In The Arms of an Angel

That’s my boy. Licking the vegetable puree clean.

When did I become the kind of crazy lady who cooks her dog food?

It might have something to do with the Sarah Mclachlanesque Instagram post that keeps appearing on my feed. Featuring the saddest-eyed dog asking the caption question.

How would you like to eat pellets for the rest of your life?

Believe me, as a Chunky Monkey that loves flavor, I wouldn't.

Since I have two dogs in retirement, Chewy is pushing 13, and Pattycakes is 14, I want to give them the best life possible, which includes the best nutrition possible. But I still was dragging my feet; I had so many reservations.

It takes too much time.

 Really? I made 5 pounds in less than an hour.

It's too expensive. 

Costco turkey meat, frozen vegetables, cottage cheese, brown rice, olive oil, and eggs, the total price came out to $2.50 per pound. Compare that to Fresh Pet at $8.65 a pound.

Plus, I can control the ingredients. On Polka Dot Farms, that means growing my own organic vegetables and eggs, which takes time, but frozen vegetables are perfect too.

How do I know it's balanced? 

There are many great sites to read about making your dog food, but our Vet recommended this one for a basic recipe. The Spruce Pets

I give my old dogs a multivitamin daily to ensure they get everything they need. I had great success with this company's hip pain chews, and my dogs love their multivitamins too. 10 in-1 Dog Multivitamin

My dog is a picky eater. 

He's been eating pellets his whole life; this human-food-grade dog food is just what the doctor ordered. Like I did with my kids when they were little, I ran the fully cooked vegetables through the food processor to mask the veggies. Both picky dogs lick their bowls clean.

Where am I supposed to store all this yummy food? 

I went to Dollar Tree and bought their biggest clear blue lid container. For a whopping $1.25, I can store five pounds in the refrigerator, which stays fresh for five days. Stored in the freezer, the food keeps for six months. I have been making double batches and freezing half to save space and build up my stash.

Why Bother when the bagged version is so much easier? 

They're feeding us lab grown this and that. What do you think is acceptable for our dogs? Next time you fill your dog's dish, taste their "pellets" and be honest with yourself. Would you like to eat that for the rest of your life?

Dog or human, you can eat my homemade dog food.

At Polka Dot Farms, we call it Freshie Fresh.

All ingredients purchased at Costco

2.5 pounds Turkey browned.

4-6 eggs boiled and shelled. You can cook the shells at 350 for 15 minutes and powder them in the processor for the calcium

or

add ¼ cup of cottage cheese.

Stir egg and calcium source into the cooked turkey.

Boil 6 cups of water.

Add 2 cups of brown rice, a bag of broccoli, and 2 cups of carrot bean medley, and boil.

Run the rice and vegetables through the blender or food processor to baby food consistency. Dogs don't chew food a hundred times, which helps them digest.

Mix the puree into the turkey.

Allow to cool.

Store in a Dollar Tree container.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not a professional. I just play one in my life. Consult your Vet and do what's right for you and your furry friends.