meals per day of a high-quality,

commercially prepared puppy food. Adjust the amount you

are feeding to maintain your puppy at a body condition score

of three out of five. Puppies need a lot of time every day to

play and be active. A youngster that is tired but happy at the end of the day is getting

a good amount of exercise

Owners of adult dogs should monitor their pets’ body

condition scores and/or weights approximately once a

month. Dogs’ caloric needs can change as their activity

levels vary with the seasons, as they age, and after

spaying or neutering. Beware that the feeding directions

on pet food labels tend to overestimate the amount of food

that many dogs need to remain healthy. Certainly, if you change your pet’s food

watch his weight carefully so that you can fine-tune the amount you are feeding to

exactly meet his needs. Finally, without sufficient exercise maintaining a healthy

weight is extremely difficult no matter what is being fed.

How to Help a Dog Lose Weight

The first step to helping your dog lose weight is to figure out exactly what and how

much your pet is currently eating. This must include what every person in the

household is feeding throughout the day as well as any culpable neighbors or friends.

All of the people in your dog’s life need to be on board with his new diet for it to work.

If your dog is only a little bit overweight and you find that between an overindulgent

neighbor and messy toddler in the home he is getting an extra 300 calories per day,

speaking with your neighbor and keeping your dog away from the table at mealtimes

may be all that is necessary.

Veterinary Support

If your dog needs to lose more than just a few pounds; has a low energy level, poor

coat quality, skin problems, or any other symptoms of a possible medical condition; or


diets have failed in the past, make an appointment with your veterinarian before

initiating a weight loss program. He or she can determine if any diseases (e.g.,

hypothyroidism) are to blame for your dog’s weight gain, as well as determining your

dog’s current body condition score, his optimal body weight, and the healthiest rate at

which weight loss should occur. Your veterinarian can also offer prescription weight

loss diets that are much more calorie-restricted than are those available at pet stores.

Recently, a drug named Slentrol® has been approved to help dogs lose weight. This

medication helps pets feel full, which decreases their appetite and begging behavior,

making a doggy diet more pleasant for everyone involved. Slentrol® can be a very

useful tool for dogs that have not responded to traditional weight loss measures, but it

can only be prescribed by a veterinarian and used under a veterinarian’s supervision.

Dogs should not lose more than 2% of their body weight each week. Extremely rapid

weight loss can result in a greater proportion of muscle being lost in comparison to fat,

and studies have shown that slower rates of weight loss seem to help pets stay slim in

the long term. On the other hand, dogs do need to lose at least 0.5% of their initial

body weight per week to keep the weight loss program moving along at a reasonable

pace. Severely obese dogs and cats may need to diet for eight to twelve months

before reaching their ideal body weight. Owners should check their dog’s weight

weekly during a diet and report the result to their veterinarian to make sure that weight

loss is occurring at a healthy and productive rate.

Food Choices

If a dog has only a few pounds to lose, major dietary changes may not be necessary.

Increasing the amount of exercise the dog is getting, replacing treats and table scraps

with low-calorie extras like raw, baby carrots or pieces or rice cake, and reducing the

pet’s current meal size by about 15% might do the trick. If your dog does not seem

satisfied with 15% less of his current food, switching to an over-the-counter “diet” dog

food may help. Carefully compare the calorie counts of the old and new foods,

assuming this information is provided on the label. Because there is little regulation

over what constitutes a “diet” dog food, you need to make sure that the new product is

actually not more fattening than your dog’s current food. A well-designed diet food


should allow you to feed your dog a reasonably sized meal while still significantly

reducing the number of calories that he is getting.

Prescription diet dog foods available through veterinarians can make weight loss a lot

easier for both dogs and their owners. These foods are formulated to be very low in

calories while still providing adequate amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, and

other nutrients to keep your dog healthy while he is losing weight. Many different pet

food companies make prescription diet dog foods (e.g., Hill’s r/d and Purina OM), and

some individuals seem to lose weight better while eating one brand of food versus

another. So, if one diet does not initially succeed (and you are sure that your dog is

getting adequate exercise and is not getting calories from any other sources), it is

definitely worth giving another company’s prescription weight loss formula a try.

Home cooked diets are generally not the best choice when it comes to promoting

weight loss. These foods are very appetizing and digestible so dogs can quickly rack

up the calories without feeling full. Simply cutting back on the amount of homemade

food that is fed to a dog that needs to lose weight can be dangerous. Even a

nutritionally complete recipe may not meet a dog’s needs when smaller amounts are

fed. If the diet had any deficiencies to begin with, health problems may quickly

develop when your dog eats less food.

