What extras do you give?

[Tiga's_mom]

Bedsides normal meals, what extras do you give your dogs? I know we've talked about various things in other threads, but I'm curious to know what everyone uses and why besides regular meals. Besides his kibble, Tiga gets: 1 raw egg about once a week for his skin and calcium, 1 tablespoon frozen pumpkin sometimes if he's been scooting for fiber, kong frozen filled with kibble and yogurt or peanut butter as a treat once or twice a week, small pieces of frozen cooked liver as training treats, 1 raw soup marrow bone about once a week to keep his teeth clean. I give him less kibble for meals on the days when he gets a kong or bone.

[Root Beer]

All of my dogs get training treats to some degree on most days. At home I usually use Taste of the Wild kibble as a training treat. At training classes I generally use cheese or hot dog for on-floor exercises and Taste of the Wild on the sidelines for mat work and such.

 

As far as extras at meals, I'll sometimes give egg (sometimes with shell and sometimes without), yogurt, canned pumpkin. I used to grind up leftover veggies and add that, but I haven't done that for quite a while. They all get supplements regularly - Speedy gets gelatin and all four get digestive enzyme and a joint supplement. All but Dean get Grizzly Salmon Oil.

 

The mutts, who primarily eat kibble, often get a dollop of raw meat in their bowls along with their kibble.

 

It is my custom to share whatever I eat with my dogs, but they usually only get a tiny taste. Of course, I don't do this if what I'm eating is not good for dogs - like chocolate. But they get tidbits of waffle, chicken, steak, pasta, or whatever we are eating. If one of the dogs likes something in particular, I usually go out of my way to make sure they get more than just a taste. Sammie always gets a whole spoonful of pasta with tomato sauce, for instance. Speedy, a nice taste of ice cream, etc.

 

This makes it sound like my dogs eat all the time, but they really don't. Aside from their regular meals, training sessions, and tiny samples whenever I eat, they aren't eating. None have ever had digestive issues from having a wide variety of tidbits, nor are any of them overweight.

[Shetlander]

Quinn gets daily vitamins, probiotics, a powdered immune system supplement and flax oil in his home prepared food (Sojo's with turkey). Kibble is used sparingly as treats. Once in a while, he gets a scrap of human food.

[JohnLloydJones]

Senneca gets fish oil supplement and Vit. E every morning and Rhys (foster) gets Glucosamine/Chondoitin and Ester-C as well. I try to have something interesting each meal as a topper for their kibble; egg twice a week, grated cheese, cooked vegetable, some raw or cooked meat or just ordinary canned (wet) dog food. They get occasional portions of fruit; papaya, watermelon, pear, apple -- whatever is in season. In addition, they get whatever they can beg from my wife; we have had serious discussions about this and I think she has cut down, but lately, I discover that she has been giving them roasted chana (a type of chickpea) and Rhys loves it.

[WildFlower]

Daisy gets 2 cups of food a day. I mix two different typs of kibble (Nature's Logic and Fromms) and Nature's Logic canned. In her breakfast I mix in salmon oil and a digestive enzyme. Aside from her meals, for training I use Ziwi Peak and Zukes treats. She just loves both of them. My REAL high value treat is string cheese. (She takes after her mom and loves cheese! ) I don't give Daisy any "people" food with the exception of meat on occassion (like turkey on thanksgiving, etc). On days when she doesn't go to daycare, she gets two kongs stuffed with canned food, an occassional treat, peanut butter, cheese, kibble, yougart, etc. (On those days I slightly decrease her meal size.) Daisy also gets a RMB once a week for about a half hour to keep her teeth nice and white.

 

Can I ask about the hard boiled egg thing? What does it exactly do for the dog? I know that they are good source of protien, but anything else? Also, is this something like RBMs where the dog may need a bit of time to get used to digesting it? (You know could cause loose stool?)

[Debbie Meier]

Right now other then Bea w/ pups and Vicki, everyone is just getting Raw, someone might get an egg treat if the ducks leave drop in the yard and I don't feel like taking it up to the house and they line up to get their chance at a shell when I fry eggs for breakfast. Vicki gets kibble depending on how much raw she eats, sometimes she really gets into it sometimes not so much, thinking it's related to her teeth or lack there of. Bea is getting raw supplimented with kibble twice a day and she self medicated herself today by disappearing and helping herself to the ducks nesting box, all I heard was crunch crunch crunch....guess the pups will be eating well tomorrow.

[JohnLloydJones]

Can I ask about the hard boiled egg thing? What does it exactly do for the dog? I know that they are good source of protien, but anything else? Also, is this something like RBMs where the dog may need a bit of time to get used to digesting it? (You know could cause loose stool?)

 

Eggs contains Biotin, but raw egg also contains a glycoprotein called avidin that binds it and inhibits its absorption. Cooking destroys (denatures) the avidin. Eggs are a complete food in the sense that there's everything to make a complete chick -- not just protein. An egg once in a while shouldn't upset the digestion of most dogs, but I did notice that Rhys, my foster, who came with "shelter tummy", took a while to eat them without a little runniness.

