Kibble is convenient, but feeding your dog the same packaged item on a daily basis is akin to humans eating processed foods from a box on a daily basis. Dogs greatly benefit from fresh vegetables and meat, and since I have no thumbs, it needs to be simple. Here’s my basic recipe for an easy dog stew.
As a general rule of thumb, the ratio of ingredients should be:
60-70% MEAT PROTEIN such as turkey, beef, beef hearts, chicken, deer, salmon, elk, ostrich. Eggs are good too!
5% ORGAN MEAT (less, or eliminate if your dog does not tolerate organs) such as brain, liver, pancreas, lungs, kidneys. Hearts are considered meat as it’s a lean muscle.
20-30% VEGETABLES, ROOT VEGETABLES, FRUIT such as leafy greens, blueberries, apples, pears, peaches, squash, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes. Remove pits from orchard fruit as it contains cyanide.
5-10% UNREFINED GRAINS/PULSES such as lentils, quinoa, barley, chick pea powder, steel cut oatmeal, brown rice.
My recipe is ridiculously simple. Wash and cut all the vegetables and meats into chunks that are appropriately sized for your dog. Dump it all in a big pot– boil and simmer for over an hour. Add a few teaspoons of TURMERIC, as it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, wound healing and anticancer properties. The vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly softened so that we are easily able to digest the cellulose fibers. It’s best to stay away from high cellulose vegetables such as green beans, peas or asparagus. While we enjoy eating them (particularly raw) we have a hard time digesting vegetables like green beans unless it has been blended in the food processor.
Add your favorite supplements such as fish oil, probiotics, and bee pollen in the bowl at the time of serving. This stew can be refrigerated as a large batch for up to five days, or frozen in individual containers for up to two months.
I often rotate the protein sources, vegetables, and the grains because my pack of Nards do not have any allergies and we enjoy variety. If your dog has allergies, start with a single protein which your dog tolerates. As with all new foods, introduce slowly.
Adjust protein and carbohydrate levels as appropriate for your dog’s weight, health, age, activity level or as advised by your vet. BONE APPETIT!
