I think I want to start homecooking - help!

[emilyann]

I'm at a loss on what to do for Lilly's feeding. Where I live, I'm very limited to certain brands of kibble. She's currently on Wellness Super5Mix since they started selling it at Petco. If anything, as quite a few people know from past threads I've started, her skin allergies have gotten worse. I really don't want to keep giving her Children's Benadryl every day. I wouldn't mind paying for shipping for food but the more I think about it the more it seems like such a hassle.

I had honestly not thought about homecooking until now and it just seems like it would fit perfectly into our lifestyle. I stay at home all the time so I'd have plenty of spare time to be able to cook and do whatever else it takes.

The problem is, I have no idea where to start and am loaded with questions.

Are there any good threads about homecooking?

Any specific people who do it and can help to get me going?

How much is it going to usually cost?

Am I going to need to give supplements along with the food I cook?

Is it just everyday grocery foods or do you have to buy certain types?

How will she do with transferring from eating dry kibbles all her life to eating food I cook for her? (I'm worried she'll scarf the food down and puke it up)

Will it affect her teeth? Will I need to do anything different teeth-wise since it won't be dry food?

Will homecooking help her allergies or am I just fighting a losing battle?

Will it cause her to have diarrhea or will her poo hopefully still be solid?


I'm sure I have many more that I'm just not thinking of. I'm set on getting rid of this allergy crap we've been dealing with, I feel so bad for her and it breaks my heart. Thanks !

[Wylie's Mom]

I applaud you, girl!!!

Homecooking is very healthy for them!

There is a sticky at the top of this page with recipes. And yes, there are a lot of homecookers who will chime in here. I used to homecook - and I can't recall exactly how much it was per month, but I do know it was costing me more than raw (which seems odd, but it was). You do have to supplement - the calcium-phosphorus ratio must be balanced and some also add digestive enzymes, probiotics, vit E, C, lecithin, brewers yeast, Omegas - other stuff - it just depends on your dog too.

It could very well help her allergies, especially if they're food related. If they're seasonal - well - cooking could boost her immune system a bit and perhaps lessen the allergies. I will say that my dogs' teeth were their worst on homecooking vs. kibble or raw (best on raw). Poo should still be solid. And she'll probably LOVE the food!!

There is a book by Pitcairn that many recommend. I wasn't a big fan of it, but many like it - I think it really overwhelms the reader; plus, he recommends things that don't make physiological sense to me, so I just didn't like parts of it for those reasons.

GOOD LUCK!!

[Ellie May]

The problem is, I have no idea where to start and am loaded with questions.

Are there any good threads about homecooking?
Not many. There are lots of threads on the subject but most of them aren't really scientifically based and may contain misinformation (my opinion only).

Any specific people who do it and can help to get me going?
Yes, Yorkiedaze, Suzi, Marcerella02, Yorkieluv to name a few. I don't know who is willing to help though. I also homecook and am willing to help but with that said, it probably won't do you any good because supplementation is very comfusing to me and I always recommend talking to a nutritionist. In my opinion, it is the safer way to go.

How much is it going to usually cost?
Maybe $300 to $400 a year but I don't know exactly. The more you get into it (like buying all organic ingredients) the more it will be.

Am I going to need to give supplements along with the food I cook?
Yes, supplementation is not an option. It is a necessity.

Is it just everyday grocery foods or do you have to buy certain types?
You can get all the food at the grocery store but it is just prepared differently (no spices for example).

How will she do with transferring from eating dry kibbles all her life to eating food I cook for her? (I'm worried she'll scarf the food down and puke it up)
Ellie has eaten homecooked for over a year and still eats too fast. When I don't want her to, I feed her one bite at a time. She doesn't throw up after eating fast though.

Will it affect her teeth? Will I need to do anything different teeth-wise since it won't be dry food?
Some say yes, some say no. Tooth protocol shouldn't have to change when switching from kibble to soft because the teeth should already be being brushed often...

Will homecooking help her allergies or am I just fighting a losing battle?
It depends what kind of allergies. If they are related to food, you just don't give those foods or do an elimination diet. So yes, it will help food related.

Will it cause her to have diarrhea or will her poo hopefully still be solid?
It could when you switch initially but should go back to normal.

[emilyann]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I applaud you, girl!!!

Homecooking is very healthy for them!

There is a sticky at the top of this page with recipes. And yes, there are a lot of homecookers who will chime in here. I used to homecook - and I can't recall exactly how much it was per month, but I do know it was costing me more than raw (which seems odd, but it was). You do have to supplement - the calcium-phosphorus ratio must be balanced and some also add digestive enzymes, probiotics, vit E, C, lecithin, brewers yeast, Omegas - other stuff - it just depends on your dog too.

It could very well help her allergies, especially if they're food related. If they're seasonal - well - cooking could boost her immune system a bit and perhaps lessen the allergies. I will say that my dogs' teeth were their worst on homecooking vs. kibble or raw (best on raw). Poo should still be solid. And she'll probably LOVE the food!!

There is a book by Pitcairn that many recommend. I wasn't a big fan of it, but many like it - I think it really overwhelms the reader; plus, he recommends things that don't make physiological sense to me, so I just didn't like parts of it for those reasons.

GOOD LUCK!!

What kind of raw do you feed? How does it work? You should know by now that you shouldn't respond to my many posts about food because I question you to death over everything . I'm just so sick of being uncertain about what I'm feeding her, it's about to drive me up the wall.

