Since We Moved Out Of The City, I’ve Really Had To Expand My Culinary Repertoire.

There is exactly 1 take out place that will deliver to our house now – Domino’s.  I think one of the biggest things my partner and I (and probably Kitsune too!) miss about living in the city is the food!  In the city, we had all kinds of different types of restaurants within walking distance from our apartment.  Here in the country we have, well, Domino’s.

But it’s not all bad!  We’ve been home cooking more, even experimenting with recipes we’ve never tried before.  I enjoy cooking, when I have the time for it, if you can’t tell by how much I cook for my  dogs!  One of the recipes I’ve been trying to perfect lately is a stir fry dish that uses udon noodles.  As always, when I’m cooking, I have my two little sidekicks at my feet – Kitsune, the papillon, and Fenrir, the Alaskan klee Kai.  They just beg me, with those little puppy dog eyes of theirs, to drop a little something on the floor for them while I’m cooking.  And, I often do.  As long as what I’m cooking is safe for them to eat, that is.  So, are udon noodles dog safe?

What Are Udon Noodles?

I’m not an expert.  But, udon is a Japanese noodle made out of wheat flour.  The brand I use most often lists only one ingredient on the ingredient list – organic wheat flour.  Udon noodles, on their own, have a very bland flavor.  They are often used in dishes such as soups and stir fries, where they pick up flavor from the  other ingredients they are cooked with.

So, Can Dogs Eat Udon Noodles?

As long as your dog doesn’t have any issues with wheat, they shouldn’t have any problems eating udon.  Plain udon, that is.  Keep in mind, like mentioned above, that udon is often cooked in some type of broth or sauce.  These accoutrements are often high in sodium, and may contain other ingredients that are not dog safe.  So be careful feeding your dog udon prepared at a restaurant, or prepared at home in any type of broth or sauce.  I usually cook my udon first just in plain water, similar to how you’d cook dry spaghetti.  That way I can share some of the plain udon with Kit and Fen, and can add the rest to my stir fry  sauce separately for the people in the pack.

I  don’t know if it’s still on the market, but apparently a company called Seimenya, based in Kagawa, released udon make specifically for dogs.  I couldn’t find much about it, which made me question if it’s still available.  Perhaps it is, but not in the US?  Apparently it was made with a broth that contained low sodium, to make it tasty but healthier for our furry friends.

My dogs enjoy udon noodles plain, though.  No broth needed.  It’s not something I feed to them often, so is by no means a part of their regular diet.  However, it’s a fun snack every now and then that I don’t mind sharing with them when I’m cooking udon for dinner.

Any Precautions To Feeding Dogs Udon?

Udon should really be a treat food only for dogs.  Feed it in moderation, and preferably plain.  Don’t feed udon to dogs with wheat allergies, or those who are sensitive to grains.  While, for most dogs, udon and other pastas won’t hurt them, it also doesn’t really do anything to help them either.  I know some people use pastas as part of their dog’s home cooked diet, but it’s used mostly as a bulking agent to help their dogs feel full.  Udon, and other pastas, don’t contain much in terms of nutritional value and, like in humans, feeding too much of it to dogs can cause unwanted weight gain.

Does  your dog enjoy udon, or any other type of pasta?   

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Today Is Quite Possibly My Dogs Favorite Day Of The A to Z Challenge!

Because S is for steak!  My partner, as of late, has been on a culinary quest to prefect the art of cooking steak.  Kitsune, Fenrir, and I can’t complain.  The dogs because, well, what dog doesn’t love steak?  And myself because what girl doesn’t love when someone else does the cooking for her?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

The Benefits Of Feeding Beef, Besides The Obvious…

The obvious being that dogs love it!  Dogs are designed to digest meat.  They digest it much more efficiently than they do other foods, such as grains.  Dogs get lots of great things, such as protein, vitamin B12, zinc, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, riboflavin, etc, from eating beef steak.

For people who raw feed, or home cook, for their dogs, muscle meats (such as steak) usually make up a large percentage of their dog’s diet.  I think, at least for me personally, one of the huge draws of cooking or preparing meat for your dog is that you are able to give them a biologically appropriate food that is not only good for them, but that they really enjoy eating as well!

