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We have two large dogs that love to eat. I recently retired and the cost of dog food is
getting expensive. Is there a way I can make it myself and still give them all the
nutrients?

— Kathy Drum
Woodland Park, CO

Dear Kathy,

If you choose to give your dog a homemade diet, have a vet or veterinary-nutritionist come up with a recipe that will offer a complete and balanced diet.

A common scenario I hear with respect to home cookin' is that the owner prepares a diet using food they perceive as healthy or that's inexpensive. The result is a nutritionally unbalanced diet and a spoiled dog. Once the pet becomes ill due to nutritional deficiencies, it is really unwilling to change back to the supermarket brand and it becomes more dehydrated and ill. So speak to your vet about the appropriateness of the diet for the breeds of dogs you have, their ages, their health status, and optimum weight. Before making dog food in bulk, consider cost and time commitment, Last, experiment to see if the animals enjoy it. Here's one nutritious recipe to get you started:

Ingredients

1/4pound ground beef, chicken, or lamb
1 cup cooked white rice
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dicalcium phosphate (Your vet can supply this balanced daily supplement,
which contains all vitamins and minerals that meet the minimum daily requirement for the
adult canine.)

Trim the fat well from meat and cook thoroughly before mixing with other ingredients. Yield: 2/3 pound dog food. Note: The average 60- to 80-pound dog requires between 1 and 1 1 / 4 pounds of food twice a day.

Editor's Note: Do you have questions regarding your pet's health? Why not send them to Dr. Andrea Looney for some free professional advice. You can write her clo: Country Pets, Mother Earth News, P.O. Box 129, Arden, NC 28704.

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