[emilyann]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

The problem is, I have no idea where to start and am loaded with questions.

Are there any good threads about homecooking?
Not many. There are lots of threads on the subject but most of them aren't really scientifically based and may contain misinformation (my opinion only).

Any specific people who do it and can help to get me going?
Yes, Yorkiedaze, Suzi, Marcerella02, Yorkieluv to name a few. I don't know who is willing to help though. I also homecook and am willing to help but with that said, it probably won't do you any good because supplementation is very comfusing to me and I always recommend talking to a nutritionist. In my opinion, it is the safer way to go.

How much is it going to usually cost?
Maybe $300 to $400 a year but I don't know exactly. The more you get into it (like buying all organic ingredients) the more it will be.

Am I going to need to give supplements along with the food I cook?
Yes, supplementation is not an option. It is a necessity.

Is it just everyday grocery foods or do you have to buy certain types?
You can get all the food at the grocery store but it is just prepared differently (no spices for example).

How will she do with transferring from eating dry kibbles all her life to eating food I cook for her? (I'm worried she'll scarf the food down and puke it up)
Ellie has eaten homecooked for over a year and still eats too fast. When I don't want her to, I feed her one bite at a time. She doesn't throw up after eating fast though.

Will it affect her teeth? Will I need to do anything different teeth-wise since it won't be dry food?
Some say yes, some say no. Tooth protocol shouldn't have to change when switching from kibble to soft because the teeth should already be being brushed often...

Will homecooking help her allergies or am I just fighting a losing battle?
It depends what kind of allergies. If they are related to food, you just don't give those foods or do an elimination diet. So yes, it will help food related.

Will it cause her to have diarrhea or will her poo hopefully still be solid?
It could when you switch initially but should go back to normal.

I had a feeling you were going to reply to my thread because I think I've seen several places on here where you reply about homecooking! I'm so glad you did, your answers were very helpful.

So if I take this route, would you suggest me trying to find a nutritionist and talking to them?

Thanks girl!

[Morkie1]

I've been doing some home cooking for Annie and Sam since the begining of the summer. I found a cookbook at Border's from the Three Bark Bakery( I get their treat from them) and they love everything I make. It's nice becuase I know EXACTLY what's in their food. It's really not that time consuming either.
Good Luck

[marcerella02]

hey Emilyann. I home cook.. have for... about a 2 years i guess! wow!.. lol.. time flies! i started when all the recalls began.. i knew that if i knew what i was putting in her body there would be no recalls that affected us Feel free to Pm me... i have saved my "intro to home cooking spiel " and would be happy to help!

[Wylie's Mom]

Here is a "menu" example, note the supplemental info isn't very helpful, but you get some idea:

Article - Sample Diets for Dogs and Cats

A nutritionist I've worked with before is Susan Blake Davis at askariel.com

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by emilyann

What kind of raw do you feed? How does it work? You should know by now that you shouldn't respond to my many posts about food because I question you to death over everything .

I feed Natures Variety Raw Medallions . I just de-thaw, store in fridge, toss on plate, voila!

[Kbsqueff]

I had to start homecooking due to allergies, so I know how you feel... I did an elimination diet and discovered that Maggie was allergic to red meat and Hannah was allergic to poultry Now they are doing VERY good on their diet!! As it was posted before, do not use spices nor onion, and if your furbaby is too picky w/ food you can use just a "drop/dab" of garlic for flavour

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by emilyann

I had a feeling you were going to reply to my thread because I think I've seen several places on here where you reply about homecooking! I'm so glad you did, your answers were very helpful.

So if I take this route, would you suggest me trying to find a nutritionist and talking to them?

Thanks girl!

Yes.
Then you know exactly what portions of food and supplements are correct and you don't have to guess at it. So many people like the Pitcairn book but it confuses others (me for one). There are very few books on homecooking that are even worth reading because they do give recipes which is fine, but the ingredients can be questionable and not enough supplements are used.

[marcerella02]

i also suggest getting blood panels done twice a year.. they can tell you whether or not your dog is getting the needed vitamins/nutrients... enough fat.. too much fat.. that kinda stuff.. they dont' test for everything but its a good place to start. Layla has had them done since we started and they have always come back great (last year her white blood cells were a bit high but we forgot to fast before the test and she had just eaten lamb- a higher fat meat)

[Suzy]

I homecook too I got started over a year ago with the help of Marcerella02, Yorkiedaze, Yorkieluv and others. I couldn't have done it without them! I don't find that it's too difficult to make food for the dogs, and it's easy to find. I typically make 3 or so batches at once, which will feed both my dogs for about a month. I feed the meat raw, and use beef, turkey, lamb, buffalo, and cooked fish. I also have a couple vegetarian recipes that I make with high protein leftovers-beans, yogurt, eggs, etc. My dogs LOVE their food, and I like knowing exactly what they're eating. Let me know if you need help, I'd be glad to answer any questions.

I think the book by Pitcairn is a great place to start-it's a wonderful reference to have on hand, and it talks about supplementation. Like anything, you have to read it and experiment with the advice he gives, and make your own opinions and decisions about how you want to use his information.

For one-I DO feed grain, but I cut the amount down from what he recommends in each recipe. I also do not feed my dogs garlic, (can be toxic) which is included in some of his recipes.