Old Country Dog Treats

We are told by the experts that processed foods aren't good for us, and advised to eat whole, fresh foods and vary our diets in order to stay healthy.

Conversely, we are told to NEVER feed whole, fresh foods to our pets, to never vary their diets, and not to upset the careful balance of the processed diet they are supposed to eat every day of their lives. 

To pet food manufacturers it makes sense and it makes money. That is why pet food manufacturers finance veterinarian training programs and subsidize vet school clinics. Some vets only know what the kibble makers tell them, and pass that on to their clients: eat the processed diet. Don't feed table scraps. Don't feed raw meat. Don't give bones. 

I never did like brushing dog's teeth, with meat bones, I don't need to as there is no tartar buildup, and their teeth are cleaned daily which help in keeping teeth clean. 

Dog food is usually so full of additives and grains (check the back of your kibble bag .If the ingredients start with "corn meal" or a "meal" of any kind - it is primarily filled with grain as the primary ingredient) these are used as fillers. Dog food should say meat, chicken, lamb as the primary first ingredient.  

Bones? I am not an advocate on rawhide. (The skin of animals.) Pig ears can be too rich for some dogs.  Good old Beef bones or as they call it in the old country (soup bones.)

I do not give it raw since I do not want it all over my home. So I cook it and take the broth and pour it over the kibble. I let it set overnight and soak up into the kibble. I give them the goodies the next day.

The bones I place in the cooler and let it chill. In an hour it should be cooler and then I let the dogs enjoy! They eat the meat, fat around the bone and start making the bone disappear.

Don’t forget these are treats. I would limit the bones to once a month.

 Cooking the bones is easy. You can cook it two ways

Microwave

Place two pieces in a glass microwave dish fill with 2-4 cups of water.

Cook on high for 40 minutes. The bones are cooked and the juice is wonderful for the kibble!

 Pressure Cooker.

This is an old country favorite.

I place the pieces in the pot on a raised platform with 4 cups of water.

I let the cooker steam from the first time it starts perking for 60 minutes. That is you close the pressure cooker, put the stove on high wait until the 10 lb weight starts to jiggle then you turn down the heat to low and let it pressure cook for 60 minutes. Open the pressure cooker with the normal water over the top of the cooker in the sink and with the pressure released you now have a soup that is full of all the good things Mother Nature intended to be in our healthy food. 

Please do not give the dogs full strength soup. I add it to the kibble or put rice in it so that the dogs that have never had this do not get the runs.

 If they do, go to the old faithful chicken and rice routine. We give chicken and rice whenever any of our dogs have an upset tummy. Never give them chicken bones!

If you do not have time to cook chicken do not  worry, I get the cans of chicken, Kirkland signature premium chunk chicken breast packed in water. They get everything (including the water). Costco sells the cans and they are less expensive in volume.

 You will notice that your dogs are getting softer coats, shed less and have healthy teeth.

May they live long and continue to be a blessing to you as mine are to me.  

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