For owners who strongly believe that a completely home cooked diet is the right

choice for their overweight dogs, consultation with a veterinary nutritionist is

absolutely essential. Most veterinary schools have these specialists on staff, and the

websites Petdiets.com and BalanceIt.com can be used to formulate weight loss

recipes in cooperation with your veterinarian. If an owner simply wants to provide an

occasional home cooked treat to their dieting dog, the recipes provided in the section

on picky eaters can be used as long as the calories supplied by the homemade food

are subtracted from the dog’s total daily allowance. The caloric densities of the diets

are included in their descriptions.


Feeding Frequency

While many adult dogs that are at their optimal weight

thrive with once-daily feedings, dogs on a weight loss

plan tend to do better with at least two and some times

even three meals per day. Feeding multiple meals

helps dieting dogs feel full, decreases begging, and

even helps boost their metabolism because of the

increased amount of energy required for digestion

Treats

While it is easy for a veterinarian or a nutritionist to baldly

state, “do not give your dog any treats” the reality of the

bond between people and their pets makes following

through with this very difficult. A much more reachable goal

is to replace calorie-rich treats with healthier choices. Did

you know that a large original Milk-Bone® has 120 calories and that the extra large

version has a whopping 215 calories? Depending on your dog’s size, a couple of

these can be the equivalent of a daily brownie with ice

cream and hot fudge on top. You must subtract the

calories supplied by commercially prepared treats from

your dog’s total daily needs to keep his diet on track, and

no more than 10% of his total calories should ever be

supplied by treats. Although they may not sound like

delicacies to us, washed, raw vegetables (e.g., baby

carrots), air-popped popcorn, pieces of rice cake, and sliced apples can be an

indulgence to a dog. Used in moderation, these healthy treats are so low in calories

that what they add to the diet does not even need to be considered.


Exercise

Rather than treating your dog to a little something

extra to eat, how about going for a walk together

instead? Pets are no different from people when it

comes to the important role that exercise plays in

weight maintenance. Not only does exercise itself

burn calories but increased muscle mass and a

higher metabolism helps burn calories even when a dog is resting. Dogs that are

extremely overweight or that have concurrent health problems need to take it easy to

begin with, but as the weight comes off they will feel better and be able to do more.

Anti-inflammatory and pain relieving medications can be a big help to overweight,

arthritic dogs as they begin their diet and exercise regimes. So talk to your

veterinarian if you think your pet is uncomfortable. As these dogs become slimmer

and stronger, many will no longer need their arthritis medications, or at least can be

kept pain-free at lower or less frequent doses.

Special Considerations for Picky Eaters

In comparison to overweight dogs, picky eaters may

seem to eat barely enough to stay alive. This behavior

comes with its own set of worries for owners, but it is not

always a big problem. Despite pet food advertisements

that make it seem like all dogs should ravenously gobble

up every scrap of food that is offered to them and then look for more, a more

levelheaded approach to mealtimes is perfectly normal as well. Remember, research

shows dogs that eat 25% fewer calories are actually healthier than dogs that are

allowed to eat all they wish.

Take a look at the following list. If you can check off each item, chances are your dog

is getting enough nutrition to keep him healthy:


ü I feed my dog a complete and balanced food.

ü My dog has a body condition score of 2.5 or above

ü My dog has a normal energy level for his breed and age.

ü My dog doesn’t have a medical condition, including problems with his eyes,

skin, or fur.

However, if you are still concerned about your dog’s picky eating the first thing to do is

rule out a medical problem that could be limiting your dog’s appetite. Your

veterinarian can look at your dog’s teeth, gums, and the rest of his mouth to make

sure that pain from dental or oral disease isn’t preventing your dog from eating all that

he might. A complete physical exam and perhaps some blood work, a urinalysis, a

fecal exam, or other laboratory tests can all help rule out medical causes for a

decreased appetite and figure out whether your dog is receiving adequate nutrition. If

you and your veterinarian have determined that your dog does need to eat more, a

change in the type of food being offered is the first course of action.

Commercial Foods for Picky Eaters

In general, dry food is the least palatable form of commercially prepared food

available for dogs. Therefore, first try switching your picky eater to a canned or semi-

moist food. If completely switching from a dry food is impractical, you can try mixing a

small amount of canned food in with the dry. Adding water to soften a dry food is

another trick worth trying in some cases, but this is not appropriate for breeds that are

prone to gastric dilatation and volvulus or bloat (e.g., large, deep-chested dogs).