I love offering my dogs things like bits of steak as treats because I know exactly what I’m giving them.  No unknown ingredients that I can’t pronounce, let alone know whether they’re actually good for my dogs or not.

I have to admit I’m a bit jealous.  I probably love chocolate as much as my dogs love steak – the difference being that I can’t feed myself chocolate for breakfast and feel good about it afterwords.

Any Precautions?

Like with any new foods, steak/beef should be introduced into the diet slowly to avoid digestive upset.  If you are interested in feeding steak as part of a raw or home cooked diet, make sure to do lots of research first!  I really can’t stress that enough.  An unbalanced diet, which would be lacking in vital nutrients, really is one of the worst things you could feed your dog.

How To Prepare Steak For Dogs

If you are cooking steak for your dog, or perhaps sharing a bit of your own dinner, cook the meat plain.  Dogs don’t need things like sauces and seasonings to enhance the flavor of meat – they think it’s pretty awesome on its own.  Plus, depending on what seasonings you’re using, they can be unhealthy for dogs and may cause GI issues.

There are so many different ways you can prepare meat for dogs!  Raw feeders offer it…well…raw!  Or you could cook it plain and offer it up as a special meal by itself, use it as a food topper, or as part of a recipe.  Cut into small pieces, steak and other meats can make awesome high quality training treats.

Remember to always introduce new foods to your dogs slowly, so you avoid causing upset tummies.  And, like with any other food, if you are using steak as a special treat or snack, feeding treats in moderation is key!

I’d love to hear from you – comment below!  Do you ever feed your dog(s) meat like steak, either as a special treat or as part of their regular diet?

Insert Some Witty Remarks About Rice Here…

Not everyone agrees on whether dogs should consume grains such as rice.  It’s a common filler in commercial dog food, but one that dog owners are increasingly looking to avoid.  With raw and grain free diets becoming more popular, rice is becoming less so.  Yet those of us with dogs who have sensitive stomachs, like my Kitsune, know that plain rice, possibly mixed with meat, can make a palatable but bland meal that can help our dogs get over GI upset.

Why Rice?

Rice, white rice especially, is easy to digest.  As mentioned above, many owners use it as a ‘go to’ food for dogs who are experiencing GI upset.  Because it’s cheap, easy to cook, easy for dogs to eat, and usually well tolerated, rice can be a helpful addition to the diet of dogs who are sick or elderly.

Brown rice is higher in protein and nutrients when compared to white rice.  However, it’s also coarser, harder to digest, and many dogs don’t seem to like it as much as plain white rice.

Precautions

Dogs can be allergic to grains, including rice.  For dogs who are not allergic, rice is a safe diet addition, but it shouldn’t make up a large percentage of their diet.  Rice is fine as an addition to a home made diet, an occasional snack, or as part of a bland diet for a sick pup, but it doesn’t contain enough nutrients to keep a dog healthy long term and should not be fed exclusively.

What do you think?  Do you ever feed your dog rice?  Does he/she like it? 

Not surprisingly, my papillon Kitsune readily eats, and  seems to enjoy, white rice.  My Alaskan Klee Kai, Fenrir, who can be quite picky when it comes to food, isn’t as impressed by rice.  He’s more likely to make a mess with it all over my kitchen floor than eat it!

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

The Ultimate Q Food…

Quinoa!  If you had asked me years ago what quinoa is, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you!  And forget about asking me how to pronounce it.  But, at some point my fiance and I decided we were going to try to eat a bit healthier, and while researching new dinner recipes quinoa kept coming up.  It took some experimenting to find quinoa recipes  that we both really enjoyed, but, after some trial and error, we now eat it pretty regularly!  Of course while we’re eating it, our dogs always want some too.  So is quinoa a dog friendly food?

Let’s Start With What Quinoa Is, Exactly

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah, by the way) is a plant in the goose-foot family.  Although quinoa is often thought of as a grain, it is not technically one.   It’s a bit hard to classify – quinoa is a seed that is harvested from plants classified as pseudo-cereals.  It’s actually closest in relation to leafy greens such as spinach and Swiss chard.

