If you are concerned about the health and well being of your PON and are nervous because of the latest recall of contaminated  dog food, have high vet bills because of food allergies and simply wish to have a healthy PON, then you might like to consider cooking for your favorite PON !

The net is filled with sites which list recipes without giving a thought to the age, weight, general health and breed of family canines. In the same way that not all humans can eat the same food, not all dogs can follow the same diet ! A diet depends on the needs of individual dogs.  This month, I will formulate a home-cooked diet for a 50 pound PON who is a mature adult.

 

 A wide range of veggies will enrich your PON'S diet:  sweet peas, okra, green beans (string beans), turnip greens, squash (fresh frozen is best, if using cans, make sure no sugar or salt is added). You can substitute potatoes instead of wild rice. If you use potatoes,add no more than15 % to your PON's total diet or risk having your PON become constipated because of the starch content. Bananas make a very nice addition as well !

 

Monthly Menu

 

First week of the month:

 

Two meals a day which consist of:  wild rice (not truly a rice grain, but actually a type of grass) - high in fiber, lots of omegas, B vitamins - about one fourth to one third cup per meal, combined with ground buffalo meat/venison or other exotic protein  - about 1/3 of a cup , and 1/4 cup of collard greens, okra or green beans  and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin and a dab of yogurt -pulp your veggies and supplement with fish oil. Collard greens and okra are high in calcium.

 

Second week of the month:

 

Two meals a day which consist of 1/2 of a cup of salmon or other wild fish , about one cup of pulped squash, carrots, pumpkin, okra (high in calcium) and a dab of kefir and supplement with  spirulina if possible because of high levels of omegas. Consider adding some bananas !

 

Third week of the month:

 

Two meals a day which consist of 1/2 cup of boiled chicken, about one cup of a mixture of chickpeas (Use dried chickpeas as the canned type has too much salt),  mustard greens, collard greens, peas, few carrots, a dab of yogurt or kefir and supplement with fish oil. Remember to pulp your veggie mixture.Consider adding bananas to your dog's diet as they are high in vitamins and minerals and add fiber to his diet.

 

Last week of the month:

 

Two meals a day which consist of 1/2 cup of ground turkey, about one cup of a mixture of wild rice and veggies (pulp your veggies), a dab of kefir and supplement with fish oil or spirulina.

 

Note: Use kefir/yogurt only if your PON is not lactose intolerant

 

 Remember that all dogs are individuals and have varying nutritional requirements according to breed, age, health condition and life style. Some dogs may not digest certain veggies as well as other veggies
and you need to do trials in discover a diet that  totally agrees with your family PON.

 

I offer my PONS the following diet and have noticed they
digest veggies without pulping them (mashing them up). It
all depends on your PONS.

 

Individual meal (served twice a day)

 

3 tablespoons of Libby's pumpkin (pure pumpkin with no sugar added) or you can of course....use fresh pumpkin. Squash will do  as well.

 

About 4 heaped tablespoons of scrambled eggs - some dogs react
to eggs, but mine thrive on them. It depends on your PON.

 

About 1/2 cup of green beans (I use the frozen type because
they are of better quality than fresh ones in Texas. Canned beans
contain salt, unless the can states NO salt)

 

About three tablespoons of rice (you can use wild rice, white or
brown rice) or quinoa.

 

A dab of yogurt and sometimes kefir, which has high amounts of good bacteria.

 

I have started to add organic raw apple vinegar and have noticed that it enhances digestion. Questions ? Shoot us an e-mail !