Research has shown that feeding dry food soaked in water increases the risk of this

potentially fatal condition.

Often, foods that are high in protein will improve a pet’s appetite. Even though grains,

legumes, and cereals can be good protein sources for many dogs, picky eaters often

do better when most of the protein in their food comes from meat. To compare

different brands of food, look at the guaranteed analyses and ingredient lists provided

on the labels. Remember that to compare a canned food and a dry food you need to

multiply the canned food’s protein level by four. Foods containing beef, pork, and

lamb instead of chicken and liver are more to many dogs’ liking, although individuals


certainly have their own flavor and ingredient preferences. Warming meals to body

temperature can also make some pets eat more.

One of the causes of finicky eating is frequent flavor rotation so don’t place a new

food in front of your dog at every meal in hopes of finding one that he will like. Do a

little research, pick out a food that he should enjoy and then give your dog some time

to get used to it. A healthy adult dog can miss a couple of meals without risk to his

health. It is perfectly appropriate to pick up a meal that went uneaten and try again

with the same food at the next scheduled mealtime. Always feed your dog at the

same time and place so that he knows what to expect.

If your dog seems addicted to one type of food, for example, he will only eat white

meat chicken, you need to make a change quickly. This type of eating behavior can

lead to serious nutritional deficiencies. Try offering a complete and balanced diet that

contains a lot of your dog’s preferred ingredient. Place this next to your dog’s old food

to which you have added a distasteful ingredient (e.g., hot sauce). Again, don’t worry

if your healthy, adult dog misses a couple of meals. Sometimes, a little hunger is all

that is required to make a fussy eater accept a healthier offering.

Homemade Foods for Picky Eaters

Homemade foods are the most appetizing option available for dogs and can be a

good option for picky eaters, as long as their owners are dedicated to providing the

extra time, money, and effort required to produce a nutritionally complete diet for their

pets. If you want to feed your dog a majority of homemade food rather than

commercial food, use only diets that are nutritionally complete and balanced and that

have been recently formulated by a veterinary nutritionist. Two good online resources

for pet owners are the Petdiets.com and BalanceIt.com websites.

On the BalanceIt.com site, owners can pick which protein and carbohydrate sources

they want to use (e.g., skinless chicken breast and sweet potato) and then select a

particular recipe that sounds good. The recipes use either a human vitamin and

mineral supplement or a blend developed specifically for pets called “BalanceIT®,”

which is also available on the website. Cost is $20 for one diet, $30 for two, and

$12.50 each for three or more diets ordered at the same time. Owners can only


design diets for healthy dogs, but your veterinarian can use the site to develop a

recipe for you if your pet has a medical condition, including obesity.

Petdiets.com also offers nutritionally complete recipes and uses the BalanceIT®

vitamin and mineral supplement. Pets must be between one and 15 years old,

spayed or neutered, and have no health problems (including weight issues) for their

owners to use the website. Otherwise, your veterinarian can set up a nutrition

consultation with a veterinary nutritionist through Petdiets.com. The cost per recipe is

$25 for the first and $12 for each additional one that is ordered at the same time. No

matter where you get your nutritionally complete recipes from, do not make

unapproved ingredient substitutions or stop using the recommended vitamin and

mineral supplements. This can result in a very imbalanced and unhealthy food for

your dog.

Another way to tempt a fussy eater is to mix a little homemade food in with a

commercially prepared dry or canned food. Remember, however, that frequently

changing flavors can actually make dogs more finicky, so if you decide to go in this

direction, you should be prepared to mix in some homemade food with every meal,

not just as a treat every now and then. When a home cooked food makes up 15% or

less of your dog’s diet, you can make use of recipes that are nutritious, but not

necessarily complete and balanced, as is the case with many of those found in books

or on the internet. Make sure you evaluate recipes from these sources for glaring

nutritional errors before cooking them for your pets. Here are a few things to look for:

• The recipe should contain a protein source. Meats are generally best but

eggs, tofu, and dairy products can also be used.

• A carbohydrate source must also be included. A cooked grain or cereal is

ideal (e.g., rice, corn, potato, pasta, or oatmeal). There should be more of the

carbohydrate than the protein source present in the recipe.

• Fat also needs to be supplied. Vegetable oil, fish oil, or animal fats can all be

used. How much should be included depends on whether or not the protein

source is lean or fatty and how calorie-dense the diet needs to be.

