Raw dog food

I currently have three dogs. A few years ago, I decided to go with raw food, which means raw meat, bones, organs, some veggies, etc. This grosses some people out. At first I made my own, but at the time I had one dog. That lasted for one year, but then we got another dog. I switched to premade. I researched a lot before making this switch. I don't make any food or health decision without doing so.

I'm very picky about quality. I won't feed anyone, including my dogs, feedlot meat. It should be outlawed altogether. I use Bravo and sometimes Primal. Aunt Jenni's is very high quality, but so expensive. Some people out there would say I'm poisoning my dogs, but my dogs are very healthy. They get bones a few times a month to chew (and swallow) to keep their teeth and gums clean, raw pork neck bones usually from a local farmer who raises healthy, free-roaming, non-medicated pigs. Not certified organic, only because of the cost involved in certifying. I trust him. He's a good guy and I've visited his farm. I'd never seen pigs out in a field, roaming about as they please. It's sad to say that.

I don't give my dogs shots either. And I don't give them typical heartworm preventative. I give them herbs to prevent heartworm during mosquito season. They also get raw garlic in their food everyday during the season. And we spray our huge yard with non-toxic garlic/yucca spray to keep away ticks & mosquitos. Our third dog, an old, crusty rescue who is heartworm positive is being treated herbally & with supplements. I'll let you know how it goes. So far, so good. He's feeling energetic & feisty. He's 13 & he runs circles around me every morning out in the field.

My dogs used to itch all the time & have bad skin. The third dog was in terrible shape when he came to us-- flaking, itchy, red skin. Within a couple months of regular bathing with neem oil shampoo, fish oil caps in his food (they all get this), a good haircut (he's a mini schnauzer)-- he's looking terrific. Skin is great! He had a filthy, greasy, black residue that exuded from his skin for a number of weeks much like old engine oil, probably due to a lifetime of Alpo crap food, but now he's lookin' good!

It costs more to feed our dogs this way. It takes more effort than setting out a bowl of dry kibble. But our dogs are healthy, energetic, & well-adjusted (for the most part!). It's worth the extra cost & effort. We have peace of mind that we're not slowly killing our dogs with nutritionally deficient food and poisoning them with useless medication. They go to the vet once a year for a heartworm test unless there's a problem that comes up. We feel this is the best way for our dogs. Jett, Rex, & Sammie seem to think so too.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

Today I made a cake in the crockpot. Who knew you could do such a thing? Very easy. Looks & smells delicious. My husband is the taste tester. Chocolate peanut butter pudding cake. With a scoop of vanilla bean icecream on top.

Included in todays food activities were drying locally grown celery and leaves, going out to a wonderful lunch with two girlfriends, & cooking dinner (poached salmon caught wild by a local fisherman with yogurt/cucumber dill sauce, cheddar risotto, and local steamed baby carrots with a maple glaze).

Not too shabby of a food day. Tomorrow is a cooking class in the evening. Learning to make dressings with infused vinegars.