Forget about the hot dog factory, and think about an even more worrisome place — the dog food factory. Dog food is usually made with ingredients that are not fit for human consumption — they’re cheap and are usually by-products other businesses don’t want. There is very little enforcement over what goes into commercial dog food, and it’s often loaded with chemicals, preservatives, and traces of antibiotics, growth hormones, drugs, and whatever else may have been part of the carcasses used to produce the meat “by-products” that make up the bulk of commercial dog food. It’s no wonder our pets are so allergic, diseased and live such short lifespans. They, like many Americans, may be suffering from an abundant, yet toxic, food supply.
Bluntly speaking, a body is constructed out of the food it eats. Put in healthy food, and you get a healthy body. Put in junk, and you get junk. This applies to humans and animals alike.
As a personal chef, I spend a lot of time cooking for customers in their kitchens, and often I am chaperoned by their dogs. They sit there keeping me company, lick their chops and try to put on their best cute face in hopes that I will “accidentally” drop a scrap of human food onto the floor. Meanwhile, their bowls sit ignored, full of kibble. I don’t blame them!
I started preparing organic dog food for a few clients last year, and we definitely noticed a big, positive change in their dogs — better temper, healthier fur, less health problems and all that good stuff. It made a big difference, and I expect those dogs will live longer, healthier lives than the ones who eat commercial dog food (if you want to call it food).
My dog food is made with all-natural and organic ingredients that are not only fit for human consumption, but are full of clean protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy oils and vegetable fibers. This is a simple way to help your dog live a long, healthy, happy life.
Organic Mutt Loaf
Ingredients
3 lbs. organic or all-natural ground beef, turkey, chicken, or lamb
4 cups organic or regular brown rice (cooked)
3 organic eggs
3 cups chopped organic raw kale
6 chopped organic raw carrots
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp. flax seeds
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
Flavoring: 1/2 cup of non-alcoholic beer or 4 tbsp. organic teriyaki sauce or 1/2 cup malta beverage or a couple of drops of liquid smoke
A pinch of sea salt
Instructions
NOTE: Remember that your dog’s senses of smell and taste are very keen. So you won’t be flavoring this as you would flavor for yourself; you want to cut back on the seasoning. This means very little salt and only a little flavoring agent.
1. Mix the ground meat with the eggs, rice, kale, carrots, flax seed and yogurt. For even better nutrition, keep half the carrots, and half the chopped kale raw in the fridge, and sprinkle on the dog food when serving.
2. Mix in the flavoring agent of choice. In my experience, malta (a dark, non-alcoholic, carbonated drink made from barley, hops and water) and non-alcoholic beer are liked best!
3. Put into a meatloaf pan (or shape it how you like) and bake it at 375 until cooked through, about 25-30 mins.
4. Let it cool and refrigerate overnight. Serve it cold or just slightly lukewarm. Not hot. It has been our experience that hot food makes the dogs have to urinate.
This article appears in May 17-23, 2012.