Most commercial pet foods are garbage. Most, not all, be sure to read the label. One of the things lots of companies do is add ethoxyquin as a preservative to dry foods. That's not a good thing at all for her and it's illegal for my food so it makes sense not to give it to her either, right? Think of this the next time you order pet medications for your sickly pet. Ethozyquin causes all sorts of health problems and they know this, and yet put it in their foods and tell you to feed your dog their product.

They can also add euthanized cats and dogs and zoo animals and road kill, grind it all up and call it 'meat meal'. Yes, most dog food companies put this into your beloved pet's food. This also includes the dog tags, flea collars, the bags they put the dead animals in and the poop inside them! One study found upto 25% fecal material in the 'meat meal'. Do you want to pay for that? More importantly, do you want to feed that to your pet? I know I don't. I love my dog.

Another really bad ingredient that gets into commercial food is the sodium pentobarbital they use to put suffering animals down. That stays in the body of the poor deceased animals that get ground up into the 'meat meal' So, when your pooch eats her food she's actually behaving like a cannibal and eating chemicals that cause all sorts of health issues. There is a better way.

Your dog has many generations behind him/her that were fed on the same stuff we eat everyday. Store bought dog food is not now and has never been necessary to your pets survival. Now science has guidelines for the best nutrition of your pet, broken down to certain breeds as well. You can select a quality brand of commercial food that truly is looking out for her nurtition or make good stuff yourself at home. I do both.

Here's some of the receipes my little girl loves. You can add more protein (meat), or fiber(veggies), depending on your particular pet's need. These are foods that I can eat so I know they will be good for her too, although not all people food is good for our pets.

This first receipe I call her rice dish. She eats about 1/3 of it each meal so it goes pretty quickly. Occasionaly I get to freeze a portion or two and that makes it easy to just grab, microwave to thaw, and heat a little before serving. You may also double the receipe to make things easier on you, the cook.

Start with a medium sized pot. Brown 1/2 pound of lean beef or chicken. Then add 1 1/2 Cups of water and 1 Cup of uncooked rice (brown rice is best but white will also work). Boil together until rice is tender, it should be slightly watery at this point. Add 1/2 Cup grated carrots, 1 small can of peas, and any scraps of vegtables you may have leftover (if your dog likes them). I also add a dash of garlic because she likes it and it smells good in my kitchen. Simple and yummy.

This next receipe is called her macaroni dish. This is a little large and lasts about twice as long. Oftentimes I alternate these dishes to give her variety.

Start with a large pot and a splash of oil. Add 2 Cups of lean meat... beef or chicken or lamb, brown. Yes, you can keep any pan drippings in there and she just loves that. Add 2 or 3 choppped carrots, a zuchini chopped, 1 stalk celery chopped, and a can of peas. You can also add the scraps of broccoli or the potato scrappings from last night or any leftover veggies you may have. Cover with water and simmer till veggies are starting to get soft. Add 1/2 pound macaroni and continue to cook uncovered until pasta is soft. Serve her one big scoop and freeze the rest in

baggies. Take out one baggie per meal so proportion them accordingly.

As I said earlier, most commercial pet foods are garbage but you can find some that really care about your pet. If you find cooking for your pet to be too bothersome try looking for a quality brand and read the label carefully. I do give my girl dry food 2 to 3 times per week, sometimes with a little 'people' food on top. I use the best quality food I can find for her because I love her.

We get very attached to our pets, they become members of the family. From time to time they do need us to order pet meds on their behalf, but if we care for them

properly they can live long happy and healthy lives.