[EVpoodle]

Hi.
So, I have switched to making homemade food for Evie because she had dropped down to only thirty pounds, she is supposed to weigh somewhere between 43 and 50 pounds. It has been going well, but we have one small problem that I need help with. I am unsure of how to get Evie to eat any carbs or vegetables. She spits out all vegetables and will not eat potato or corn or beans and I am unsure as to what else to try to feed her for carbs and what to do for vegetables. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[fjm]

Have you tried cooking carbs and veg with meat? Potato and corn are probably not the best choices - green beans, carrots, a very little green leafy stuff, well cooked with some of her meat may be more acceptable. That way she gets all the vitamins in the cooking liquid, too. Cooking rice or pasta - or my new discovery rolled oats - in meat stock also makes it much more interesting. I mean real stock - the liquid the meat is cooked in - not stock from cubes or concentrate.

 

[Dogs4Life]

This might be a stupid suggestion, as I have never made home cooked food for my dogs before, but after cooking the food, can you just put it in a food processor? Then it would be the consistency of the dehydrated foods I have fed my dogs- everything is all mixed, and they can't pick and choose certain items to eat/not eat.

 

[For Want of Poodle]

I like Dogs4Life's food processor suggestion, or you could pick up a meat grinder and grind the veggies and meat together prior to cooking. I am a big fan of mixed frozen vegetables!

 

[EVpoodle]

Have you tried cooking carbs and veg with meat? Potato and corn are probably not the best choices - green beans, carrots, a very little green leafy stuff, well cooked with some of her meat may be more acceptable. That way she gets all the vitamins in the cooking liquid, too. Cooking rice or pasta - or my new discovery rolled oats - in meat stock also makes it much more interesting. I mean real stock - the liquid the meat is cooked in - not stock from cubes or concentrate.

I have tried cooking it with her meat, she just eats around it. I thought so about the corn and the potatoes but I was not sure. Okay perhaps she will like pasta. We were doing oatmeal in her eggs but she decided that she did not like that. I will try cooking the vegetables in with the meat juice and possible processing it all together. I could try to make her meatloaf with the vegetables ground in hmm.

I like Dogs4Life's food processor suggestion, or you could pick up a meat grinder and grind the veggies and meat together prior to cooking. I am a big fan of mixed frozen vegetables!

I like frozen vegetables also.
Thank you for the suggestions I will try it and see how to goes.

 

[cowpony]

When my guys are feeling under the weather I boil up a pound of ground beef or turkey with half a cup of white rice. They can't tell rice from burger when everything is cooked together into a soupy glop. I haven't needed to figure out how to balance the diet by adding tripe & veggies, since the upset tummy usually feels better within a week, but I'd definitely look into dicing the veggies very small & cooking them together with the meat into a stew if I were in your situation.

 

[For Want of Poodle]

If it's just for temporary emergency weight gain I wouldn't be too worried about balancing nutrients. But have you thought of whole grain wheat flour, brown rice flour, or canned pumpkin?

 

[EVpoodle]

At this point in time it is not temporary for me to be cooking for Evie.

Tried pumpkin. But never thought about flour I might just try some of that.

Thank you!

 

[Rose n Poos]

If it's strictly a case of adding weight with no other dietary or health restrictions, would Satin Balls be an option? They wouldn't help with your carb question but might help with weight gain as an add on.

 

[Vita]

A finger dab or two of Nutri-Cal before feeding or anytime will stimulate her appetite and give her a calorie boost. It's a sweet food supplement commonly given to very young puppies having a hypoglycemic/ blood sugar drop episode. Because of the sweetness, I'm not sure this would be good on a daily basis for the long term for a healthy dog; other members might chime in about that.

Peggy might also like spinach, kale, or sweet potato. Mine loves cooked buttered spinach, which I share only once in awhile since it's expensive.

Once while doing food prep for myself, I dropped some uncooked kale leaves on the kitchen floor. I was really surprised they immediately began eating it, and loved it. Kale, unlike spinach, isn't expense either, and mine like it raw or cooked.

Mine don't generally like sweet potatoes, carrots or peas, but once in blue moon will eat a little of mine if cooked and buttered. They also will buttered succotash (lima beans with corn).

 

[lily cd re]

Carbs are not innately bad. They are a source of calories and of fiber. Our dogs eat whole grain pasta as part of their home cooked diet.

 

[poodlelove01]

Maybe you could try a pre-mix to mix into the meat. My dogs love dr. Harvey’s. Honest kitchen makes them too. You just measure, rehydrate and mix.


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[Dogs4Life]

I could try to make her meatloaf with the vegetables ground in hmm.

Sounds like something to try.

 

[EVpoodle]

Rose I considered Satin Balls but I am a little concerned about the raw meat aspect of it.
Lily. Okay that makes sense. Is there any particular kind that is best?
Poodlelove I considered a mix but decided against it because I cannot add and remove ingredients as easily as if I were to make something.
Vita I never would have thought that dogs might like kale. (I actually thought that it might be bad for them) I might try grinding it in with meatloaf.

Thank you all so much for the advice. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[lily cd re]

I genearlly buy Ronzoni Whole Grain Rotini when it is on sale. I definitely undercook it for them. Also to get veggies in them I grind up spinach and kale from Costco (big green bag) and add some water to that. I also give canned pumpkin.

 

[Skylar]

I home cook my dog‘s food to avoid legumes. I blend her food in a food processor so it’s chunky but mixed. All her veggies are cooked so they are soft and easy to blend In and to digest. I usually add spinach, carrot, potatoes and oatmeal to the meat.

I personally would avoid satin balls with my dog because she doesn’t tolerate high fat ... can cause diarrhea. Maybe this is a problem for your dog? I would introduce high fat food slowly so you can see if it’s well tolerated.

Since you need to add weight, it would be ideal to add flour - not raw but cooked. Cooked whole wheat pasta is an excellent way to get cooked flour. I grind up old fashioned oatmeal, the kind of oatmeal you put in a bowl amd pour milk over to eat .... that kind of oatmeal has been pre-cooked. I grind it to a powder in my food processor and add it to my dog’s food.

 

[EVpoodle]

Okay thank you Lily. It turns out I actually have some of that in the cupboard.
SKyler. I think the high fat thing might actually be causing the loose stools again. Okay thanks I will try that.