Ok, Whatever, But Is It Good For Dogs?

Quinoa is a super food.   It’s a complete protein, which means that it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It also contains iron, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin B, vitamin E, and omega 3 fatty acids, among other nutrients.  It’s high in fiber, and cancer fighting antioxidants.  While being high in good stuff like protein and nutrients, quinoa is low in fat and cholesterol.

If you haven’t figured it out yet – yes, quinoa is safe for dogs.  In fact, it’s increasingly being used as an ingredient in higher quality dog foods.  Being a plant based food, quinoa is not as easy for dogs to digest as meat, but they can still derive benefits from eating it.

How To Prepare Quinoa For Dogs

Both my dogs, even Mr. Picky Puppy Fenrir, will eat cooked quinoa plain.  It has a very mild flavor that reminds me a lot of pasta.  One of my favorite ways to eat quinoa is with cheddar cheese and broccoli which, as you can imagine, my dogs also love.

Quinoa can be used as a food topper, or as part of a home made diet.  My dogs often get left over quinoa when my fiance and I have it for dinner – just as long as all the other ingredients in whatever recipe I used are also dog friendly.

One important thing to note is that uncooked quinoa can cause stomach upset in both humans and dogs.  Always make sure to cook it according to the package directions and never offer it raw.  Usually cooking instructions will also include rinsing the seeds in water before cooking them.

As with all new foods, when offering quinoa for the first time, do so in small amounts.  Once you know your dog tolerates it well you can offer larger amounts.

Do you like quinoa?  Have you ever fed it to your dog?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Glorious Peanut Butter, And All The Amazingly Silly Faces Our Pups Make When It Gets Stuck To The Roofs Of Their Mouths!

Right off the bat I’ll say – be careful, some brands of peanut butter now contain xylitol.  This sugar substitute is safe for humans, but deadly for dogs.  It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyways), if you’re going to give PB to your dog, make sure it does not contain xylitol.

In the past, I’ve received some interesting feedback about what dog owners think about feeding their  furry friends PB – everything from people saying that PB is an affordable and not unhealthy snack, to statements about why dogs should not be allowed to eat “people food”.

I give my dogs peanut butter.  I occasionally make them peanut butter treats, and it’s the ultimate classic Kong filler.

Are There Any Benefits To Feeding Peanut Butter?

Other than the fact that most dogs love it, that is.  And seriously…those peanut butter faces!  Too cute!

Peanut butter contains healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein that can help give your dog a boost of energy.  Both of my dogs are very active.  My favorite time to give them a PB stuffed Kong is after a long hike.   Yes, I hike with my small dogs!  Not only does the PB seem to help restore some of their energy, but the act of licking it out of their Kongs keeps them occupied, and helps relax them after a busy day.

Peanut butter also contains vitamins B3, and E, as well as magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants.  Biotin in PB may help support a healthy coat, skin, and nails.  Vitamin E can help to support a healthy immune system.

But All Peanut Butter Is Not Created Equal

In a perfect world, we’d not only be feeding our dogs all natural/no additives PB, but we’d be eating it ourselves as well.  Many brands of peanut butter sold for human consumption contain added ingredients such as salt, sugar, and oils.  While PB containing these things, in small amounts, shouldn’t hurt our dogs, they aren’t exactly healthy either.  You could avoid additives by making your own PB, which actually isn’t too hard.  You could also purchase organic, salt free PB to avoid as many additives as possible.

I’ll admit that, most of the time, I don’t make my own peanut butter, or buy the fancy organic brands.  What I do do is make sure that I only feed PB in moderation.  Too much of it can cause stomach upset.  The high fat content means it probably isn’t the best snack for overweight dogs, and too much fat in the diet can sometimes lead to a painful condition called pancreatitis.

Dogs, like people, can be allergic to peanuts so pay close attention if you are feeding your dog peanut butter for the first time.  And, like I mentioned above, always make sure to avoid brands that contain xylitol!

Does your dog like peanut butter?  How do you serve it to him/her – in a Kong, baked into treats, another way?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!