new here - Pet forum for dogs cats and humans

chi babies · #1 March 14th, 2006, 11:21 AM

Hi Everyone

My name is Donna .I have 5 adorable chihuahuas, an american eskimo and also a cat.As you can tell , i love animals

Am looking for help in getting my kids started in home cooking food for them.I have tried 5 brands of kibble food, only one chi will eat any one of them.One chi ,kibble food just doesnt agree with him.Heard many good things on home cooking.So basically im looking for someone to share there knowledge with me on feeding small toy dogs home cooked foods.

SnowDancer · #2 March 14th, 2006, 11:32 AM

Welcome. I also have an American Eskimo as does member Katy82 - very happy to have another Eskie Mommy on the board. I don't home cook food for my guy - well, except for "our" food, which he shares or there is no peace - as used to this when I had Dachshunds. I feed my Eskie a human grade kibble called Salmon A La Veg as Eskies are sensitive to corn (more so than some other breeds - Dachshunds were sensitive to absolutely nothing food wise) and I also buy him some pre-cooked human grade food where I buy all of his stuff. How big is your Eskie, gender and age? My girly-guy, weighs 23 lbs. (I hope) and will turn 2 on April 1. Physical is set for April 4 and the big weigh in - he is a cookie monster so am concerned, plus I think his metabolism has slowed down. I was so hoping that at age 2 a switch would turn off and he would become a little adult - alas Eskies mature later - maybe at 3 - if ever - the if ever is more likely as he will be a baby to the day he dies - with the jaw and teeth strength of a Rotti. Major Hoover this dog.

Bushfire2000 · #3 March 14th, 2006, 11:38 AM

Welcome, Welcome. My Lacey is a chi cross and I've had to find a lamb and rice kibble for her. And some people food too, but I don't cook for the dogs. Sorry, but I know that there are many on the board who do. Pictures would be nice.

Luvmypit · #4 March 14th, 2006, 02:51 PM

Chi welcome

There is a forum called Dog/Cat food that may be of assistance to you.

chi babies · #5 March 15th, 2006, 07:45 AM

Thanks to all who replied to my post

My eskie is almost 7 yrs old, around 35 lbs.Mickey has been on special vet food since he was 2.He got urinary tract crystals at such an early age .We almost lost him due to this.Vets told me that commercial foods probably caused this.Im so glad it was winter time when we found out as the snow really helped to see that he was passing blood in his urine.So he is doing wonderful on this diet.
No way im going to change his food now.
The little chi's are going to be switched to home cooked as i have read so much on commercial foods, what crap they put in it.At least i will know what they will be eating.I will check out that forum for dog/cat food.Maybe someone there can help.Thanks to all.

BMDLuver · #6 March 15th, 2006, 09:05 AM

Here's what I feed the picky little guys who come in:

2 cups broccoli chopped and cooked for 5 minutes
2 cups either baby carrots finely chopped or shredded carrots, cooked for 5 minutes
1 lb ground beef, cooked in a bit of water
2 cups raw rice, cooked in the water from the above 3 ingredients
10 chicken livers, saute and finely chop

You can substitite soup pastas for the rice for variety as well.

I keep 2 days worth in the fridge and then freeze in little packages for each two days. Little chi's would probably eat about 1/2 cup twice per day.

chi babies · #7 March 15th, 2006, 12:25 PM

Thanks for the recipe. I have seen similar ones like you mentioned.Obviously a vitamin/mineral supplement would be given with a recipe like this?Our chi's are picky eaters.At least 4 out of 5 are.We all know how much dogs like ppl food.Think they will enjoy home cooking.

SnowDancer · #8 March 15th, 2006, 12:45 PM

Agree with keeping your Eskie on the special food. Although my guy will turn 2 on April 1, I watch all the time for signs of blood in urine, as we experienced this with a Dachshund we adopted years ago - he was 1 1/2 came home to find him peeing blood in the kitchen. Thought he was dying. He had actual stones which were removed and had to eat the special food for 6 months and then was tested for crystals. Thank heavens he was clear so was able to return to "normal" food which for a Dachshund is everything. Since I get kidney stones I know to watch the purines and oxalates in "people" food that our guy gets. He also eats a fish based, human grade food - no corn - and we give him wheat free cookies. Eskies being extremely sensitive to corn. He is not nearly as sensitive to wheat - but give him the wheat free cookies so as to free up his "wheat allowance" for his much loved bread. He lives to eat - if he gets stones and has to go on the special diet he will have a very hard time adjusting. Next to our Dachshunds and our Beagle he is next in line to being a gourmand. Now if only he wasn't WHITE - or if he didn't love the rain and mud so much - either would do. He doesn't blow his coat - groomer has to do it for him - we get tumbleweeds of course, but other than that that furry hair is staying put. He is a very pretty boy. Katy82 has an Eskimo a little younger than our guy - a female named Phil. She has found as we have that Eskimos - despite their size - have very strong jaws.

BMDLuver · #9 March 15th, 2006, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chi babies

Thanks for the recipe. I have seen similar ones like you mentioned.Obviously a vitamin/mineral supplement would be given with a recipe like this?Our chi's are picky eaters.At least 4 out of 5 are.We all know how much dogs like ppl food.Think they will enjoy home cooking.

I use either missing link or solid gold seameal.

chi babies · #10 March 16th, 2006, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnowDancer

Agree with keeping your Eskie on the special food. Although my guy will turn 2 on April 1, I watch all the time for signs of blood in urine, as we experienced this with a Dachshund we adopted years ago - he was 1 1/2 came home to find him peeing blood in the kitchen. Thought he was dying. He had actual stones which were removed and had to eat the special food for 6 months and then was tested for crystals. Thank heavens he was clear so was able to return to "normal" food which for a Dachshund is everything. Since I get kidney stones I know to watch the purines and oxalates in "people" food that our guy gets. He also eats a fish based, human grade food - no corn - and we give him wheat free cookies. Eskies being extremely sensitive to corn. He is not nearly as sensitive to wheat - but give him the wheat free cookies so as to free up his "wheat allowance" for his much loved bread. He lives to eat - if he gets stones and has to go on the special diet he will have a very hard time adjusting. Next to our Dachshunds and our Beagle he is next in line to being a gourmand. Now if only he wasn't WHITE - or if he didn't love the rain and mud so much - either would do. He doesn't blow his coat - groomer has to do it for him - we get tumbleweeds of course, but other than that that furry hair is staying put. He is a very pretty boy. Katy82 has an Eskimo a little younger than our guy - a female named Phil. She has found as we have that Eskimos - despite their size - have very strong jaws.

Mickey our eskie is really good with the little ones.He was the only dog we had until a couple yrs ago.We were kind of worried as to what he would do.But he surprised us

Oh he loves to play with them.He lets the tinies play with his face .........hard to believe ah!!
As for his coat, the oils in it sure help if he gets a little muddy.But they do shed alot.Lucky you dont have to worry about that.Seems like i pick up more hair from him then our 5 chi's LOL.
One thing i find with Mickey is he is getting bolder as he gets older.My mother says its just the nature of the breed.But somehow i have to get a handle on the barking .............especially when we come home from work.Our oldest chi and the youngest one have joined in now.Sure dont need all of them to bark.I keep telling my bf that yelling at them does nothing.Just makes them feel that you are joining in with the pack.