Homemade Dog Food

My Labrador Retriever, Bailey, is eleven years old.  For over a year now, I have been feeding her "real" people food and the results have been remarkable.  She has the energy of a new puppy!

Labs have a voracious appetite and will eat most anything.  I've owned five Labs since 1985 and none of them have been picky eaters.

I researched extensively what foods the dog needs and which foods are not good for them.  I eat a variety of foods.  Why shouldn't my dog?  A typical breakfast for Bailey includes chopped apples, chopped kiwi, blueberries topped with greek yogurt and ground flaxseed.  For her evening meal, it is usually cooked ground beef that I add fresh spinach to just before the meat is done.  It also could be chopped cooked chicken or a stew of root vegetables - carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, beets, and rutabaga.  Other times I may just chop up whatever fresh vegetables I have - carrots, bell pepper, fresh spinach, and top with canned pumpkin or cottage cheese. 

There are foods you need to be careful not to include in your dog's food.  Among these are avocado, grapes, garlic, onions, and citrus fruits.  Also leave out the seeds of apples.

There are other foods recommended for dogs if you go the homemade route - sardines and calves liver.  I just couldn't deal with those!  Cooking liver in a pot leaves a messy "scum" that is hard to clean.  And sardines?  Yuck!