We are no longer Fifi Unleashed because Fifi has a new home! People can't believe I did it but I gave Fifi to my friend Diane. Diane has loved her from the getgo, and has more time to devote to her Feefishness than I do. I still get to see her often since Diane is also the Blue Buffalo lady at our PetSmart. I believe that Feef will be spoiled beyond her wildest dreams now. The pink chenille sweater she showed up in last weekend was a dead giveaway.
So, now Turbo will be our headline act.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
More Yummy Dog Treats
Basic Yummy Crunchy Treat Recipe
With the suggestions here you can experiment and create your pup's favorite flavor of crunchy treat. Even when you make a mistake, they're pretty forgiving. Well, unless you're talking about Feef. Once the new batch comes out, she's turning her nose up at the old batch. I've pretty much stopped bringing them home any crunchy biscuits from PetSmart because they like mom's home cooking, and I like that I know what's in the treats I'm giving them.
Preheat oven to 325.
3 Cups Flour - I mix it up, Oat flour, Rice flour, Whole Wheat flour, Spelt flour, experiment! Adjust all ingredients for known allergens for your own dog.
1/4 cup wheat germ (or flax, barley, oatmeal)
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (or parsley, wheatgrass, greens)
1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cardomom
2 tsp Brewers Yeast powder
Combine all dry ingredients. Add:
1 can of dog food (I use Blue Buffalo canned food)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (use a fruit or vegetable puree of your choice)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon & drippings (or 1/2 cup cooked salmon, chicken or liver)
1/4 cup sunflower oil (or salmon oil, or anchovie oil)
1/2 Cup liquid (water, chicken broth, vegetable stock)
1 egg
With the suggestions here you can experiment and create your pup's favorite flavor of crunchy treat. Even when you make a mistake, they're pretty forgiving. Well, unless you're talking about Feef. Once the new batch comes out, she's turning her nose up at the old batch. I've pretty much stopped bringing them home any crunchy biscuits from PetSmart because they like mom's home cooking, and I like that I know what's in the treats I'm giving them.
Preheat oven to 325.
3 Cups Flour - I mix it up, Oat flour, Rice flour, Whole Wheat flour, Spelt flour, experiment! Adjust all ingredients for known allergens for your own dog.
1/4 cup wheat germ (or flax, barley, oatmeal)
2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon rosemary (or parsley, wheatgrass, greens)
1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cardomom
2 tsp Brewers Yeast powder
Combine all dry ingredients. Add:
1 can of dog food (I use Blue Buffalo canned food)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (use a fruit or vegetable puree of your choice)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon & drippings (or 1/2 cup cooked salmon, chicken or liver)
1/4 cup sunflower oil (or salmon oil, or anchovie oil)
1/2 Cup liquid (water, chicken broth, vegetable stock)
1 egg
Stir into dry ingredients until you have a big sticky ball of goo. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Flour up your hands, Press your ball of goo flat on the parchment to 1/4" thickness. You may have to divide your gooball in two if you are using a smaller pan. Use a knife to score lines in the dough where you want to break it into bars or squares. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Flip it on the parchment and bake the bottom an additional 20 minutes at 325. Break them up along the score lines.
- These cookies should not be soft or moist in the middle. If they are, allow them to rest in the warm oven until they are dry.
- Store in a tin, use within a reasonable time frame because they don't have all the preservatives store-bought cookies have.
- The food processor is your friend. I have a food processor to make my puree's (meat, fruit or veggie) or to grind whole grains (oatmeal, flax, etc.) and I have a retired coffee grinder to grind herbs, seeds or any vitamin or supplement tablets.
Have fun playing with dog biscuit recipe's. The above guidelines will get you going. My dogs haven't complained yet and I bet yours won't either. The last batch I baked scored 112 on the healthy dog food scale!
Dog food Test Scoring System
We wonder, "just how good is the food I feed my dog?" Feef clearly gives me the bum's rush when I place something substandard under her finicky little nose. Spoiled little princess! She's got a few favorites though so she occasionally deigns to dine on my bohemian offerings.
