On the one hand, it seems pretty excessive and bourgeois to design a meal plan or cook just for your pet. But on the other, I would definitely do it if I knew I was improving their health and longevity, because I love them so very much.
I’m not sure what to think anymore. I know some people these days who are very serious about a formulated-dog-food-only diet for their pets, with absolutely no people food allowed. Others incorporate only certain people foods, like boiled eggs or chicken breast, into their dog’s diet. And still others feed their dogs absolutely whatever. A search of “pet diet” in this forum yielded the same spread of results.
But I haven’t really noticed whether some dogs fare better than others depending on these diets. It almost seems like a crapshoot. Like how some people can smoke and drink and eat like shit their entire lives, and still make it to age 95, while others who take excellent care of themselves still end up getting cancer or something and die young. But there still has to be an ideal way to feed your pet to ensure that they live as long as is healthily possible. Right?
Well, thsi trend is a result of the deaths of thousands of animals because of tainted so-called scientifically designed commercial veterinary specific animal feeds. There are brands that time and time again -Science Diet, cough cough- have had problems, serious problems. No one wants to be responsible for killing their pet, especially when you buy something you think is adequate and pay a pretty penny for it.
That said, Toto did pretty well on a raw diet but Bobby will get sick even with cooked food. My young cats love every chance to steal MY food but if I give them specifically cooked for them stuff, they won´t have it. Sigh.
My grand dog gets crockpot food. Some ground meat, rice or oats, carrot or sweet potato, broccoli, cover with water, and cooked on high for a few hours. Add a few frozen blueberries at the end and you’ve got puppy stew.
Well, you could just take your dog to Second Floor restaurant for brunch and let your “maid” feed her parts of your meal while you chat with your friend.
As my wife and I watched these two very well dressed ladies share their brunch with their dog (actually was the maid doing the feeding) we realized on a daily basis that dog probably ate better food that we did.
It is amazing how far separated so many pet owners are from their pets actual biological needs. Lets be honest about it. Buying pet atore grub, dry or wet, is about he equivelant to eating mcdonalds every day. Or 711. Or whatever processed factory grade C scraps formed into something aromatic. Feeding pets good cuts of meat has the exact same environmental impact that people eating said meat does. So the problem only gets compounded. Ideally using more efficient whole foods that carnivors can eat would be ideal. Rodent and invertebrate bases come to mind.
Farmed whole rat sausage (meaning meal, not literally sausage) would be multiple times better than the dry kibble we normally buy, and yet owners still let their “ewww” factor dictate what should be logical decisions.