[sweet_ceana]

but lately, I discover that she has been giving them roasted chana (a type of chickpea) and Rhys loves it.

He is never going to want to go home with anyone else if she keeps feeding him that well!

 

Ceana and Poke are now getting fed raw, but they also get: hard boiled eggs, RMB's, cottage cheese, pumpkin, cheese, liver treats for training, etc... When we go home to CO soon I am sure they will be snuck all kinds of things by adoring family members who fall for the "I swear they never feed me face." Especially my Dad, lol, no one human or animal can ever go hungry in his presence.

[Tiga's_mom]

I don't boil the eggs, I give them raw with shells. If he gets it in the house then I break it in his bowl. Outside he gets them whole and will play with it for a while before breaking it. Should I be boiling them? My understanding was that the raw egg was good for them.

[JohnLloydJones]

He is never going to want to go home with anyone else if she keeps feeding him that well!

 

I just learned today, that in the evenings, after I and Senneca have gone to bed, Rhys goes in to my wife for his night-time snacks. He can hear munching and has learned that my wife is a sucker for the sad-dog face. His eyes just light up when you offer him a little scrap of food. I don't think he got spoiled much earlier, but despite that, he is very gentle when he takes things from you. He's a really sweet guy and we'll both miss him when he finds his new home.

[IronHorse]

Aside from their normal rations of raw mine each get the following;

Mornings=each get a cup of grits with a liberal pat of unsalted butter sweetened with raw honey and a tablespoon of emu oil.

Midday=homemade pemmican (a basic recipe that i've made for as long as i can remember, jerkeyed meat,dried fruits,various seed hearts and nuts,comb honey,some propolis and emu oil)amount they get really depends how active they have been or how active I want them after lunch.

Late afternoon=main meal of raw along with RMB's

Snacks=the occasional bit of pasta,yogurt, cheese, but mostly a piece of homemade jerkey,beef,bison,deer or emu,whatever I've got on hand or grab.

The biggest treat (if you want to call it that) is a trip to the DQ once a week where they all get a single dip vanilla cone.

Occasionally the girls will get some scrambled or boiled eggs in the morning with their grits.

Thunderbolt refuses to eat eggs in any fasion.

Thats really about it, I'd say that we produce 80% of their diet ourselves.

[sweet_ceana]

The biggest treat (if you want to call it that) is a trip to the DQ once a week where they all get a single dip vanilla cone.

 

Ceana's birthday is this weekend and all four of us will be getting peanut butter flavored ice cream.

[RaisingRiver]

Gosh my dogs have a hard life!

They only get kibble at regular meals twice a day. (California Natural for sensitive River, and currently Canidae for rest -tho sometimes it's Merrick or similar).

Only Jaida gets glucosamine tabs right now cuz I can't afford 4 dogs on it.

 

Every few weeks they each get a pig ear. And there's bones in the yard they gnaw on daily at free will. And training bits (cheese/pupperoni) as needed - which isn't much lately and mostly just for Aero since Diesel will work for extra kisses and River works for disc or ball.

[Journey]

I don't boil the eggs, I give them raw with shells. If he gets it in the house then I break it in his bowl. Outside he gets them whole and will play with it for a while before breaking it. Should I be boiling them? My understanding was that the raw egg was good for them.

 

 

You're fine. I too do them raw, shells and all. Mine had their weekly egg today for breakfast! Just don't give it everyday.

[Lenajo]

Since I feed raw, anything processed is a treat LOL

 

Otherwise the dogs eat what I do for treats. Last night we had cream cheese and pineapple on low sodium Ritz This morning Beinn had an orange - which he would peel himself if I let him eat it outside.

 

On the subject of eggs we feed them about once a week in the summer . I put about a dozen whole (with shell) eggs in the blender with a quart of yogurt, a pint of ricotta or cottage cheese, and whatever other veggies we planned for the day. The dogs like their egg smoothies a lot. (disclaimer, I'm feeding 12 dogs from this mix, please do not feed all this to one dog! )

[JohnLloydJones]

The dogs like their egg smoothies a lot.

 

I'll bet. I think I'll have to try that as a weekend special.

[Tiga's_mom]

You're fine. I too do them raw, shells and all. Mine had their weekly egg today for breakfast! Just don't give it everyday.

 

 

Ok, thanks! That's what I thought but then someone mentioned boiling them. He loves them raw and he gets no more then 1/wk.

[juliepoudrier]

I generally cook eggs because it's *my* preference. I was told some time ago that feeding eggs raw is fine--the avidin/biotin thing is cancelled out when you use a whole egg (white and yellow). Interestingly, my dogs generally don't like the egg shells, but I can just recycle those back to the chickens (and it doesn't make them destroy fresh eggs to do so, IME). Eggs are the great feeding standby around here, since the chickens produce more than I could possibly eat myself.

 

My dogs get whatever extras I might have on hand. That includes stuff like yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, milk that's getting past its prime, RMBs, leftover people food (they *love* venison pot roast). The kibble-fed dogs always get some sort of kibble topper (canned food, canned fish, cooked eggs, cottage cheese, etc.). The raw-fed dogs get the same sorts of "treats" except that they don't generally get stuff with additives (premade dog treats for example). Note that the extras are fed with the kibble--I don't spend all day feeding stuff to the dogs. The kibble-fed dogs do get raw on a regular, though occasional basis, maybe once every week or two, as well, usually in the form of raw meaty bones, and especially during hunting season when there's plenty of extra raw parts around for everyone to share.