• Vitamin and mineral supplements (especially calcium) are also required. Even

diets that contain cottage cheese or other dairy products do not provide

adequate amounts of calcium for dogs.


The best method of incorporating a small amount of homemade food in with a

complete and balanced commercial food is to blend all of the ingredients within the

homemade diet’s recipe together after cooking and then thoroughly mix this in with the

commercial diet. Dogs fed in this way cannot pick through their meals and only eat

their favorite parts – a situation that almost always leads to nutritional imbalances.

Remember, dogs are just like people in this regard. What we like to eat most is not

always what is healthiest for us. As your dog’s guardian and caretaker, you may need

to exhibit some “tough love” by providing nutritious food rather than a diet of only what

your dog likes best.

Examples of Home Cooked Dog Food Recipes

Recipes for home-cooked dog food are readily available in books and online, but

many are of questionable nutritional value. In contrast, the following two recipes have

been developed by veterinary nutritionists to meet the needs of healthy, adult dogs.

This first recipe should not be fed for more than two months as the only or major part

of a pet’s diet. It can be used long-term when mixed with a nutritionally complete and

balanced commercial food and the commercial food makes up 85% or more of the

dog’s total diet. This recipe produces a food with a calorie count of 1.12 kcal/gram.


1 pound fresh boneless and skinless chicken breast, chopped and sautéed in oil until cooked through

2 ⅔ cooked white rice

1 tbsp safflower oil

¼ tsp Morton’s lite salt (a mixture of sodium and potassium chloride)

¼ tsp iodinated salt

6 regular strength Tums, crushed (provides 3 grams of calcium carbonate)

1 Centrum® adult multivitamin, crushed. Do not use special varieties (e.g., senior, women’s, etc.)

Cook the chicken and rice and allow to cool until they can be comfortably handled. Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and mix until thoroughly combined. The food can then be divided into meals based on your dog’s caloric needs and frozen. Thaw the meal just before it is needed and remix if it has separated. It is ok to warm the meal in the microwave once it has thawed but do not heat it to above body temperature or the vitamin and mineral supplements may degrade. Be sure to mix the meal thoroughly after warming to prevent your dog from burning his mouth on any hot spots within the food.

Diet presented on the Veterinary Information Network, Clinical Nutrition Folder

This next recipe produces a nutritionally balanced home-cooked food with a calorie

count of 1.5 kcal/gram.


1 cup green beans, cooked without salt and drained ½ cup carrots, cooked without salt and drained 4 cups cooked pasta, no salt added to the water ¾ pound 10% fat ground beef, sautéed in a pan 2 tsp corn oil 2 ½ tsp bone meal powder (available from vitamin stores) 1 multivitamin with iron, crushed ¼ tsp iodized salt ¼ tsp potassium chloride (salt substitute) 3 Tums tablets crushed 1 tsp 2% cottage cheese Cook the green beans, carrots, pasta, and beef and allow to cool until they can be comfortably handled. Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and mix until thoroughly combined. The food can then be divided into meals based on your dog’s caloric needs and frozen. Thaw the meal just before it is needed and remix if it has separated. It is ok to warm the meal in the microwave once it has thawed but do not heat it to above body temperature or the vitamin and mineral supplements may degrade. Be sure to mix the meal thoroughly after warming to prevent your dog from burning his mouth on any hot spots within the food.

Diet by Dr Susan Lauten, PhD Veterinary Nutrition Service

University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine

Feeding Frequency and Treats

Picky eaters can often be encouraged to eat a little bit more when they are offered

food two or even three times daily. Frequent meals rather than free choice feeding is

often the better choice for fussy eaters because the canned or homemade foods that

these dogs like best can spoil if left out at room temperature for extended periods of

time. Owners can also closely monitor their pets’ appetite during mealtimes so that

any problems can be noticed in a timely manner. Dogs should be fed in the same

location and at roughly the same time each day. Any uneaten food should be picked

up between meals to encourage dogs to eat when food is offered. Treats should not


make up more than 10% of a dog’s daily caloric intake so that a picky eater isn’t able

to satisfy his appetite with treats alone.

Conclusions

To remain healthy and happy, pets need to eat well. Making nutritious choices from

the many different types of dog food available these days is not easy, and owners of

overweight dogs and picky eaters have the additional burden of making sure that their

pets eat just the right amount of what is being offered. But the reward of seeing your

dog in good shape, full of energy, and with sparkling eyes and a glossy coat is well

worth the extra effort. Your pet will be thankful that you cared enough to keep him

healthy.

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