Someone came up with this interesting system for grading dog foods. It's a fairly accurate system in my opinion. It at least gives a person an idea of what's "good" and what's "not-good". I'm not surprised at some of the widely advertised and/or "vet recommended" brands scores. If I knew who to give credit to for this I would! Whoever you are, thank you! This helps the normal person make sense of confusing labels and misleading information.
2 - for every non-specific animal source (meat or poultry, meat meal, or animal) reference subtract 10 points.
3 - If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points.
4 - For every non-specific grain source (mill run, whole grains) subtract 5 points.
5 - If the same grain is listed 2 or more times in the first 5 ingredients (rice, rice flour, brewers rice all being "same grain"), subtract 5 points.
6 - If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points.
7 - If it contains any artificial dyes or colorants subtract 3 points.
8 - If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn subtract 3 points.
9 - If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points.
10 - If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points.
11 - If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points.
12 - If it contains soy or soybeans subtract 2 points.
13 - If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to wheat) subtract 1 point.
14 - If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef) subtract 1 point.
15 - If it contains salt subtract 1 point.
Extra Credits:
1 - If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points.
2 - If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist (not television personalities) add 5 points.
3 - If the food is baked, not extruded, add 5 points.
4 - If the food contains probiotics add 5 points.
5 - If the food contains fruit add 3 points.
6 - If the food contains vegetables (not corn or grains) add 3 points.
7 - If the meat sources are hormone and antibiotic free add 2 points.
8 - If the food contains barley, add 2 points.
9 - If the food contains flax seed oil (not just flax seed) add 2 points.
10 - If the food contains oats or oatmeal add 1 point.
11 - If the food contains sunflower oil add 1 point.
12 - For every different meat protein source (chicken, fish, turkey, lamb et al) add 1 point.
13 - If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin add 1 point.
14 - If the vegetables have tested pesticide free add 1 point.
Grading:
A = 94 - 100
B = 86 - 93
C = 78 - 85
D = 70 - 77
F = 69 or less
Alpo Prime Cuts - A+ / 81
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy - A+/114
Authority Harvest Baked - A + / 116
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active - B/93
Beowulf Back to Basics - A + / 101
Bil-Jac Select - F - 68
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice - C/83
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice - A+/106
Breeders Choice Chicken & Rice - A+/101
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice - A+/107
Canidae - A+/115
Chicken Soup Senior - A+/115
Diamond Maintenance - F/64
Diamond Large Breed 60 plus - A/99
Diamond Performance - C/85
Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Ultra Premium - A+/122
Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice - A+/106
Dick Van PattensDuck and Potato - A+/106
Eagle Pack Holistic - A+/102
Eukanuba Adult - C/81
Eukanuba Puppy - C/79
Flint River Senior - A+/101
Foundations - A+/106
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium D/73
Innova Dog - A+/114
Innova Evo - A+/114
Innova Large Breed Puppy - A+/122
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice & Vegetables - A+/110
Members Mark Chicken & Rice - C/84
Merrick Wilderness Blend A+/127
Natures Recipe - A/100
Natures Recipe Healthy Skin Venison & Rice A+/116
Natures Variety Raw INstinct - A+/122
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal & Rice C/81
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy - A+/101
Nurtrisource Lamb & Rice - B/87
Nutro Max Adult - B/93
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & Rice A/98
Nurtro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy - B/87
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free - B/86
Nutro Ultra Adult - A+/104
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice - F/23
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Adult - A+/109
Pro Nature Puppy - C/80
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach - A/94
Purina Beneful - F/17
Purina Dog - F/72
Purina Come & Get it - F/16
Purina One Large Breed Puppy - F/62
Royal Canin Mini Adult 27 - A+/101
Royal Canin Boxer - A+/103
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult - A+/106
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7 plus - F/63
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies - F/69
Sensible Choice Chicken & Rice - A/97
Solid Gold - A/99
Solid Gold Hund -n-Flocke Adult (lamb) B/93
Solid Gold Wolfking Adult Dog Bison - A/97
Summit - A/99
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural - A+/120
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken - A+/110
Someone came up with this interesting system for grading dog foods. It's a fairly accurate system in my opinion. It at least gives a person an idea of what's "good" and what's "not-good". I'm not surprised at some of the widely advertised and/or "vet recommended" brands scores. If I knew who to give credit to for this I would! Whoever you are, thank you! This helps the normal person make sense of confusing labels and misleading information.
