Supplementing a kibble diet
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don't feed anything you aren't comfortable with, lol.
its just what some of us do, you dont' HAVE to.
but if you do, too much of any kind of oil can cause loose stools.
all you have to do is work yourself up to it.
start with a spoonful, and watch the dogs poops.
then add to that slowly over time.
i have found it helpful to not feed the dog prior to a new food item being introduced.
if you know you are making hamburgers one night, and decide to give the grease a try, skip the morning feeding. his body will be more ready to accept a new item, and not get sick, because hes more hungry, and "needs" it more or less.
its just what some of us do, you dont' HAVE to.
but if you do, too much of any kind of oil can cause loose stools.
all you have to do is work yourself up to it.
start with a spoonful, and watch the dogs poops.
then add to that slowly over time.
i have found it helpful to not feed the dog prior to a new food item being introduced.
if you know you are making hamburgers one night, and decide to give the grease a try, skip the morning feeding. his body will be more ready to accept a new item, and not get sick, because hes more hungry, and "needs" it more or less.
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I really don't supplement with other foods because I'm leery about what I give Mater due to his allergies. I do give him 3,000 mg of salmon oil and 400 IU of vitamin E everyday. I believe I got the 500 ct vitamin E for $17 (buy 1 get 1 free) and the salmon oil 400 ct for $17 as well. I will however on very rare occasions give him my steak scraps.
PS Good thread Lisa!
PS Good thread Lisa!
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I always mix something into Bella's kibble to make it more palatable for her. One thing that I have found that is economical and very good for this is chicken gizzards.
I will take about 5 gizzards, cut them up, and put them in a cup with some water, then nuke them in the microwave. Then I will mix it into her kibble.
A weeks worth of gizzards costs about $1.45.
I will take about 5 gizzards, cut them up, and put them in a cup with some water, then nuke them in the microwave. Then I will mix it into her kibble.
A weeks worth of gizzards costs about $1.45.
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Bones gets basically no treats. He gets his kibble in the am (1 coffee mug full) and raw whatever I have at night. 2X a week he gets one raw egg (no shell, he leaves it behind) and 1/2 can of Solid Gold Beef Green Tripe ( I think it has potato in its mixture) mixed in his kibble. I never give him any kind of cooked meat .. No veggies, no dairy. If I do give a treat it is he can lick my plate. I told my daughter she can give him the small bits of cooked egg/cheese/sour cream/sausage oil, etc (you get the picture) left on her plate. He does get RMBs often.
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Mine dogs get a little of a lot of things....they get one meaty bone a day and most table scraps. I usually feed vegetables raw when I cut and clean them for lunches, same with fruits. They get the skin from chicken hubby gets for dinner, they get canned mackeral about once a week. I was putting peanut butter in kongs but it seemed like everyone was gaining weight so no more peanut butter
They get a little oatmeal on the weekends when hubby has breakfast.
Granted none of mine seem to have digestive problems so pretty much anything seems to come out OK.
I just subtract from their meal size to account for extras.
They get a little oatmeal on the weekends when hubby has breakfast.Granted none of mine seem to have digestive problems so pretty much anything seems to come out OK.
I just subtract from their meal size to account for extras.
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Mallory, when you say you feed lard, do you mean like Crisco?? do you just give them a spoonful when you do and how often. I have a tub of lard sitting in my fridge that i used to season a pan but i NEVER use lard for cooking so it's gonna go to waste. If i can give some to the dogs, great!!!
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Yes, lard is animal fat. Crisco is actually made of vegetable oil.
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actual lard is pig fat, and crisco/shortening is veggie oil based.
neither are "good" for you, but in moderation, either is fine.
i would do a small spoonful(tsp), just every once in a while. after a while, a tablespoonful should be a fine amount for the bigger dogs.
with things like fish oil, etc that get fed to your dogs, i wouldn't go more than once a week, once every 2 weeks with it, just because its easy to go over board, give too much oil in general, and then you are dealing with the runs.
neither are "good" for you, but in moderation, either is fine.
i would do a small spoonful(tsp), just every once in a while. after a while, a tablespoonful should be a fine amount for the bigger dogs.
with things like fish oil, etc that get fed to your dogs, i wouldn't go more than once a week, once every 2 weeks with it, just because its easy to go over board, give too much oil in general, and then you are dealing with the runs.
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I just don't see how crisco is good for a dog..it is the proccessing of the oil that cause the trans fat..no good for you, no good for your dog..personally I feel that way about any rendered grease, lard, tallow.....eggs good, grease/vegetable shortening bad!
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its not something a dog needs my any means.
its just one of those old school, cheap meathods to get your dogs coat to glisten, and possibly add a bit of weight on them at the same time, like if you had a show or event coming up.
i agree about the non-health of it, for humans, or for dogs. but imo, moderation is key.
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IMO bacon grease, hamburger grease, lard, etc is indeed good for a dog. Dogs thrive on protein and fat. What's healthy for a dog may not necessarily be healthy for a human and vice versa. I don't think you can really compare the nutritional needs of a human vs a dog...not the same. Dogs don't have to worry about cholesterol and heart attacks like humans do...they don't require the same amount of fruits and vegetables and don't digest them as well as humans. The fat we get from frying hamburger or bacon certainly can not be any lesser quality than the fat that goes into kibble...
Here is an article that explains how fat is important to a dogs diet.
Dog Logic Home Page.
The article entitled "fat is where it's at" which can be linked from this article is full of good info.
Here is an article that explains how fat is important to a dogs diet.
Dog Logic Home Page.
The article entitled "fat is where it's at" which can be linked from this article is full of good info.
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interesting link Lisa.
here's another good link with good foods to supplement with
DogAware.com: Adding Fresh Foods to Commercial Dog Food
here's another good link with good foods to supplement with
DogAware.com: Adding Fresh Foods to Commercial Dog Food
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Bella gets one tablespoon of lowfat yogurt with one meal per day. Some times I add raw egg or olive oil for her coat. If I have steak se gets the scraps and when ever I eat carrots she gets some too. I try givig her banana bit she doesn't like the consistancy of it. I feed Kirkland lamb and rice but rotate it from merrick wilderness blend as well. I find it gassy though. I'm having burgers tomorrow I'm gonna try the grease see how she likes it.
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for those who feed carrots:
dogs don't chew their food enough to break down the cell walls so whole raw veggies, such as broccoli or carrot sticks, are not harmful but can't be digested by dogs so they don't get any nutritional value from them.
dogs don't chew their food enough to break down the cell walls so whole raw veggies, such as broccoli or carrot sticks, are not harmful but can't be digested by dogs so they don't get any nutritional value from them.
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I am not disagreeing that fat is good for a dog I just question the nature of that fat. In my opinon rendered fat is not the best...raw fat on the other hand I see no problem with it. This article didn't really explain what makes a fat high quality or not. Anyway my dog gets little carbohydrate or veggies. He is very healthy but, that maybe his genetics for all I know.
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i would like to know that answer too.
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