Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Details of Their Perfect Diet

A couple weeks ago I wrote about the pooches' perfect diet and my new meal plan. Since then, we have had numerous questions asking for specifics of the pooches' actual diet. At first we were hesitant to detail our specific diet as these are the things we have found to work for our dogs, but we do know all dogs are different and we want people to understand the mix that works for our dogs may not be perfect for all dogs.
We only feed the pooches twice a day: once in the morning (around 6:30 am during the week and 8:30 am on the weekends) and once in the evening (around 4:30). 
During the summer we realized Miss M was a bit rotund and their kidney levels were dangerously high.
We wanted to add whole fruits and vegetables, but honestly, we didn't think we had the time or patience to actually "cook" for our dogs. And by 'cook' I mean cut up stuff.
We were lucky to discover Sojos Grain-Free Dog Food Mix which is largely a blend of dried veggies and fruits. We had tried some other dehydrated veggie mixes, but we really liked how Sojos had the larger chunks. It almost looks like a type of casserole we would eat ourselves. Since Sojos should be rehydrated overnight in the refrigerator, we have set off a whole shelf in the fridge just for our pooches' food, but you can also just rehydrate Sojos in water for at least 1 hour.
We also started using a high-quality meat. We rotate between Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet canned formula and raw food nuggets or patties; we vary this up based on the price and availability, brands include Northwest Naturals, Nature's Variety, and Stella & Chewy's.  For each pooch in their morning meal, we use a half cup of Sojos Grain-Free Dog Food Mix, a half can (6.5 oz or 185 g) of the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet (we vary the formula every meal), a cup of the raw food nuggets or a half patty of raw food, a splash of goat's milk, a tablespoon of probiotics and a can of water. We prepare this each night and store it overnight in the refrigerator.
 
Though we would like to use the raw food for both their meals, but due to the cost of raw food, we just add another half can (6.5 oz or 185 g) of their canned diet in lieu of the raw food for their afternoon meal. Since we were so excited about Miss M's healthy weight loss, which we largely attribute to Sojos, we decided to use add Sojos to Miss Bessie Belle's diet.
 
For each meal, Miss Bessie Belle has a whole cup of Sojos Complete Food Mix with Raw Turkey with a cup of her kibble (and splash of goat's milk and a tablespoon of probiotics). With this healthy diet and long walks, in the short time she's been with us Miss Bessie Belle has lost over 8 lb. and now has a renewed pep in her step and is very lively!
Recently, A had a discussion with a representative from Sojos and raved about the great success we have had with their products and they have offered to "sponsor" both the bigger gal-pooches of New Leash on Life, Miss Bessie Belle and Miss Claudia to regain a healthy weight as they search for their forever homes.
Miss Claudia, who would not eat a bite of her kibble in boarding, now thoroughly enjoys her kibble with Sojos Grain-Free Dog Food Mix and a splash of goat's milk in her foster home.

19 comments:

sweetemaline said...

That is so exciting that Sojos is sponsoring the ladies' weight loss! Very "Biggest Loser!"

May I ask, what is the goats milk for?

Two Grad Students and a Pittie said...

Thank you for writing about this! I was really curious about the brands and the amount of food you give.

Luv My Rosie said...

I just love how fashionably accessorized they are!!!! too cute!!

Sarah said...

Yay! I love it when I hear about people using the dehydrated mixes and raw. It's done wonders for our dog's coats and weights as well. We're on half kibble, half raw ourselves and everyone is psyched. I didn't think it possible for our dogs to be happier about meal-time but Maggie now sings to me when I'm preparing dinner.

HoundDogMom said...

Okay, you have me curious. Why the goat's milk? Sniffs, The HoundDogs

Anonymous said...

I think I'll have to support Sojo's for their support of rescue pups!

Millie and Walter said...

I love those snuggle pictures!

Cindy

goosie mama said...

Can we talk about that hilarious first picture - I laughed out loud, it's so cute!!

Great post, very interesting and got me thinking!

matt said...

look like some really happy and relaxed pups

Mel said...

We just discovered sojo grain free dog treats ourselves and are loving it!

Of Pit Bulls and Patience said...

That's great news! Since switching Skye to raw, she has turned into a whole new dog! I bet Bessie feels better than she has in years! Have you checked out any local butchers for deals on meat? That's helped me spend less on raw than I did on kibble.

One question, is Miss M's hat supposed to be for dogs or did you just modify it for her? I'ts fantastic!

Two Kitties One Pittie said...

HOORAY! This is awesome. We're still waiting to see how Zoe responds to the weather (which was *supposed* to be cold by now) before we decide what to do about her allergies (and by extension, her diet). She's been super itchy lately -- even when it was really cold -- so I'm starting to wonder if it's a food allergy. Glad to see you making progress on Miss Bessie Belle's weight! All the dogs look gorgeous!

Two Pitties in the City said...

Miss M actually shops in the kids' section; her hat is from Old Navy.
We use the goats milk as a type of supplement that is supposed to be really healthy for them. It also helps the food taste better for picky eaters.

Two French Bulldogs said...

Do you guys look adorable!!!!!
Benny & Lily

Vicki said...

That's so awesome about the sponsorship! Makai has been on the same Sojos mix with a variation of raw meats for a couple of years now. It really transformed his allergies. After a year of allergy shots and prescription diets, I'm surprised how long it took me to get the guts to try it. It seems so natural now that we've been doing it for a while. The hardest part for me has been getting my vet on board with raw, but even they can't ignore the difference.

A Wonderful Dogs Life said...

I adore photo #3 it's so sweet! Peaceful snuggles and dreams what could be better.

I liked the feeding info. Mom has goats milk on the shopping list for everyone to try (people included).

Congratulations to everyone on their weight loss and improved blood work. That's magnificent!

We are currently looking for a new food for me because I don't really like my current food anymore. We have some samples of those Stella & Chewy patties I'll have to see if we can try them this weekend.

Emma

Christina said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Christina said...

My crew LOVES the Stella & Chewy Duck Goose Pattys.

I also started using Wild Salmon Oil that I heard rave reviews about as far as keeping fur shiny, less shedding and no more skin allergies. It has been a MIRACLE oil for my 3 rotties who were big shedders. I buy it on Amazon.com..I cant say enough good things about it!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad I read this just now! I discovered Sojos' raw mix on Wag.com and had been adding it to my Katie's kibble, but didn't realize it needs to sit to re-hydrate. No wonder she sniffs it with disdain and then comes back to gobble it up later! I will start preparing it advance from now on for my 13-yr-old girl!

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