Home cooking for your PON

Most PON owners offer commercial dog food and although a certain percentage of the breed reacts to food preservatives, multi proteins, high fat content, etc., most owners are anxious about formulating a home based individual diet. Vets carry special types of commercial kibble in their practice and tend to suggest offering so-called "complete nutrition" that they claim is only available from a can or bag of well known products.

.More and more dogs are suffering from degenerative diseases and dying at younger ages. A significant number of canine nutritional experts are concerned that this is the result of offering dogs commercial dog food. Owners need to think out of the bag.

PON owners can prepare ingredients for homemade food directly from their own kitchen and know that those ingredients are safe because they are human grade and purchased from local supermarkets.

Although manufacturers of processed dog food advertise their products as being healthy, of high quality and filled with balanced nutrients, these statements are not totally accurate. How can commercial dog food be healthy for all breeds, all ages and health conditions ? Formulating a home based diet has many advantages:

* PON owners do not need to worry about contaminated dog food or food which has expired.

* Homemade food may certainly be more economical than processed dog kibble. When owners come across less expensive brands, they need to inquire how manufacturers can offer quality food with lower prices.

* Owners can offer a variety of recipes (for varying ages, health conditions, etc.) if they choose to do so.

*. Owners can be sure that their PON is eating food that is healthy for him/her, and that his/her health will improve as a result. Food allergies will decrease with home cooking.

The above advantages are not found in processed dog foods. Although kibble manufacturers may have advertised their products as healthy and nutritious (and filled with vitamins and minerals), they may contain very questionable ingredients, and in addition are generally cooked or extruded at extremely high temperatures so that any nutrient value that might have been present has been eliminated in the process.

When PON owners prepare homemade dog food, they can be sure that natural dog food recipes are healthy and beneficial for our PONS.

Preparing your PON's food may prove to be a life saver and prolong his life.

Sample Homecooked Diet for a 44 - 50 lb. PON If you are concerned about the health and well being of your PON and are fed up with the latest dog food re-calls, have had it with high vet bills because of food allergies and just plain want to have a healthy PON, then you might like to consider cooking! The net is filled with sites which list recipes without giving a thought to the age, weight, general health and breed of your dog. In the same way that not all humans can eat the same food, not all dogs can follow the same diet ! It all depends on the individual dog and it's needs ! This month, I will formulate a home cooked diet for a 44 - 50 pound PON who is a mature adult and is allergic to wheat. Consider also: sweet peas, string beans, turnip greens, black eyed beans (fresh frozen is best, if using cans, check and see that there is no sugar or salt).You can substitute potatoes instead of wild rice. If you use potatoes, add no more than 15 % of your PON's diet or risk having your PON become constipated. 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 cup per meal, combined with ground buffalo meat - about 1/4th-1/2 cup of a cup, and 1/4 cup of collard greens,green beans and 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin and yogurt -pulp your veggies and supplement with wild salmon oil. Collard greens are high in calcium. Okra and bok choy are also high in calcium. Second week of the month: Two meals a day which consist of 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of salmon or other wild fish , about one cup of pulped squash, carrots, pumpkin, bok choy (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 1/4- 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 salmon oil. Remember to pulp your veggie mixture Consider adding bananas to your PON'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 1/4 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 salmon oil or spirulina. Note: Use kefir/yogurt only if your PON is not lactose intolerant You will notice that we are using small amounts of protein because sheepdogs do well with smaller amounts of protein levels, however this varies according to individual breeds. Some breeds may not be interested in veggies and you may have to find alternative solutions, such as supplementing with powdered greens, etc. Remember that all dogs are individuals and have varying nutritional requirements according to breed, age, health condition and life style. Some PONS may not digest certain veggies as well as other veggies and you need to do trials in order to find a diet which totally agrees with your individual dog.