I know it's been a while since the last post for Shiro, 2019 was crazy but finally, we're heading in 2020 which is a new beginning! I'm excited to get started on a new adventure with Shiro together. Eating, drinking and having fun!
Shiro is a french bulldog with a sensitive digest system. She's vomiting after eating too much or some high-acid fruits. Apples and berries are good snacks for her but I usually feed her no more than 20 grams per day. Asian pears are Shiro's favorite fruits but they're high in sugar, which will also cause discomfort in the stomach.
I started to do home-made food in July 2018 since I found Shiro is allergic to chicken, beef and fish. So, turkey (find the nutrition facts here) is my first choice for the main protein, which is available in most of the grocery stores.
I usually choose ground turkey with low fat. For a 25-day meal, one pound is enough for Shiro. Although the kibbles contain some vegetables and fruits, I cannot actually "see" them. So I also have half pound carrots, 1/4 butternut squash, lettuces and a whole apple mixed in with the turkey.
I don't have a blender, so here's how I make the process easier:
Putting the ground turkey into a big bowl;
Steaming the carrot and squash until soft (🤪Yuchen's tip: slicing them before steaming will save some time);
Chopping the apple into tiny pieces;
Mixing everything in the bowl!
I almost forgot the most important ingredient -- flaxseed oil! As I mentioned in my previous blog post (read it here), Shiro had some significant hair loss on both sides of her body. Flaxseed oil helped her getting healed! Mixing four spoons of it in the bowl and you'll have a pretty colorful blend!
🤪Yuchen's tip: if your dog doesn't like the scents of flaxseed oil, you can replace it with coconut oil. Let your fussy friends try both of them first!
The last steps are easy -- spreading the blend into a rectangular cake pan, make it 1/4 inch thick; putting the pan into your favorite oven and set the temperature at 420F. Enjoying a cup of coffee and you'll see a beautiful "pancake" in 25 mins!
🤪Yuchen's tip: frozen the food in the fridge for up to 4 weeks to make sure they're fresh. Place one piece in the room temperature half an hour before feeding.
Based on Shiro's weight, I usually cut the "pancake" into 48 pieces (about 25g per piece). Please be aware that I make it as a topping for her 3/4 cup of kibbles.
One of my friends heard I'm making Shiro some food and ask me a question: Home-made food is safe and fresh, but do you think they have enough nutrition for her? Hmm...this question makes me feel it's time to update the food plan for Shiro. About a year later in July 2019, I subscribed The farmer's dog food. I decided to still mix some frozen food and kibbles because Shiro likes to have her food this way. This is not for a commercial purpose but I still recommend their food because you have a lot of choices based on your dog's habit and budget.
Dogs deeply know the philosophy of eating and happiness, food is the most important component of their lives. As a dog owner or mom of Shiro, I proudly see she's 3 years old but still full of energy as a puppy.
🤪Yuchen's tip: If you're new parents of a puppy or still struggling with a food choice of your dogs, please refer my blogs to see if they help. Don't give up!
You are the best!