Should Cats Drink Milk?

The image of a cat lapping at a bowl of milk is a pretty common one… but is milk really a healthy drink for your feline friend? The Cat Fancier’s Association suggests that while many cats like the taste of milk, they typically don’t need it as part of their daily diet. A well-nourished cat shouldn’t need to drink milk, but he might like to once in a while. Too much milk too often could cause digestive issues, like diarrhea. In fact, many cats may even be lactose intolerant — this means that they can’t digest the sugars (lactose) in … Continue reading →

Calcium for Canines

Strong teeth. Strong bones. Calcium isn’t just good for humans — it can be good for our four-legged friends, too. If you’re making your own dog food, you should be concerned about calcium. Dogs with a calcium deficiency may show signs of lameness or have an increased risk of fractures. And yes, dogs can develop osteoporosis! So how do you make sure your dog gets enough calcium in his or her diet? Raw (uncooked) meaty bones contain lots of calcium. Not feeding raw? That’s okay — try ground/powdered bone meal. You can also cook bones until they’re soft enough to … Continue reading →

Treats for Pets with Dietary Restrictions

When it comes to food, my two dogs are very different. Lally is the sort of dog who will only eat when she’s hungry; I could leave a bowl of food out all day and she’d regulate herself. Moose is a chow hound; he’ll eat until there’s nothing left and then eat some more. I can’t leave food out for him, because he’d never stop eating! It’s very hard to manage Moose’s weight when he never turns down food. The vet suggested that we avoid chewy snacks — they generally have a higher fat content than crunchy, dry snacks have. … Continue reading →

Foods You Might Not Think of Giving to Dogs

For a while, I was making my own dog food. Check out the basic recipe here if you’re curious. Moose and Lally LOVED it, but it was taking a lot of time, effort, and money to keep it up. Gradually we switched back to dog food, but from time to time I like to supplement their kibbles with some healthy human food. Some of my favorite add-ins are: White or brown rice or oatmeal cooked in chicken broth Shredded lean chicken or turkey Mashed vegetables like carrots, peas, and string beans Plain yogurt (especially when Moose has an upset tummy) … Continue reading →

Breed-Specific Dog Food

I was paging through an issue of Dog Fancy magazine and saw an ad for Royal Canin’s new line of breed-specific foods. Interesting idea, huh? Instead of just tailoring foods to dogs of a certain size or age group, they’ve developed foods for specific breeds. It makes sense that puppies would have different nutritional needs than adults or seniors… but what about dogs of the same age but different breeds? Royal Canin — backed by years of research — says that dogs of different heritage have different nutritional needs. Generally speaking, dogs all need the same things. Protein, carbohydrates, vitamins … Continue reading →

Aimee’s Homemade Dog Food

Since Moose got sick last weekend (and Lally joined him a few days later), I’ve been serving them chicken, rice, and broth. Lally has always been a chicken lover, so I’m sure this is just heaven for her. Moose will eat pretty much anything that doesn’t eat him first, but I bet he likes the real stuff better than chicken in kibble-form, too! It’s started me thinking about how I would make my own dog food, if I decided to keep going the homemade route for the pups. Chicken and rice is an okay diet for an upset tummy, but … Continue reading →

Meals to Share with Your Dog

I’ve recently been introduced to BARK magazine (the vet who owns the cats-only boarding facility has a subscription) and they had a recipe in the April 2008 issue that sounds absolutely delicious: meatloaf made with lean meat, oatmeal, and veggies. The recipe creators probably didn’t plan on readers like me who wanted to make the dish for themselves… but it got me thinking. There are probably lots of meals that would be nutritious and delicious for both pups and people. Dogs need foods from many of the same food groups humans do: Meats/proteins like ground beef, turkey, or chicken. Fruits … Continue reading →

Frozen Doggie Delights: Experimenting with Carrot Juice

For Murphy’s birthday I wanted to make him a special treat. I know there are places you can buy dog birthday cakes and such, but I didn’t need that much food. So I started thinking about ice cream. Murph loves this doggie ice cream called Dogsters that I used to be able to find at the Publix in Florida but haven’t found in Tennessee. He was nuts about the carrot-flavored one in particular. Making My Own Doggie Ice Delights I got to thinking, “How hard would it be to just freeze some carrot juice in ice cube trays and see … Continue reading →

Basic Dog Treat Recipes

Want to bake something special for your pup but don’t know where to start? Here are two recipes to try. Feel free to get creative — if your doggies love peanut butter, try the second recipe. And if you have any recipes of your own, please share! I’d love to give them a try. The Basics 3 1/2 cup unbleached flour 2 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup skim milk powder 1 tablespoon (or 1 package) dry yeast 3 1/2 cups lukewarm chicken or beef broth Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm chicken or meat broth. The … Continue reading →

Homemade Dog Treats

If you happen to browse the Pets section of the Forums here at Families.com, you will find a great recipe from our Community Coordinator Lisa (AKA cocotbo) for Thor’s Treats. Go check it out! This handsome fellow is Lisa’s Thor. I love baking treats for the pups, and I love that Lisa’s recipe is totally people-friendly too! (If you’ve got a hankerin’ to split a biscuit with your puppies, you don’t have to worry about any sketchy ingredients! I’ve never quite been brave enough to sample store-bought treats once I’ve looked at the ingredients.) If your pups (or you!) have … Continue reading →