- Note: Because there are food allergy points in the scoring system, evaluate a food as it pertains to your own dog!
- Remember, just because it's a good dog food, it might not be good for your dog. Be sure to take into consideration your dogs breed, age, and dietary needs when choosing his food.
- If your dog food isn't on the list, please evaluate yours and add it to the list!
Start with a grade of 100.
2 - for every non-specific animal source (meat or poultry, meat meal, or animal) reference subtract 10 points.
3 - If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points.
4 - For every non-specific grain source (mill run, whole grains) subtract 5 points.
5 - If the same grain is listed 2 or more times in the first 5 ingredients (rice, rice flour, brewers rice all being "same grain"), subtract 5 points.
6 - If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points.
7 - If it contains any artificial dyes or colorants subtract 3 points.
8 - If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn subtract 3 points.
9 - If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points.
10 - If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points.
11 - If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points.
12 - If it contains soy or soybeans subtract 2 points.
13 - If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to wheat) subtract 1 point.
14 - If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn't allergic to beef) subtract 1 point.
15 - If it contains salt subtract 1 point.
Extra Credits:
1 - If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points.
2 - If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist (not television personalities) add 5 points.
3 - If the food is baked, not extruded, add 5 points.
4 - If the food contains probiotics add 5 points.
5 - If the food contains fruit add 3 points.
6 - If the food contains vegetables (not corn or grains) add 3 points.
7 - If the meat sources are hormone and antibiotic free add 2 points.
8 - If the food contains barley, add 2 points.
9 - If the food contains flax seed oil (not just flax seed) add 2 points.
10 - If the food contains oats or oatmeal add 1 point.
11 - If the food contains sunflower oil add 1 point.
12 - For every different meat protein source (chicken, fish, turkey, lamb et al) add 1 point.
13 - If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin add 1 point.
14 - If the vegetables have tested pesticide free add 1 point.
Grading:
A = 94 - 100
B = 86 - 93
C = 78 - 85
D = 70 - 77
F = 69 or less
Alpo Prime Cuts - A+ / 81
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy - A+/114
Authority Harvest Baked - A + / 116
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active - B/93
Beowulf Back to Basics - A + / 101
Bil-Jac Select - F - 68
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice - C/83
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice - A+/106
Breeders Choice Chicken & Rice - A+/101
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice - A+/107
Canidae - A+/115
Chicken Soup Senior - A+/115
Diamond Maintenance - F/64
Diamond Large Breed 60 plus - A/99
Diamond Performance - C/85
Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Ultra Premium - A+/122
Dick Van Pattens Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice - A+/106
Dick Van PattensDuck and Potato - A+/106
Eagle Pack Holistic - A+/102
Eukanuba Adult - C/81
Eukanuba Puppy - C/79
Flint River Senior - A+/101
Foundations - A+/106
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium D/73
Innova Dog - A+/114
Innova Evo - A+/114
Innova Large Breed Puppy - A+/122
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice & Vegetables - A+/110
Members Mark Chicken & Rice - C/84
Merrick Wilderness Blend A+/127
Natures Recipe - A/100
Natures Recipe Healthy Skin Venison & Rice A+/116
Natures Variety Raw INstinct - A+/122
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal & Rice C/81
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy - A+/101
Nurtrisource Lamb & Rice - B/87
Nutro Max Adult - B/93
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb & Rice A/98
Nurtro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy - B/87
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free - B/86
Nutro Ultra Adult - A+/104
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice - F/23
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Adult - A+/109
Pro Nature Puppy - C/80
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach - A/94
Purina Beneful - F/17
Purina Dog - F/72
Purina Come & Get it - F/16
Purina One Large Breed Puppy - F/62
Royal Canin Mini Adult 27 - A+/101
Royal Canin Boxer - A+/103
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult - A+/106
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7 plus - F/63
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies - F/69
Sensible Choice Chicken & Rice - A/97
Solid Gold - A/99
Solid Gold Hund -n-Flocke Adult (lamb) B/93
Solid Gold Wolfking Adult Dog Bison - A/97
Summit - A/99
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural - A+/120
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken - A+/110
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