I am, I admit, a little crazy about dogs – mine and other peoples’. I find, for the most part, it’s easier to love canines than humans. I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t a dog in my life. And now there are two – brothers and littermates Murphy and Duncan – who have been endlessly documented on my Facebook page and in random blog posts. I even have a Pinterest Board called “Crazy Dog Lady.”
A few years ago there were vast recalls of pet food from China. Dogs were getting sick, and even dying from ingredients found in the dried food. At about the same time, my dog, Murphy, was scratching himself into hotspots and skin infections. The vet diagnosed food allergies and said that terriers are particularly prone to them. The most common allergen for these dogs seems to be wheat and other grains.
The combination of events convinced me that it would be a lot better for my dogs and really not that difficult to make their food. They’re small, they don’t eat much. A batch of food lasts several weeks. And if I made the food, I could control the ingredients. It’s not rocket science. An Internet search guided my recipe development, which was then blessed by my vet. I eliminated grains and supplemented with sweet potatoes for compensatory carbohydrates.
The boys love their food, but who wouldn’t? It’s plain, but wholesome, full of protein, carbohydrates, and lots of veggies. My two-legged boy dropped by the house one day and, as is his habit, went straight to the refrigerator to get something to eat. He was well into the dog food before I told him what it was. “It needs salt,” was his only reaction.