 

All dogs get at least 1000 mg fish oil a day and 400 iu vit E every other day. The older dogs get a glucosamine capsule each day, and MSM every other day. Everyone gets added fat in the form of safflower oil daily. Twist gets Lixotinic as well.

 

As for things like fresh fruits and vegetables, those who like them as treats will get them when I'm handling them for whatever reason (human consumption), but I always understood that dogs couldn't digest fruits and vegetables properly unless they were cooked or pureed, so I don't consider the raw veggie/fruit treats as adding to their diet nutritionally--more just as fun treats.

 

The dogs also get to lick human plates, etc., when the humans are done eating.

 

In other words, it's pretty laissez-faire around here as to what the dogs eat, with the exception of Phoebe who is allowed nothing with chemical additives and so is on a strict raw/cooked diet with no premade foods.

 

J.

[JohnLloydJones]

Ok, thanks! That's what I thought but then someone mentioned boiling them. He loves them raw and he gets no more then 1/wk.

 

The only benefit with cooked egg, is the Biotin. Whether that is important or no, is another matter; I understand Biotin is helpful for certain skin conditions. When I cook eggs for myself, I simply cook extra for the dogs. They like getting a little of what people are eating.

 

[Added: From what I understand, raw egg contains so much avidin (3x - 10x), that it will bind all the biotin in the yolk and still cause a net biotin deficiency in animals that are fed a high amount of egg in their diet. This is not something I would assume that would be an issue if you are feeding an egg or two a week, but boiled egg is a source of biotin; raw egg depletes biotin.]

[BustopherJones]

I am sure that I am going to catch flack from someone about allowing a dog near the dinner table, but the kids are grown and gone, and Annie is the only family DW and I have in the house. So fire away; it will not change our practice of allowing Annie to lie under the table during dinner.

 

If we have steak or baked chicken (both unseasoned as cooked), Annie may get a few non-fat scraps at dinner time; in addition, we cook a little extra to put in her food the next day. If we have bacon, she will usually get a couple of pieces. If we have spaghetti, she will also get a little bit (we use only all-natural pastas and spaghetti sauces) and some meatball. And she LOVES pancakes; when I make them, I make a couple of silver-dollar-sized pancakes just for her (no syrup).

 

For treats, she gets a special dog cookie provided by our vet any time she must be denned during the day. (In the evening, she gets a bit of her regular kibble when she dens for the night; we also use her kibble as a treat on the days when she goes to Doggie Day Care.) As training treats, we use either all-natural bologna (cut into small pieces) or small pieces of all-natural Italian meatballs, as well as Old Mother Hubbard's Training Bitz if circumstances preclude carrying food that can spoil.

 

And, yes, occasionally I cheat, and give her a little piece of cookie or cracker that I am eating (as long as I feel it will not upset her system), especially if it involves peanut butter...

[Root Beer]

I am sure that I am going to catch flack from someone about allowing a dog near the dinner table, but the kids are grown and gone, and Annie is the only family DW and I have in the house. So fire away; it will not change our practice of allowing Annie to lie under the table during dinner.

 

Why would you catch flack? If that's where you want her, why shouldn't you have her there?

 

Our dogs are allowed to be wherever they want while we eat as long as they are behaving themselves generally. On the rare occasions when we eat at the table, there is more than one dog under it and the others are lying about nearby.

 

We like it this way.

 

P.S. My dogs like pancakes, too.

[Lenajo]

You mean everybody doesn't feed them from the table? Sheesh, how weird could you be?

 

I think Journey doesn't feed her dogs from the table, but they seem to understand it when I do it

[Tiga's_mom]

Tiga is usually under the table when we eat too. I don't mind because that way I can't see his poor deprived sad starving eyes staring at us or the floor waiting for someone to drop something. lol. We generally don't feed him from the table, but he does occasionaly get a piece of meat scraps after we are done eating.

[Journey]

You mean everybody doesn't feed them from the table? Sheesh, how weird could you be?

 

I think Journey doesn't feed her dogs from the table, but they seem to understand it when I do it

 

No, but mine sure do know when you are done (heathens)! That and when we're at grandparents house....they are the worst (grandparents) they put a damn placemat on the floor by the table for each dog....

[vanillalove]

Why would you catch flack? If that's where you want her, why shouldn't you have her there?

 

Our dogs are allowed to be wherever they want while we eat as long as they are behaving themselves generally. On the rare occasions when we eat at the table, there is more than one dog under it and the others are lying about nearby.

 

We like it this way.

 

P.S. My dogs like pancakes, too.

 

That's the rule here too. As long as he's behaving himself, Pete can be at the dinner table with us.

 

As far as extras, Pete gets pretty much the same things everyone else has been mentioning. RMB's, whatever we're eating, leftovers, cheese, cooked egg (he doesn't like raw), fish, yogurt, etc.